Difficult week - Laus Deo semper

I returned to my home from London last week from the annual Requiem and Joint Rep/Committee Meeting at 11.25 p.m. I had left the Cathedral at 3.35 p.m. I enjoyed a scenic view of Lincoln Cathedral by spotlight and experienced how long it takes to locate and fit a new (working) electrically powered locomotive, met one of our semi-retired occasional celebrants at Wakefield, prepared a Power point presentation on Bloom's taxonomy in delivering modern languages in Key Stage 3 and then read three quarters of the latest copy of the Oldie magazine. At 44 I thought I might be a bit young to enjoy this publication but was reassured to read that a twenty-six year old woman is similarly engrossed. Its articles remind me of the very decent texts the Joint Matriculation Board used to offer in the Ordinary Level English Language Comprehension tests in the nineteen seventies and eighties.

The LMS meeting in London was also a bit of a let down as they had to find alternative accommodation at the last minute, which sadly curtailed the length of the meeting and reduced the time to share opinion etc. The fact that the Victoria line was also not running at all, made it even more of a bind.

On Sunday, returning from Castleford, I was delayed by fog and an accident on the M62, making us ten minutes late for the Mass at St. Augustine's in Leeds. Fr. Wiley was kind enough to wait for us.

Yesterday ( Saturday) I set off to Mass in Halifax and soon after the exhaust pipe came loose and started to scrape against the carriage way, so I had to turn back. I got up early to repair it on Sunday and spent ages faffing about until I can take it to the garage on Monday, and so we could get to Mass in Castleford.

As we passed the old Cardinal Hinsley Grammar School near Tong we again heard the dreaded clunk. More road side repairs and back home again. More messing about in fading light with old dry cleaners' twisted coathangers so as to be able to drive to the garage about a quarter of a mile away tomorrow after school.

I did manage to refrain from using any expletives (at least in English - although a couple of German and Polish words did spring to mind).

The planned teachers' strike scheduled for Wednesday puts me in an awkward position. I don't want to strike about this issue of pensions. I don't want to pay more to get less and be forced to work longer to do it. A strike at this point for me does seem to be jumping the gun. Negotiations are still under way and there is room for manoeuvre. I can also use the time to go into an empty of children school (as some of my junior colleagues have told me they will) and do those things I need to get done before Christmas to deal with admin and resources, as opposed to the teaching. Less than three weeks to the Christmas holidays and still a great deal to do.

My father is also gravely ill, please pray for him as he awaits an operation to remove a cancer infested left lung and please remember too to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory in the last days of this month of November and early days of new season of Advent.

Laus Deo semper!

And so to London...

On Saturday I shall be in London for the annual LMS Pontifical Requiem at Westminster Cathedral and for a joint meeting of the Committee and Representatives. The agenda is as dull as such things usually are but the opportunity to meet with like-minded reps and to socially share experiences and ideas about who we are, where we are and where we are going is something to which I look forward from time to time. This year is no exception.

I look forward to the discussion about the new magazine - I have received an unusual amount of comments about this and likewise the application the Pope's clarification of Summorum Pontificum in May will also be another interesting point of discussion.

Having attended this Mass on many previous occasions I am always moved most by the placing of a wreath on the tomb of a former great Bishop of Leeds - Cardinal Heenan.

This year (5th. Nov) marks the 40th. anniversary of the famous "Christie Indult" obtained by Heenan, to allow limited episcopal permission for the Mass to continue in the Rite celebrated before the Council.

Heenan and one of his successors in Leeds, Bishop Gordon Wheeler, who never refused permission for the "Tridentine Mass", are two greats of the Traditional movement in this country. I always feel proud on this occasion to represent our diocese.

No Mass at Halifax on Saturday

As Monsignor Smith will be away on Saturday and it has proved impossible to find a substitute celebrant I am sorry to report that there will be no Vigil Mass at St. Mary's, Halifax.

There are however 3 Masses on Sunday:

3.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
4.00p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike .
5.00p.m. St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds.

Many thanks to Fr. John Newman of St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford who welcomed us on Sunday for our Requiem for the war dead in the beautiful chapel of our Lady of Bradford, where the sacristan informed me that the Novus ordo Mass is offered daily ad orientem.
The statue is from St. Mary's church in Bradford ( now sadly closed down) and looks far better in its new home than it did when it was in the now defunct church.

Requiems for our war dead

One of my paternal great-grandfathers fell near Ypres many years ago in 1916 0r 1917. He left a widow and four or five little children, one of which was my grandmother. I've visited the grave at the Tyne Cote cemetery many times and I never fail to be deeply moved by what I experience there. The new Tyne Cote Memorial Centre with links to Leeds City Council , opened by Her Majesty the Queen, is very simply simple and reminds me of my visits to Dachau and Buchenwald Concentration Camps.

This weekend there are Requiem Masses at:

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

Bradford - ST. JOSEPH'S (and NOT St, Peter's) Pakington Street, Manchester Road ( near Lidl Supermarket) at the slightly later time of 3.30p.m. Missa Cantata.

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

Please remember the Holy Souls in Purgatory this month.

Masses this Sunday and a word about next week

Sunday

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

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

Holy Mass, Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike, 4.00 p.m.

Due to essential building maintenance at St. Peter's next week the Mass has been transferred to St. Joseph's, Pakington Street and will be at the slightly later time of 3.30p.m. This will be the annual Requiem for the war dead. It will be a Missa cantata and offered in the chapel of Our Lady of Bradford. Many thanks to Fr. Newman for so readily welcoming us again.

Apologies to Fr. Abberton. I only learned about his Mass on the feast of All souls after the event. I am doubly annoyed because I was unable to attend any Mass on that day. Mass at Holy Spirit at 4.00 p.m. tomorrow.