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Papal Nuncio visits Walsingham, Sheringham & Oxburgh

The third day of the Apostolic Nuncio’s visit to the Diocese of East Anglia yesterday (May 21) included a private visit to Oxburgh Hall, Mass in the Slipper Chapel in Walsingham and blessing a new SVP house for the homeless in Sheringham.


His Excellency Archbishop Edward Adams, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, is undertaking a four-day visit to the Diocese of East Anglia after an invitation to do so by Bishop Alan Hopes.

Following a private visit to Oxburgh Hall as guest of Sir Henry Bedingfeld, the Papal Nuncio’s party headed to the Catholic National Shrine at Walsingham where Archbishop Adams celebrated Mass in the Slipper Chapel, the first Nuncio to do so for 20 years.

In his homily, he said: “We ask the Lord to enable us to live in his peace even as we share in his cross. This is the way it is for Christians – to be united with the Lord in tribulation is also to be united with him in glory.”

A buffet lunch followed when Archbishop Adams met some of the growing number of Religious Brothers and Sisters now living in Walsingham.

The next stop was in Sheringham where the Nuncio visited a house which has just been bought by the SVP to house the homeless. Archbishop Adams blessed the house, which is due to be officially opened in September and will house up to ten people in need of emergency accommodation

Michael McMahon, President of the North Norfolk SVP Conference and the East Anglia Central Council, is the driving force behind the project. He said: “There are very few places in North Norfolk where the local authority can house people needing emergency accommodation. SVP conference members will also be providing what we call ‘wrap-around’ care for the residents. This means we will be there for them, dropping by to make sure they are ok and offering emotional, moral and financial support if necessary.”

Archbishop Adams then went onto the parish hall of Our Lady & St Joseph in Sheringham where he was able to meet SVP members from across the diocese and members of the East Anglia Caritas Commission and the new development worker, Jacinta Goode.

Bishop Alan said: “It is a great delight to me that we have been able to bring together so many people who do so much social good in the life of the diocese with so many people who are on the periphery of our parishes.

“This is just one of many social action initiatives which take place across the diocese, promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ of love.

The final visit of the day was to the Carmelite Monastery at Quidenham where the Archbishop joined the sisters for Vespers.

Speaking about his visit to East Anglia, Archbishop Adams said: “I want to thank Bishop Alan for giving me the opportunity to come to the diocese and see the reality of the church and the people and to be able give the Pope an idea of the life of the Christian community in this part of the world.”

Pictured above is the Papal Nuncio with Religious Brothers and Sisters at Walsingham.

You can follow his progress online at www.rcdea.org.uk and see pictures at https://flic.kr/s/aHsmctUhUR and below.

Apostolic Nuncio visit to East Anglia May 2019

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