Contents. Letter from the Rector Pilgrimage News Walsingham Association Dates for your diary Walsingham Walkers 2016 Support the Basilica Prayers 02 03 05 07 09 11 12 Monastic Produce Shop Support the Shrine and Religious For more information, visit www.walsingham.org.uk
Dear Friends, I am writing to you as the Year of Mercy has ended. This truly grace filled period has seen thousands of pilgrims going through the Holy Door into the Slipper Chapel, it has been a wonderful year to experience the continuing story of Gods love in our lives. Mgr John Armitage Walsingham is a Marian Shrine of the Incarnation, where we come to Contemplate the Great Mystery of the Incarnation Rector Archbishop Arundle 1399. This is God s love for us that he became man and walked among us. Walsingham exists to remind us of this great truth of our Christian faith. Our faith is not a theory, or an idea or philosophy, it is a relationship with the person of Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin, and her role is central in constantly calling us to Do whatever he tells you. This is the divine will in our lives, it is what shapes us as we open ourselves 02 to the God who comes ceaselessly into our lives. In this New Year of 2017 may we day by day seek Gods will in our lives, encouraged by the example of Our Blessed Lady. Our new Dowry Retreat Centre is now open, please take the opportunity to visit when you are next in Walsingham. It is in the High Street opposite the Priory Gate House. If you wish to come on retreat, or come with a parish group then please book through the Pilgrim Bureau. This is the first of the new developments at the Shrine, and it is truly a wonderful asset to enable more people to experience not just the grace of pilgrimage at Walsingham but the grace of a retreat and a place of prayer and silence. People ask me how the devolvement s are going, this year we hope to be able to finalise the plans for the Shrine and Elmham House, and apply for Planning Permission. We have just received Planning Permission for two new disabled bedrooms in St Josephs. Please keep us all in your prayers as we work to serve Our Lady at her Shrine at Walsingham. With my prayers for you and your loved ones. Mgr John Armitage Rector
Pilgrimage News Dear Pilgrim, Life in Walsingham and North Norfolk is full of surprises, many blessings and this year has seen some very exciting initiatives at the National Shrine. 03 As I drove to work this morning down the lane from West Barsham after a night of very heavy rain, I came to a halt as a large Land Rover and trailer were parked across the lane. I could see some animals that had been grazing in the field were going into the trailer. I thought that they were an unusual breed of cattle, thick black coats and short horns. I was proved wrong: they were water buffalo and were being moved to another field as the field was now too wet for them! Later at the midday Pilgrim Mass Bishop Alan Hopes presided to celebrate the formation of a Multi Academy Trust dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham. Two primary schools, St Louis, Newmarket and St Felix, Haverhill have formed the academy and while still having their own staff and head teachers, they will share resources and ideas. Bishop Alan said that this was a wonderful step forward for Catholic education in the diocese. The pupils were a credit to the diocese and the future and I much enjoyed their wonderful singing, which had been thoughtfully prepared and rehearsed. Dowry House, the retreat centre, opens this weekend with the first group to stay there. Situated in the High Street, opposite the entrance to the Priory, many of you will remember it when it was the Sue Ryder hostel and shop. Sadly, it has been unoccupied for several years; it has now been fully refurbished and provides very good accommodation and common rooms. Dowry House will be run by the Sisters of the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham led by Sister Camilla. Pilgrims can come as individuals or in a group either for a personal or guided retreat. The atmosphere will very much be that of a retreat house, quiet and reflective and there is permanent Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. This is a land mark development as pilgrims now have the
choice of staying in Elmham House with its new en suite rooms and socialise with other residents, enjoying social evenings or stay in Dowry House where the focus is prayer and contemplation. It is also so good to see a Catholic presence in the High Street. Of course, several pilgrims come to the Shrine for the day and plans continue to improve the facilities in the Basilica grounds. The Pilgrim Hall and Welcome Centre situated on the car park and opened in November have been much used and appreciated. They can be booked for meetings, talks and social events with catering. The new halls are temporary in that when the funds have been raised and planning permission granted they will be replaced by a building containing a shop, toilets and the Chapel of Reconciliation will be extended backwards to provide more seating. These changes are much needed as numbers visiting the Shrine increase. These plans continue to evolve and it is very important to ensure that buildings reflect the Grade One listing of the Slipper Chapel. The Evangelisation Team led by Zygmunt Rakowicz (known as Zyg) now have an office at the Shrine and are working hard on promoting the spirituality of Walsingham and developing the whole experience of pilgrimage. Under his dynamic leadership I know that some very exciting events, pilgrimages and publications are planned. The importance of the National Shrine was celebrated this week when a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham was enthroned in the Chapel of St George and the English Martyrs, Westminster Cathedral (see the photo). Bishop John Sherrington presided and the Shrine Rector, Mgr John Armitage, was present. The statue, commissioned by Cardinal Griffin in the Marian Year of 1954 has hitherto been in the crypt. If you are in 04 London, do visit the chapel and you can also visit Corpus Christi, Covent Garden, where there is the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham blessed by Bishop Alan Hopes of East Anglia. If you would be interested in bringing a pilgrim group to stay do please contact us. Another initiative is the establishment of the Travel Bureau led by Sam Lidgley, assisted by Victoria Saunders and Viki Vincent (phone 01328 820217) based in the Pilgrim Bureau. We can now help you plan and organise a pilgrimage, book transport and assist with collecting payments. We are also hoping to negotiate group rates to visit local attractions for days out. Do phone Sam if you have any questions or suggestions. I hope to see you in Walsingham during the year and do call in to my office. With my prayers for a year of many blessings; may Our Lady of Walsingham pray for you. Julian Foord Pilgrimage Coordinator pilcoord@walsingham.org.uk
