Chris Inman RIP

Long standing members and veteran campaigners for the restoration of the old Mass will doubtless be saddened to learn of the death of a former chairman and vice president of the Latin Mass Society, Chris Inman.
Chris died on Friday. My prayers go out to his wife and family.
Chris steered and helped to steer the Society at some very difficult and trying moments in its history - he was also responsible for some very insightful articles in Christian Order when Fr. Paul Crane was editor in the 1980s. An old boy of Ampleforth, Chris was a Catholic and a gentleman.
May he rest in peace.

Pentecost

Masses for this glorious feast and birthday of the Church this weekend are as follows:

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

Sunday - MISSA CANTATA - 3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's,  Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Please remember that the novena for the Unity of the Church ends tomorrow.

Apologies to Father Abberton of Heckmondwike who has reminded me to advertise his Masses at Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike.
Father offers Mass on the first and third Sundays of the month at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike at 4.00 p.m. and on first Saturdays at 11.30 a.m.
The church is a magnificent edifice and is funds permitting soon to undergo some well needed restoration. It has strong links with G.K. Chesterton and Mgr. John O'Connor, the first deputy headmaster of Bradford's St. Bede's Grammar School under Mgr. (later Cardinal ) Hinsley who was its first headmaster.

Veni Creator Spiritus!

Happy feastday Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike.

Ascension Sunday Masses

Masses for the external Solemnity of the Ascension this weekend are as follows:

Saturday - 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.
Sunday - 3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford
               5.10 p.m. St. Augustine's, Harehills road, Leeds

Please continue to pray for the unity of the Church as we approach the feast of the birthday of the church next week at Pentecost.

Novena

For the unity of the Church - a novena starting today (Friday 18th. May until Saturday 26th. May.)

VENI, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora.

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.

Tu, septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.

Accende lumen sensibus:
infunde amorem cordibus:
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.

Hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus:
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio, qui a mortuis
surrexit, ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur:
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus: Deus qui corda fidelium Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti: da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere, et de eius semper consolatione gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.


MEMORARE, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum.

Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto.

Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen.

 

 

Or if you would prefer:

 

COME, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God’s hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts overflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us Pray: O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost: grant that, by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.



Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother; to Thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

 

WARNING. Don't look if you are easily offended

Some people have claimed that the above images from the Coalition for Marriage are "homophobic and offensive" and have complained to the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) about it.
I thought that somebody was taking the mickey at first.

Life can be such a bind.

The ASA is "legal, decent, honest and truthful"  according to the ASA, so that's reassuring isn't it? They weren't (imho) particularly decent about the advertising of abortion on prime time television when I complained earlier this year. Life can be such a bind, as we have discovered since 1967 - if one lives long enough to see the light of day that is. I found it offensive that abortion was being advertised in the same way as a bar of chocolate or a tin of paint and that my children could have been exposed to it. But then abortion, like marriage between a woman and a man, is legal in this country.

I just hope the thought police won't be waiting for me with rubber truncheons at the next Mass I attend. One priest I know in this diocese of Leeds has said he would go to prison rather than be forced to allow children in his parish school to be fed the line that same sex marriage is anything even akin to natural marriage. 

If you haven't yet done so please sign the petition for the defence of marriage at http://c4m.org.uk/ along with the 516,043 others who have done likewise.

The day after the recent elections I e-mailed 10 Downing Street to say that I could never in conscience vote for a party which legislated for same sex marriage or had plans to do so.

Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
Te rogamus Domine.

LMS one day conference

The LMS Office recently asked me to publicize this event which will be taking place in London on June 9th. There are some big names here and I'm sure that it promises to be an excellent event.

