Our parish has recently been entrusted with two beautiful statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These were part of St Michael the Archangel CoE Church, which sadly was closed down. The congregation turned to us to ask if we could keep the statues safe for them and, if possible, display them for St Michael’s parishioners to come and pray.
One statue is of Our Lady of Walsingham. It was carved by Edward Pietsch, and was installed in 1986. It was given in memory of Ken Shaw and his mother Emma, both worshippers in the old and new St Michael’s Churches. This statue will be exposed on the Sanctuary this Sat on the Memorial of Our Lady of Walsingham.
The other statue is of Our Lady with the Infant Jesus. This statue is a reminder of St Michael’s Churches both old and new, it is dated 1921. It was first installed in the Lady Chapel of the original Church of St Michael and All Angels, Norton Way South. When the new Church of St Michael the Archangel was dedicated in November 1967, Our Lady with the Infant Jesus was placed on the east wall of the Lady Chapel, near to the original 1907 foundation stone, which was itself engraved on the reverse and re-laid in the new Church in 1967.
Both statues will be placed in our Church once we are satisfied we have found a suitable and safe place for them and they are professionally secured.
We are happy to be entrusted by the Anglican Diocese of St Alban with the care and safe-keeping of these beautiful pieces and we are touched the St Michael’s congregation turned to us, their neighbours across the Broadway Gardens. We hope St Michael’s congregation will feel welcome to come and join us any time they want and they will find a bit of “Home” in our midst.