Our Lady's Mirror 1941

The brass laid down in the Pilgrimage Church
in memory of Fr Roe

The few books which have so far been given to start the Library of the College have been put into the building near the Pilgrims’ Refectory and can be used within the building by members of the College of Guardians and Priest Associates visiting the Shrine, upon request. It is amazing what a little space a few books take up, and when put into shelves how very insignificant even a few thousand books look, and when there are only a hundred or two it is almost ludicrous. So please send books, and more books; there can never be too many. Books of reference, theological books, biographical, historical, travel, arts, in any language. Look through your shelves and see what you can spare, and also put a codicil in your will leaving your library, or part of it, to the Shrine.

We had a lovely Easter both at the Shrine and in the parish church of Walsingham as well as at Houghton S. Giles, with large attendances. One result of the recent day of National Prayer was that the Home Guard, Demolition Squads and A.R.P. have asked that we should hold a special intercession service on one Sunday in each month for them to attend officially. This is being done; at Houghton on the first and at S. Mary’s on the second Sunday in each month at three o’clock. It is fine to have nearly all the nave at the Parish Church full of our local men in uniform.

Pilgrims for the most part usually go out to S. Giles’s Church, and all the early pilgrims will remember it, as this Church used to form one of the places of visit for the first morning of the pilgrimage. Great improvements have been made in the decoration of S. Giles’s during the winter, through the energy of Father Lingwood, the Priest-in-Charge. The reredos has been redecorated, our Lady’s image re-enshrined.

Since the issue of the last Mirror the entrance of visitors into this district has been strictly forbidden with the exception of those coming on business; Guardians, who obviously come on the business of the Shrine to inspect their property, for which they are responsible, and Priest Associates, who come to offer the Holy Sacrifice or do Chaplains’ duty are able to come, but they must not bring lay folk with them. The other exception is for those who come to stay in the village or at the Hospice for a period; two or three months at least. This regulation being in force just before Easter was a serious blow to the Sisters, as over fifty people had booked to stay at the Hospice over the Feast, and they all had to be put off.

THE CHILDREN’S HOME

Miss Treby, who has been Matron of the Home for several years, including a long period at S. Hilary, when the Home was in Cornwall, is leaving us at the end of May. She hopes to get work with “Blitz Babies” and so identify herself more closely with war work.

articles: 'The Holy Icon of the Iberian Mother of God'; 'From the Life of Père Lamy, Apostle and Mystic'
photograph: brass laid down in the Pilgrimage Church in memory of Fr C E Roe [above]
gifts: icon of S Barnabas