RESPONSE TO THE SYNOD DEBATE
The Master
of the Guardians and the Priest Administrator respond to the
Synod debate on Women Bishops
The Master of the Guardians (Canon Martin Warner) and
the Priest Administrator (The Revd Philip North) have
written a joint letter to all Priests Associate, members of
the Order of Our Lady of Walsingham, the Walsingham
Partnership and the Society of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The full text of the letter can be found on this website on
the Administrator's page.
Click here.
Both the Master and the Priest Administrator wish to express
their gratitude for the letters and emails of support they
have received since sending out the letter.
NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE 2008
Full
text of the sermon preached by
The Rt Revd John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth
Go to the
National Pilgrimage page. An abbreviated version of the
sermon will appear in the forthcoming Assumptiontide
Walsingham Review.
THE OTHER PHILIP HEADS
SOUTH . . .
Fr Philip Barnes, the Shrine
Priest, takes his leave
Congratulations to Fr Philip Barnes, Shrine Priest since
2003, who has been appointed Vicar of the parish of S.
Edmund the King, Northwood Hills in north-west London. Fr
Philip will be leaving the Shrine in the late summer, having
a break (by going on the ecumenical pilgrimage to Lourdes)
and then taking up his new post on October 13th.
In
his time at Walsingham Fr Philip has made a massive
contribution to the Shrine - both in terms of the regular
liturgy, the National Pilgrimage (for which he has had
responsibility for the smooth running of the day itself) and
the special youth events. His Activity Carousels have
inspired a whole generation of junior pilgrims and no one
who saw him on the stage at the Youth Pilgrimage as Little
Britain's Vikki Pollard will ever forget that magical moment
. . .
Fr Barnes also made a massive contribution to the
Walsingham Appeal in conjunction with the other Fr Philip
(North) as part of the cycling duo (St Paul's Cathedral,
London - Walsingham) which raised over £60,000. Not being
able to walk in a straight line or with a straight back for
a fortnight after the two-day cycle trip was worth it -
according to Fr Barnes - just for the inspiring quality of
Fr North's cycling conversation!
We shall all miss him - his efficiency, his good humour,
his unfailing and unflagging enthusiasm for every aspect of
pilgrimage at Walsingham - and the parishioners of Northwood
Hills have much to look forward to.
THE NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE 2008
It didn't rain! ( . . . well,
hardly!)
The run-up to the National Pilgrimage was a time of doom and
gloom. Ever more depressing Met Office reports were checked
hourly, wet weather contingency plans were discussed and got
ready - and Fr Philip was up the wall and in total despair.
Not another complete washout for the National! 2007 was bad
enough; now it was being predicted that Monday, 26th May
2008 was going to be even worse - gales, torrential rain and
freezing cold. And that is precisely the weather that most
areas from the south-west up to East Anglia had. Those in
the south of England who had decided that 2007 had been
quite wet enough and stayed at home knew they had made the
right decision - as the aforesaid gales and torrential rain
lashed into their houses.
But, as so often happens the deluge failed to reach the
fringes of north Norfolk. It was pouring in Swaffham but
although it was windy and overcast there were only a few
spots of rain. The whole National Pilgrimage programme was
able to be held according to plan. There was a difference
this year; because the main Shrine archway was closed (owing
to the building works) the procession returned to the Abbey
grounds, rather than entering the Shrine gardens, and the
day concluded with Benediction.
A full report appears on the
National Pilgrimage
page.
PASTURES NEW . . .
Fr Philip North taking up a
new post
The present Priest Administrator of the Shrine, Fr Philip
North, has been
appointed Team Rector of the Old St Pancras Team in London.
Fr Philip will be leaving Norfolk to take up his new
position in the autumn at the end of the current pilgrimage
season.
