De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

Mgsr John Armitage Director of the National Shrine to Our Lady in Walsingham , former Vicar General of Brentwood Diocese and all round top bloke on the Rosary on the Coast initiative. I really like the timeless imagery of Mgr. John walking in the Shrine grounds in the snow praying the Rosary. We will be praying the Rosary for for Faith, Life & Peace in the British Isles on Sunday April 29th 2018 at 3pm.  In my Deanery of Southend-on-Sea, we will be meeting at the Crowstone on Chalkwell Beach at 3pm on Sunday 29 April. You can place your Rosary on the Coast location on the Map at www.rosaryonthecoast.co.uk 40 Day Spiritual Preparation begins on March 19th - Feast of St. Joseph.

I would like to warmly encourage readers of my blog to seriously consider attending two excellent events that Brentwood Catholic Youth Service (BCYS) are providing transport for: March For Life : Saturday 16th May Bishop Longley of the Diocese of Birmingham has given a special invitation to men to attend. The event begins at Birmingham Cathedral with a time of prayer and reflection, followed by a walk of witness through the streets of Birmingham. The day includes music, song and pro-life speakers such as the amazing Gianna Jessen . Anyone who has heard her testimony knows that her journey of life is truly inspirational and that she is an amazing witness to the true value of human life from conception to natural death. A BCYS coach departs at 6:30 am from Brentwood Cathedral and returns to at 7pm. BCYS are preparing young people for the day with an optional meeting on 13th May in Brentwood Cathedral Conference Room at 7pm. Here they will hear more about the event and make banners ...

Walsingham is a most interesting place. Certainly it is one of the oldest Marian shrines in Europe; people have been coming here in pilgrimage since 1061 when Mary appeared in a vision to Richeldis de Faverches, a devout English noblewoman. Before the Reformation, Walsingham was one of the three foremost pilgrimage sites in the world, known as "England's Nazareth", along with Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostella. However, In 1538, the Reformation caused the Priory property to be handed over to the King’s Commissioners and incredibly, this extraordinary and ancient building was torn down. The famous statue of Our Lady of Walsingham was taken to London and burnt. After the destruction of the Shrine, Walsingham ceased to be a place of pilgrimage. Devotion was necessarily in secret until after Catholic Emancipation (1829) when public expressions of faith were finally allowed once again. It wasn't until Charlotte Pearson Boyd purchased the 14th century Slipper Ch...

Mgr John preaching on The Feast of the Immaculate Conception this year. Mgr John Armitage, one of Brentwood Diocese most loved priests has been appointed as the Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham by Bishop Alan Hopes.  He will take up his appointment on Ash Wednesday, February 18th 2015. Monsignor Armitage is currently Parish Priest of the Royal Docks in London’s East End and has served for the last 11 years as Vicar General in the Diocese of Brentwood. He comes to this appointment with tremendous pastoral and practical experience, He has a great devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham and is keen to help Walsingham to play its part in the New Evangelisation, particularly among young people and young adults. Fr. John is well known for being one of the busiest men in the country, so I can't help wondering if this is an almost perfect appointment for him. Although he will be far away from his beloved London (he was born and bred in Newham), where he has be...