Masses this weekend Pentecost VI and a request

This time of year involves clergy moves and sometimes these affect our regular Masses ( for example we now have no Masses at all in Batley, whereas a couple of years ago it was almost daily). This year some of the clergy moves will affect our number and venue of traditional Masses, but hopefully for the better.

If you are a male reading this and would like to serve at the Mass at Castleford on Sunday, but need training or retraining please e-mail me at the address in the sidebar.

If you are a priest and would like to start offering Mass in the EF please e-mail me or Fr. Wiley for any assistance.

I hope to expand things further at this stage but we need servers to come forward so I can develop extra projects. I am happy to serve three Masses each weekend and even four but perhaps we might draw up a rota of altar servers, using this blog to display the rota so that we can have other Masses, based on the model of Holy Spirit Heckmondwike and Broughton Hall, where the priests have their own servers without having to worry if I am available to serve for them. This is how things run in Salford, where four churches operate without much - if any, involvement with me.

If any clergy or laymen (from 7 to 70) would like me to organise a training session in the autumn for serving Mass please e-mail me.

Similarly I would like to be in a position to have more High Masses - we have two planned already, one in the Dominican Rite and one for Mgr Smith's silver jubilee. It would be good to have an expanded regular team to call on.

Masses for Sunday (Petecost VI) :

Saturday Halifax St. Mary's, Gibbet Street 6.00 p.m.
Sunday Bradford St. Peter's, Leeds Road, 3.00 p.m. (sung)
Sunday Castleford St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, 3.00p.m.

Bon voyage

When I agreed to organising Bishop Rifan's visit to this diocese last October I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.

Today the hours of preparation of many good people came to fruition as our Pontifical High Mass went ahead. I was very touched when the bishop thanked Fr Wiley and the LMS for making his visit so pleasurable as we wished him bon voyage.  I was delighted to see so many people at the Mass whom I knew and just as many people I had not seen before. Over a hundred people came to hear the Mass and given the awkward layout of the sanctuary for the EF things went very smoothly.

I should like to thank our clergy, Mgr Smith, Fr Hall, Fr Wiley and Revv Mgr Grogan, S. Brown, G. Parfitt, M Brown - LMS northern chaplain of the LMS and Fr Antonio of Campos.
 
His Lordship was most amused to learn that I am a teacher of German and kept trying out his knowledge of German with me. He told me that when he is in Germany he speaks French because it is easier than English for him.

Bishop Rifan's sermon at the Mass dwelt upon the fact that the Church is made up of the Divine and the human - the sinfulness of the human part should not make us any less fervent in our Faith and belief in the Sacred. You can't have Paul without Peter and vice-versa.

I am not renown for my IT skills but I hope to post photos from our Easter Triduum and the visit of Bishop Rifan as soon as my eldest daughter returns from her year abroad in Italy next week.

Welcome to the Diocese of Leeds, Bishop Rifan

As far as I am reliably informed Bishop Rifan landed safely in England yesterday and is now resting in Yorkshire before offering Mass at Immaculate Heart, Moortown Leeds, tomorrow at 3.00 p.m.

After Mass he will travel on to Wales in order to offer High Mass at the shrine of Holywell on Sunday. Because of my duties at Broughton I have only ever been able to attend this annual pilgrimage once. This year is no exception as I then have to shoot over to Castleford for the 3.00 p.m. Mass.

Thanks again to Archbishop Roche for so readily agreeing to Bishop Rifan's visit so many months ago. On behalf of the Latin Mass Society in this Diocese I should like to take this opportunity to welcome Bishop Rifan to our Diocese and offer my thanks and prayers to him.

Masses this weekend

Sunday is the Feast of the Precious Blood.

Masses are as follows:  Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall, Broughton,  Missa cantata, 11.30 a.m.
                                      St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford, 3.00 p.m.
                                      Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike, 4.00p.m.
NO MASSES at Halifax or Leeds University Chaplaincy on Saturday  because of the Pontifical High Mass with Bishop Rifan and Archbishop Roche at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Leeds at 3.00 p.m.

Mass on Friday for Ss Peter and Paul at Sacred Heart, Broughton at 11.30 a.m.
Solemn High Mass tomorrow (Thursday) in anticipation of the Feast on Friday at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Leeds at 7.30 p.m.

Congratulations

I was as delighted to learn of Bishop Roche's elevation to the office of Archbishop as Secretary to the Congregation for Divine Worhip and Discipline of the Sacraments as I was saddened that we shall be losing a dedicated and orthodox pastor.
I wish Archbishop Roche every success in his new role and pray for a worthy successor.

