Walk for LIFE

The wonderful people at Leeds People for Life are holding a pro-life walk next Sunday in York, following a path we followed in our recent pilgrimage. The Mass advertised below is in the Ordinary Form. Mass in the EF will be at 6.30p.m. at English Martyrs. "...a great prayer for Life is urgently needed..." is a quote from the newly beatified Blessed John Paul II's Evangelium Vitae in which he coined the term "the culture of death". Seven million abortions is a lot of innocent blood. Of all the many people I know, those who at some point have deliberately ended their pregnancies, have lost something so profound that they have never been the same again and regardless of their creed or colour, background or status they have been deeply affected by it if not traumatised.

My own pro-life prayers invariably include any woman who wants to keep her baby but is under pressure to get rid of it and for those suffering from the after effects of an abortion and that we as a nation will open our eyes to what our society permits....and possibly more sinisterly forbids under the dubious term 'human rights'.

Of all the Bishops' mottos I have seen, my favourite one was that of Bishop John Crowley the former Bishop of Middlesbrough. It was "Choose Life", from St. John's Gospel.

Leeds People For Life
An Apostolate of prayer and reparation for the growth of a ‘Civilization of love’,
“...a great prayer for Life is urgently needed..” Evangelium Vitae.

YORK
SUNDAY MAY 8TH 2011

100 CROSSES FOR LIFE WALK

With Our Lady of Guadalupe and the English Martyrs, praying to end the ‘culture of death’ and reclaiming England as ‘Mary’s Dowry’ (over 7 million babies have been killed in 43 years of abortion in England, Scotland and Wales.)

Assemble at West door precinct of York Minster 1.15p.m. for 1.30p.m.,
(Eucharistic Adoration 12-15a.m. to 1-15p.m. in St Wilfrid’s)

Procession and prayers at Margaret Clitherow Plaque, Ousebridge, veneration of her relic at the Bar Convent, prayers at the Knavesmire, Holy Mass at English Martyrs’ Church, Dalton Terrace.YO24 4DA
Total distance approx.2 miles.

Both St Wilfrid’s, Petersgate (near the Minster) and English Martyrs are open for prayer all day.
Coach from Leeds
St Mary’s, Horsforth, 10.00a.m. Leeds Playhouse 10-15a.m.

St Augustine’s, Harehills 10.25 a.m., and St Theresa’s, Crossgates 10.35a.m. Cost £8.


Further details Pat. 0113 2582745. Mob 07747698553
Email patriciamarysammon@btinternet.com

Totus tuus

Blessed John Paul II. Pray for us!

Juventutem Retreat at Douai Abbey in September Announced - Bookings Being Taken - Limited Places

I have been requested to announce the following - which I am happy to do. Pity I'm too old to attend even with my youthful good looks!

During the weekend of the 9-11 September 2011, Young Catholic Adults (YCA), the national affiliate organisation for England and Wales of the international Juventutem movement, will be running a retreat at Douai Abbey near Reading in Berkshire. It will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray . The weekend will be full-board.

* YCA will have half of the retreat centre to itself
* There will be a Marian Procession, Rosaries, Sung Mass, Low Mass, Confession and socials
* Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, Masses will be in the Extraordinary Form

Prices range from £5 to £51 per person per night . There are 3 options:

THE MAIN GUEST HOUSE

Friday, 9 September, registration from 4pm, to Sunday, 11 September (full board)* or Arrive Saturday morning till Sunday or day only

£51 full-board PER PERSON PER NIGHT
£25 for students/low waged/unwaged (or whatever you can afford) PER PERSON PER NIGHT

THE COTTAGES

£35 PER PERSON PER NIGHT (full board).
Self catering £25 per person per night (reductions for students:- or whatever you can afford).

SELF CATERING CAMPING

£5 PER PERSON PER NIGHT (or whatever you can afford - please bring your own tent and food ).

If you would like lunch on Sunday, 11 September, then it will be an extra £7 each.

HOW TO BOOK - limited places so please reserve your place early!