05 Walsingham Association Dear Member, This letter will reach you after Christmas. I do hope that your Christmas was blessed and that 2017 is a good year for you. I know that some of our members are housebound or unable to travel to Walsingham and you, in particular, are in my prayers at the Shrine. The annual Association Retreat was held last November. The retreat was led by Father Tim Bugby of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. We are most grateful to Father Tim for a series of very thoughtful and spiritual reflections. The retreat included these reflections, daily Mass, Sacrament of the Sick and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Father Tim was available for private advice. It was very good to see some new members present as well as old friends. We were also able to use the new Pilgrim Hall for the talks and the Welcome Centre for light lunches and this cut down on journeys to and from the village. This year s retreat will be led by Dom Brendan Thomas OSB, Retreat and Novice Master at Belmont Abbey. If you would like to book please j u s t p h o n e m e o r e m a i l walsinghamassociation@walsingham.org.uk The retreat was followed by the AGM Weekend. At the dinner we were very fortunate to have Sir Henry and Lady Bedingfeld as our guests. They live at Oxburgh Hall and Mass can be celebrated in the chapel. After the meal they shared with us some thoughts about Oxburgh. The sanctuary lamp in the chapel has burnt continuously except for a short period during the Civil War. Sir Henry thinks that being in a remote part of Norfolk was an advantage. The family have only moved once since the Norman Conquest, in 1250 to Oxburgh. That is quite record! If you have never visited the Hall, I do encourage you to go. It is the most beautiful Tudor moated house, lovely red brick and tall chimney stacks reflected in the water. The Annual General Meeting was held for the first time in the new Pilgrim Hall, much brighter and lighter than the village hall. Mgr John was in America (he was there the day of the election which he said was quite an experience!). Nick Clovis, the Shrine Administrator, gave a detailed presentation on the plans for developing both our accommodation with more provision for rooms with wheel chair access and the shrine grounds. He emphasised that this was still at the planning stage with the architects as much
depends on both protecting listed status buildings (the Slipper Chapel and the front of the Pilgrim Bureau, the former village school) and consultations with the planning authorities. David Chapman, member of the National Executive, then spoke about how the Association might help the funding of the developments. As a pilgrim one of the first things one did on arrival was to light a candle for one s own intentions and candles for friends who had asked us to do this; often quite a list! At present, there is a temporary area for candles once they could no longer be burnt in the Holy Spirit Chapel owing to smoke damage to the Slipper Chapel and safety considerations. The architects will be planning the new candle area as a major part of the cloister. David proposed that the Association raise funds for this as an area close to the hearts of members. It was proposed that the Association has a target of 50,000 raised over two years and this was passed unanimously. Several ways of raising money by branch and individual members, some well tried and other less well known were discussed. These included coffee mornings, wine and cheese, bring and buy, sponsored activities ranging from family walks to knitting! I will be getting out the preserving pan! If you have any suggestions on fund raising do please share them. Any gift if gift aided raises its value by 25% at no extra cost to the donor which is remarkable. The candle fund will be launched later in the year and so I would be very grateful if you could think how 06 you might be able to support the fund. I can tell you the very good news that thanks to the generosity of Newton Aycliffe and Bury Guardian Angels Branches the fund will be launched with 1,200 already raised! Thank you so much to those branches. At the meeting, some Honorary Life Members were unanimously elected. These included Tim McDonald. Tim is known to so many members: as both Master of Ceremonies and Shrine Manager he has done so much to help members on pilgrimage and this is a just recognition of all that he has done for the Association. Do call in to the Association Office if you are in Walsingham. With my personal best wishes and prayers, Julian Foord National Secretary walsinghamassociation@walsingham.org.uk Please note new phone number: 01328 820658
dates for your diary Further details available from Julian Foord, please call 01328 820658 Events not to be missed in 2017 07 M a r c h September WA Spring Meeting, Walsingham Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th March Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord The Dowry of Mary Pilgrimage Solemnity of Our Lady of Walsingham N o v e m b e r WA 33rd Annual Retreat, Walsingham Tuesday 7th - Friday 10th November WA Annual General Meeting Weekend, Walsingham Friday 10th - Sunday 12th November Walsingham Association National Executive Committee National Chairman Barbara Knight knightbarbara47@gmail.com Vice Chairman Jenny Thomson jennymayview@btinternet.com Shrine Council Representative Committee Members Margaret Bleasdale David Chapman Cyril Wood