God bless the Pope!

A very busy week ahead

Apologies for absence of posts over recent days, but I have just nicely returned from leading a punishing trip to Germany and Belgium with 40 children and three staff.

This week sees the holyday of Ss Peter and Paul. There will be two EF Masses I know of:

Thursday at 7.30 p.m. SOLEMN HIGH MASS at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown,  Leeds. Mass in anticipation.
Friday at 11.30 a.m. Low Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton.

Then for the feast of St. Paul:

Saturday at 3.00p.m. PONTIFICAL HIGH MASS at Immaculate Heart of Mary church, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds. The celebrant will be Bishop Rifan of Campos. Our own Bishop, Bishop Roche also hopes to attend this Mass.

Please do all you can to attend some or all of these Masses so we can show that there is a demand for the Traditional Mass and leave our visitors with a very positive impression of what we do here in Leeds.

Quick reminders

No Mass at Leeds, St. Augustine's on Sunday. Our celebrant is in Rome for a diaconal ordination.

Masses at Halifax (Saturday), Castleford and Heckmondwike (Sunday).

Solemn High Mass at Immaculate Heart, Leeds, in anticipation of the Feast of Sts Peter & Paul at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday 28. June.

Pontifical High Mass at Immaculate Heart, Saturday 30. June at 3.00 p.m. Celebrant Bishop Rifan. Bishop Roche also wishes to attend the Mass. I also hope that there will be a good number of clergy in attendance and that members and friends from other dioceses will make their way to Leeds for this memorable occasion - and certainly another "first" in many years.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

It is thirty-eight years today since I made my First Holy Communion. The Parish Priest, Father Reginald Bessler, is still alive and in his 62nd year of priesthood.

Below is the Litany of the Sacred Heart copied from EWTN to mark this feast where we pray for the sanctification of the Priesthood.

In 1899 Pope Leo XIII approved this Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for public use. This litany is actually a synthesis of several other litanies dating back to the 17th century. Father Croiset composed a litany in 1691 from which 17 invocations were used by Venerable Anne Madeleine Remuzat when she composed her litany in 1718 at Marseille. She joined an additional 10 invocations to those of Father Croiset, for a total of 27 invocations. Six more invocations written by Sister Madeleine Joly of Dijon in 1686 were added by the Sacred Congregation for Rites when it was approved for public use in 1899. This makes a total of 33 invocations, one for each year of life of our Lord Jesus Christ. A partial indulgence is attached to this litany.
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

Christ, hear us
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God, the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, One God,
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father,
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,
Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty,
Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God,
Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High,
Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven,
Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge,
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity,
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,
Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,
Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke Thee,
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,
Heart of Jesus, obedient to death,
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,
Heart of Jesus, our peace and our reconciliation,
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee,
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee,
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints,

Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,

V. Jesus, meek and humble of heart.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.

have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.
have mercy on us.

spare us, O Lord.

graciously hear us, O Lord.

have mercy on us, O Lord.


R. Make our hearts like to Thine. Let us pray;

Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/litanies/sacred_heart.htm#ixzz1xop3KZMc

Happy Feast day, Sacred Heart, Broughton.

Patronal feast - Sacred Heart, Broughton

Friday is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The chapel at Broughton Hall is dedicated to the Sacred Heart and Mass will be offered there on Friday at 9.30 a.m.

Next Sunday - Pentecost II

There will be no Mass at St. Augustine's, Leeds, next Sunday (17th. June) as Fr. Wiley will be attending the diaconal ordination in Rome of Mr. Philip Hall for this diocese.
There will be Mass at Halifax on Saturday at 6.00p.m. And on Sunday at 3.00p.m. at St. Joseph's, Castleford and at 4.00 p.m. at Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike.

Upcoming events outside of the diocese

                                                                National Events

Young Catholic Adults National Weekend 14-16th Sept 2012

During the weekend of the 14-16 September 2012. Young Catholic Adults will be running a retreat at Douai Abbey, it will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr. de Malleray . The weekend will be full-board.

* YCA will be running the weekend with the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge who will be holding Gregorian Chant workshops.
* There will be a Marian Procession, Rosaries, Sung/High Mass, Low Mass, Gregorian Chant Workshops, Confession and socials.
* Fr. de Malleray FSSP will preach the retreat, Masses will be in the Extraordinary form.
Prices range from £5 to £51 per person per night .

