St Mary's church, Glastonbury, Somerset

15/06/2025

The Icon for the Pilgrims of Hope the Jubilee Year 2025 on display in St Mary's church - during it's tour of the UK - the icon, by the artisit Mulugeta Araya, was commissioned by CAFOD

24/04/2025

The Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury has been designated one of two pilgrimage churches in the Clifton Diocese for the 2025 Jubilee Year. More info can be found on the Glastonbury Shrine website
https://www.glastonburyshrine.co.uk/jubilee-2025

24/04/2025

Here is a photo of one of the workmen repairing the church floor. It was a tight squeeze!!

The concrete was found to be of poor quality, inconsistent in the distribution of aggregates; with inadequate compaction and cover of the steel, providing a path for moisture and contaminants to reach the steel and cause corrosion and spalling of the concrete. It was advised that the concrete floor beams should be structurally repaired and then treated with a protective coating to inhibit further deterioration.

29/12/2024

St Mary's church is fundraising to build a much needed lift in the church hall. The Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury launched a fundraising campaign to support the construction of an essential lift for the parish hall. It will significantly improve accessibility, allowing everyone in the local community to participate in activities held in the hall.

The goal was to raise £80,000 to fund the construction of the lift — a challenging target.

This lift has been a long-awaited addition to the parish, especially for those who struggle to access the hall, which is only accessible by stairs.

https://www.glastonburyshrine.co.uk/parish-hall-lift-appeal

07/07/2023

The Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury has a new website.

The Shrine Church of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury is the centre of a thriving Catholic community, living in Glastonbury, Street, and the surrounding villages. It is the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady, where Mary is venerated as Mother of God and there is an annual diocesan pilgrimage to the Shrine each summer.

Included in the new website are the weekly homilies of Fr Dominic, weekly newsletters, news and events for the parish. Also a link to a website for the Shrine and parish history, with lots of photos which include all the parish priests, pilgrimages, church photos, etc and lots of information from the parish archives.

The Shrine Church of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury is the centre of a thriving Catholic community, living in Glastonbury, Street, and the surrounding villages. It is the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady, where Mary is venerated as Mother of God and there is an annual diocesan pilgrimage to the Shrine e...

07/07/2023

The Annual Clifton Diocesan Pilgrimage to Glastonbury 2023
“Mary, Queen of Peace” will be celebrated on Sunday 9th July 2023.
The Pilgrimage has three starts:
A procession through the town centre behind the statue of Our Lady, during which the Rosary is prayed and hymns are sung. A Liturgy of the Word commemorating the martyrdom of Blessed Richard Whiting, the last Abbot of Glastonbury, and his fellow martyrs, Blessed Roger James and Blessed John Thorne. In 2023 this liturgy will take place in the Abbey Grounds, followed by the start of the procession at 2.15pm. The procession exits the Abbey grounds through the Abbey House Gardens, it proceeds through the town centre via Chilkwell Street, the High Street and Magdalene Street, returning to the Abbey through the Magdalene Street Gates, opposite the Shrine Church of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury at approximately 3pm.
The Pilgrimage starts in the Shrine Church at 11.30am, with the Holy Rosary, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Church will then become a Chapel of Exposition and Adoration in Silence until Simple Benediction at 3pm.
Immediately opposite the church, just inside the Abbey gates, will be two Chapels; a Chapel of Reconciliation where Confessions will be heard from 12 noon, and a Chapel of Healing Prayer, where Private Healing Prayer will be offered by members of the Shrine's Healing Ministry, for those who would like to receive it, both ministries finishing at about 3pm.
All Pilgrims are asked to collect in the Abbey grounds for the Pilgrimage Mass which will be celebrated by Rt. Rev. Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton, at 3.30pm.

Please Note: Free admission into the Abbey Grounds will only be granted to pilgrims wearing the Official Badges, obtainable from the stewards on the day.

03/01/2023

Here is a photo of the front of St Mary's church. There are three statues on the front. In the middle is Madonna and child. On the left is St Dunstan and on the right Blessed Richard Whiting. In 688 an old wattle church in the abbey was dedicated to Our Lady. In 1184 it burnt down and a new one was also dedicated to Our Lady. This was destroyed in 1539 by Henry VIII. In I939 the new church opposite the Abbey was dedicated to Our Lady. St Dunstan was born in Baltonsborough near Glastonbury and introduced the Benedictine Rule to the Abbey community and later made Archbishop of Canterbury. He died 988. Blessed Richard Whiting was ordained in Wells and was the last Abbot of Glastonbury. He was martyred on the Tor in 1539 and beatified in 1895.

03/01/2023

10/11/2022

There is a section on the Glastonbury Shrine website for the Parish History of the church with lots of very interesting photos and information regarding the parish since 1926 when the first St Marys church was opened. Here are a sample of the many photos - one showing the interior of the first church and the second showing the laying of the foundation stone in 1939 for the building of the new church. If you have any photos that can be added to this section please email the address given on the page. Thanks http://www.glastonburyshrine.co.uk/Shrine/ParishHistory.php

16/10/2022

St Mary's church Glastonbury can be contacted via the website page http://www.glastonburyshrine.co.uk/Shrine/contact.php thanks

The Glastonbury Shrine Email Form

22/08/2022

The two-part Tapestry hangs either side of the Statue of Our Lady and depicts the three Glastonbury Martyrs (Blessed Richard Whiting, Blessed John Thorne, Blessed Roger James) with St. Dunstan who was born at Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury and was an Abbot there and later became Archbishop of Canterbury. Also represented are St. Joseph of Arimathea, St. David, St. Patrick, St Brigid and Blessed Richard Bere, all of whom are said to have lived for a time at Glastonbury. The Tapestry was designed by Brother Louis Barlow of the Benedictine Abbey, Prinknash, Gloucestershire. It was woven by the Edinburgh Tapestry Company Ltd. The work was carried out from February to June 1965. Five weavers took a total of 240 working hours to complete. The weft is wool on a cotton warp. The technique is Gobelin weave which is a craft unchanged for some 3,000 years; woven by hand on an upright loom. The looms used were in use in Soho for tapestry in the 17th century.
The Shrine website has lots more information on the Tapestry
http://www.glastonburyshrine.co.uk/Shrine/TheTapestry.php

07/08/2022

Thanks to parishioner Ray Dyer who looks after all the flower beds around the church and in the garden. Well done on highly commended best front garden in Glastonbury in Bloom. Photo shows some of the flowers by front of church - lovely.