Easter III

This weekend is the third Sunday after Easter.

Mass in the Extraordinary Form:

Saturday ; 6.00 p.m. (vigil) St. Mary's, Halifax.
Sunday;    11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
                  3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Castleford

Thank you to all who attended the first Mass at the Cathedral last week. It was good to see so many people at such an early hour. I have written to Mgr Moger to thank him for his hospitality and am delighted to say that he is to offer the next Mass there.

Commentary for the Readings in the Extraordinary Form:
Third Sunday After Easter
"A little while and you shall see Me no longer. . .because I go to the Father. . .And you therefore have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you" (Gospel).

Christianity is a religion of joy! (Introit). May "those. . .in error" receive this "light" (Prayer). Jesus predicts, however, that our joy can never be perfect here. The "cross before the crown" (Alleluia Verse) would indeed be a mystery had no Jesus lived it out for us.

An unbelieving "world shall rejoice" because it regards Him as dead and gone. But Christ departs only for a "little while" (Gospel) to test our love and loyalty. He shall return (as indicated by little figure of Christ in the clouds).

Prepare for His coming "in the day of visitation" by good example. "Behave yourselves honorably among pagans; that they ... observing your good works" for God and country (described in the Epistle) may recognize that Christianity is a religion of joy, now and forever!

Excerpted from My Sunday Missal, Confraternity of the Precious Blood and found on the "biformal" website  http://www.catholicculture.org/

Easter II

This weekend sees our first regular monthly Sunday Mass at the Cathedral. Please do all you can to attend this (or indeed any of the others).

Saturday - Vigil, St. Mary's. Gibbet Street, Halifax - 6.00 p.m.
Sunday - St. Anne's Cathedral, Great George Street, Leeds - 8.00 a.m.
              Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton - 11.00 a.m.
              St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford - 3.00 p.m.

              NO MASS AT HECKMONDWIKE UNTIL MAY 3rd

New Schedule

This weekend sees the first of our additional Masses in Leeds. It is a vigil Mass and will be held in the oratory at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds at 5.30 p.m. Word has not yet been fully circulated about this Mass which will be held each second Saturday at this time. Next Sunday (19th April) sees our first Mass at Leeds Cathedral at 8.00 a.m. Please spread the word about these latest Masses. We must show that there is a demand for our Masses and the only way to do this is to attend them.

Masses this weekend for Low Sunday

Saturday 5.30 p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes (oratory*), Cardigan Road, Leeds
              6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax

Sunday 11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart Chapel, Broughton Hall, Skipton
              3.00 p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford (Missa cantata)
              3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford,

NEXT SUNDAY - 8.00 a.m. St. Anne's Cathedral, Great George Street, Leeds.

* the oratory at Our Lady of Lourdes is beside the presbytery.
   

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Happy Easter!

Our Vigil concluded earlier this evening with Battle is o'er and the Regina Caeli. Many thanks, as always, to Fr. Michael Hall our celebrant who  just keeps coming back for more, thank goodness.
This afternoon we learned about Christ as the anointed King and how we share in the Royal Priesthood.

Thanks also to Fr. Kravos for so kindly allowing us to use the chapel again and our cantor and servers who carried out their duties with the usual gravitas. This year we managed to use a dozen charcoals and wood from the paschal fire - we shall probably still be able to smell the incense at Christmas.

Masses tomorrow for Easter Sunday:

Missa cantata at Broughton Hall at 11.00 a.m. and Low Mass at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum.

After Fr Hall had sung the whole of St. John's account of the Passion and death of our Lord this afternoon he went on to preach about Christ the anointed prophet. Incisive as ever, we are to hear the concluding part tomorrow when he will speak about Christ the anointed king.

It was good to see people turning up in very respectable numbers again this afternoon for the Sacred Liturgy.

The Vigil is again early this year at 3.00 p.m. and confessions will be available from 2.30 p.m.

Please do all you can to attend this Mass - with extra Masses starting iminently in Leeds, including at the Cathedral we must show that there is an increasing demand for the Extraordinary Form of Mass. Perhaps I should say - bring a friend.

Consummatum est

Holy Mass last evening was well attended and some of the faithful watched at the altar of repose until 9.00 p.m. People came from far and near and it was very encouraging to meet a young man who had come from Sheffield as part of his personal Triduum. Tomorrow he will be in the diocese of Shrewsbury at the Dome of Home for the next part.

Mass was slightly late starting and I make no apologies for this as it was because of the number of penitents before Mass, some who waited for over half an hour.
Fr. Hall will be available again for confession today and tomorrow on Holy Saturday. Please remember that Confession is always available at call at any of our Masses.

The sermon last evening, the first in the series of three about the Messiah, exposed the essence of Christ the anointed Priest - on the most Eucharistic of feasts;  in it Fr. Hall also referred to Bishop Stock's sermon to his clergy at the Chrism Mass and very impressive both sermons were.

On an entirely personal note I love to attend the Chrism Mass because it is an opportunity to meet up with friends and fellow Catholics whom I would not normally see. Having received the Sacrament of extreme unction twice in the last fifteen years and both upon danger of death I always give thanks to God for our Bishop who blesses the oils of the catechumens and the sick and then consecrates the oil and balsam for the next generation of Priest and people.

Sacred Liturgy at 3.00 p.m.