For further details please visit
http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/events.htm

I draw this to your attention as I know of at least one young person from this diocese hoping to attend this event.

Earlier in the summer in July the St Catherine's Summer School will be up and running again in north Wales after the unfortunate cancellation last summer on account of Ushaw closing its doors. Please visit the following for further details
http://www.stcatherinestrust.org/

I mention this as one of my daughters loved every minute of the several summer schools she attended and learnt a lot about the Faith.

Masses this weekend - Corpus Christi Sunday

Apologies for the delay in getting this posted.

There will be no Mass at St. Peter's, Bradford, as it is the annual parish Corpus Christi procession. Instead there will be Mass at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street (opposite the Lidl supermarket in Manchester Road) at 3.00p.m.

Alternatively there will be Mass at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax on Saturday at 6.00 p.m. and at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m. tomorrow.

These will be Masses for Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi Thursday and update

Mass today at Bewerley Grange was for the feast of St. Boniface, apostle of Germany, who was an English monk and Bishop and was in old age martyred by pagans, saying that meeting violence with violence was not the way of Christ.
Probably due to the extended holiday the Mass was less well attended than usual but nevertheless the prayer for the Queen and the National Anthem were sung with no little gusto before the Salve and the Angelus after Mass.

On Thursday Fr. Parfitt will offer Low Mass at 11.30 a.m. at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall near Skipton for the non-obligatory Feast of Corpus Christi, the solemnity of which will be observed externally at the weekend. (More information soon.)

Preparations for Bishop Rifan's visit and Pontifical High Mass continue and I am pleased to announce that Bishop Roche has expressed the desire to attend. New vestments for the occasion have been ordered and serving and singing are sorted. Servers from Leeds, Salford and Hexham & Newcastle have agreed to serve and our own schola will sing with the St. Austin singers from Wakefield. Refreshments will be available after Mass. The Recessional hymn will be For all the Saints.
There will be a Solemn High Mass in anticipation of the Feast of Ss Peter and Paul on Thursday 28th. June at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS17 6LE. This will be at 7.30 p.m.

I was very impresssed with the music today from St. Paul's in London for the service to mark the Jubilee. I thought that Dr. Williams spoke well and the only thing that irritated me was the BBC Radio 4's News at one o'clock. An interview with a Cof E bishop and a rabbi was introduced with
the remark that the title Defender of the Faith was one bestowed upon Henry VIII by himself and moreover the title was his own invention. Neither speaker corrected the interviewer. Not that the BBC is selective about such howlers. Earlier this year I heard on the same programme that a copy of the Koran had gone on show in London and was seven thousand years old. Fancy that!

Masses this week - half term

Monday 9.30 a.m. Broughton Hall   Low Mass
Tuesday 11.30 a.m. Bewerley Grange Chapel, Pateley Bridge  Missa cantata
Wednesday 9.30 a.m. Broughton Hall Low Mass
Thursday 11.30 a.m. Broughton Hall Low Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi (no longer obligatory).
Friday 9.30 a.m. Broughton Hall Low Mass
Saturday 9.30 a.m. Broughton Hall Low Mass

Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt for these Masses

Domine, salvam fac Reginam nostram Elisabeth

This weekend is the glorious feast of the Blessed Trinity. I always remember starting every assembly with my old headmaster Mr. Earnshaw at Cardinal Hinsley GS in Bradford proclaiming, "Blessed be the Holy and undivided Trinity", to which we dutifuly responded, "Now and forever more. Amen." Walter Earnshaw knew the Faith - he certainly tried to impart his interpretation of it to my generation.
At the end of our Low Masses in Halifax on Saturday and at Castleford on Sunday we shall sing the traditional prayer for the Queen to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
Sung Mass marks the use of the Asperges beforehand again following the end of Eastertide. There will be a sung Mass at Broughton at the usual time of 11.30 a.m.

God save and bless the Queen!
God bless the Pope!
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us!

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!

Masses this coming weekend

For the third Sunday after Easter Mass will be offered at the following locations

Saturday 28th. April 6.00 p.m. at St. Mary's, Halifax.
Sunday 29th. April 3.00 p.m. at St Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Update

Preparations for Bishop Rifan's visit are now well underway. I had a meeting with Fr. Wiley early last week to start the ball rolling and it dawned on us that the Administrator of the Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney was visiting the parish of St. John Vianney which also incorporates the church of St. Paul on the feast of the Commemoration of St Paul. 