‘Father Z’ Heads Impressive Line-up of Speakers at LMS’s First One-Day Conference on 9 June

Father John Zuhlsdorf, best known as the blogger ‘Fr Z’, will be one of the speakers at the Latin Mass Society’s Conference on Saturday 9 June in central London. This is the first time that the LMS has organised such an event and we are very excited to have such a strong line-up. In addition to Fr Zuhlsdorf, Fr Tim Finigan (parish priest, blogger and newspaper columnist), Dr John Rao (of ‘The Roman Forum’), John Hunwicke (blogger and well-known member of the Ordinariate) and Stuart McCullough (of the Good Counsel Network) will address the audience on the conference theme of ‘The Traditional Mass and the Catholic Life’. We hope that our guests’ talks will demonstrate that there’s more to Traditional Catholics than simply attending the Traditional Mass. Following the end of the talks, there will be a panel discussion to round off the day. The conference is aimed principally at ordinary LMS members, although non-members are very welcome to join us.

The Conference Venue is: Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ (opposite BHS, less than 5 minutes’ walk from Oxford Circus)

Admission is by ticket only. Full price tickets are £20 each, but there is a discounted price for paid-up LMS members of £15 each. In addition, we are supplying an optional buffet lunch for which there is a £9 supplement. So far, most people have booked in for the lunch (drinks are included). We are hoping that lunchtime will provide conference attendees with the chance to meet and chat with their fellow LMS members from up and down the country and to some of the speakers.

Tickets are available from the LMS office on 020 7404 7284 or online at:

www.lms.org.uk/news-and-events/lms-one-day-conference

There is a Low Mass before the Conference begins at St James’s, Spanish Place at 9am, for those who can attend. Doors open at Regent Hall from 10am and there will be a number of stalls for you to browse round (during which refreshments will be available – there will also be afternoon tea) before the first speaker begins at 11am. The Conference will close at 6pm.

Here is the full timetable and a summary of booking information:

9am Low Mass at St James's, Spanish Place.

10am Doors open.

10am -11am Registration. Stalls in the Conference Hall will be available to browse

11am - 11.50am 1st talk: Dr John Rao (Roman Forum)

12 noon - 12.50pm 2nd talk: Stuart McCullough (Good Counsel Network)

Lunch

2pm - 2.50pm 3rd talk: Fr John Zuhlsdorf (Fr Z)

3pm - 3.50pm 4th talk: Fr Tim Finigan (columnist and blogger)

4pm - 4.50pm 5th talk: John Hunwicke (of the Ordinariate)

5pm - 6pm Panel discussion

6pm Close

BOOKING INFORMATION:

Admission is by ticket only.

Ticket prices:
LMS Members £15
Non-LMS Members £20
(includes morning and afternoon refreshments)
Optional: Buffet lunch including drinks £9 supplement

You can buy your ticket by phoning the LMS office on 020 7404 7284, sending a cheque (payable to 'LMS') to LMS, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH or online here: www.lms.org.uk/news-and-events/lms-one-day-conference

Easter V

Masses for the fifth Sunday of Easter this weekend are as follows:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax
Sunday 3.00 p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. Missa Cantata and First Holy Communion Mass. Followed by May devotions.
Sunday 3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Reminder Ascension Thursday Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton at 11.30 a.m.

Ascension Thursday

Although Ascension Thursday is no longer a holyday of obligation in this country, it still appears in the 1962 Missal forty days after Easter. The paschal candle is extinguished after the Gospel in this Rite and thus marks the end of Eastertide.

Mass will be offered at 11.30 a.m. at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall to mark this wonderful feast.

Another upcoming event

Mass will be sung at Bewerley Grange Chapel, Pateley Bridge, Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire on Tuesday 5th. June at 11.30 a.m. This coincides with half term. It is the feast of St. Boniface.
Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt for this.

Easter IV

Masses today in the Extraordinary Form are at Broughton Hall near Skipton, (Missa cantata) Chapel of the Sacred Heart at 11.30 a.m. and Low Mass at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Next Sunday we are back at St.Peter's, Bradford at 3.00 p.m. which will include devotions to our Blessed Lady and a First Holy Communion - the second such occasion in twelve months at this church, in the EF.

