Nichols names new diocesan shrine

A new shrine for Westminster Diocese, dedicated to our Lady of the Rosary, has been announced by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, writes Rose Gamble.

The shrine will be established at St Dominic’s Priory, Haverstock Hill, in north London, and will be officially inaugurated by the cardinal at a Mass to be held on 22 October.
The Victorian church, designed in honour of the Rosary, has a side chapel representing each decade of the original 15 mysteries. It also houses a large replica of the Lourdes Grotto, making it a pilgrimage destination, particularly for those unable to visit Lourdes.

Fr Thomas Skeats OP, prior and parish priest, said: “This is a particularly Dominican contribution to the life of the diocese and especially felicitous as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of the order.”

A programme of events encouraging pilgrimage to the shrine is planned for the year ahead.