To reserve your place FOR THE WEEKEND (no deposit needed if you are coming for the day on Saturday), please contact the Guestmaster direct and send a £20 deposit (NON RETURNABLE) to:

Brother Christopher Greener OSB,
Douai Abbey,
Upper Woolhampton,
Reading,
Berks RG7 5TQ

(please make any cheques payable to 'Douai Abbey'). Please also mention how long you wish to stay and any special dietary requirements.

For general enquiries about the weekend, or any queries about the accommodation/location/lifts required, please ring Damian Barker on 07908 105787 or 01452 539503.

Back to normal

I went to Notre Dame chapel this afternoon to tidy everything up and retrieve the vestments and paraphernalia which we had left there on Saturday. The Chaplain Fr. Kravos had already done everything leaving our things neatly packed to take away and made me feel quite guilty. Today the water blessed there on Saturday was used for a Baptism.

One of the many positive outcomes of our Triduum was that I was able to organise another Traditional Mass at Wakefield's ancient chantry chapel, where Fr. Smith sang a Mass of Requiem to mark the Battle of Wakefield back in December. This time Fr. Hall will sing Mass for the Feast of the Assumption at 7.30p.m. on Monday 15th. August.

Missa in albis, Quasimodo, Low Sunday

Saturday

Vigils

Mass at Notre Dame Chapel again on Saturday at 4.00p.m.

Mass at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street Halifax again on Saturday at 6.00p.m.

Sunday;

Missa Cantata, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton at 11.30a.m.

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

I now have to prepare and deliver two revision sessions for my year 9 GCSE classes and year 11 high flyers this week.

Time for a pint

Our sung Mass at Castleford this afternoon was sung beautifully by Mike Murphy, John Burton and a woman student from Leeds University.

Our celebrant, Fr. Wiley and servers were all in great mood and Canon Durcan was even more cheerful than usual, possibly because he is front page news in the latest edition of the Catholic Post.

After a large family dinner a few of us went to the pub (almost unheard of in this house) and had a few pints of excellent beers from all over Europe.

Happy Easter!

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Jesus Christ the Lord is Risen! Alleluia

Happy Easter and may I wish you and yours true peace and joy at this glorious time.

Our Sacred Triduum at Notre Dame chapel is now over.

Tonight was a spectacular denouement to the divine tragedy we witnessed yesterday and on Holy Thursday.

For utterly practical reasons the liturgy began just after 7.30p.m. Instead of the fire being on a stand or in a brazier it was lit in the road before the chapel door and was so hot that the five pieces of charcoal put on the edge were already crumbling ash by the time it came to put them into the empty thurible. Hence the thurible being filled with coals and red hot kindling wood. Given this and the stunning boldness of the Paschal Candle and the very dark chapel illuminated initially by only the flame of that candle made for a dramatic and striking entry from the fading light of the evening and into the darkness of the chapel to light. The Light.

Lumen Christi!

Deo gratias!

The end of the third reading of the Vigil refers to protection from the rain and again protected we were because not a drop fell on us.

Thanks to our energetic and devoted celebrant, Fr. Hall, our choir, Messrs Forbester and Burton, our servers, Messrs O'Dowd (who carried out his role as MC at Mass for the first time), Janko and the Walker brothers who between them have acted in a variety of roles ranging from thurifers to book boys.

Please remember that there will be a Missa cantata on Easter Sunday at 3.00p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Consummatum est. Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum

Once again we recalled the disgraceful horrors of the Passion and death of our Blessed Lord at the Sacred Liturgy according to St. John the Evangelist this afternoon on what was a gloriously sunny day, enabling us to hold our very dignified service in natural light, fittingly subdued in the sanctuary by the blue of the stunning windows. The contrast between the altar of repose last night and its appearance today was stark and dramatic.

There were many new faces today and I hope that even more people will join us for the Vigil tomorrow where the death and shocking events we recalled today will become instantly less painful as we celebrate creation, new life and the Resurrection of Christ, which takes us out of eternal darkness and illuminates us with His light, giving us the chance to win eternal happiness with Him. If this were guaranteed He would not have spent years in His public ministry teaching us the Way to to the Father and issuing stark warnings at times about the consequences of our actions. Consummatum est.

Vigil at 7.30p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. which I look forward to writing about tomorrow with some pictures.

Easter Sunday; St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. Missa Cantata.