I have also managed to arrange a vigil Mass for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in June. This will be a solemn High Mass.

We shall also be having another sung Mass at the Chantry chapel in Wakefield for the feast of the Assumption in August.

A rep from a Belgian Traditional Catholic blog recently contacted me to say how much they envied the progress we have made in this country since Summorum Pontificum and admired the number of clergy in our diocese who are able and willing to celebrate the EF Mass. Deo gratias.

I asured him of my prayers.

Press release

Press release from the Latin Mass Society.

The Latin Mass Society is pleased to announce that Bishop Fernando Rifan, Apostolic Administrator of the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney in Brazil, will be visiting Britain this summer and will celebrate Pontifical High Masses at three locations across England and Wales at events organised by the LMS.

The main events are as follows:

Saturday, 30 June, 3pm:Pontifical High Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 294 Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds LS17 6LE

Sunday, 1 July, 2.30pm:Holywell Pilgrimage, St Winefride’s Catholic Church, Well Street, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 7PL (Pontifical High Mass)

The Mass and Pilgrimage will be filmed by EWTN as part of a forthcoming television series. There will be a coach leaving for Holywell from London (Contact Graham Moorhouse on 01322 409231) and also, we hope, from Birmingham (phone 020 7404 7284), Liverpool (phone Jim Pennington on 0151 426 0361) and Wirral (phone Anthony Sibert on 0151 625 9033).

Saturday, 7 July, 11.00am:Annual General Meeting and Pontifical High Mass at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, London SE1 6HX (Mass at 11.00am, AGM at 2.00pm, addressed by the bishop).

We are hoping to run coaches from Cambridge, Reading and Brighton if there is sufficient demand. Please phone the LMS office (020 7404 7284) to book a place or for more information.

There will be a buffet lunch at the AGM for all paid-up members of the LMS. The cost per head will be £5, payable on the door. But if you are intending to come, please tell us beforehand so that we can budget for the catering.

Bishop Rifan will also be visiting Scotland during his time in Britain and will celebrate Mass in Edinburgh (venue to be announced by Una Voce Scotland) on Monday 2 July at 7pm.

This promises to be a wonderful week of events in the summer giving full witness to the Traditional Mass and the Faith that goes with it. We warmly encourage everyone to make the effort to attend at least one of the Masses.

 

 

Putting money where his mouth is

The Holy Father has given the Ordinariate $250,000 to help them in their early days. This follows hot on the heels of the Papal Nuncio's address to the English and Welsh Bishops here in Leeds where he urged them to help the Ordinariate and to boldly proclaim the Gospel and Church teaching especially on marriage and family life.
This is no surprise given the coalition government's bizarre desire to redefine marriage and to permit homosexual marriage. A Catholic barrister has already warned that because of European Law this will open the gates for churches to be forced to offer services of marriage to such people.
Some Irish priests (including BBC Radio 2's Brian D'Arcy) have been silenced or censored because they are failing to toe the party line on issues such as contraception, women's ordination and homosexuality. 
The Church is being attacked as virulently from within as well as without. It will be very interesting over the next few months to see what sort of episcopal appointments are made to English and Welsh (and Scottish) dioceses as the present incumbents retire. Indeed some sees are already vacant and others have bishops beyond the age of retirement. I would think that the Tablet adoring crimplene cream alb and rainbow stole crowd is now past its sell by date. Insufferable nonsense as espoused by self-styled Vatican 2 "counsellors" in Catholic Papers has surely run its course as we are being regularly and frequently told by the Pope to look at what came out of this pastoral council in the light of tradition. Has the Church really engaged with the modern world in the last fifty years or has something far more sinister occurred? Whatever the truth is the balance needs to be redressed and Pope Benedict is going at this with the vigour of a man half his age.

God bless the Pope!