Mass at Castleford today was offered for the repose of the soul of Mrs. Moira Brown, the mother of Fr. Michael Brown, northern chaplain of the LMS and a Priest of the Hexham and Newcastle Diocese. At Mass we were also asked to pray for the repose of the soul of Canon Martin Forde, the Parish priest of Yeadon who died suddenly this morning. May both these souls rest in peace.

I was able to come by some rather nice old vestments over the weekend which after a clean and a few minor repairs will be ready again for use at Mass over the coming months.

7 years ago

                                                                     Habemus Papam!

                                                                     Ad multos annos!

Low Sunday, Quasimodo, Divine Mercy Sunday

Thanks to Fr. Lawrence Lister, a very active retired priest of the diocese who covered for Mgr. Smith in Halifax this evening.
Tomorrow there will be Mass at Castleford St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road at 3.00 p.m. and at Leeds St. Augustine's, Harehills Road at 5.10 p.m.

On Monday the Holy Father will celebrate his 85th. birthday. Ad multos annos!

My trip to Turin was very fruitful and I can highly recommend the Shroud Museum if you have a spare three hours. Run by dedicated volunteers we really felt that we had VIP treatment. The attached chapel is not a parish and the Blessed Sacrament is not reserved there, the crypt is the museum part and there are some multi media rooms.
I was also able to visit the Oratory, the Don Bosco Institute (Salesian HQ) and of course the Duomo which has custody of the Shroud. Many fine baroque churches are located in central Turin and I was heartened to see that posters for vocations abound in them with images of seminarians and priests in cassocks and even the odd biretta.
One church had a tape of Gregorian chant playing all day and there is a strong community of traditional Mass goers, where my eldest daughter has been able to regularly attend since September. At the moment there is a series of lectures about the Eucharist and how Catholic understanding and teaching differs from protestant understanding with talks about the Eucharist in the early Church, the Middle ages, the post Tridentine and post Vatican II periods.

Linguine for lunch tomorrow!

Happy Easter

Our Triduum got off to a very shaky start with a fire that wouldn't stay lit, so we eventually had 2 fires to see which lit first, causing my sons much amusement in pre-paschal pyromania. I realise that setting things up early (11.00 a.m.) can now lull me into a false sense of security (I'll take a bottle of meths next time!)
Numbers were up again tonight on yesterday and there were many young people there. Father Hall, to whom I should like to thank on record for his outstanding ministry over the last three days, sang the Exultet in a dark church save for the warming and comforting glow of the surrounding candles standing before the light of lights - the Paschal candle with its apian theme. Interestingly Pope Benedict referred to bees in his homily in St. Peter's tonight. In his sermon, Fr. Hall concluded his spiritually pregnant and thought-provoking discourse on Christ in time, in eternity and our salvation in and because of His humanity and Divinity.The Gospel account is one of the absence and not of the presence of the body of the suffering Christ.
Father Hall thanked Fr. Kravos (in his absence) for his kindness in allowing us to use the chapel again. You may recall my reporting Fr. Kravos' first EF Mass in March. Due to him covering in Carlton he was unable to join us this year, but I would like to second Fr. Hall's thanks.
Mr Burton sang everything singable with great dignity and Messrs Janko and O'Dowd were as accommodating as ever in giving their time and their expertise. The lads, Joe and Fabian, remained extremely alert throughout - especially Fabian who at nine years of age held the specially light processional cross for over an hour with meticulous dignity - spoiled only by him blowing out his brother's candle in singing of the Exultet .

I shall be calling upon all these aforementioned gentlemen (apart from the Pope) again in June.

I am pleased to announce that on Saturday June 30th. Bishop Roche has readily and graciously granted permission for Bishop Fernando Rifan from Campos to offer a Pontifical Mass at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Moortown, Leeds at 3.00p.m. North Leeds Dean, Fr. Timothy Wiley is happy to host us for the afternoon and has again given us disposal of the excellent facilities there. Thanks to him too. The Mass will be of the Commemoration of St. Paul.
Bishop Rifan will go to Holywell in Wales on Sunday July 1st. for a Mass in the parish church.

I have a lot of pictures to process before putting them on this blog of the Triduum and will need some technical expertise - so these will appear later this Easter week.

Mass for Easter Sunday is at 3.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
Reminder that there is no Mass at Bradford.

Happy Easter!

Holy Week update

The Solemn Liturgy of the Passion took place at 3.00 p.m. today and was indeed a solemn occasion. The Passion and everything else possible was chanted with great skill and precision by Fr. Hall and our cantor. Numbers were also up on last night - please help to make the congrgation even larger tomorrow.

