Saint Walburge's in Preston, Lancashire, the tallest Parish Church in the United Kingdom (and the tallest Catholic church in the UK or Ireland), will become the tallest church dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments (Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite) in the world on September 27, 2014. As a shrine, it will also be especially dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament and Eucharistic Devotion.
We had first mentioned it in April. Now, it's just weeks away, with the presence of the local Bishop, the Bishop of Lancaster Michael Campbell, whose foresight must be praised in granting the Institute of Christ the King the opportunity to re-evangelize this region, much of which remained faithfully Catholic after the unfortunate events of the 16th century, with the added responsibility of taking care of a magnificent monument. Saint Walburge's went up as a true marker of the surrounding areas after Catholic emancipation in the 19th century almost as a statement in this region so marked by Recusancy: "we have never left, and we are here to stay." It is therefore a perfect place for the Traditional Mass: we are here to stay.
The inaugural ceremony of this bright new time for the church of Saint Walburge will be on Saturday September 27, at noon: a Solemn High Mass celebrated by the Prior-General of the Institute, with the Pontifical assistance of Bishop Campbell. A reception will follow. Preston is in a perfectly central location in the island of Great Britain, also not far from Ireland -- traditional Catholics throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland can show their support for this magnificent event.
(Tip: reader.)
