Masses this week

Our Christmas Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford, was well attended and it was very touching that Fr. Hall offered the Mass for Fr. Parfitt who died on December 19th. I sorely missed Midnight Mass at Broughton and not because of any lockdown measures.

This week there will be Mass in the EF as follows:

Wednesday 30th. December ; 6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's, Wibsey, Bradford.

Thursday 31st. December; 9.30 a.m. St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford.

Friday 1st January; 7.30 p.m. St. Austin's, Wakefield. 

Sunday 3rd. January 1.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford.

Advance notice - future feasts:

Masses for the feasts of The Epiphany and Candlemas will be offered at 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Bradford.

May I take this opportunity to wish those reading this every joy and peace during this Christmastide and more of the same when we land in 2021.

Oremus pro invicem. 

Fr. Geoffrey Parfitt

 I regret to announce that Fr. Geoffrey Parfitt of Broughton in Craven died peacefully just after midnight 19th. September at a nursing home in Grassington following a spell in hospital following a fall at home.

Fr. Parfitt was one of the few priests in the nineteen eighties and nineties who continued to offer the old Mass despite restrictions placed upon its celebration and there are many of us who owe him a great debt of gratitude. There was never any pomp or fussing. No ostentation. Father's sermons were usually of the same sort regardless of the feast. The message was prayer, the Mass and the value of going to confession.

In his younger days he ran the scout troop in Yeadon and recalled the camping trips and and other adventures with great fondness especially when he met some of the former scouts in later life. A man who enjoyed his own company with his sheep dog Bobby he was fond of hill walking and his sitting room had pictures of hills and mountains on the walls. He was also unsurprisingly very interested in the liturgy especially the Benedictine monastic tradition and always made his way to Ampleforth at Easter. He had been the MC during his time at the cathedral and had been told by Bishop Wheeler that he had to be a hard taskmaster. He didn't disappoint as things went like clockwork in the sanctuary.

He offered Mass in the Extraordinary Form daily when he retired and up until the first lockdown still sang the Mass on the first Sunday of the month. He also offered Mass at Markenfield Hall, the place where he received his vocation in the chapel there. We also had trips to Bewerley Grange near Pateley Bridge and he enjoyed recalling that place's link with the Cistercians of nearby Fountains Abbey when following Mass he would lead the Angelus and the singing of the Salve Regina. 

Details of his requiem have not been finalised but it seems likely that it will now be in the new year.

Father Parfitt was a good and faithful servant. May he rest in peace.     

   

Advent IV and Christmas

There will be Mass on Sunday 20th December - the fourth of Advent at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street at 1.00 p.m. Please remember to register for this Mass and to bring your mask. 

Mass for Christmas this year in the EF is reduced to one Mass in the Leeds Diocese:

Again at St Josph's BradfordFriday 25th. December at 1.00 p.m. Please reserve a place only if you can be sure to attend. Due to the regulations numbers are again limited. 

 

Gaudete! And the Year of St. Joseph.

 

On Saturday 12th December we have our Rorate Mass at 6.30 a.m. at St. Joseph's, Martin Street, Brighouse. This candlelit early morning Mass was a great occasion last Advent.

On Sunday the Gaudete Mass at 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford will be a missa cantata. 

On Wednesday at 6.00 p.m. there is Mass at St. Winefide's, Bradford and on Thursday there is Mass at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Clayton.

I can now confirm that there will be NO Christmas Masses at Broughton Hall as in previous years, but there will be Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. on Christmas Day.

It has been announced that this coming year is to be in honour of St. Joseph and a plenary indulgence has been attached to this. There are various ways of attaining this indulgence including a spiritual retreat of at least a day which must include a meditation on St. Joseph. We hope to organise such a retreat later in the new year to include, Mass, adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Details when I have them will be published here.

Follow the link for information on the Year of St. Joseph:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-12/apostolic-penitentiary-plenary-indulgence-year-st-joseph.html#:~:text=Church%20grants%20plenary%20indulgence%20for%20year%20of%20St.,8%20December%202021.%20By%20Vatican%20News%20staff%20writer

  

Quick update

Thanks to Fr. Winn for offering this evening's Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

Mass at St. Winefides's, Wibsey will be at 5.45 p.m tomorrow Wednesday 9th.  instead of at the usual 6.00 p.m. 

Mass at St. Anthony's, Clayton on Thursday at the usual time of 9.30 a.m.

Rorate Mass at St. Joseph's, Martin Street on Saturday 12th. December at 6.30 a.m. Last year's beautiful candlelit Mass was a truly memorable occasion.  

Mass on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford for Gaudete Sunday. 

Confessions at call.

In your prayers please remember Fr. Parfitt of Broughton Hall who is not well. 

Advent - post lockdown.

The weeks leading up to the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord are upon us now as we have gone from lockdown to Tier 3 and celebration of public Masses is resumed.

Masses this week:

Wednesday 2nd. December - 6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's,  Wibsey, Bradford

Thursday 3rd. December - 9.30 a.m. St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford

Friday 4th. December - 6.00 p.m. St. John the Evangelist, Buttershaw, Bradford

                                      7.30 p.m. St. Austin's, Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield

Sunday 6th. December - 1.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

and

Tuesday 8th. December - 5.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Saturday 12th. December - 6.30 a.m. St. Joseph's, Martin Street, Brighouse, Rorate Mass. 

Please remember to register for Mass at St. Joseph's on Sunday and to bring your mask.