Faith and Fellowship in Walsingham

There is something enchanting about walking the paths that thousands of pilgrims have walked before you, over hundreds of years. The countless prayers uttered feel like they have soaked into the landscape, enriching it and somehow setting it apart. Praying is easier in Walsingham, and so is listening to God.

The history of Walsingham is strong. In 1538 the Reformation compelled it to be handed over to the King's Commission, and the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham is believed to have been taken to London and burnt. All overt pilgrimage stopped and any residual devotion was secret until the emancipation in 1829 when Catholics were once again allowed to publicly express their faith.

In 1896, the Slipper Chapel - the last of the Wayside Chapels on the way to Walsingham - was purchased for Catholic use. It became once more a sight of Pilgrimage, and this is the main focus of Catholic devotion today. As England's only approved Apparition site, Walsingham is a site of special significance for Catholics in the UK. It is both extremely English and extremely Catholic, which is beautiful.

During WWII, Walsingham was a restricted zone and closed to visitors, but many service men and women showed interest in the Shrine. On May 17th 1945, the American Forces organised the first Mass in the Priory grounds since the Reformation. It is, then, a site of particular significance for military Catholics. The opportunity to walk and pray with uniformed serving personnel and their families was a profoundly moving one.

The day of our pilgrimage was cold and bleak, a wintery feeling Advent morning, but that added to the atmosphere and to the weight of the prayers. The Mass in the Slipper Chapel, celebrated by Bishop Paul, was simple and quiet and profound. Inside the Chapel was even colder than outside, our breath rising like incense. God was there as we prayed for and with those who had come before us, and for our family, friends and colleagues around the world.

Walsingham is special for the CMA not only because of its history but also because of its place in the making of our Association. It was where we had our first pilgrimage - significantly fewer of us then - and, most importantly, where the CMA was Consecrated to Our Lady. The words of the Consecration, read by Bishop Paul several years ago now, guide us, the CMA, as we continue in this blessed pilgrimage of faith and fellowship.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.

Our Lady of Victories, pray for us.