The collection for the Holy Places realised over £70. I have left this with Fr. Kravos. Thanks for this.

The Easter Vigil tomorrow starts with the ceremony outside the church building - this will be in St. Mark's Avenue. Please do not park in the spaces in front of the gates as this is where the action will begin with the blessing of the fire at 7.30- 7.40  p.m. Candles for renewal of baptismal promises will be on the table near the chapel entrance.

Water is traditionally blessed at this Mass and those present are sprinkled with this lustral water. Since last year's ceremony the water then used then has been used to baptize at least seven children of which I know. One in the Notre Dame chapel, three at Immaculate Heart Leeds and three at St. Joseph's Bradford.

Please bring a suitable container if you wish to take home some of the water from this year's ceremony.

The offertory collection is for the celebrant and there will be a retiring collection for the Latin Mass Society.

On disobedience

Recently a group of priests from a European country issued a summons to disobedience, and at the same time gave concrete examples of the forms this disobedience might take, even to the point of disregarding definitive decisions of the Church’s Magisterium, such as the question of women’s ordination, for which Blessed Pope John Paul II stated irrevocably that the Church has received no authority from the Lord. Is disobedience a path of renewal for the Church? We would like to believe that the authors of this summons are motivated by concern for the Church, that they are convinced that the slow pace of institutions has to be overcome by drastic measures, in order to open up new paths and to bring the Church up to date. But is disobedience really a way to do this? Do we sense here anything of that configuration to Christ which is the precondition for true renewal, or do we merely sense a desperate push to do something to change the Church in accordance with one’s own preferences and ideas?

But let us not oversimplify matters. Surely Christ himself corrected human traditions which threatened to stifle the word and the will of God? Indeed he did, so as to rekindle obedience to the true will of God, to his ever enduring word. His concern was for true obedience, as opposed to human caprice. Nor must we forget: he was the Son, possessed of singular authority and responsibility to reveal the authentic will of God, so as to open up the path for God’s word to the world of the nations. And finally: he lived out his task with obedience and humility all the way to the Cross, and so gave credibility to his mission. Not my will, but thine be done: these words reveal to us the Son, in his humility and his divinity, and they show us the true path.

From Pope Benedict's sermon at this morning's Chrism Mass in Rome.


Last night I attended the Chrism Mass in our own diocese and witnessed many of our priests re-affirm their commitment to the Priesthood in a very dignified Liturgy and the blessing of thei oils.
This evening we began our Triduum at Notre Dame and although numbers were down on last year it was all carried out with ease and decorum.

There is no problem with parking in St. Mark's Avenue - or in the car parks opposite or below the church.

The Liturgy of the Passion begins at 3.00 p.m. tomorrow and there will be the traditional retiring collection for the upkeep of the Holy Places.
Thanks to our photographers this evening - please snap away tomorrow and Saturday.

Procedamus in pace



I have served at four Palm Sunday Masses (without wishing to sound virtuous) over the last two days. In each Mass I saw something different in the symbolism of what was being recalled and re-enacted. I have heard different things in the readings yet the words were the same, and I have seen different things although the actions were the same. I have enjoyed the whole thing enormously and the outdoor procession at Broughton was a highlight in glorious sunshine and the singing was excellent.

Tomorrow I have to ensure that all the vestments and linen are pressed and washed in readiness for setting up Notre Dame chapel on Thursday for the Triduum including the altar of repose and to get together all the other things we will require like clappers, candles for the people, kindling wood for the paschal fire and all the rest.

On Tuesday I have to go into school to mark the French controlled assessments of an absent colleague's GCSE classes and do all the administration for submitting speaking and writing tests for my own and my colleague's classes. 

One thing we reps are being encouraged to do is to photograph ceremonies and special events for the annual calendar and the blogs. Previous attempts have been frustrated by the inadequacy of my/the family's attempts with a happy snap camera. It is beyond me.
I wonder if anybody reading this with a decent digital camera who will be at some or all of the Triduum would be willing to take some shots and then e-mail them to me?
Also if anybody would like to bring a bunch of spring garden flowers on Thursday or Friday to decorate the church for the Vigil Mass that would also be very acceptable.

Reminder that the Mass on Maundy Thursday is at 7.30 p.m. with watching until no later than 9.00p.m. Watching will continue after this down the road at St. Anne's Cathedral however.

