Update

Thursday evening saw a beautiful sung Requiem at Wakefield's medieval chantry chapel and marked the exact date of the death of the Duke of York in 1460 at the Battle of Wakefield.

Fr. D. Smith was celebrant and Fathers Hall and Kravos attended in choro.

The Parish Priest, Fr. Swinglehurst was in the congregation which filled the chapel to capacity.

St. Austin's choir and members of the Leeds Schola Gregoriana sang excellently.

Fr. Smith preached about the occasion and about the relevance of prayer for the dead, the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice and the timelessness of Almighty God.

Absolutions at the catafalque followed the Mass.

New Year's Day will see three public EF Masses:

Sat 1 OCTAVE DAY of the NATIVITY of OUR LORD I Cl W

+ Gl Cr Pr of the Nativity
Pl Ind Proper Communic diem sacratissimum

9.30a.m at Broughton Hall

NOON at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds.

and

6.00p.m. St. Mary's, Halifax - Vigil for observation of the external solemnity of the Epiphany.

Happy New Year.

God Bless the Pope!

Already the new year beckons

Physical preparations for the Mass on Christmas Eve began at the start of last week as did they for this Thursday's sung requiem Mass at Wakefield Chantry Chapel and for the New Year's Day Mass at NOON at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds. Mass at Immaculate Heart will be also be missa cantata.

St Austin's Church choir of Wakefield will sing at the Chantry Chapel Mass and our old friend Mr. Mike Murphy will be the main cantor at Immaculate Heart and the celebrant will be Dean Wiley, VF.

I have a couple of tickets available for the Wakefield Mass if you wish to contact me at the address in the left hand bar at the top.

Many thanks to Fr. Kravos for his excellent welcome to us at Notre Dame. His kindness was matched only by that of our celebrant Fr. M. Hall whose kindness and good counsel I value very much.

Please continue to pray for our priests and all those others who continue to help facilitate the Extraordinary Form of Mass in our Diocese.

We are one small piece of a large jigsaw which is getting larger in this, the glorious pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI.

Not Father Christmas

No. Not Father Christmas, but Christ.

During all six pregnancies of my wife neither of us could wait until that moment when nature dictated that the baby was on its way into the world.

I saw a blog earlier rejoicing the feast of the birth of salvation. And I rejoiced in my heart, like Mary must have done at the Annunciation. The invisible would become visible and the God man would be amongst us.

First Mass of Christmas at 6.00p.m. at Notre Dame chapel, Leeds University chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. PARKING should not be a problem in the spaces outside Notre Dame school and St Anne’s Community Services over the road.

Mass at English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York at 8.30a.m.

Mass at noon on Christmas Day at English Martyrs, Alexandra Rd. South, Whalley Range, Manchester.

On the morning of Christmas Eve (Friday) the Holy Father will speak for the first time on the Thought for the Day slot at 7.50a.m. on the BBC Radio 4.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

From the latest FSSP newsletter

First Solemn High Mass back in England of then-Fr Matthew McCarthy, FSSP:

Saturday 28thMay 2011, 3pm;

at St James‘s Church, Spanish Place,

22 George Street, London W1U 3QY -

kindly welcomed by Parish Priest Fr, Christopher Colven.

Followed by First blessings, and refreshments in Parish Hall. Come and pray with and for this newly ordained British priest and for more priestly vocations.

Petition.... and important announcements

A petition has been set up protesting at the manner in which the trustees of Ushaw College have announced its closure. It urges the trustees to defer the closure until such time as proper consultation has taken place and schemes for its survival have been considered.

To sign the petition, go to:

www.ipetitions.com/petition/ushaw/

There is a fair bit of background information about the closure of Ushaw College on Fr Brown's blog, Forest Murmurs and Fr Elkin's blog, Let the Welkin Ring.

(Above courtesy of Middlesbrough LMS Blog)

I have signed the petition and would encourage you to do the same. I would be keen to read the reasons for closure of this place which could, once again, play a pivotal role in restoring the Faith to our isle.

A walk round town today left me shuddering - literally and spiritually. Both involved coldness. Freezing temperatures and horrid, superficial and empty excesses. Christmas is for the children, people say to me. If the way we squander money and debase ourselves during winterval is anything to go by it is little wonder society is how it is.

Moreover Bradford city centre is and for a long time has been redolent of 1980s East Berlin with about as much heart as a plastic pink rocking horse (now with already 20% off at one store).

I bumped in to one of my cousins who told me that she and her husband had both lost their very good jobs at the same time in October, I was really sickened for them, they are both younger than me.

I am looking forward to our First Mass of Christmas at Notre Dame Chapel. Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds at 6.00p.m. on Friday. This will be a sung Mass.

Much of Monday was spent preparing for the Christmas Mass at Notre Dame, Leeds, the Requiem at Wakefield Chantry Chapel on Thursday 30th. December and for the New Year's day Mass at noon at Immaculate Heart, Moortown, Leeds.

However:

There will be no EF Mass at Batley or Halifax on Christmas Day nor will there be the regular Mass at 3.00p.m. at St. Joseph's, Castleford on Sunday, Boxing Day. Sincere apologies for this.

The nearest EF Masses on Sunday 26th. December (Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus) are at:

Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Road, Manchester. 4.00p.m. (very apt, given the feast.)

English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York. 6.30p.m.

Calendar

There are still copies of the 20011 LMS calendar available at St. Paul's Bookshop opposite the Cathedral in Leeds. I have sold all the ones I had.

Advent IV

Masses on Sunday for the fourth Sunday of Advent;Sun 19 FOURTH SUNDAY of ADVENT 1 Cl V
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity
Sunday Office:
At Vespers Mag Ant O radix Iesse

St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds at 5.00p.m.