Good Friday

About thirty five people came to the Mass of the Lord's Supper this evening and I hope that for the Good Friday Liturgy there will be even more people present. Fr. Kravos was present in choro this evening and two singers and five servers managed to make the celebration a dignified occasion. Fr. Hall, the celebrant, preached a very well constructed and thought provoking sermon.

Good Friday Liturgy at 3.00p.m. Notre Dame chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. As tomorrow the weather promises to be good it will be an opportunity to look at the incredibly impressive windows by Harry Clarke which depict the Litany of Loreto (pictured in the sidebar of this blogsite).

Holy Thursday... faciamus musicam

It is now Holy Thursday and as such sees the start of the Sacred Triduum this evening at Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds at 7.30p.m. There is plenty of free parking around the chapel, but please do not park at the very top of the Avenue as 24 hour access is required.

This evening I was delighted to have received an invitation from friends to attend the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral in Leeds, where Bishop Roche blessed the holy oils and preached a sermon which touched the heart even though it was directed at the Priests and Deacons of his Diocese. He recalled a recent conversation in Rome with the Bishop of Kazakhstan who as a young boy had witnessed the execution in the street of the Priest who had just given him his First Communion (and one presumes Confession) as well as confirming him and his siblings before giving the Holy Viaticum to his dying grandmother. This lad and future Bishop realised his vocation at that moment. Years later he learned that this dead Priest had also witnessed the martyrdom of a Priest in his formative years for similar "crimes".

Martyrdom and Priesthood are linked.

As we approach Easter Sunday and the glory of the Resurrection of the Lord we have to undergo witnessing the ignominy to which Christ was subjected, by the words of the sacred texts and the divine tragedy of the liturgical action. The two words out of the entire Film "The Passion of the Christ" which I shall always remember above anything else were those spoken by the Roman henchman before scourging Christ. He gleefully said, "Faciamus musicam".

Christ is the Priest and Victim, the oblation - indeed the sinless lamb who died for the sinful sheep a Martyr for us and for our salvation. Unique and mind bending.

At the Cathedral I was able to meet a lot of friends and acquaintances, before and after the Mass, some who said they were looking forward to attending our Triduum.

Please do join us tomorrow and or on Good Friday and Easter Saturday if you are visiting, a regular or simply inquisitive.

Ad multos annos!

Happy Birthday, Holy Father!

V. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro.

R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius. [Ps 40:3]

This weekend and HOLY WEEK Times

Hebdomada Sancta

Sun 17 PALM SUNDAY (SECOND SUNDAY of PASSIONTIDE) I Cl R & V
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Cross. Procession (R) Mass (V).
Omit Asperges. Blessing of Palms and Procession before principal Mass.
No Preparatory Prayers. Passion according to S Matthew 26, 36-75;
27, 1-60. No Last Gospel. At other Masses No Judica No Gloria Patri at
the Introit & Lavabo. Last Gospel from the Blessing of Palms. If a Priest
says more than one Mass, the Gospel of S Matthew 27, 45-52 may
replace the Passion.

Vigil Saturday 16th. April. Low Mass, St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.

Low Mass Sunday 17th. April, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00pm.

Low Mass Sunday 17th. April, St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds. 5.00p.m.

Holy Monday - Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton. 9.30a.m.

Spy Wednesday- Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton. 9.30a.m.

HOLY THURSDAY - MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

Thursday 21st. April

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday 22nd. April.

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 3.00p.m.

EASTER SATURDAY

(Vigil) Saturday 23rd. April

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY

Sunday 24th. April

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

Many thanks to Fr. P. Kravos (who will join us in choro on Holy Thursday) for giving such prominence to the Triduum on the Leeds University RC Chaplaincy website. http://www.uilcc.org/?p=1954. The 15 visitors from that website to this blogsite caught my eye when I checked my stats this evening. I hope they join us. Thanks again to Mike Forbester and his team the Triduum will be sung. And thanks to Mike Murphy and his team, who will sing at Castleford on Easter Sunday

I shall continue to regularly update this week's events as way of a reminder in this holiest time of the year.

Masses tomorrow. Passiontide is upon us

PASSIONTIDE Tempus Quadragesimale: Passionis
All crucifixes and sacred images are veiled in violet.

