Pray for England

St Augustine's, Ramsgate

I visited my family at the weekend, saw that Songs of Praise was about to come on telly when Aled Jones suddenly grabbed my attention by announcing that the episode would be dedicated to Pugin's Churches.

Fr Marcus Holden was interviewed on Pugin and came across very well on telly.

You can watch the episode here, it really is a beautiful exposition of some of Pugin's fine work. What a diamond Pugin was. Rightly the episode is called 'God's Architect'.

It's also wonderful news that the Church where Fr Marcus Holden is parish priest has become an official national Shrine to St Augustine and the monks who converted England following instruction to do so by Pope St Gregory I the Great all those moons ago.

All this marvellous news also presents us with an opportunity to promote this year's Evangelium Conference which will be taking place with a host of wonderful guest speakers as follows:

Neil Addison – Barrister and author on Religion and Law
Fr Jerome Bertam – Oratorian and writer
Joanna Bogle – Broadcaster, writer, author of Feasts and Seasons
Sr Hyacinthe Defos du Rau OP – Sister of St Dominic's Priory in the New Forest
Fr Tim Finigan – Internationally renowned Catholic speaker, columnist and blogger
Dr William Newton – Professor at the International Theological Institute in Austria
Dr Joseph Shaw – Philosopher, University of Oxford
Hellena Taylor – LAMDA trained Shakespearian actor and RCIA catechist
Fr Ed Tomlinson – Priest of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
Hannah Vaughan-Spruce – Director of Catechesis, Holy Ghost Catholic Church Balham
Fr Marcus Holden – Parish Priest of the National Shrine of St Augustine
Fr Andrew Pinsent – Former Particle Physicist at CERN and Theologian, University of Oxford

You can join the Facebook group here. A fine line up I think you'll agree and probably better at taking penalties than the England team because, let's it, how could the England team gather the resolve and steel it takes to deal with such a high pressure moment knowing that Our Lady was rooting for the team that made the Sign of the Cross and prayed to her? Until England goes back to Walsingham, we may as well forget about getting past the quarter finals.



Which is another good reason why you could consider making a walking pilgrimage this year to the National Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham between 24 - 26 August. I went last year and it was a beautiful, prayerful encounter, full of friendship, devotion and, yes, song too. And penance of course. Even rain and tired legs could not dampen the spirit of those went last year and I do recommend it to readers. If you want to do something that we believe brings Our Lady great joy, then go.


There will be, at the Evangelium Conference, dynamic talks by excellent speakers, the opportunity to mix with other young people who share your faith and discuss and talk informally with our speakers. There will also be daily Mass and eucharistic adoration, opportunities for confession, the chance to relax in the beautiful grounds and opportunities for sport and evening entertainment. Sounds lovely. Evangelium will take place 3rd - 5th August 2012 at the Reading Oratory School. The cost is £95.00 and you can book your place there online.

Who needs the Euros? Indeed, who needs the Euro? Who needs Wimbledon? And who, who on God's green earth needs synchronised swimming competitions, 100 metre relay and a competition to see who can throw a spear the furthest? The answer is, of course, nobody. We do, however, all need Our Blessed Lord and His Blessed Mother, however. We all need Salvation and we need to tell others of it in word and, indeed, in deed.