The Priesthood

I was delighted to learn that a young man of our acquaintance has put himself forward as a candidate for the Priesthood. He is assured of my prayers and Masses will be offered this coming year for our seminarians, for vocations along with those for the propagation of the Faith . I have met several of our seminarians over recent months and couldn't wish to meet a greater group of dedicated and well balanced men.

I understand that my old friend from University days at Manchester, Rev Mr M. McCarthy FSSP will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood next year. When times were very much more desperate we attended Mass together in some odd places and met some equally odd people just to hear those sacred words and witness those sacred actions. (I was probably odder than most!)

A consecrated Bishop will lay hands on and anoint Rev. McCarthy who will then be able to administer the Sacraments

At Confession tonight when my confessor gave me absolution, the only part of him I saw was his hand through the grill.

Reflecting on the advice I had received on the way home, I suddenly recalled the words of a little devotional leaflet I discovered in my great grandmother's missal, now long gone.

Two minutes of googling helped me find the words contained on this leaflet ...

The Beautiful Hands of a Priest.

We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek it while tasting life's woes.

When we come to this world we are sinful,
The greatest as well as the least.
And the hands that make us pure as angels
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness
Their dignity stands alone.

For there in the stillness of morning
Ere the sun has emerged from the east,
There God rests between the pure fingers
Of the beautiful hands of a priest.

When we are tempted and wander
To pathways of shame and sin
'Tis the hand of a priest that absolve us.
Not once but again and again.

And when we are taking life's partner
Other hands may prepare us a feast
But the hands that will bless and unite us,
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress,
What can a poor sinner do better
Than to ask Him who chose them to bless

When the death dews on our lids are falling,
May our courage and strength be increased
By seeing raised o'er us in blessing
The beautiful hands of a priest.

Deo gratias!

Gaudete! Advent III

This weekend there will be three Gaudete Masses.

Sun 12 THIRD SUNDAY of ADVENT (Gaudete Sunday) 1 Cl V/ROSE
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity
Sunday Office

Halifax, Low Mass, Saturday at St. Mary's. 6.00p.m. (Vigil)

Bradford, Missa Cantata, Sunday at St. Peter's, Leeds Road. 3.00p.m. Confessions available before and after Mass.

Castleford, Low Mass, Sunday at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. 3.00p.m.

Reminder - Mass at Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike at 7.30p.m. on Friday and on Saturday morning at Broughton Hall at 9.30a.m.

Advent II

Numbers at Halifax were probably the lowest ever tonight as the weather continued to maintain its feverish grip.

I spoke over the telephone to Fr. Parfitt this evening who lives where temperatures fell to -13 degrees earlier this week. The regular Missa cantata at Broughton at 11.30a.m. will go ahead as usual tomorrow and there will be Mass as usual at 3.00p.m. at Castleford.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday. Mass at Batley, 6.45a.m. and Broughton at 9.30a.m.

Reminder that there is Mass on Christmas Eve at Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Ave, Leeds at 6.00p.m.

December 30th. at 7.00p.m. will see a sung Requiem Mass at Wakefield chantry chapel. Please let me know if you would like a ticket for this Mass and civic event, as the Lord Mayor of Wakefield will be in attendance. Celebrant - Rev Fr. D. Smith, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy.

On 1st January 2011 there will be a Missa cantata at Noon at Immaculate Heart, Moortown, Leeds. Celebrant - PP, Rev Fr. T. Wiley VF. This will be the first public Mass in this church for at least twelve years - the penultimate Mass we attended as a family there saw me locking the car keys in the car with the baby whilst her two sisters looked on highly amused!

That baby is now in her last year of school but I still remember clearly how easily the car was broken into by the rescue man without causing any damage to save the situation and to let us get on our way.

Immaculate Heart church was a "regular" venue for the old Mass especially in the days when the great Bp Wheeler was the Ordinary of the Diocese.

Several young men who went on to study for the Priesthood used to attend Masses here from the very early 1980s. One such lad was the present Parish Priest - well, what goes round comes round.

On Monday I have an appointment with a high ranking member of the local Polish Community. I hope he will be able to help me formulate an advert for Polish migrant workers and residents who would like to attend the TLM in this part of the world.

Missa Cantata

Today's first Vigil Mass at Batley, St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Rd. at 3.00p.m will be a Missa Cantata and the celebrant will be Fr. D. Smith, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy.

This will be the first Mass of Advent.

Server training

From Hexham and Newcastle:

"The LMS in the north is arranging training for servers (adults & boys) in York. The suggested date is 12th February 2011 at English Martyrs Church, Dalton Terrace, York. If that dates proves unviable then the alternative will be February 19th.

It is expected to begin at 10.30am and, depending on the attendees, could encompass training for both Low Mass & Missa Cantata. We are looking to attract servers from the northern dioceses.

Anyone interested from Hexham & Newcastle diocese please contact me by email at: david-oneill3@sky.com or by telephone on 0191 264 5771.

Paul Waddington (LMS Treasurer) is setting up the session & anyone else wishing to attend should, in the first instance, contact their LMS Diocesan Representative."

Please contact me (e-mail address in right hand column) if you are interested in attending. I am tutoring one of the sessions and one of my sons will be attending.

First Sunday of Advent Masses

Sun 28 FIRST SUNDAY of ADVENT 1 Cl V
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity.

Masses this weekend for the First Sunday in Advent.

Saturday 3.00p.m. St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley.

Saturday 6.00p.m. St. Mary, Gibbett Street, Halifax.

