Page 1, 21st December 1984
Page 1
Report an error
Noticed an error on this page?If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it.
Tags
Share
Related articles
Walsingham Mass For London Pilgrims
Work To Begin On Walsingham Church
B.r. Plan Schools Pilgrim Train
Norwich's Shrine Altar Dedicated To Our Lady Of Walsingham
Youngsters Enjoy Walk With Lms
Animal rights demo Police break up
at Walsingham Mass
ANIMAL rights protestors, including some Catholics disrupted evening Mass at the Chapel of Reconciliation, Walsingham last Sunday.
Fr John Coughlan was saying Mass in the Chapel for a congregation of 50, when, after the sermon, a protestor went to the lectern and started preaching, attacking the priest for wearing vestments, manufactured from animals. He was hastily led out by members of the congregation.
But by the end of Mass, explained Fr Clive Birch, retiring director of the shrine "40 people had gathered at the entrance to the chapel and were hindering people from getting out of the door." Fr Coughlan rang for the police, but by the time they arrived, "20 to 30 people had occupied the Slipper Chapel", said Fr Birch.
Both chapels were eventually cleared and police arrested the man who had started to preach.
The protestors were demonstrating against veal farming on land belonging to the Norbertine Canons of Our Lady of England Priory, in Storrington, Pullborough, West Sussex. The issue came to court last March when the lay manager of the farm was found not guilty on nine counts of causing unnecessary cruelty to animals.
blog comments powered by Disqus