Parish Pilgrimage to the Walsingham Shrine
On 11th June Fr Dominic led our parish pilgrimage to visit the Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham.
We set out on a lovely sunny morning by coach to Elmham House where we would be staying.
Once settled into our rooms some of us went into the little Chapel of the Annunication which was next door. What a lovely little Chapel this was, a peaceful oasis after a very long journey from Somerset.
The following day after a hearty breakfast Ben led the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Father Dominic read some beautiful prayers from Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska’s readings.
Afterwards, Sister Catherine from the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham gave a talk and PowerPoint presentation on the history of Walsingham. This was very informative and she explained that in 1061 the Virgin Mary had appeared to a lady called Richeldis de Faverches and took her in spirit to Nazareth and showed her the place where the Angel Gabriel had appeared to her. Richeldis was told to take a note of the measurements of the Holy House and to build a replica of it in Walsingham. Hence the name given to Walsingham as England’s Nazareth.
Later we visited the Abbey grounds where the Holy House was built. Nothing of course was left of the house except a plaque showing where it was situated and a wooden cross which was exposed when the ground was excavated in 1961.
The grounds themselves were beautifully kept and the old Abbey ruins still looked majestic amidst the landscape. When looking at the ornate carvings one could imagine how impressive the Abbey must have been in its heyday.
Earlier in the day we had the opportunity to either walk the Holy Mile or to go by coach to visit the Catholic Basilica to attend Mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation. Fr Dominic and a few others walked the Holy Mile but I do believe this was longer than a mile and thankfully a few of them managed to get a lift further along the road. Fr Dominic concelebrated with other priests who were also visiting. Shortly after Mass the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and so we were able to have some really special quiet time in prayer.
Situated in the grounds is the Slipper Chapel which was built in the mid 14th century. The Chapel was dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria and served pilgrims on their way to England’s Nazareth. This is a lovely little Chapel and holds the statue Of Our Lady of Walsingham.
In the village of Little Walsingham is the Anglican Shrine to Our Lady. This is a really beautiful church and has an ancient well on its premises where priests anoint the pilgrims with the holy water. This well was discovered in 1930 and is reputed to be Saxon. Local belief suggests that an underground conduit connects this well to the original well situated in the Abbey near to the Holy House.
On the last evening some of our group joined in the candlelit procession around the grounds of the Anglican Shrine. This was a really special occasion where all denominations came together to pray to Our Lady of Walsingham and to give thanks for a very special pilgrimage.
Maggy Payne
