Where Are The Best Catholic Places In Europe?

[benedictaj]

OK... I am heading to Europe for a month, halfway through December in mid January. I'll be based just out of Manchester, Lancashire. I'll be in London for one weekend, possibly northern France for one weekend and Rome and Assisi for one week.

I'd love to know where the Latin Mass in said in those areas too. How would I find that out?

I'm really wanting to know what are the best basilicas, shrines, churches, monasteries etc to visit. Especially anywhere with relics of saints, beautiful altars and the like.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you!

[jenna311]

I don't know how close you will be, but if you are in France, [url="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/chartres-cathedral.htm"]Chartres Cathedral[/url] is beautiful. When I traveled to France/Spain a few summers ago, it was by far my favorite.

[Resurrexi]

While you're in Rome, you should definitely see the five major basilicas (St. John Lateran, St. Peter's, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside-the-Walls and St. Lawrence Outside-the-Walls).

There are two more churches in Rome, along with the five major basilicas, which are part of a group called the seven pilgrim churches, and they are Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme) and St. Sebastian Outside-the-Walls (San Sebastiano fuori le mura).

In Rome there are countless other churches containing the bodies of numerous important saints such as St. Cecelia and St. Agnes, just buy a guide book and you can find many of them.

There is a [url="http://www.fssp-roma.org/en/maps.htm"]church[/url] in Rome (San Gregorio dei Muratori) where the FSSP says the Latin [url="http://www.fssp-roma.org/en/mass.htm"]Mass[/url] daily.

Edited November 22, 2007 by StThomasMore

[farglefeezlebut]

While you are in England, visit Walsingham. It may not have the climate you get elsewhere in Europe, but it is a beautiful place and has been a centre of pilgrimage for nearly 1000 years.

[Tufsoles]

Visit the catherdrals in london and cantbury. If your near lourdes or paris for notre dame check those out. In rome def, vactian and the musem is a must. I loved the musem and the sistine chapel is so goregous, it is so unbelieveable. the walls and celing are just magnifcent.

[misereremi]

When in Manchester, The Holy Name of Jesus church on Oxford road has TLM on Sundays at 4:00
[url="http://www.holyname.co.uk/"]http://www.holyname.co.uk/[/url]

Westiminster Cathedral in London is a must-see and Tyburn. And the Oratory...I could go on...
Ditto what Farglefeezlebut said about Walsingham.

[cathoholic_anonymous]

[quote name='memtherose' post='1423718' date='Nov 22 2007, 10:16 PM']OK... I am heading to Europe for a month, halfway through December in mid January. I'll be based just out of Manchester, Lancashire. I'll be in London for one weekend, possibly northern France for one weekend and Rome and Assisi for one week.

I'd love to know where the Latin Mass in said in those areas too. How would I find that out?

I'm really wanting to know what are the best basilicas, shrines, churches, monasteries etc to visit. Especially anywhere with relics of saints, beautiful altars and the like.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you! [/quote]


[quote name='farglefeezlebut' post='1423739' date='Nov 22 2007, 11:14 PM']While you are in England, visit Walsingham. It may not have the climate you get elsewhere in Europe, but it is a beautiful place and has been a centre of pilgrimage for nearly 1000 years.[/quote]

Esther is right. [url="http://www.walsingham.org.uk"]Walsingham[/url] is a medieval shrine to Our Lady, known as England's Nazareth. It is a little village that has not been spoilt by the commercialism that has infected other shrines, and the humble wonder of the place imparts a tremendous peace. Interestingly, the Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox have also got places of worship there, and I have even known Methodists to go and pray in the Holy House. (It is a replica of the Holy Family's house in Nazareth, as seen in a vision by St Richeldis de Faverches.) Take the train from London to King's Lynn (it's not a long journey - only an hour and half) and then catch the bus to Walsingham.

When you're in Manchester, the most significant Catholic site you could possibly visit is my house. My hometown is Preston - again, only an hour and a half away on the train, if that. If you have the time and would like to go I will show you either Ladyewell (a small northern shrine) or the Carmelite retreat house in Preston. It offers day retreats, should you feel like some Carmeltie spirituality to help you prepare for Advent.

[Totus Tuus]

Personally, my favorite thing to do when I was in Europe was to walk through the towns and visit the churches we found by exploring. It's amazing, you will definitely find treasures by doing that. I did. I found churches that were also monasteries and everything! The huge cathedrals (such as Santiago de Compostella, and Chartres) are must-see destinations. But spend a few days just walking through the towns and finding parish churches. It's awe-inspiring (mostly because they've got centuries of tradition built into them, which is a benefit America is not old enough to enjoy yet, for the most part). It was really amazing some of the things we found.

[RandomProddy]

*keeps schtum*

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='memtherose' post='1423718' date='Nov 22 2007, 09:16 PM']OK... I am heading to Europe for a month, halfway through December in mid January. I'll be based just out of Manchester, Lancashire. I'll be in London for one weekend, possibly northern France for one weekend and Rome and Assisi for one week.

I'd love to know where the Latin Mass in said in those areas too. How would I find that out?

I'm really wanting to know what are the best basilicas, shrines, churches, monasteries etc to visit. Especially anywhere with relics of saints, beautiful altars and the like.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you! [/quote]

I live close to Manchester! But I can't really add more than what others have said already. . .

Edited November 23, 2007 by Archaeology cat

[Ash Wednesday]

The Vatican. Duh!

[Mercy me]

Ditto what Totus Tuus said. Don't over plan and don't over schedule. Just relax an dtake in the places where you are. I did this in Rome and found the most amazing places just by opening the door and poking my head in. The wealth of the traditions in these places is absolutely incredible.

[farglefeezlebut]

I also live quite near to Machester. It would be nice to meet you.

[curtins]

In England:

Latin Mass (1962 & 1970) at the Brompton Oratory

[url="http://www.bromptonoratory.com/"]http://www.bromptonoratory.com/[/url]


and latin 1970 at Westminster cathedral

[url="http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/home.html"]http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/home.html[/url]

[benedictaj]

Oh cool!! Thank you all so much! It's given me quite a bit to think about. Are there any old monasteries that would be easy to get to? Monks or nuns, doesn't matter, I'd just to like to see some of the architecture and hear the chant... if they still do it.

[curtins]

carthusian monks in Britain

[benedictaj]

Well I'm here now!

My parish church for the time is St Mary's Chorley. It is INSANELY beautiful!!

I hope to visit some of your suggestions in the thread. I'm heading to London this weekend.... will definitely go to the Brompton Oratory.

Hee hee, thanks everyone!

[Ash Wednesday]

I'm getting married at the Oxford Oratory.

[EJames2]

i could give you many good necessary places in France,for visit/retreat but it would have to wait until tomorrow, i fear to late for you...at least near London drop into the Abbey of St. Michaels for Latin Mass etc
Saint Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, is a contemplative monastery of monks of the Benedictine Order about thirty miles S.W.,from London, England. The monks live the Benedictine life in its classic or ‘continental’ form. At the heart of our life is the solemn celebration of the liturgy, sung in Latin to Gregorian Chant.

[url="http://www.farnboroughabbey.org/home.php"]http://www.farnboroughabbey.org/home.php[/url]

[benedictaj]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1435653' date='Dec 19 2007, 06:47 AM']I'm getting married at the Oxford Oratory. [/quote]
I went there today while Adoration was on. It's a pretty cool church!!

By the way.... the Brompton Oratory was really really cool. I liked Westminster Cathedral too. :-)