Rededication of England as the Dowry of Mary.



The above is a picture of me in the Slipper Chappell at Walsingham praying before the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.   Walsingham was once the National Shrine of Our Lady in England and thousands travelled there not just from all over England but from the Continent of Europe.   It was King Richard II who because of the love and dedication that English people had for Our Lady, especially Our Lady of Walsingham who first dedicated England as the Dowry of Mary.   The Reformation led to King Henry VIII destroying all shrines to Our Lady in England.   As a young man married to Catherine of Aragon he had longed for a son, but when his wife gave birth to one he would travel to shrines like Walsingham to give thanks, only to find the boy had died when he returned home.    His love for Mary turned to a terrible hate.

The Abbey was destroyed and the Slipper Chappell was turned to many uses until an inquisitive lady noticed that the barn, one of its uses, was shaped like a Church.   After investigating she found the story of Our Lady of Walsingham and restored the site to a place of pilgrimage.   The place of Mary in the Church was not diminished by Vatican II, indeed Vatican II encouraged devotion to her to continue.   But sadly saying the Rosary to remind them of the life and death of Jesus was taken from our children ad at a great cost.   The Church has never needed our Mother Mary as much as it needs her today.    So there is a movement next year 2020 to rededicate England as the Dowry of Mary.

In preparation this statue from the Slipper Chappell will be touring all the Cathedrals of England  for three days of prayer within the the different Cathedrals.    At Portsmouth  these three days are close at hand, 4th April to 7th April.    Whether there will be workshops on devotion to Mary, or rosaries prepared in the Parishes, or even a talk on her in parishes, I do to know.    All I know is that our Children need Mary and Mary wants to be with her children.   Please pray the Rosary that Mary will not be mocked.   I look forward so much to kneeling before this statue again.




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