Sunday 3.00p.m. St. Joseph, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Requiems for our war dead - reminder

In all DIOCESES of ENGLAND & WALES:
Today is Remembrance Sunday. One Requiem Mass may be
celebrated for those who died in the two World Wars. This should be
Mass on the anniversary. Black vestments. No Gl. Collect, Secret & Postcommunion as given in plural form. Sequence No Cr
Pr of the Dead Requiescant in Pace. No Blessing

Please see previous post below for details of times and locations.

Something rotten in Spain

The King of Spain displays more respect to Pope than his wife did when receiving Holy Communion.

Requiems for our war dead

Requiem Masses this weekend;

Vigil. Halifax, St. Mary's, Gibbett Street, Saturday 6.00p.m.

Missa cantata, Bradford, St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Sunday 3.00p.m.

Low Mass, Castleford, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Sunday 3.00p.m.

Please join us as we remember all those poor brave souls who have given their lives in conflict to defend us.

May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

I have often attended the playing of the Last Post at the Menin Gate in Ieper. I always find it deeply touching and moving.

First Mass this month

I have spent most of the last five days in bed, this evening I was able to attend Mass at Heckmondwike, to make up for having had to miss Mass on All Souls and for not getting to Mass for the feast of St. Charles Borromeo yesterday - hence picture.

This (rather overlooked ) first Friday of the month Mass was well attended.

There will be no Mass at Heckmondwike next Friday (12th.)

Masses on Saturday 6th. November;

Broughton at 9.30a.m.

Vigil St. Mary's Halifax at 6.00p.m.

On Sunday and Vigil; Sun 7 FIFTH SUNDAY remaining after EPIPHANY 2 Cl G

Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity
Introit, Gradual, Alleluia Verse, Offertory & Communion of the
Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost: Collect, Epistle, Gospel,
Secret & Postcommunion of the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.

Broughton Hall, nr Skipton (Missa cantata) at 11.30a.m.

St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Castleford at 3.00p.m.

(If you are reading this and would like tickets to the the Mass at Wakefield chantry chapel on 30th. December please approach any of the servers or clergy at Broughton on Sunday, Halifax on Saturday or Castleford on Sunday, where I will take details and this will be announced. )

Other Sunday Masses:

Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Road, Manchester at 4.00p.m.

English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York at 6.30p.m.

Check it out

If you get a chance take a look at the new look LMS website - it can be found at; www.lms.org.uk

I particularly like the Mass locator and the "feel" of the site.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the Very Reverend Timothy Wiley new Dean for North Leeds.

Dean Wiley is also the Extraordinary Form Co-ordinator for this diocese.

Father is pictured here offering Mass in the Cathedral last year for the repose of the soul of Bishop Wheeler. Fr Wiley had already been the first priest to offer the EF Mass in the newly refurbished Cathedral with the permission of former Cathedral Dean, Canon McCreadie who has also since been trained by Fr. Parfitt to offer the EF Mass and has offered several Sunday Masses for us.

We are fortunate in Leeds to have so many recently trained celebrants as well a seasoned old hands.

One of the problems we do have is a lack of regular altar servers as the number of Masses continues to steadily grow. For this reason I have teamed up with the reps of Middlesbrough and Hexham & Newcastle Dioceses to organise a servers' training day. Initially this will be for instruction in the serving of the Low Mass and we hope will be in York early 2011 for men and boys of secondary school age. Watch this space. In the meantime if you are a celebrant who knows of any such fellows who might benefit from such training please contact me (or Fr. Wiley).

Prayers please

I am currently in bed with orders by my GP to remain here for at least three days with a diet of light soup, toast and soft boiled eggs. I have contracted a "fulminant" throat and chest infection. I was unable to continue driving home from Mass at the weekend. I shall answer e-mails asap and continue to take the horse pills.

Back to bed and my thriller "The Night of the Generals", with hot milk and honey with a slug of rum and grated nutmeg, which is probably not medicinal but feels good when you feel crummy.

Any prayers gratefully received.

Please remember to adjust your clocks

BST comes to an end until March and we revert to GMT tonight and need to remember to put back the time on our clocks and watches by one hour, which theoretically means an extra hour in bed.

Extra Mass

There will be 3 Masses on Tuesday for the Feast of All Souls in Leeds Diocese.

6.45a.m. St. Mary of the Angels, Batley

11.30a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

7.30p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike

Salford Diocese

Mass at English Martyrs, Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester at 7.00a.m. and 7.00p.m.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Another fine occasion

A gloriously pleasant autumn day saw a Missa Cantata in the upper Nidderdale village of Bewerley at Bewerley Grange chapel, a former grange chapel of Fountains Abbey and ideal setting for the Mass earlier today.

As ever, the Anglican custodian, Sr. Mary Cuthbert was on hand to see everything went smoothly and was truly most welcoming.

The sermon about Saints Simon and Jude was given by the celebrant Fr. Parfitt of Broughton, and interspersed with some of the theology of Bl. John Henry Newman was received by the congregation of well over twenty including the PP of Pateley Bridge, Canon Vincent.

We have three Masses per year at Bewerley, at autumn, early spring/late winter and early summer half term and each time the mood of the Mass is finely in tune with season and is always at 11.30a.m.. Today was no exception. Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt who also invariably brings everything with him for celebration of Mass - which saves me a job. Today four children including the daughter of one of my former pupils were in attendance. Strangely my youngest son likes going to Bewerley because he articulates the fact that he doesn't feel bad about talking in church before Mass.

The above photo is one from a previous occasion when Fr. Parfitt offered Mass at Bewerley.

Please remember the EF Mass is offered regularly in this diocese as can be seen in the sidebar.

Over half term

Training day tomorrow at school, which looks interesting following a talk on Tuesday given by Sir Brian Male about the 21st. century curriculum.

Friday evening Mass at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike at 7.30p.m.