On Good Friday the Liturgy starts at 3.00 p.m. There will be the traditional collection for the Holy Places.
Please pray for clement weather so that on Holy Saturday we can savour the fire and blessing of the candle instead of perishing in the wet or cold. I estimate driving 230 miles this week just preparing things and attending the ceremonies. I'm very glad that there is no strike with petrol delivery operatives this week.

Next week I am going to Turin to visit our eledest daughter who is studying Italian and Spanish at the University. She contacted us today to say that the domestic drainage in her flat has drained its last and even sulphuric acid down the plugholes hasn't done the trick. Moreover, could I bring that thing I keep in the cellar I use to unblock sinks?! Here I am ploughing my way through Ian Wilson's writings on the Shroud of Turin and reaping the benefits and she has blocked sinks on her mind and sees me as the primary drain unblocker of Western Europe. Oh Dad (I hear.)... Oh dear (I say.)... How must God see me? (I ask myself.) 

Holy Week schedule

Palm Sunday
Saturday 31st. March. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 4.00 p.m.
Saturday 31st. March. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00 p.m.
Sunday 1st April. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton. 11.45 a.m.
Sunday 1st April. St. Joseph's. Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00 p.m.


Holy Thursday
5th. April. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30 p.m.

Good Friday
6th. April. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 3.00 p.m.

Holy Saturday
7th. April. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30 p.m.

Easter Sunday
8th. April.  St. Joseph's. Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00 p.m.
NB NO MASS AT BRADFORD ON THIS DAY.

A.M.D.G.

The Solemn High Mass in the presence of Bishop Drainey of Middlesbrough at St. Wilfrid's, York today was very well attended, the music was sublime and the clergy and ministers soon relaxed into the complex ritual. Many thanks to Monsignor Smith, and Revv Hall and Brown of this diocese for attending his Lordship as assistant Priests and acting as subdeacon. The procession from the Minster to English Martyrs stopped outside the Shrine of St. Margaret Clitherow in the Shambles at the end of the fifth Joyful Mystery where the Salve was sung with much gusto. The veneration of the relic and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament were again delightful with more sublime music and finished off our pilgrimage in honour of our national LMS patroness most suitably.
There were many faces I knew from Middlesbrough, Hexham & Newcastle, Liverpool, Nottingham, Birmingham and Leeds Dioceses. It was also good to see our chairman (with camera) and his family including their latest little baby.
The weather was more than good to us in York as it was way over the Pennines in Merseyside on the Wirral, at the grand opening of Sts. Peter and Paul and Philomena in New Brighton. I am reliably told that there were well over 1000 people in church and dozens of clergy to greet the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Mark Davies. Mgr Wach celebrated a High Mass in the presence his Lordship at 10.30 a.m. this morning and so we now have a new shrine to the Blessed Sacrament and a permanent home to the EF Rite under the care of the Institute of Christ the King in the north of England.

"Brick by brick" as the saying goes. Today I think two more foundation stones have been laid for the EF Rite of Mass to be regarded ever increasingly as part of the everyday life of the Church and moreover without rancour. For this I give thanks to God - for those clergy who readily involve themselves in celebrating it, for those who say it's not for them but are happy to encourage others and help in whatever way they can and moreso for those who simply don't oppose it in plain obedience to the Universal Law of the Church.
Above all I thank Almighty God for the Bishop of Rome, the Pontifex Maximus who has bestowed upon us Summorum Pontificum and who clearly sees the EF as part of the new Evangelisation.

Christus Vincit!
St. Margaret Clitherow, pray for us.
Sts. Peter and Paul, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us

St. Joseph

St. Joseph,
Renowned offspring of David,
Light of Patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster father of the Son of God,
Diligent protector of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most strong,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of artisans,
Glory of home life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the wretched,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,

Pray for us.

Wickedness

Some things are mischievous, others naughty*, some are abnormal and some are utterly wicked and yet they all involve some degree of defiance. Even after the Reformation our own country's laws were based on God's Laws until the erosion of both following the liberalism which ensued after the world wars and moreover after the devestating effects of fascism in Holland, Germany, Italy, France and ultimately Britain. The end of communism has had a similar effect in the Ukraine, Poland, Czekoslovakia and all the rest of those former iron curtain countries. The deliverance from intrinsically evil empires, which had also torn up the Commandments, was perversely repaid by the new free world also tearing up the rule book but more gradually and less obviously than any brutal dictatorship had. Stunde Null Literature (zero hour or new start) which developed in Germany after 1945 takes on a deeply sinister meaning in this light. What exactly could have begun at that point - and where will it end?  Leading figures of all religions have always  all too readily cosied up to political monsters of every colour and shade at home and abroad and at best have left us impoverished as a result. Eugenics, hedonism, "positive discrimination" etc. rule the day.
Now the Government has presented proposals to rewrite the defenition of marriage. This astonishing desire was no part of Cameron's manifesto.
In America President Obama plans to violate religious freedom for Catholics and Ireland has snubbed the Vatican.

