THE
P RTAL
October 2018
Page 3
P ortal Comment
Time to dust off
those beads
Br Robert Augustine
W
hen I was on the staff of the Anglican Shrine in Walsingham, one of my tasks was to lead Shrine
Prayers at the Holy House once a week and to have responsibility for sorting out the intercession box,
as well as handling requests for prayer that came in via the website.
To share so closely in the joys and sorrows of the
People of God and to bring their heartfelt petitions to
the feet of Our Lady of Walsingham was frequently a
humbling experience and always a real privilege. Ever
since the Anglican Shrine was founded, the Rosary
has been said there daily and the gentle service of
Shrine Prayers is considered by many to be the most
significant aspect of the ministry offered there.
plenty of people will be reciting it on each day of the
week. It doesn’t have to be done at any particular time
of day; the important thing is that you do it and in this
way make your special contribution to the spiritual life
of the Ordinariate.
You will be asked to include certain regular
intentions for the work and mission of the Ordinariate
which will be updated from time to time but there will
For readers who may be unfamiliar with the way also be scope for including your own petitions and for
it works, the mysteries of the Rosary are offered for bringing to Our Lady local issues which are of concern
various intentions: in thanksgiving, for the sick, those to your parish or group.
in spiritual need, the needs of the world, the departed
and for the Shrine and village. The Rosary is also
On All Saints Day I shall launch the initiative by
recited each day at 2.30pm in the Slipper Chapel but beginning the daily recitation of the Rosary at 6pm
the sheer volume of petitions offered at the Catholic on behalf of the entire Ordinariate community at the
Shrine make it impractical to offer them individually Retreat of Our Lady and St Benedict – but just imagine
and in any case there is a system of Novena Masses how much more powerful the whole enterprise will be
specifically for the intentions of pilgrims.
if representatives of our folk up and down the country
were reciting the Rosary alongside me in spirit?
Since we have a particular attachment to Our Lady
of Walsingham, it seems wholly fitting that a ministry
Sadly, we don’t need Sherlock Holmes to tell us that
of intercession and regular recitation of the Rosary the Church and the world are both in need of sustained
should be part of what we do, not simply for the benefit prayer, so how about offering to do your bit? Details
of the Ordinariate but also for the wider Church and of how to join the Rosary Fellowship can be found in
the world.
the advertisement elsewhere in this magazine. I very
much look forward to hearing from you.
To this end, the Ordinary has given permission
for the establishment of a Rosary Fellowship. Any
You are invited to join the Rosary Fellowship. For
member – or Associate member – of the Ordinariate full details and an application form please contact Br
is welcome to sign up; those who do will be sent all Robert Augustine at:
the information needed to enable them to participate
in this important work. Unless there is a need to go
The Retreat of Our Lady and St Benedict,
shopping for a set of beads, it will cost you nothing
63a Wells Road, Walsingham NR22 6DX
except the time it takes to pray the Rosary once a week.
[email protected]
01328 820130
You can arrange to say it in church with other
members of the Fellowship or simply pray in the quiet
Please could clergy bring this initiative to the
of your own home. You will be asked to state which attention of any of your people who do not have access
day you will be saying the Rosary and the hope is that to this publication.