Canon Martin Warner, Master of Shrine's College of Guardians
paid tribute to the energy, commitment and leadership of Fr
Philip: "It is great news for the church in Camden that Fr
Philip is to be the next Team Rector of the Old St Pancras
Team. Over the past six years he has brought outstanding
gifts and achievements to the Shrine, particularly in the
work with young people and families, and in the renewal of
mission and catholic evangelism. The successful £2m appeal
that Fr Philip spearheaded for a Welcome Centre and improved
accommodation will be among the most obvious examples of his
legacy in Walsingham. The Guardians and countless pilgrims
nationally have greatly valued his ministry at the Shrine
and assure him of their gratitude, prayers and best wishes
for this new chapter in his priestly life."
Fr Philip said today (Sunday, 4th May) "I have had an
amazing six years and it has been a huge pleasure to work
with pilgrims and in the local community developing
Walsingham as a place of healing and prayer. With Milner
Wing development all but complete, this is as good time as
any to move on and I look forward to the challenges of a
larger inner-city parish."
During his time at the Anglican Shrine, Fr Philip has built
strongly on the work of his predecessors - overseeing the
complete redesign of the Shrine's gardens and then being
driving-force behind the new building development. It is
perhaps fitting that one of his final tasks at the Shrine
will be to lead the 2008 Youth Pilgrimage.
TREE OF LIFE -
The Walsingham Children's
Weekend 2008
The
sun shone - and then it snowed! But nothing got in the way
of the enthusiasm of the 200 participants at the Shrine's
annual Children's Weekend. It was an action-packed couple of
days! At the 'First Visit' on Friday evening the children
were greeted by a pair of trees - which moved and talked!
This pair of trees helped Fr Philip North, the Priest
Administrator explain that the weekend theme "Tree of Life"
took everyone on a journey from the tree of shame - the
cross at the crucifixion - to the tree of life - at the
resurrection.
On the Saturday morning everyone made their own way to the
Chapel of Reconciliation (at the RC Shrine) where they took
part in a presentation on Thomas's encounter with the risen
Jesus - how he came to see that the cross was a tree of
life, when, at first, he could only see it as a tree of
death. This was followed by a joyous procession back to
Walsingham along the Holy Mile with a huge variety of
home-made banners.
Back at the Shrine it was then time to bury a time-capsule
under the Milner
Wing. This contained all sorts of 2008 artefacts - selected
especially to get pilgrims in distant future wondering! Some
of the children wrote letters to the pilgrims of the future
which were placed in the capsule. Led by Fr Philip North, a
small group of junior pioneer pilgrims buried the
time-capsule in a specially excavated hole under the floor
of the Milner Wing.
On Saturday afternoon there was an amazing carousel of craft
and fun activities for the children to enjoy, followed in
the evening by a disco in the special marquee that had been
erected in the Shrine gardens.

The Sunday morning Mass was a very special event, with
everyone participating through processions, readings,
prayers and singing. Rather different from the usual end of
a service the final recessional hymn was a conga which
snaked its way out of the Shrine Church and round the Shrine
Gardens as the children thought about how we go out from
church to take the good news of Jesus's love into the world
For a special report on the Children's Weekend by Janet
Marshall, the Shrine's Education Officer - and more
photographs -
click
here.

This year instead of sending all Priests Associate two
separate A4 posters giving details of the National
Pilgrimage and the Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal, we
decided to go for a larger composite A3 poster for both
events (part of which is shown above) - which also gives
gives details of the daily services in the Shrine Church.
For those priests, cell secretaries and pilgrimage groups
who wish to create any sort of Walsingham display for 2008
there are also available A2 size posters (i.e. twice as big
as the A3 version.) If you would like one or more A2 or A3
posters, please contact the Development Office
(dev@olw-shrine.org.uk Tel: 01328 824214)
ORGANISERS' & PARTNERSHIP
WEEKENDS
Many people think that February must be a quiet time at the
Shrine. However, for the past few years two important
weekends have been held - usually one after the other. This
year the Organisers' Weekend came first (8th/9th) and is
specifically intended for pilgrimage organisers - a chance
for them to ask questions and share experiences, a dialogue
process useful for both them and the Shrine staff. The
organisers were entertained on the Friday evening after
supper by a light-hearted drama presentation by the Shrine
staff on the pitfalls of pilgrimage! One of the special
quizzes (sample round: "pancakes"!) prepared by the Frs
Philip rounded the evening off. Saturday morning brought
presentations from the Priest Administrator, the Hospitality
Department, the Visitor Services Officer and the Development
Director; the afternoon was occupied with Snowdrop walking
and the chance to visit Binham Priory. The organisers then
followed the Lenten programme of services on Saturday
evening and Sunday.
