Elena Curti’s travel guide to the finest Catholic churches

Two Suffolk churches and the Slipper Chapel at Walsingham feature in a new book by Catholic journalist Elena Curti.

Journalist and author Elena Curti has compiled a list of 50 Catholic churches around the country, which she says are hidden and often unnoticed gems. She has written a book about them called Fifty Catholic Churches to See Before You Die.

At a time when staycations and holidays in the UK have become the norm due to Covid-19, Elena believes that pilgrimages to holy places in the UK could also be a popular option. Visiting churches is one of the most popular pastimes in Britain, but Catholic churches are largely unknown outside their congregations.

Beautifully illustrated, with a foreword by the Archbishop of Cardiff, George Stack, chair of the Bishops’ Conference’s Patrimony Committee, the book is an invaluable guide to anyone interested in exploring the architectural wonders of the Catholic Church. Archbishop Stack describes the book as ‘seminal’.

Curti says: “I knew about the most famous Catholic churches but as I travelled the length and breadth of England and Wales for my book, I realised how many more fantastic ones are completely unknown. There are outstanding buildings to seek out in suburbs, in country lanes and in the heart of our towns and cities. To visit them is to appreciate the rich treasury of Catholic heritage that is waiting to be explored. I have arranged the book in such a way that readers will be able to plan some wonderful days out.

”Fifty Catholic Churches to See Before You Die (Gracewing £14.99), was published on September 29.

Pictured above is the Slipper Chapel at Walsingham

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