Father Christmas Comes Home To Saint Walburge, Preston, Lancashire, England.

This Article, in full, can be read at REGINA

Divine Mass at The High Altar,

Saint Walburge,

Preston, England.

Illustration: REGINA

Father Christmas Comes Home To St. Walburge.

By Michael Durnan.

Canon Altiere is a newly-Ordained Priest with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) at the new Shrine of Saint Walburge, in Preston, a historically-Catholic town in Northern England. A year ago, however, Saint Walburge’s fate hung by a thread. Though a most beloved landmark – and a centre of Faith going back 150 years — changing demographics had rendered its future very uncertain.

Abbe Baudouin Chaptal de Chanteloup, Canon Francis Altiere,

Canon Amaury Montjean (from The Dome of The Home) and Abbe Guillaume Fenoll

Illustration: REGINA

The heart-breaking truth is that Saint Walburge’s was a Church no longer able to sustain Parish life; it was threatened with closure when Bishop Michael Campbell made a creative and forward-looking decision. Saint Walburge’s would become a “Shrine”– giving a new lease of life to a Church where generations of Prestonians have worshipped and received the Sacraments.

Now this young Priest, ordained in August by Cardinal Raymond Burke, is entrusted with the daily administration of this new Shrine. A senior confrere, not far away in New Brighton, helps keeps an eye on things, and two Seminarians are an indispensable help, says Canon Altiere, in this look at how things are going in Preston’s wonderful new Christmas gift.

“OUR PRINCIPAL MISSION IS TO MAKE

SAINT WALBURGE’S A HOUSE OF PRAYER.

Already The Divine Office, The Church’s continual “Sacrifice of Praise,” is Celebrated daily in the Church. In addition to Daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, we sing the Offices of Lauds, Vespers and Compline every day.”

Illustration: REGINA

“GIVEN OUR EMPHASIS

ON THE SOLEMN CELEBRATION

OF THE SACRED LITURGY,

WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY

FOR THE SACRISTY

as time goes on, especially since hardly

any of the original Vestments remain.

Someday, we hope to be able to restore

the Church to its original glory:

Stencilled East Wall;

Marble Communion Rails, etc.”

The Web-Site of Saint Walburge's Church is at

THE SPIRE

The address is:

The Shrine Church of Saint Walburge,

Weston Street,

Preston,

Lancashire,

England PR2 2QE.

Telephone: 07894 559284.

E-Mail: preston@icrsp.org