The following weekend 138 people attended the Partnership
Weekend - members of the Walsingham Partnership and their
guests. This was the third annual Weekend - intended as a
thank-you to the Partners - hosted by the Shrine. After
supper on the Friday evening, yet another Shrine quiz (this
time with photo and music questions) was followed by the
first screening of the restored cine-film footage taken in
1938 at the dedication of the newly-extended Shrine Church.
(Further details of this 20 minute film (it will be
available to purchase later in the year) can be found on the
Walsingham Archives page.
Click here.)
On the Saturday morning the partners attended presentations
about the Milner Wing, the Welcome Centre and an
introduction
to the work of Enid Chadwick in the Shrine Church (pictured
left). Once again it was snowdrops and guided tours in the
afternoon. The 6.00 pm Mass (celebrated by the Master of the
Guardians, Canon Martin Warner) was followed by drinks in
the Pilgrim Hall and the splendid Partnership Dinner in the
refectory. Richard Mantle, one of the Lay Guardians of the
Shrine, spoke after the meal, thanking the Partners for
their on-going financial support and exhorting all the
guests to join up as soon as possible.
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See also
WHAT'S NEW
for an update on building works, new publications
and badges and other developments at the Shrine.
News from the Guardians' Chapter
At its meeting in May 2008, Chapter noted with
delight the election of Stephen Morris as a Lay
Guardian in succession to Major Patrick King.
Stephen has a long connection with Walsingham and
may be known to some of you as the RE teacher in the
Shrine video “Walsingham: That place in Norfolk”. He
is in his late 30s and has recently been made
Headmaster of the Cathedral School in Llandaff. His
experience in the world of education will be of
great benefit to the Shrine and it is good that we
now have a Wales-based member of the College.
The Guardians heard news of developments in the
Bursar’s Office. Following the retirement of Peter
Lane, Directors have decided that there should no
longer be a Bursar but that the work attached to
this post be spread amongst other colleagues. Sarah
Carter has thus been appointed to the new post of
Finance Officer and Marisa Kontochristos will be
Shrine Office Manager. To ensure a greater degree of
communication between the Shrine Office and the
Guardians on Financial matters, one of our Lay
Guardians, Richard Mantle, was elected Treasurer.
The Guardians discussed the future of the College
buildings. St Augustine’s is in a poor state of
repair and plans are being drawn up to renovate this
building in the near future. It was agreed that the
College should remain a place of hospitality
especially for clergy and their families, enhanced
by meeting spaces, working spaces and a small
theological library.
There was also a discussion on the issue of the
Ordination of Women. Guardians noted with delight
that the Shrine is able to offer hospitality to a
diverse range of pilgrims but agreed that the
current policy on the ordination of women should not
change. |
Appeal News
(For information on the Milner Wing building
project go to
The Future/The Appeal)
How's it going?
Fabulously
is the simple answer! We're now really close to our
target and all who have contributed in any way
deserve to feel really proud of what, together, we
have achieved. Since May 2007, just when we thought
things might start to slow down, there has been
loads of activity and some wonderful events.
The Sisters' Bed-Push
It could
only happen in Walsingham! When Mother Mary-Clare
was offered a wheeled hospital bed, she could see no
use for it as a place to sleep. But as a
fund-raising tool? well, that's a different story!
At the end of August five sisters pushed the bed
(containing the Shrine Priest) at terrifying speeds
along the Holy Mile. The Sisters of St Margaret have
already made a big donation to the appeal and held a
coffee-morning. But even that wasn't enough and the
Bed-Push enabled them to make another donation of
£3,000. A fabulous effort!
The Catholic Societies
The last bit
of an appeal is always the hardest with the ever
present risk of donor fatigue. Fortunately just when
we were starting to worry the Catholic Societies
weighed in and have been quite overwhelming in their
generosity. There was a long list of those who had
given in the Assumptiontide Walsingham Review.
