Fr Frank writes:
My dear friends,
On 29th March this year England will be re-dedicated as the Dowry of Mary. “Dowry” is an unusual word and can lead to misunderstanding. What the Church will be doing is re-consecrating our country to Mary.
The first dedication of England to Mary was made by King Richard II in Westminster Abbey in 1381 (as depicted in The Wilton Diptych). At that time the King was asking for the protection of Our Lady in the face of great political turmoil. Arising from this, England received the title ‘Mary’s Dowry’: meaning that England was ‘set aside’ as a gift for Our Lady in return for her guidance and protection. It is for this reason that England alone is permitted to recite the ‘Hail Mary’ during the prayers of intercession at Mass – a great concession.
Of course, not all those who live here nowadays are Catholic – we live in a multi-denominational/multi-cultural society. But as Catholics we are invited to make a personal promise to live as people committed to Mary and her Holy Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to this personal promise we are asked to make a communal entrustment. As part of the communal entrustment there will be special intentions at our Masses on the weekend of the re-dedication. We will also, like many other parishes up and down the country, be introducing the Angelus at each and every Mass from Monday. It is already prayed before the 6.00pm Vigil Mass at Frinton and after the 10.45am Mass at Dovercourt, and so is familiar to many. By introducing it into all our Masses we make a sign of this ‘communal entrustment’. In addition to the introduction of the Angelus, we will also be making a day pilgrimage to Walsingham (England’s Nazareth) later in the year. Watch out for details of this in the Newsletter.
For more information see: https://www.behold2020.com/the-rededication
May our good God bless you, and may Our Lady of Walsingham Pray for you.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
A Yorkshireman wanted an inscription on his wife’s gravestone to read – “She was Thine”. The engraver mistakenly put “She was Thin”. The man wrote back saying they had missed out the “E”. The next effort read: “’E’ She was Thin”.