A trio of Nigerian Augustinian friars are making history, bringing their order back to the Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham in England. The site was once one of the largest Catholic pilgrimage sites in Europe, but it was destroyed during the English Reformation nearly 500 years ago.
The Catholic Herald reports that the friars will be working at the Shrine starting in October 2024 and will be permanent members of the Shrine team. This is the first time Augustinians have been assigned to the shrine on a permanent basis since it was ruined in 1538. It was then too that the English Protestants forcibly disbanded the community of Augustinians.
In the 16th century, the priory buildings of Walsingham Abbey were destroyed as part of the “dissolution of monasteries,” which came at the order of King Henry VIII. Today, all that remains of the storied Catholic structure is a single arch from the Eastern side, but this has remained a popular pilgrimage and tourist site since the 19th century.
Shrine director Rev. Dr. Robert Billing expressed his gratitude to the Nigerian Province of the Augustinian Order for answering the call for assistance. The three young friars will soon be ministering to contemporary pilgrims as part of the Shrine team. He commented:
“Their arrival, the establishment of a new Priory in service of the Shrine, and their ministry here not only promises so much for the future mission of the Shrine but also pays rich tribute for the Augustinian tradition of Canons that faithfully served the Shrine from the 12th century.
“We give thanks to Almighty God, Our Lady of Walsingham, and St. Augustine of Hippo that we can soon rejoice in the restoration of the spirituality and service of the Augustinian Order to our restored and vibrant holy Shrine and place of pilgrimage today,” Rev. Billing added.
