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Our Lady's Mirror
Winter-Spring 1957
The well
Christmas at the Shrine and in these parishes was very peaceful and happy. Just at the last
moment, through the kindness of the parish priest of S. Augustine’s, Haggerston, a priest came on
Christmas Eve and stayed until Boxing day, helping manfully over the festival.
The extension to the Hospice is now completed, and pilgrims and visitors who are lucky enough can revel
in h. & c. and central heating, with other up-to-date amenities.
Mrs Ferrier has started to supply coffee in the Shrine Shop during the mornings, which is appreciated by
some of the residents of the village and by visitors. It is only a temporary arrangement until the Café is
open, but very nice on winter days.
It would help the Shrine very much if our friends, when buying books, would order them through the
Shrine Shop. Except for postage, it will not cost you any more and would be a ‘good work’.
H.H. Princess Marie Louise came frequently to visit the Shrine before the war. A report comes in from a
London Vicar saying when she visited that church she saw a shrine of Our Lady and exclaimed “Oh! Our
Lady of Walsingham”. Fr. X said: “Have you been there?” “Of course I have! And I am the first of our
family to visit it since Henry VIII .” A Requiem has been said in the Shrine for her, and your prayers are
asked for this stalwart Catholic lady. May she rest in peace!
At least during the months between Easter and November Walsingham is by no means a quiet, out-of-the-
way village, for during that period the place is visited by large numbers of pilgrims – priests and layfolk –
and many friends come to the Shrine. From November until Easter, with the exception of Christmas, it is
quiet, but we who live here welcome this season.
The village has its own station, with frequent diesel trains to Dereham, Wymondham and Norwich (with
first-rate connections to London), as well as to Wells-next-Sea; and in the summer there are buses to
interesting places around.
On February 9th the Lord Bishop of the Diocese visited Walsingham again this time to dedicate the
Convent Chapel which had just been completed. It was a very happy day for the Sisters and their
numerous friends. The Bishop expressed surprise and pleasure at the speed with which the building had
been put up, and reminded the congregation of his last visit when he installed the Reverend Mother. The
chapel is quite large, with a beautiful stone High Altar in front of an apse. There is a small narthex at the
west end.
The first profession was made in the new chapel on February 16th. This was another happy family
occasion for the Sisters and those privileged to attend.
The Administrator had to take a forced rest and went right away from home in order to avoid all business
and correspondence. He returned home at the beginning of March, better, but unfortunately too soon, as
he was just beginning to feel an improvement in his condition. He is grateful to all the friends who made
kind enquiries and to those who helped to make the rest possible.
At the time of writing the Spring flowers are bursting into bloom and the gardens of the precincts are
looking delightful; but, alas, we fear the display will all be over too soon.
It has been suggested to us that the MIRROR needs modernising and that its appearance should be
changed. We should be glad therefore to have readers’ views on this.
articles: 'In the van of the Catholic Revival'; 'Our Lady of Llanthony'; I H Burton, 'Our Lady's Picture
Book'; R E G Hoper, 'Through Catholic Eyes'
photographs: the well [above]; S George's Chapel; High Mass at S James, Wednesbury; Our Lady of
Llanthony