The Church and Shrines
Church
The floor is of Australian Jarrah wood. The high altar was made to the design of an old carver from the Rochester School of Art. He also carved the rood behind the high altar. The oak panelling around the Church came from the old Church House, Dean's Yard, Westminster Abbey. The Murals in the Sanctuary are by Edward Ardizzone. Many people know him as a first rate line artist and illustrator of books. The baptismal font is by Anthony Foster and was originally in the outer area of St Jude's Shrine. On each side of the octagonal font are carvings of early Christian symbols - an eagle, a ship with the sail bearing the crossed keys of St Peter, a winged bull, a winged lion, a fish, an angel, a flame and a cross.
The Shrine of the Holy Child of Prague
The original statue of the Infant Jesus is in the Carmelite Church in Prague and came originally from Spain. The statue in our chapel came from Prague and is the work of the Czech sculptor Krechler. The crown is the crown of Bohemia because he is the Little King. The original vestments, which are a copy of the court robes of Bohemia in the 16th century, were made by the nuns of a convent near the Church of the Divine Infant of Prague. The vestments in use at present on the statue were made by a benefactor and are changed according to the liturgical seasons.
Shrine of the Little Flower St Therese of the Child Jesus
The Shrine to St Therese of the Child Jesus, known as the Little Flower, who was born in 1873 and died in 1897, can be found on the side wall in the little chapel. The Shrine is rather unusual because, instead of presenting St Therese standing in isolated intercession and favour, she is linked up with Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel and the Holy Child. The roses which she distributes come to her from the Holy Child by favour of Our Blessed Lady. In other words, the Shrine links up St Therese of Lisieux with Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel and the Holy Child.
Shrine of Saint Jude
The development of the Carmelite Priory at Faversham into a centre of devotion to St Jude arose out of the work of the Carmelite Press. The Press, which is no longer in business, was founded in 1938 to print the materials sent out to clients who, by their donations, supported the work of the Carmelite Friars, then only recently re-established in England. The work of the Press was supervised by the parish priest, Fr Elias Lynch, O. Carm., who was one of three brothers, Elias, Malachy and Kilian who were all influential in the re-founding of the Carmelite Order in Britain. The Shrine was born out of those communications from Fr Elias. Please see their website for more information.
The Rosary Way
Adam Kossowski used acrylic paint for the Rosary Way paintings which were originally commissioned for the Carmelite retreat and pilgrimage centre at Hazlewood in Yorkshire. They were moved to Faversham when Hazlewood was closed in 1996. In 2007 the original artwork was showing signs of damage from being outside in all weathers and it was decided in an attempt to preserve them copies would be commissioned. Mick Redsell took on this work and his painted copies were put in their place for visitors to enjoy for many years to come.
The floor is of Australian Jarrah wood. The high altar was made to the design of an old carver from the Rochester School of Art. He also carved the rood behind the high altar. The oak panelling around the Church came from the old Church House, Dean's Yard, Westminster Abbey. The Murals in the Sanctuary are by Edward Ardizzone. Many people know him as a first rate line artist and illustrator of books. The baptismal font is by Anthony Foster and was originally in the outer area of St Jude's Shrine. On each side of the octagonal font are carvings of early Christian symbols - an eagle, a ship with the sail bearing the crossed keys of St Peter, a winged bull, a winged lion, a fish, an angel, a flame and a cross.
The Shrine of the Holy Child of Prague
The original statue of the Infant Jesus is in the Carmelite Church in Prague and came originally from Spain. The statue in our chapel came from Prague and is the work of the Czech sculptor Krechler. The crown is the crown of Bohemia because he is the Little King. The original vestments, which are a copy of the court robes of Bohemia in the 16th century, were made by the nuns of a convent near the Church of the Divine Infant of Prague. The vestments in use at present on the statue were made by a benefactor and are changed according to the liturgical seasons.
Shrine of the Little Flower St Therese of the Child Jesus
The Shrine to St Therese of the Child Jesus, known as the Little Flower, who was born in 1873 and died in 1897, can be found on the side wall in the little chapel. The Shrine is rather unusual because, instead of presenting St Therese standing in isolated intercession and favour, she is linked up with Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel and the Holy Child. The roses which she distributes come to her from the Holy Child by favour of Our Blessed Lady. In other words, the Shrine links up St Therese of Lisieux with Our Blessed Lady of Mount Carmel and the Holy Child.
Shrine of Saint Jude
The development of the Carmelite Priory at Faversham into a centre of devotion to St Jude arose out of the work of the Carmelite Press. The Press, which is no longer in business, was founded in 1938 to print the materials sent out to clients who, by their donations, supported the work of the Carmelite Friars, then only recently re-established in England. The work of the Press was supervised by the parish priest, Fr Elias Lynch, O. Carm., who was one of three brothers, Elias, Malachy and Kilian who were all influential in the re-founding of the Carmelite Order in Britain. The Shrine was born out of those communications from Fr Elias. Please see their website for more information.
The Rosary Way
Adam Kossowski used acrylic paint for the Rosary Way paintings which were originally commissioned for the Carmelite retreat and pilgrimage centre at Hazlewood in Yorkshire. They were moved to Faversham when Hazlewood was closed in 1996. In 2007 the original artwork was showing signs of damage from being outside in all weathers and it was decided in an attempt to preserve them copies would be commissioned. Mick Redsell took on this work and his painted copies were put in their place for visitors to enjoy for many years to come.