Our Lady of Walsingham

[RevDrNorth]

In terms of Catholic and other churches devotion to Mary (as I mentioned in another thread, EWTN had an excellent presentation (when don’t they) on the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham (England).

The Shrine began in 1061 (became a major Shrine) and was destroyed by Henry VIII when he seized the large Augustinian Property there. Seems he had special irritation (according to EWTN program) for the Shrine since he and Catherine prayed for intercession there (birth of a son) and it was not granted.

Terrific story of Father A. Hope Patton’s (Anglican Priest) revival of the Shrine in the 20th century. He was devoted to Our Lady. From an Eastern Orthodox site a synopsis of the remarkable story:

Then, after four centuries of neglect, the Shrine was restored once more, largely through the dedicated efforts of one man—the Anglican Vicar of Walsingham, Father A. Hope Patten (†1958). In 1921 he placed in his parish church an image of Our Lady, a copy of the ancient one that stood formerly in the Holy House. Ten years later a piece of land was acquired in the village, and the Holy House was rebuilt. When the workmen were clearing the ground for the foundations, they unearthed an ancient well, together with some medieval foundations, corresponding closely to the measurements of the Holy House built by Richeldis. Thus, it seems that Father Hope Patten and his helpers were guided by God to rebuild the Holy House on exactly the same spot as that on which it once stood.

Roman Catholic Shrine was also revived. You now have an Anglican Shrine, A Roman Catholic Shrine, an an Orthodox devotional society from whom the above quote was taken (link below):

westernorthodox.com/walsingham (EO)
walsinghamanglican.org.uk/welcome/index.htm (Anglican)
walsingham.org.uk/romancatholic/
(Roman Catholic)

And in a twist, while the Roman Catholic Shrine is enlarged, the local large Methodist Church (where Wesely preached) has made room for Mass to be celebrated.

It is nice to see roots of the same branch (Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox) all sharing devotion to Mary at an ancient Shrine that was founded by an English Catholic. Apparently, when the Pope was in England he could not get to the Shrine and so the statue was brough to him at Wembley. He then took the statue and it occupied a spot on the altar for the Mass. The Catholic Priest joked that technically you should not do that but when you are the Pope (who had special devotion for Our Lady) you can do that.

 

[RevDrNorth]

Wikipedia has the following ballad from Elizabeth I era:

Weep Weep O Walsingam,
Whose dayes are nights,
Blessings turned to blasphemies,
Holy deeds to despites
Sinne is where our Ladye sate,
Heaven turned is to helle;
Satan sitthe where our Lord did swaye,
Walsingham O farewell!

I guess the Blessed Mother of Our Lord had the last laugh since not only is the shrine back after Henry VIII sacked it but it multiplied. It now hosts Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Shrines.

 

[LilyM]

I guess the Blessed Mother of Our Lord had the last laugh since not only is the shrine back after Henry VIII sacked it but it multiplied. It now hosts Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Shrines.

What a beautiful shrine - and touching poem as well.

Indeed it looks like Our Lady has had the last laugh, as I suspect she often does and always will

If the Orthodox and Catholic churches ever reconcile our differences it will certainly be in no small part due to our shared devotion to the Theotokos/Mother of God, and judging by this the same may be true of at least some of our separated brethren in England.

 

[RevDrNorth]

What a beautiful shrine - and touching poem as well.

Indeed it looks like Our Lady has had the last laugh, as I suspect she often does and always will

If the Orthodox and Catholic churches ever reconcile our differences it will certainly be in no small part due to our shared devotion to the Theotokos/Mother of God, and judging by this the same may be true of at least some of our separated brethren in England.

Yes, God works in very interesting ways.
It was great to see Walsingham once again home to thousands of pilgrims. Apparently, one of the largest (4000 ?) is a group of Tamil’s.

 

[Rbt_Southwell]

My family’s parish in Houston is Our Lady of Walsingham, an Anglican Use parish.

The WHOLE parish came home to Rome many years ago. The parish is also instrumental is spreading Our Lady of Walsingham’s devotion throughout Texas.

Robert

 

[Cairisti]

My family’s parish in Houston is Our Lady of Walsingham, an Anglican Use parish.

The WHOLE parish came home to Rome many years ago. The parish is also instrumental is spreading Our Lady of Walsingham’s devotion throughout Texas.

Robert

I’ve been to that parish, it’s a very beautiful. Always reminds me of a country English church. And they use incense. Alot.