Sun 10 PASSION SUNDAY (FIRST SUNDAY in PASSIONTIDE) I Cl V
No Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Cross
No Judica No Gloria Patri at the Introit & Lavabo

Sung Mass at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00p.m.

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

Even busier

Tonight I had a long meeting with Fr. Wiley and we reviewed where we are regarding provision of the Mass and what more can be done to promote and advertise the EF Masses and increase provision of same.

After the Triduum and Holy Week schedule our next big event will be the Solemn High Mass and procession of the Blessed Sacrament at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds for Corpus Christi. Members of the Leeds Schola Gregoriana and St. Austin's choir will sing at the Mass.

Clergy have been invited and accepted the invitation to be Sacred Ministers.

Fr. Kravos will be attending our Maundy Mass in choro and we have clergy speakers and celebrants lined up for the October day of recollection.

Busy busy

I have been reading up on the ceremony and rubrics of the Sacred Triduum. Times of Mass will be displayed shortly for Holy Week in the sidebar.

I have sorted the paschal fire, Holy Thursday vestments, the clappers, and the "umbella" as Fortescue calls it.

Tomorrow I have a co-ordination meeting with Fr. Wiley in Leeds after parents' evening. Under discussion will be our solemn High Mass and Procession for Corpus Christi and our October day of recollection on the Mass and Rosary.

I also have to contact our cantor about Sunday's Missa cantata at St. Peter's Bradford and hope to be making arrangements soon for a celebration of the First Sacraments.

Thanks to the Catholic Post...and Laetare!

I got my copy of the Leeds Diocesan "Catholic Post" tonight and was most gratified and grateful to see that the editor had inserted the correct and up to date advert including the times of the Sacred Triduum this year along with details of this blog. My sincere thanks to Mr. Grady.

Our regular Sunday/Vigil Masses attract well over a hundred "regular" people nowadays and there are always visitors and new faces; some of these are simply glad of the timing, others attend with family or friends and some are simply and rightfully inquisitive but nobody questions the fact that they are fulfilling the Sunday obligation, as was sometimes the case not so long ago.

Already this year another Priest of the Diocese has expressed his desire to learn to offer the EF Rite of Mass.

Wakefield St. Austin's choir is to join our Latin Mass schola again and sing at our Corpus Christi Solemn High Mass, Procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at Immaculate Heart, Leeds in June.

The last time they joined forces was at Wakefield Chantry chapel's sung Requiem Mass at the end of December 2010. And splendid it was too.

Work on painting the Paschal candle is now starting so as to be ready for the Vigil and news on parking around the University chaplaincy is good as there is no danger of fines and there is a lot of space. If you plan on coming, please also consider bringing friends, a family member or members and ensure your car, coach or taxi is full!

Extra servers have been recruited for the Triduum and today I selected the vestments for the Vigil Mass of Easter and for the Blessed Sacrament procession to the altar of repose after the Maundy Thursday Mass.

God bless the Pope!

From the Oxford Oratory

I do hope the Oratorians at Oxford do not mind me sharing this good news with you from earlier today.

It was announced in Rome this morning that our own Fr Anton Webb has been selected to represent the Vatican City at the London 2012 Olympics at the Pentathlon.

At a press conference in the Vatican, Archbishop Capriccio Pesce d'Aprile, Prefect of the Congregation for Sport and Physical Fitness, said, "It is true that with a population of about 800, many of whom are elderly prelates, the Vatican City is never going to win as many medals as the USA or China. But we consider it very important to show the Church's engagement with the modern world, so for the first time the Vatican has entered every Olympic event. We have had to co-opt some clergy and religious from around the world to do this, and they will be brought to Rome to train in the Vatican gardens. The self-discipline and asceticism of the religious life will certainly give them the edge over other competitors."

THe Archbishop was hopeful that the Marche Pontificale might be heard for the first time at an Olympic medal ceremony for some events: "The Swiss Guards have put together a formidable archery team, and of course the Church's expertise in the field of liturgical ceremonies will mean that our synchronised swimming team will have a grace and precision that are second to none."

The full list of Vatican competitors will be published on the Holy See's website at midday today.