Immaculate Conception

In order to reach Jesus, who is the true light and the sun that dissipates all the darkness of history, we need to have people near us who reflect the light of Christ and illuminate the way. And who is brighter than Mary? Who can be a more hopeful star than her, the aura that announced the day of salvation? That is why the liturgy today celebrates, just before Christmas, the magnificence of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: the mystery of God’s grace who embraced the existence of the creature destined to become the Mother of Jesus, preserving her from original sin. From her we see the grandeur and beauty of God’s project for each of us: to become saints and immaculate in love, in the image of our Creator.

Pope Benedict XVI, 8 December 2007

Patrona Britanniae

Here's title of Our Lady I haven't come across before. We all know about the Blessed Virgin as 'Patrona Bavariae' (Patroness of Bavaria - an ancient title) but not 'Patrona Britanniae' (Patroness of Britain). I found it in a mosaic in one of the new crypt chapels at the Divine Mercy shrine, Łagiewniki (a name which I'm still learning to pronounce) in the outskirts of Krakow. I think we should begin to use this title - perhaps someone should build a shrine to Our Lady, Patroness of Britain (but perhaps in a different style to the one below)?

I was surprised at how impressed I was at visiting Łagiewniki. As you can see from the above pictures, it comprises of a very modern basilica (which, in its own way, is remarkable and very spacious) as well as the old convent chapel, where St Faustina is buried. I've said before that the Divine Mercy devotion has never been a prominent feature in my spiritual life, but I purchased a few books about it when I was at the shrine and now understand the message of St Faustina a bit better. If you're in the Krakow area, I thoroughly recommend a visit.

Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the ninetieth anniversary of the first of the apparitions at Fatima. It's also (a providential coincidence) the ninetieth anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Eugenio Pacelli, who as Pius XII was a great promoter of the Fatima message, and the twenty-sixth anniversary of the assassination attempt on John Paul II (the fact the bullet avoided all major organs was a result, he believed, of Our Lady's protection).



At Kingsland today we welcomed Br Aldo and Br Michael of the Heralds of the Gospel, together with members of their Third Order. They are a private association of pontifical right, originating in Brazil and with a house in London - in Hampton Wick (near Hampton Court Palace). At three of the morning Masses we started with a procession of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and a prayer of consecration. Most impressive of all was the long queue of people after each Mass, waiting to venerate the image and receive from the Heralds a prayer card. Thanks to Br Michael, I thought I might post a few pictures to give you some of the 'flavour' of the morning. Popular piety is such an important part of the Church's life and much more accessible to the people than some other attempts at making the faith 'meaningful.' As one of the Heralds said, Our Lady is the 'key' that leads people so effectively to her Son.

P.S. The Heralds joined us for lunch (before going onto an Anglican church to preach the message of Fatima!). Also present were the two presbytery dogs, Oscar and Bruno, who were joined by their friend, Titus. Here are the three of them waiting on the stairs to see what was going on in the kitchen.

Lourdes - A Place of Pilgrimage

The Archdiocese of Westminster has made its first contribution to You Tube: a well-made six minute feature on the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, including reflections by the Cardinal and various pilgrims. If this inspires you to join the diocese at the shrine, then click here.

Our Lady Vulnerata

In my previous post on the Royal English College, Valladolid, I deliberately didn't say a great deal about Our Lady Vulnerata. There are many things to admire in the College chapel - the golden altarpieces, for example, or the fact that 350 English Catholic exiles are buried beneath (including a holy seminarian whose incorrupt body still smells of roses) - but this battered statue of Our Lady forms the centrepiece.

Originally the statue was venerated in Cadiz, where its devotees included Christopher Columbus prior to his great voyage of discovery. However, on 21 June 1596, the town was raided by English ships under the command of the Earl of Essex and Sir Waiter Raleigh (not to be confused with Sir Francis Drake's daring raid of 1587). The Armada had been defeated only eight years previously and the purpose of the English raid was to destroy the fleet gathering in Cadiz harbour for another expedition against Protestant England. As so often happened on these occasions, the commanders lost control of the soldiers and much destruction ensued. The famed statue of Our Lady was desecrated and all that remained of the Christ child were parts of His feet on the Virgin's knee. Our Lady's face was disfigured with sword cuts and both arms reduced to stumps.