Saturday morning, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall at 9.30a.m.

Saturday afternoon (vigil), St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley at 3.00p.m.

Saturday evening (vigil), St. Mary's, Gibbett Street, Halifax at 6.00p.m.

Sunday afternoon, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

Thursday (30th. October) Bewerley Grange Chapel, Pateley Bridge at 11.30a.m.

On Saturday I hope to attend a morning of recollection at St. Joseph's in Gateshead in the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle, to be offered by a priest of the FSSP.

Reminders and announcements

As I write this the November edition of the LMS magazine is at the press.

Mass at Bewerley Grange chapel, Thursday 28th. October. Missa Cantata. 11.30a.m.

Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Tuesday 2nd. November. 11.30a.m.

Sung Requiem for our War Dead, St. Peter's , Leeds Rd. Bradford, Sunday 14th. November. 3.00p.m.

Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall. Wednesday 8th. December. 9.30a.m.

First Mass of Christmas, Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Ave, Leeds. Friday December 24th. 6.00p.m.

Wakefield chantry chapel, Wakefield. Thursday 30th. December. 7.00p.m. Sung Requiem to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Wakefield.

New Year's Day Mass, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds. NOON.

As ever please do all you can to attend as many of these Masses as possible.

The University Chaplaincy will from November become a regular venue. We will be having Mass there on each fifth Saturday of the month at 4.00p.m. as well as the First Mass of Christmas. Many thanks to Fr. Kravos, the chaplain and old friend from his days at Our Lady of Lourdes for permitting us use of the beautiful chapel.

Reminder that there is now Mass each Friday (except last Fridays) at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike. 7.30p.m. Thanks to Father Abberton.

Masses today

St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

St Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds at 5.00p.m.

Mass for All Souls in York

Fauré's Requiem will be the Mass for All Souls on Tuesday 2nd. November at 7.30p.m. at English Martryrs, Dalton Terrace, York.

Reminder also that there will be Mass at Batley at 6.45 a.m., at Broughton at 11.30a.m. and for those in Manchester at English Martyrs, Alexandra Rd. South, at 7.00a.m. and 7.00p.m.

Mass at Christmas

I have now managed to secure priests for the First Mass of Christmas, All Saints, All Souls and Remembrance Sunday. Details in due course.

Ushaw Seminary to close...

The Reverend co-ordinator for the EF Mass in the diocese of Leeds, Fr. Wiley (and who trained at St. Cuthbert's Seminary) rang me yesterday afternoon to say that he had just been told of the planned closure of Ushaw. Since then reaction has been from far and wide. Some people are naturally sad and others are ambivalent. There are those who are glad to see the end of the place.

Instead of looking back nostalgically (I've only ever been there twice) I cannot in any way revel in the glories, or otherwise, of its past, save the LMS Conference Masses in the main and side chapels.

Looking to the future however, I cannot fail to miss considering the possibility of some traditional Catholic future for this ready made Catholic Village in need of a good deal of renovation but with enormous potential in the right hands.

Look at how the Holy Redeemer Community on Papa Stronsay work and market themselves. Look at the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in Lanherne in Cornwall who took over the defunct Carmelite Convent there and are now reputedly looking to establish a third house in this country. Look at the Emmaus Communities, the Pro-Life Organizations, the need for a place to host traditional Catholic training conferences and ongoing formation and even the need for a good Catholic school, not to mention the possibility of continuing priestly formation as an orthodox Catholic seminary.

Come to think of it, there are infitnite possibilities, but that they be Holy, Catholic and Apostolic must surely be at the heart and soul of it. The thought of the beautiful chapel being transformed into a two tier restaurant or auditorium as part of some "development plan" of a business park consortium is very sad. The Church is losing another footing in that part of the world, ironically the Darlington Carmelites (now down to only four nuns) were reported by the BBC to be leaving their convent to live in a detached house nearby this week.

Mr. Paul Waddington, the LMS Rep for Middlesbrough and Treasurer to the Society has posted elsewhere on the blogosphere his desire to hear from any interested party or parties interested in Ushaw's future, and not necessarily with his LMS Treasurer's hat on.

Something for us to pray about.

God bless the Pope - and a reminder of Mass on Sunday 10th. at St. Peter's, Leeds Rd. Bradford at 3.00p.m. in thanksgiving for the success of the Pope's recent achievements, to conclude with the Te Deum.

Missa Cantata with Te Deum

Photo: Interior of Wakefield Chantry Chapel- see below

On this Sunday 10th. October at 3.00p.m. the regular monthly Mass at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford will be a Missa Cantata, with a Te Deum at the concusion of Mass in thanksgiving for the success of the visit of the Holy Father and in recognition of the third year of the implementation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum . Many thanks to Fr. Hall for offering the Mass and Fr. Frank Smith PP for so graciously allowing us all and more as envisaged by the Pope in Summorum Pontificum. It is wonderful to see the Papal flag fluttering outside the Parish Church.

Already half term is looming which reminds me that our next Mass at Bewerley Grange Chapel, will soon be upon us. Sung Mass at 11.30a.m. near Pateley Bridge on Thursday 28th. October. Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt for this.

So far the only Christmas Mass I am able to announce is in the Salford Diocese where I am also rep.

Midnight Mass (at midnight!) will be at Bolton, at St. Osmund's, Long Lane, Breightmet.

This is a regular event and one I can heartily recommend and which we are again attending.

Those in Manchester early on this coming Monday (Oct 10th.) morning may be interested to know that there will be Mass at English Martyrs', Alexandra Rd. South at 7.00 a.m. for the Feast of the Motherhood of our Lady.

