Canons Regular of Prémontré, Our Lady of England Priory, Storrington, England.
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The Shrine of Our Lady of England is situated in the Priory Church of Our Lady of England at Storrington which is located at the foot of the South Downs in West Sussex. The Priory Church also serves as the Parish Church for the local Catholic Community. It is not a big place but it is beautifully situated. Our Lady has never appeared here and although many pilgrims have had their prayers answered, no official miracles have taken place at this Shrine. Nevertheless, it is a sheltered spot of peace, serenity and prayerfulness. The Shrine of Our Lady of England was established in 1882 when the Canons from the Abbey from Frigolet in Provence settled in Storrington. The Order has always had a great devotion to Mary (tradition says that Our Lady gave St Norbert the White Habit), and so being used to invoking Our Lady under her title of 'Notre Dame de France', they placed their new home under the protection of 'Our Lady of England'. A small statue blessed by the Pope was placed in a niche high over the Priory garden and eventually a large carved statue of a Mother and Child was obtained from Oberammergau to be placed in the newly completed Priory Church. This was crowned on 20 June 1959 by Bishop Cyril Cowderoy, Bishop of Southwark, in whose Diocese Storrington then lay. The previous day he had consecrated the Priory Church in the 50th year after its completion. The two crowns on the statue were made from rings and jewellery given by the faithful. The actual Shrine of Our Lady of England with its statue is in the Priory Church itself. Across the road from the Church was an outdoor Shrine which was set up in the Marian Year of 1954. The site was once the quarry used for the sand to build the Church and Priory. This site had no historical significance whatsoever and no miracles were wrought there, nor appearances of Our Lady! In the summer of 2008 this statue was restored and re-sited at the head of the large open area at the end of the avenue of hornbeams in the Matt's Wood Development. There is also an outside shrine in Matt's Wood that is used occasionally (see below). Pilgrims and pilgrimages are always welcome. Many pilgrims come and pay their quiet respects to the Mother of God. Parish or group pilgrimages often ask for a Mass or a Service, either led by their own priest or by one of the Norbertine Community. Often one of the Norbertines will give a talk, explanation and tour. Group pilgrims have the use of the Church and outdoor Shrine and also the Priory Hall, with its usual facilities. Diocesan groups come to the Shrine of Our Lady of England for an Annual Mass and some for a Day of Recollection given by one of the Community. On 8 September each year, the Feast of the Birthday of Our Lady, there is Mass at 7.30pm in the Priory Church followed by a Torchlight Procession to the outside Shrine to which everyone is welcome.
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