Recent donations have been received from The
Guild of All Souls, The Council of Catholic
Societies, The Company of Mission Priests and Credo
Cymru. We are very grateful.
The US Appeal
Those parishes in the US who
have a connection with the Shrine set themselves the
target of $200,000 - and the great news is that they
have now reached it. The target was finally reached
thanks to a splendid donation from Grace
Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin - home of the first
Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham in the US
(established in 1932). We are delighted that our
American friends have responded so bountifully to
the Appeal. All we need now is a favourable (in the
dollar's favour, that is) exchange rate!
Other Donations
The Oratory of The Good
Shepherd have made a wonderfully generous donation
which has brought us much closer to our target.
A number of companies who work with the Shrine have
also offered us generous support. This includes
Michael, our butcher, and Hymns Ancient and Modern.
The C of E's Church and Community Fund has agreed a
donation of £4,000. And the people of S. Mary's,
Horden in Co. Durham organised a Walsingham Festival
in September which, as well as pulling in huge
crowds, led to a donation of £900.

The Barn Chapel has been, quite frankly, a bit of
a mess for the past 18 months as we have tried to solve
problems with the structure. While it would seem that the
damp is going to be an insoluble problem (as it is for most
Norfolk churches) the chapel has now been repaired and
painted and is back in use. It is a beautiful, peaceful
space away from the hustle and bustle of the Shrine - and
also a place where pilgrims can enjoy two significant pieces
of art, the Rublev Ikon written by Sergei Fedorov and David
Begbie's astonishing Crucifix fashioned from industrial
steel mesh. The Barn is always open for private prayer.
Other arrangements for worship there - there is an organ
available for use - should be made in the usual way with the
Shrine Priest.
The
Altar of the Mysteries of Light, funded by the
Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, certainly caused
comments when pilgrims saw it for the first time last
season. With its graceful lines and its reference to
pilgrimage in images such as the boat and the tent, it
captures the imagination of all and in particular of younger
pilgrims. It is good therefore to hear that the structure is
being recognised as a significant piece of work by a far
wider audience. The Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA) has nominated the altar for its Religious Building
of the Year award. Fingers crossed!
The celebrations of the Assumption are always a
frantic time for the whole village. In recent years the
arrival of a large number of travellers has added to the
busy-ness and while their devotion is profound, their
different lifestyle has occasionally led to tension with
residents. This year an ecumenical Travellers' Pastoral Team
was formed to provide care and outreach to the travellers.
As well as being an excellent example of ecumenical
cooperation, the team defused many of the tensions and
enabled the travellers to enjoy Walsingham as much as any
other pilgrim.
Priory News
Mother Mary Clare SSM writes . . .
Fr Nicolas Spicer seems to have settled into his role as Convent
Chaplain happily and enthusiastically. The entire community was
invited to attend Father's licensing and induction at Worksop Priory
at the beginning of October. It was an enjoyable day and the weather
perfect. That will be another place to add to our list of days out.
In August I made my first visit to Aberdeen to see Sr Columba who is
on our Convent Chapter, but continues her ministry in Scotland.
Sister seems very happily settled into her new flat. Although she
lives alone, she still maintains a disciplined life of prayer
together with chaplaincy duties at two hospitals.
It was lovely to welcome Sr Chandrani from Sri Lanka who was
spending a few days in Walsingham. The highlight of her visit was
the Procession of Our Lady. Another highlight of the past few weeks
has been Sr Wendy's celebration of the 25th anniversary of her Life
Profession. Fr Michael McLean preached at the Mass on All Saints'
Day, when the community were joined by many of Sr Wendy's friends
and family.
Sr Jane Louise SSM has been working with teenagers from the
village. She writes . . .
Walsingham, a place of pilgrimage, is also a village facing modern
day issues. Six months ago I had an encounter with some young people
of the village which woke me up. They had nothing to do and were
heading in the direction of ASBO's being issued.
Good news! With the help of dedicated youth workers and others, we
now have a drop-in bus on a Wednesday evening and we are well on the
way for a permanent site for a youth club.
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