There is to be a sung Mass of Requiem at Wakefield Chantry Chapel on Thursday 30th. December in the evening, which also marks the date of the Battle of Wakefield. This is a civic event. The Lord Mayor will be present with other dignitaries. I have 10 tickets to offer those who wish to attend with promise of more if required.

On New Year's Day there will be Mass at the the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds, the first in this newly formed parish of St. John Mary Vianney. Details to follow.

Holy Basil - elevates spirit

A Monsignor writes....

I can heartily recommend "Supercritical Holy Basil ", just like me it uplifts, calms and balances. If only every member of every Eucharistic Assembly had me as its President there would be no need for a Catechism, just me, and my word is law. If you don't believe it I'll sue you because I was at the pastoral Council and so I know.

Mgr Fawlty is a retired priest of a pre V2 mould.

Update; Please note Holy Basil comes in capsule form.

Masses this weekend

Saturday: Vigil Mass with commentary, part of the Parish Mission, given by Fr. John Edwards SJ, St. Mary's, Halifax, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.

Sunday: Missa Cantata, Sacred Heart, Broughton, 11.30a.m.

Sunday: Low Mass, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Castleford, 3.00p.m.

Sunday: Low Mass, Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Rd. Manchester, 4.00p.m.

Sunday : Low Mass, English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York, 6.30p.m.

St. Mary's Parish Mission at Halifax

Tonight I was fortunate enough to hear Fr. John Edwards SJ, preach about "Our Dead" and the Rosary.

The Blessed Sacrament was exposed by Fr. Smith at the start of the sermon which was given by Fr. Edwards, with the intention of praying for the Holy Souls and concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

I remember attending a Parish Mission given by Fr. Edwards twenty five years ago and he has lost none of his eloquence and persuasiveness.

Whilst speaking of the Rosary, he said that we shouldn't be overburdened with thinking about the words of the Hail Mary but should think of them as the wheels of a train because they keep the thing moving and although we are fully aware that they are there we do not have to think about them.

EF Mass at Halifax on Saturday at 6.00p.m.

Interesting northern events

I reproduce the following because I heartily recommend it and hope to attend myself. Even the thought of such an event to be taking place in Newcastle would have brought sneers or laughter just a few years ago. The rolling snowball is gathering speed. I think this is a wonderful initiative hot on the heels of the Pope’s visit.

News from St. Joseph’s, Gateshead. Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.

“In October we have arranged a 2-day Recollection on Friday (29th October) for clergy and on Saturday (30th October) for laity. The Saturday programme will be:

10.00 First Conference
10.40 Confessions
11.00 Second Conference
12.00 Solemn High Mass

The conferences for both clergy & laity will be given by Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP in St Joseph's Church, High West Street, Gateshead NE8 1LX.

The church is situated immediately opposite the Metro Interchange where Metro trains and buses from Newcastle and south of the Tyne arrive frequently.

Please make every effort to attend as Fr de Malleray is putting himself out greatly to make himself available.”

Meanwhile....

Back here in Leeds Diocese I am delighted to learn that St. Mary’s, Halifax is to have a Parish Mission from Saturday 25^th. September to Sunday 3^rd October, to be preached by Fr. John Edwards of the Society of Jesus. As part of the Parish Mission Father Edwards, a formidable preacher and apologist, whom I remember warmly from my days at university, will preach on Confession at the 6.00p.m. Mass on Saturday 26^th. September and there will be Mass with commentary on Saturday 2^nd. October. The daily themes, between these Masses are:

Can we be sure in what we believe?, Conversion - a daily duty, How can God allow evil? And Our dead and Christ’s life in us.

A superb day and a reflection

Having been on the road since 1.30a.m. this morning I am tired to say the least.

It has been a long but worthwhile day. Having seats just a few feet away from the Sanctuary, my eldest daughter and I found it just as easy to watch the Pontiff as to look at the big screens as his facial expressions were quite discernible. The Holy Father looked tired but remained strong throughout the two and a half hour long liturgy.

I was very moved by the Holy Father's very disarming humility, stamina and personal holiness. The sanctuary was filled with cardinals, archbishops and bishops, priests, deacons, altar servers, lay people, religious, readers and television and security people, but all eyes were on the Pope who commanded an incredible and awesome silence when he was speaking and celebrating the Mass. The Pope spoke to my heart and stirred and moved me in a way I seldom experience. My daughter was moved to tears 6 times during the papal liturgy.

The liturgy itself wasn't the sort of thing I would normally go for but it was, as one would expect, very dignified and there were no shocking gimmicks or dancing youngsters in leotards waving smoking dishes and bits of cloth, which seemed to be such a feature of previous papal liturgies.

What was very refreshing and inspiring was that those selected to receive Jesus in Holy Communion from the Servant of the Servants of God again did so kneeling and on the tongue. If this is not a clear message then I do not know what is. Let us take note!

As we were the first to get onto the bus back to the car park in Wythell we were amongst the first to get out of the car park and were home by 3.30p.m. An hour's snooze on the couch took away the groginess as did another hour after dinner! It had been a round trip of about 270 miles.

Sheer joy.

Praise to the Holiest in the height!

God bless and keep our Pope!

Blessed John Henry Newman, pray for us!

Exaudi, Christe!

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam adjuva!

Exaudi, Christe. Benedicto summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva!

Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva!  Rex regum!  

Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva!  Rex noster!

Christe, spes noster! Tu illam adjuva!

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam adjuva!

Exaudi, Christe. Benedicto summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva!

(adapted)

The invited pilgrim

I am looking forward to the visit to Cofton Park next week to witness the Pope beatifying Cardinal John Henry Newman. I received my information pack yesterday and was interested to see the above "helpful terms", which I didn't feel were particularly helpful. Indeed I thought that they were positively unhelpful.