* in Shakespeare's time naughty had the sense of being really heinous - now it is reduced to the level of playground silliness.

Please do what you can to attend Mass on Sunday to pray for the Church and her mission on earth.

Traditional Latin Masses fulfilling the obligation include:

Saturday - 6.00p.m. Halifax, St.Mary's, Gibbet Street.
Sunday - 3.00 p.m. Castleford, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road.
                4.00p.m. Heckmondwike, Holy Spirit, Bath Road - but please check beforehand on  01924 402579
                5.10 p.m Leeds, St. Augustine's, Harehills Lane.

Upcoming events

Saturday March 24th sees two important events for the north of England, both involving English bishops.

At York's St. Wilfrid's Bishop Drainey of Middlesbrough will preside and preach at a Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St. Margaret Clitherow. This will begin at 1.30 p.m. and will be followed by a procession to English Martyrs Church where the relic of St Margaret Clitherow will be venerated and followed by Solemn Benediction. Several Leeds priests will be involved as well as from other northern dioceses.

At New Brighton, Bishop Mark Davis of Shrewsbury will preside at a Solemn High Mass to mark the opening of the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament at Sts. Peter, Paul and Philomena. This will begin at 10.30 a.m. to be followed by a social event. Sts Peter and Paul, known as the dome of home to mariners,  will be a centre devoted almost exclusively to the use of the Extraordinary Form and run by the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest.

Sunday Masses

Again a reminder that there is to be NO MASS at St. Peter's tomorrow. Instead the Mass will be offered at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford. This is next to the Lidl Supermarket in Manchester Road. Mass is at the earlier time of 2.45 p.m.

                                            St. Joseph's viewed from Manchester Road, Bradford.

Today I was privileged to serve at the "first" Mass of Fr. Peter Kravos at the chapel of Notre Dame, Leeds University. Father took to it as "a duck to water" as Fr. Wiley commented after the beautiful Mass. Given that Father Kravos is about 6'6" and made both me and the chasuble look a bit small I still understood perfectly what Father Wiley meant. After the Mass Father Kravos looked visibly stunned by the occasion. All the anxiety of the dry Mass on Thursday we went through together dissipated as soon as Father uttered the words Introibo ad altare Dei. I felt at ease and the other servers did too. One server, a gentleman called Mark also served the Mass for the first time and also seemed to relish the experience. I have served many priests' "first" Masses in this Diocese and in Salford as well as at 4 LMS training conferences - and each one is always better then the last. This was no exception.
The servers and Fr. Wiley knelt for the blessing in the vestry after Mass and Fr. Kravos asked if we should now receive his blessing, which he gladly gave in faultless Latin. I was humbled by his humility, especially when I asked him if he would offer our Assumption Mass at the Chantry Chapel in Wakefield in August. He was extremely gracious in his acceptance and said that he should have done this years ago and that it has changed the way in which he will celebrate the Ordinary Form, which is exactly what Pope Benedict said should happen.
Father's joy brightened my Lenten experience. I was even able to arrange a drink this week with a friend, who was at the Mass, after twelve months in the planning! My spell in hospital last year just after Easter put paid to the last arrangement.

Monsignor Smith of Halifax is preparing to establish the Benedictine arrangement on the altar of St. Mary's Halifax and has found a very suitable crucifix to this end. He will also be assisting at the Mass in York on Saturday 24th. March at St Wilfrid's, in Duncombe Place, in the centre of York, close to the Minster. This will be followed by a procession to English Martyrs for the veneration of the relic of Saint Margaret Clitherow. Bishop Terence Drainey, the Bishop of Middlesbrough will preside and preach at the Mass. Mass starts at 1.30p.m.
Mr. Forbester who leads the Rudgate Singers has sent me the poster below. 

Mass tomorrow at Notre Dame Leeds

An extra Mass will take place tomorrow (Saturday) at 4.00p.m. at Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. This large chapel formerly belonged to the Sisters of Notre Dame and their school. It is now part of the University chaplaincy.
Our celebrant will be the Chaplain to the University, Fr. Kravos - and this will be his first public Mass. It will be a Missa cantata. Some of the students will be present at the Mass and the music will be provided by the Leeds Schola Gregoriana directed by Mr. Murphy.