Walsingham Walkers 2016 I am most grateful to Peter Walters for this account of the last two days of their walk from London to Walsingham. Editor And finally, we get there the eighth day (Saturday) 5.25 miles walked The weather was rather better today with the sun managing to put his hat on as the song goes, although it was a bit damp underfoot because of yesterday s rain. 09 After rising at the rather more civilised hour of 7.15am, we prepared and ate our breakfast of cereals and toast and after clearing up, we assembled in the minibus for the return trip to St Anthony s and the Parish Mass at 10.00am, conducted by Fr. Dick, afterwards saying our Novena prayers in the Church. Once we were ready to leave, Fr. Dick led us in a decade of the Rosary in the Church car park and we set off for the last leg of the Walk into Walsingham and our final silent hour. On arrival at the Shrine and as there were quite a few other pilgrims in the Slipper Chapel, we said the Angelus outside in front of the Charlotte Boyd Memorial and made our own private devotions in the Holy Ghost Chapel and in the area where the candles now are. It is truly surprising how many good folk ask us to light candles for them as we pass through their Church on our way to Walsingham and here was the opportunity for us to do just that. We then walked the final mile into Walsingham and said our Novena prayers in the Church of the Annunciation there, grateful for the many mercies shown to us while on the pilgrimage, and glad that we had all made it in one piece (blisters apart). It is but a few yards from the Church into the Black Lion (surely the definition of an ideal Church location for many Catholics?) where we not only had an excellent ploughman s lunch, but were also able to meet up with other Walk friends in the form of Bernie Edmonds our erstwhile taxi driver, along with Mick and Sue Duggan (Mick being a former Walker over many years). Once we had booked into the Pilgrim Bureau at Elmham House we all went up to the Priory grounds for a short talk on the history of pilgrimage in Walsingham into which were incorporated our Novena prayers and singing of the Salve at the site of the Holy House. After that, the men had a couple of hours or so free time to wander round the shops and purchase gifts for loved ones etc. This also gave a couple of us the opportunity to return the minibus to Paul Gray at the Shrine Bookshop, with grateful thanks for its use. Dinner at Elmham House was followed by our evening prayers in St. Joseph s Common Room which the staff there had kindly booked for that purpose and then Glory be a real bed for the first time in over a week! And showers as well.
Is Elmham House on fire? the final day (Sunday) 1 mile walked After we were up and ready for the final part of our pilgrimage we were surprised to hear the alarm bell go off in Elmham House. Worried glances were exchanged (whose fault was it was it me?) until we discovered from the Elmham staff that the cause was located in a room far from our group of rooms and was probably caused by steam from a nearby shower. Great relief all round and even greater relief that it was not something more serious. There is something immensely peaceful about the slow walk to the Shrine along the old railway track as we say all fifteen decades of the Rosary, aiming to complete this by the time we get to the Shrine itself. This year, our timing was a bit out. However, Plan B then kicked in and rather than arriving early, we simply waited at the top of the hill before the descent to the Shrine and continued with the Rosary until just before 8.00am when we then covered the final couple of hundred yards or so to the accompaniment of the Shrine bell as it cut through the silence of a damp and cold morning to welcome our arrival. At the Slipper Chapel, we deposited the petitions we had carried on the pilgrimage in the box on the Altar of the Chapel, said our private prayers, followed by (for the very last time) our Novena prayers and the Salve and then returned to Walsingham for an eagerly-looked-forwardto cooked breakfast at Elmham House. With the bit of spare time that was then available to us after breakfast we checked out of our rooms, put all our gear temporarily in Jeff s van and sat quietly in the Elmham House Library until it was time to move over to the Church of the Annunciation for Mass, presided over (with other priests) by Fr. Keith Tulloch. I always have mixed feelings about this Mass. On the one hand, it is always a joyous affair with a full Church and a congregation used to singing with gusto. On the other hand, it marks the very end of the Walk programme for the year and the goodbyes that have to be said to everyone before we depart for home. The future of the Walk It may surprise you to learn that the average age of this year s Walkers was 70 (yes, 70!) and one of the problems we have with our current age range is that health problems are likely to be greater and more regularly occurring than with younger men, which explains why, although we originally had a larger group (of similar age), there were a number of cancellations, mainly on health grounds. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to work out that unless the Walk is refreshed with additional numbers of younger men, the passage of time alone will kill it. With this in mind, I have been in discussions with the new management team at the Shrine to see how the Walk (either in its present or in a revised format) might fit in with the Shrine s own plans for the future and whether the wider contacts of the Shrine could be used as a means of broadcasting the Walk. Rather like Thursday s child, these discussions may have a little way to go, but it is hoped that they will bear fruit in time for the 2017 Walk. Peter Walters 15th October 2016 10
Prayers 12 Please pray for the souls of the following who have died this last year. May they rest in peace. Amen Angela Baird John Corrigan Mrs P J Craig Mr R Johnston Dennis Johnson Cissie Noonan Margaret Owen Pat Owens Hilda Vasey