What was interesting was the request to concelebrating clergy to bring alb, amice and cincture, something which also surprised one or two priests I know to whom I've spoken this weekend.

This said the papal flag is now fluttering gently outside the bedroom window, where it will remain until Pope Benedict is safely back in Vatican territory.

God bless the Pope!

Masses this weekend

Saturday (Vigil Mass) St. Mary's, Halifax, 6.00p.m.

Sunday (Low Mass) St. Joseph's, Pontefract, 3.00p.m.

Sunday (Missa Cantata) St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Bradford, 3.00p.m.

NEXT WEEK DUE TO THE VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER THERE WILL BE NO MASS AT LEEDS, ST. AUGUSTINE'S.

This last week has been my first full week back at school. Again my department's results were very good and I have enjoyed teaching all my classes.

At home I am also in the process of a huge sort out of books and papers. I have already filled 8 black rubbish bags for recycling and have selected a lot of things to take to the charity shop. The shredder was red hot.

Feeling shredded myself I am taking my sons and their friend to the National Railway Museum at York tomorrow morning. I'm already looking forward to an extra couple of hours in bed on Sunday, which I shall be denied next week as I shall, God willing, be at the Pope's Mass in Cofton Park.

Needless to say my prayers at Mass this weekend will be for a wonderfully successful Papal visit. I am now really looking forward to the visit and to listening to what the Pope says.

God bless the Pope!

It's not just me....I knew it wasn't!

An Anglican clergyman and scholar from Oxford notes on his blog* about Basil Loftus...

"The man is a complete charlatan in the way he uses misinformation to deceive. I have just read a piece about how Rome subverts the desire of Vatican II for a vernacular liturgy. In this he fails to mention what V2 actually says ... and supports this assertion by a rhetorical trope of Paul VI, the word Dammit, and a claim that V2 is all about ecclesia semper reformanda."

I have long held the view that Basil knows only too well the dangers posed by the EF and the hermeneutic of continuity to his cosy but gaga ideas about "Church".

People like Basil were ten a penny in the seventies and eighties and are now an ageing breed. Do these people serve a purpose (like the doddering gang in charge of Catholics for a changing Church) in so much as anything they say can be taken with a large pinch of salt and ignored, given that what they call for is not the mandate of Christ or His Church?

* http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/some-priestling-called-loftus.html

Masses this weekend and other news

Masses will be offered fulfilling the Sunday obligation this weekend as follows:

Saturday 3.00p.m. St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley.

Saturday 6.00p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.

Sunday 3.00p.m. St. Joseph, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Sunday 6.00p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds. N.B. This will be the LAST Mass at Cardigan Road, as we will be relocating shortly. Details to follow.

The experiment with regular monthly Sunday evening Masses in suburban Leeds has been judged unsuccessful and with the dark nights to be shortly upon us again a new time and venue have been found, this also has to do with the fact that the church is to eventually close as part of the new pastoral provision in Leeds. Thanks to the PP Father Jackson (and his predecessor Fr. Kravos) who has been very kind to us - since he is to move shortly to St Augustine's in Leeds where we have already have one of our our third Sunday Masses, it is not even a case of au revoir let alone adieu!

Occasional EF celebrant and PP of St. Augustine's Fr. Kelly is to go to St. Austin's, Wakefield as curate. We already have a sung Requiem Mass "booked" at the chantry chapel in December to be sung by Fr. Smith, the Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and a regular celebrant of the EF.

We also bid a fond farewell to the PP of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Seacroft, Fr. Billington who is taking up a full time position at Ushaw. This means that there will be no more Friday Masses at Seacroft. Every good wish to Fr. Billington.

Father Wiley is to move to the newly formed Parish of St. John Vianney, which incorporates the former parishes of Immaculate Heart, Moortown and St. Paul's, Alwoodly.

He has already asked me to pencil in a couple of dates, as he did when he was at St. Columba's, Bradford.

I have also several priests to contact who have asked me to discuss the possibility of future Masses with them or other priests.

This morning (Friday) I was delighted to receive a cordial invitation from the Conference of Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland to attend the Beatification Mass of the Venerable John Henry Newman by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park, with my eldest daughter.

I saw the last Pope several times both here and in Italy years later. I have seen Cardinal Ratzinger before, having even translated something written in his own hand from his native German into English.

But I have never attended a beatification Mass and I haven't seen the present Pope since he accepted the throne of Peter.

Delighted to accept the invitation.

God bless the Pope!

Who attacks the EF these days?

I have only ever bought the Tablet once and I long ago dispensed with taking the Catholic Times.

The reason for this is that I hate the attacks on the EF by Basil Loftus who is a retired priest of this diocese now living in Scotland.

Mgr Basil, whose father was a leading light in the early days of the very existence of the Latin Mass Society, will use any opportunity to criticize and downplay the vital role the EF has to play in the future identity of the Church, as seen by the tired and painful nonsense he churns out on a regular basis. Is this real hatred or is he overawed by the power of it?

Does the editor of the Catholic Times really "Follow Peter" by giving space to somebody who appears to worship V2 as something more than a pastoral council, the spirit of which still deludes itself into thinking that there was something new under the sun and that V2 was it? If so which Peter are we being exhorted to follow?

Surely the Catechism is enough for us as Catholics to accept and if we put the horrors of the past behind us, including the ever increasingly obvious erroneous spirit of V2 which seems to give the impression you can do what you like really, then the future's bright. It can't be anything but bright.

God bless the Pope! God bless Benedict XVI!

Important note - Masses this weekend

The 3.00p.m. Mass at Batley has been postponed until next Saturday, but Mass is due to recommence at Halifax at 6.00p.m.

On Sunday there will be Mass at Castleford at 3.00pm.

