Archdiocese Of Birmingham
OurLadyandStAnneChurch1
We're raising money to revive the Church of Our Lady & St Anne and its shrine as a place of pilgrimage. We also wish to create a Visitor Centre in the church to tell the shrine’s story.
Story
There was a shrine of Our Lady at Caversham from Norman times. Its proximity to Windsor, London and Reading Abbey attracted royalty, nobility and many ordinary people who sought the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary. King Henry VIII endowed the shrine and his first wife, Catherineof Aragon, prayed there.
The shrine was destroyed in 1538 and a new shrine was erected in 1958. The existing image of Our Lady is believed to date from the post-Reformation period. The shrine and the church are now in serious need of re-decoration if we are to attract more pilgrims to Caversham.
We need to raise £600k. The parish is already raising money but we hope to attract significant funding from elsewhere. We want to provide a legacy of faith for future generations. With its rich history, the Shrine of Our Lady of Caversham has an important role to play in the mission of the Church in the 21st Century. We need your help.
More information at http://www.ourladyandstanne.org.uk/the-shrine/shrine-restoration/