The impressive church of St Walburge just up the road from me in Preston is to be opened as a shrine church administered by the Institute of Christ the King in the Diocese of Lancaster on Saturday 27th September. It will be a church dedicated the celebration of the Sacraments in the Usus Antiuqior and will act as a centre for Eucharistic Devotion.
Solemn High Mass at 12 noon will be celebrated by Mgr Gilles Wach, Prior General of the Institute, with Pontifical assistance of the Right Rev. Michael Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster.
Gregorian chant by the Seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King
Mass will be followed by a Reception in the hall next to the church to which all are welcome.
This is great news for this exceptional church.
Deo gratias
ReplyDeleteI see they have the altar marked out by some ropes acting as a railing. Wouldn't it be great if someone could create some kind of 'altar rail'. Now there's a thought!
ReplyDeleteAlso, is it just me, or does the table altar look like two pieces of the altar rail put back to back? Or is it possibly the original high altar detached from the redroes?
ReplyDeleteAnd on a third note, back when the Institute approached the previous bishop of Lancaster, a mystery benefactor had offered a significant sum of money, I have read on one blog, if it was given to the Institute. I wonder if that offer will still stand and the (much needed I imagine) money will go towards the restoration?
Dear Adam,
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the freestanding altar does incorporate some of the missing altar rails. I hope it can be dismantled and the altar rails restored, perhaps using original materials.
The high altar is intact. I don't think it was altered significantly, if at all, when the church was reordered.
Dear Simon (not Fr Platt, is it!?) thank you for clarifying that. I imagine it will cost a few bob to take the sanctuary extension out too. I think too, that they'll have to find more sections of altar rail (or have them made new) to restore it fully. We can hope, I guess!
ReplyDeleteDeo gratias!
ReplyDeleteBob Hayes
Dear Adam,
ReplyDeleteNo! Just a parishioner, and a supporter of the Institute.
My mistake, Simon! The coat of arms seemed very 'priestly', if you will. Not that it is of course.
ReplyDeleteThen how blessed are you to have the Institute taking over your parish! I've visited New Brighton twice now and there's something very, very special happening there
I was under the impression, obviously mistaken, that FFSP were taking-on the project.
ReplyDeleteWhat of the attached library?
The Talbot Library has closed, and its books are at Liverpool Hope University (or, perhaps, are on their way there).
ReplyDelete