I have been very busy meeting and contacting clergy this week and have arranged to meet with the Bishop after the Papal visit.

It is very interesting that at least three of the priests invited to meet the Holy Father in some capacity in September are celebrants of the EF in this diocese and all ordained since 1970.

Some of you may remember that under a former bishop no priest was permitted to offer the EF if he had been ordained after 1970 in this diocese. Mass in parish churches was discouraged.

Thankfully there were always faithful and generous priests who never said no to us and our legal requests. Some of these good men have now gone to their eternal repose but Mass is regularly offered for them. These include Cardinal Heenan, Bishop Wheeler, Fathers Cooke (OMI), Pepper, Holmes, Doughty, Woodward, Brooke, Cresswell, Scannell, and the many others who said yes whenever they could.

Today we have a new generation of priests as well as the older (but not necessarily elderly) stalwarts who are ready, willing and able to offer Mass in both forms. Even three years ago this would have been unthinkable.

One thing I have learned as a parent, teacher and moreover as lms rep is the virtue of patience! Some things take a long time to come to fruition. This last couple of weeks have seen quite a lot of fruition.

Details to follow.

God bless the Pope!

Back from holiday

Two weeks off and away have made me feel much refreshed. This Sunday is the feast of the Assumption, the Holyday which comes round faster and faster every year .
Mass at Halifax has been suspended until next Saturday but on Sunday there will be Mass at Castleford, St. Joseph's Pontefract Road at 3.00p.m. and at Leeds, St.Augustine's, Harehills Road at 5.00p.m.
There is no Mass at Halifaxthe language of worship. Their Church utilizes every means of taking people beyond everyday interests; the language of commerce and of everyday occupation is left outside, and the people are taught the language of worship. That shows a shrewd, deep insight into the human mind."

--The Mass by Fr. Joseph Dunney.

Impressed

It was a great pleasure to talk to a chap not much older than me who was a "first timer" for many years, after Mass at Castleford today.

He was clearly impressed and moved by what he had re-experienced and he was able to well articulate what he thought had been disastrous within the Church over the last four decades or so.

If that good man comes across this blog please feel free to attend any more of our Masses, listed on the right hand side of this posting.

No Mass at Halifax for the next two weeks

There will be no Mass at St. Mary's Halifax for the next two weeks and so the next Traditional Mass will be Saturday 22nd. August at 6.00p.m.

LMS press release

The LMS recently announced that Bishop Athanasius Schneider ORC, will attend the forthcoming priests' training conference.

The release states:

Bishop Athanasius Schneider to attend conference

The Latin Mass Society has announced that Bishop Athanasius Schneider ORC, Auxiliary Bishop of Karaganga in Kazakhstan, will be attending the forthcoming priests' training conference held at Downside Abbey from Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th August. Bishop Schneider will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form in the Abbey Church at Downside on Thursday 12th August at 11.00 am. He will also deliver a lecture as part of the conference.
Around 30 priests are expected to attend the conference where tuition will be given in the celebration of Mass in the older form. Some will be beginners, and will be studying Low Mass; whilst others with more experience will be expanding their skills to include Missa Cantata and Missa Solemnis. Tuition will also be provided for altar servers.
Bishop Schneider is best known for his defence of the traditional practice of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue and kneeling. His book, Dominus Est, originally written in Italian but now available in English, deals with the subject in some detail. The public will be able to attend the 11.00am Mass in the Abbey Church each day of the conference, but will be particularly welcome at the Pontifical Mass on the Thursday.
There are a few last minute places available at the Downside conference. Priests and potential servers interestedshould contact the Latin Mass Society by telephoning 020 7404 7284 for further information and an application form.

This will be the 6th conference to be organised by the LMS during the last 3 years. Earlier ones have been held at Merton College in Oxford, Ushaw College in Co Durham and All Saints Pastoral Centre in London Colney, Herts.
Over 100 priests have attended these conferences, of whom about 85 now regularly celebrate Mass in the Usus Antiquior.
Practically all restrictions on the use of the Usus Antiquior or Extraordinary Form were lifted by Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, published in July 2007. Since then the number of both Sunday and weekday Masses celebrated in the Usus Antiquior has increased in all dioceses of England and Wales.
The website of the Latin Mass Society includes listings of Masses celebrated in this form. See www.latin-mass-society.org

Blog comments

Since establishing this blogsite I have never needed or wanted to moderate any comments made by anybody. Recently I have started to receive several "comments" on a regular basis which turn out to be a link to some oriental pornographic web pages - something a Priest blogger also reported happening to him a while ago.

However, I have always maintained, this blogsite is primarily an informative effort with personal observations and not designed as a forum for discussion, as there are plenty of other blogsites which encourage this and whose editors can devote more time to it.

Thanks to our oriental friends, who I'm sure could employ their hands and minds far more productively, I have decided to cease allowing blog comments at least until speaking to a more advanced and experienced blogger who can show me how to prevent this happening. I shall be in no immediate rush to do this. I have tired of deleting the comments/links from this nasty and creepy source.

First Holy Communion

Tomorrow is our son's First Confession and First Holy Communion Mass. The Mass will be at St. Mary of the Angels, Batley at 3.00p.m. and will be a Missa Cantata.

Pentecost VIII

Masses on Sunday.

Castleford, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road. 3.00p.m.

Leeds, St. Augustine's, Harehills Rd. 5.00p.m. Mass will be offered by the Parish Priest, Fr. Michael Kelly.

What a blessing

On a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is good, my week at school was hovering around minus 5, when I left at 5.00p.m. this evening. Thinking that things couldn't get worse I arrived home half an hour later to discover that my youngest son had thrown a stone and broken a neighbour's (large) front window.