This caused great shock in Spain and it was as if Christ and His Mother had themselves been attacked. The mutilated statue was placed with great honour in the Madrid chapel of the Countess of Santa Gadea, wife of the Adelantado (Captain-General) of Castille. The story became so well-known that the English seminarians of Valladolid asked for the statue, so that the College could make reparation on behalf of the English nation. The Countess half-heartedly agreed and the statue was solemnly enthroned in the College chapel on 8 September 1600. The local bishop gave the statue the title Our Lady Vulnerata (Wounded Lady).
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A new octagonal chapel was opened in 1679 and the statue placed in its present location behind the High Altar, surrounded by statues of SS Alban, Edward the Confessor and Thomas of Canterbury. Large seventeenth century paintings tell the story of Nuestra Senora La Vulnerata - including an image of the crowned statue surrounded by devotees, included Charles I (with axe in head) and Charles II!

Prayers are still said by the students for the Conversion of England before the statue and the feast of Our Lady Vulnerata is kept in the college by special indult on the Sunday after the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Notre Dame des Victoires

As you will know, two days a week I work at the diocesan archives, which are located behind the church of Our Lady of Victories, Kensington (known as 'OLV'). Earlier this week I was in Paris for the day and took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the little Basilica of Notre Dame des Victoires on the Place des Petits-Pères (near the Palais Royal).

There are statues of 'OLV' in the surrounding street:
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The church was completed in 1629 and financed by Louis XIII, who called it 'Our Lady of Victories' in gratitude for his recent victories on the battlefield. It was placed under the care of the Augustinians (or Petits Pères), who won themselves further favour with the King when one Br Fiacre obtained by his prayers to Our Lady, 'Refuge of Sinners' the birth of the long-awaited Dauphin, who would one day reign as Louis XIV. Br Fiacre had been visited by the Blessed Virgin on 3 November 1637 and undertook, on the royal couple's behalf, a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Grace at Cotignac, Provence. On his return, the Queen was discovered to be pregnant.

Two centuries later, in 1836, the curé , Fr Charles Eléonore Dufriche Desgenettes, increasingly concerned by the low numbers of practising parishioners (due to the fall-out of the Revolution), decided to consecrate the parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He also founded an Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Victories (approved by Gregory XVI two years later). This bore much fruit for the spiritual life of the parish and city and soon pilgrims began to flock to the church, as are testified by the 37,000 ex votos on the walls of the church. Here is a picture of an archway covered in these tablets (the bust, by the way, shows the great composer Lully, who is buried in the basilica):

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There are even ex votos at the side of the confessional:

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The most famous pilgrim was St Therese. In 1883 she was cured of a serious illness after a novena of Masses was celebrated at Our Lady of Victories. 'A miracle was necessary,' she later wrote, 'and it was Our Lady of Victories who worked it.' When she visited Paris en route to Rome in 1887, she confessed that only one of the city's sights filled her with pleasure: Our Lady of Victories -

The Blessed Virgin made me feel it was really herself who smiled on me and brought about my cure. I understood she was watching over me, that I was her child.

Other saintly pilgrims to the church include St Théophane Vénard, St John Bosco, St Peter Julian Eymard and Bl Elizabeth of the Trinity.

The church only had a handful of devotees when I visited, but it was clear from the lit candles and advertised events that the basilica remains one of the spiritual hearts of Paris. In the shop opposite I purchased a statue of Our Lady of Victories - seen here 'on location' in my study:
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Prayer to Our Lady of Victories: O Victorious Lady, Thou who has ever such powerful influence with Thy Divine Son, in conquering the hardest of hearts, intercede for those for whom we pray, that their hearts being softened by the rays of Divine Grace, they may return to the unity of the true Faith, through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Fr Nelson Baker)