As part
of a plan to welcome and further encourage the new priestly vocations in the Catholic diocese of Shrewsbury, its bishop decided to turn a space adjacent to his own residence and the Cathedral, into a house of discernment, specifically intended for those discerning entering the Seminary. In the center of the apse, we find a relief representing the Virgin with Child. In this traditional image, Our Lady wears an ample mantle under which she protects the seminarian, the deacon, and the priest. The soft tones of the polychromy enhance the figure of the Virgin through a combination of lights and shadows, without drawing attention away from the tabernacle. On either side of the sanctuary, we find the sculptures of St. John Paul II and St. John Vianney, the holy priest of Ars, intercessors for the men of the diocese who come there, moved to consider a priestly vocation. The style of this space is inspired by the English neo-Gothic architecture, with the characteristic use of wood as well as alternating gold and green polychromy. The stained-glass windows, also made by GRANDA, contribute to creating an environment of retreat and prayer.