I immediately went over to offer to pay for any damage. The lady was very nice and the first thing she said was that as soon as he had done it, he went and told her what had happened and to apologise before telling his Mum. I felt proud that he had done the right thing - next week is First Confession and Holy Communion for him.

Later he admitted that the whole thing could have been avoided if he had done as he had been taught- to only throw stones into the sea.

Small stones cast long ripples!

Busy, busy

Since the Bishop's latest round of new appointments I have been busy contacting clergy to continue existing provision, whilst discussing with the Rev Co-ordinator for the Extraordinary Form of Mass, possible future openings. I do receive letters requesting Mass in various parishes from people who do not know how to go about it or are too afraid to ask, for lots of reasons.

Fortunately the majority of clergy in this diocese are more than happy to help me if asked, even if the old Mass is not to their own taste. It is the occasional contact with these Priests which I enjoy, because they see that we are not out to do anything seditious and we often share concerns about how difficult it is to reach out to people in an out of control secular state.

Bishop Roche's support, in appointing priests to teach the rubrics (pre Summorum Pontificum) and to co-ordinate the old Mass (post Summorum Pontificum) were and still possibly are, unprecedented, as far as I am aware.

There are some unsatisfactory things which need to be addressed, and again I hear far more of these than anything.

So as things change over the next few weeks I shall take the recent changes and information received into consideration.

Today marks the third anniversary of Summorum Pontificum and we must give thanks to God for all the positive benefits this has brought, but there is a lot more to do.

God bless the Pope!

All change!

It is that time of the year again when the Bishop invites priests to visit him. Some such invitations mean that the Bishop wishes to implement changes by moving clergy to perform a different task in a new place. This is the case in many dioceses. Recently Bishop Roche announced a restructuring of the parishes in Leeds. This combination of clergy moves and reorganisation in Leeds will affect the provision of the Traditional Mass.

For example, the Diocesan Co-ordinator for the Extraordinary Form and PP of Batley's St. Mary of the Angels, Fr. Tim Wiley, has been appointed as Parish Priest of the newly formed parish of St. John Vianney, which will incorporate the former parishes of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown and St. Paul's, Allwoodly in Leeds. The church of Our Lady of Lourdes at Cardigan Road is to be closed this summer and some more priests who allow us use of the church and others who either regularly or occasionally celebrate the EF Rite are also to move.

I shall now request a formal meeting with Fr. Wiley as soon as possible to discuss the immediate practical implications of these moves. Certain changes will have to be made fairly smartly and I am sure that this will be for the better

Many parishioners at Batley were shocked and saddened to hear that Fr. Wiley would be leaving

and concerned that they would lose their "Latin Mass". Two of my daughters were at the Mass and overheard the sentiments of the people afterwards and even during the announcement itself!

With my rep's hat on I need to ensure that as long as the demand is there we will be able to continue provision at Batley, especially given the Pope's wishes in his Motu Proprio and subsequent clarifications made by the Vatican about numbers of those who request the Mass.

Our Lady of Victories, pray for us.

Masses this weekend

Masses this weekend:

Saturday

Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton, 9.30a.m,

English Martyrs, Alexandra Road South, Manchester, 10.00a.m.

Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike, 11.30a.m.

St. Mary of the Angels, Batley, 3.00p.m. (vigil)

St. Marie's, Halifax, 6.00p.m. (vigil)

Sunday

St. Joseph's, Castleford, 3.00p.m.

Holy Name, Manchester, 4.00p.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds, 6.00p.m.

English Martyrs, York, 6.30p.m.

St. Peter & Paul's Day Masses

Updated - with thanks to a sharp eyed reader, who spotted yesterday's deliberate error. The feast of Ss Peter and Paul is one of our few remaining Holy Days of obligation.

Mass at 7.00a.m. at St. Mary of the Angels, Batley and

at 11.30a.m. at Sacred Heart, Broughton.

A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Primacy of Peter and so ideally situated in this time of Pentecost. The Church shows us the earthly head of the family, which God has drawn to Himself.

Instead of Peter we have Benedict, gloriously reigning, on earth.

One of our regular celebrants has been invited to offer Mass with the Holy Father in Westminster Cathedral, during the Pontiff's September visit.

4th. Sunday after Pentecost

It is refreshing to see the green of the liturgical post-Pentecost season again, from acidic pea-green to creamy olive shades, the sense of new life and growth is clear and the Gospel of today starts to chart the beginnings of the early Church and foreshadowing the primacy of Peter and the Petrine Office. Cast your nets deep recalls our own Bishop's motto. Duc in altum.

The recent output of the Holy Father concerning the nature of the Priesthood and the need to re-catechize the faithful about the centrality of the Blessed Sacrament has been relentless.

Father Wiley, EF co-ordinator and PP has kindly agreed to allow our youngest son to make his first Holy Communion at St. Mary of the Angels, Batley on Saturday July 24th. at 3.00p.m. This will be a Missa cantata and our son will receive the Blessed Sacrament for the first time, just a few feet away from where he was baptized seven years ago by the hand of the same priest.

Confirmation is the next Sacrament on the list after our youngest's First Holy Communion. All three girls were confirmed at St. James, Spanish Place, London by the late Bishop O'Brien in the EF, pre-Summorum Pontificum and with the blessing of Cardinal Cormac. I do hope that travelling so far will not be necessary for our eldest boy.

This week's Sunday Masses are at Castleford, St. Joseph's at 3.00p.m. and at Leeds, St. Augustine's at 5.00p.m.

Mass at 4.00p.m. at Holy Name, Manchester and English Martyrs, York at 6.30p.m.

The photo above shows the original interior of St Augustine's, Leeds. Our Mass takes place in the Lady Chapel.

God bless the Pope!