Holy week (updated)

Four Masses for Palm Sunday were offered this weekend in the EF, at Batley, Halifax, Castleford and Cardigan Road, Leeds.

Many thanks to our clergy, Revv Abberton, Smith and Wiley who gave of their time so generously to offer the Masses.

Masses on Easter Sunday at Broughton, 11.30a.m. , Castleford, 3.00p.m. and York at 6.30p.m. The Mass at Broughton will be a Missa Cantata. No Mass at Heckmondwike. Please pray for Fr. Abberton's mother who is very ill.

Low Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday Masses, Vigil at Halifax, 6.30p.m., St. Peter's, Leeds Rd., Bradford (Sung) 3.00p.m. , Castleford, 3.00p.m. and York 6.30p.m.

LOW WEEK TRAINING COURSE AT USHAW - Monday to Friday.

There is no Triduum this year. I hope we will rectify this next year.

Laetare Sunday

Time for the rose coloured vestments to make an appearance again, this time to mark the midpoint of Lent (which was actually on Thursday I think).

There is no Mass at Bradford at St. Peter's this Sunday, because of closure of the church during the installation of the new heating system. Next Mass there will be Low Sunday.

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

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

Rejoice, Jerusalem!

Moment to meditate

As seen on the NLM blogsite, from early Irish sources.

Let your life be completely detached from the world, and follow the teaching of Christ and the gospels...

Have a few devout men who will discuss God and the scriptures with you. Let them visit you on great feast-days, that so they may strengthen your devotion to the words and precepts of God.

Hold no converse with anyone who is given to idle or worldly gossip, or with anyone who grumbles about what he can neither prevent nor rectify...

Be ready in mind for red martyrdom. Be persevering and steadfast for white martyrdom.

Forgive every person from your heart.

Pray constantly for those who annoy [quarrel with] you.

Be very constant in your prayers for the faithful departed as if each dead person were a personal friend of yours...

Your daily occupation should be threefold, namely, prayer, manual labour, and lectio.

-- Excerpts from "The Rule of Colmcille" taken from The Celtic Monk: Rules and Writings of Early Irish Monks, Cistercian Studies Series 162

No Mass in Bradford on 2nd Sunday but...

The next regular Mass at Bradford's St. Peter's has been cancelled, as the church is closed for two weeks to install the new heating system. (St. Peter's is now a chapel of ease in the parish of St. Mary).

Mass will resume there on the 2nd Sunday of April (Low Sunday) at 3.00p.m. This will be a Sung Mass.

Low week sees the Priest and MC Training course at the seminary Conference Centre at USHAW.

Priests reading this who would like to learn the rubrics of the 1962 Rite ab initio or as a refresher for Low, Sung or High Mass should contact the Office.

Also, if you are over 18 and would like to learn how to serve at a Sung or High Mass in the capacity of MC again, please be in touch with the Office.

Mr. Waddington who organises these things tells me today that things are running well to plan and that the music is going to print shortly.

At the Bishop's request Fr. Parfitt is always available to train those Leeds priests wishing to offer the Mass, privately or publicly, in the rubrics of the Low Mass. The wonderful setting of the Sacred Heart chapel at Broughton Hall adds to the experience I'm told.

So far during Lent I have been reading the Pope's Jesus of Nazareth. Probably also true to say that I have been digesting it, albeit bit by bit. I have been so far moved by the sheer depth of the Pope's incisive thinking and love of the Kingdom of God. His remarks on what true reconciliation means could be the focus of anything from a Holy Hour to a fortnight's retreat.

I have not yet finished reading this book. I am thrilled with my reading and thank Almighty God for our Pope with every page I turn, having digested its content to the best of my ability.

God bless the Pope!