Fr Robert Billing, Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham, has written an open letter:

The Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady
Walsingham — England’s Nazareth

The Rector of the National Shrine, Fr Robert Billing, in the Slipper Chapel © Walsingham Trust

A letter from the Rector

Dear Father and Parishioners,

It is with immense joy that I write to you from the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady, at Walsingham, ‘England’s Nazareth.’ It is from here that, as the new Rector, I would like to reach out to you and to your parish community to invite you to journey together to Walsingham.

Our pastoral theme for 2024 is: ‘Mary, helping us to journey together,’ the backdrop for all our pilgrimages to Walsingham this coming year. We pray that Our Lady of Walsingham will help us with her prayers to be united in our listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, as we seek to do the Lord’s will in our lives. There’s a poster available inviting your parishioners to come to Walsingham.

Should you require support in organising your very first pilgrimage either from your parish, or as a group of parishes, our Pilgrimage Manager, Em Payne, would be pleased to assist at: pilgrimage@walsingham.org.uk or call her on 01328 801009. Alternatively, if you would prefer, please complete an online Pilgrimage Enquiry Form. We would love you to stay a few nights, and so we have a mix of ensuite, budget and bunk rooms which between them can accommodate over 150 people.

Alternatively, if you know the ropes and simply wish to ‘book again’ do contact our Reservations Team directly on reservations@walsingham.org.uk, call 01328 820217 or complete an online Pilgrimage Enquiry Form. Please book early to secure your preferred dates.

We are currently preparing our 2024 pilgrimage information brochure which will give you a flavour of Walsingham and what the upcoming season will offer. While they are not yet available, we can supply copies for your parish free of charge when they are.

It will be our joy to welcome clergy to Walsingham in 2024. As an early ‘heads up,’ we will be hosting the third Walsingham Priest Retreat from Monday 4th to Friday 8th March 2024. The retreat leader will be Bishop Michael Campbell OSA. Further details of this will be available to clergy in due course.

In the meantime, be assured of our prayers for you and your parishioners as we journey towards Advent.

Fr Robert Billing
Rector