The windows in the chapel are utterly stunning and are by Harry Clarke.

REMINDER - no Mass at St. Peter's Bradford on Sunday. Instead there will be  Mass at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford (next to the Lidl Supermarket) at the earlier time of 2.45p.m. Mass will be in the chapel of Our Lady which contains the exquisite statue of our Lady, which was formerly in the now defunct St. Mary's in East Parade.

If any parish in Bradford is a reflection of the last half century in these parts it is St. Mary's, Bradford. The huge parish church was built with the pennies of the poor Irish immigrants who often initially lived in utter squalor in the mid-nineteenth century and who were the main cause of the "boom" in Catholicism after both world wars, along with many Poles and Ukrainians. All these people settled and integrated and continued to build Catholic nursery, primary, secondary, special and private schools.

According to the desire and foresight of the bishops of Leeds such schools provided for (and helped to establish and perpetuate) the newly emergent Catholic middle class. This helped their pupils to help themselves whilst bettering and improving society in a Catholic way. This did not leave others behind. Some excellent Secondary Modern (and later Middle Schools), St George's and St. Blaize and St. Edmund Campion spring to mind.
The city's Catholic Grammar schools were; St. Bede's (founded by Cardinal Hinsley), St. Joseph's College ( founded by the Sisters of the Cross and Passion), and in the latter boom years Cardinal Hinsley ( which only had one headmaster in its history - Walter Earnshaw, who was a great devotee of the Tridentine Mass) and Bl./St. Margaret Clitherow (a daughter school of St. Joseph's always headed by a sister of the Cross and Passion).
Now St. Mary's church is derelict, but the parish centre (a former cinema) remains a place devoted to helping the lonely and homeless, started in Fr. Abberton's time. Christ's love remains even if the Mass has gone.
In days gone by the landlords of  local pubs in this parish (most of which are also gone) would contact the parish priest to restore order on their premises if trouble started. This often avoided the ensuing bloodshed if the police were called.
The area surrounding the church is now lightly industrial and the remaining houses are inhabited mainly by  Muslim families ( as opposed to Irish families) and some non-Catholic slavonic families.
The Catholics have now mostly gone.

IMPORTANT - change of schedule and extra Mass

The Mass scheduled to be at St. Peter's next Sunday (March 11th.) will now take place at the earlier time of 2.45 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford in the beautiful Lady Chapel (you may remember we were there in November last year for Remembrance Sunday). This is due to an oversight on my part and I am very grateful to Fathers Newman and Hall for so readily agreeing to this. Please pass the word.

ALSO there will be an extra Mass on Saturday (March 10th.) at 4.00 p.m. at Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. This will be a sung Mass.

So in summary- Masses for Lent III:

Missa Cantata, Saturday March 10th. at Notre Dame, Leeds at 4.00 p.m. (Vigil)
Low Mass, Saturday March 10th. at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax at 6.00 p.m. (Vigil)

Low Mass, Sunday March 11th. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford at 2.45 p.m.
Low Mass, Sunday March 11th. at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Plans are well underway for the Triduum celebrations at Notre Dame and the Palm Sunday Mass at Broughton will be a Missa cantata at the slightly later time of 11.45 a.m. as has been the case on previous occasions.

Lent II

This evening at Halifax Mgr Smith  delivered a wonderful sermon about the occasion of the Transfiguration recounted in today's Gospel. I use the word wonderful because I lost count of the number of times he used the word to describe the Transfiguration. The forty days between the feast of the Transfiguration (6Aug) to the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 Sept) are redolent of Lent. The Transfiguration looks to the cross and past the cross. The Transfiguration foreshadowed not only the cross bearing Jesus climbing Mount Calvary for a shocking death but also Him shattering the order of nature by his Resurrection.

Masses for Sunday

Missa cantata ; Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton. 11.30 a.m.
Low Mass ; St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Castleford. 3.00 p.m.


Shortly after the my reporting the death of Gerry Lyons I received an e-mail from Fr. McCaughan in Rome to say that he had offered Mass for Gerry's soul on hearing of the death. Both Gerry and Father were at various times my predecessors. Srange and beautiful that one should now offer Mass for the other. Another former rep also recently died. Mrs Christine Ackers formerly the long serving rep of Lancaster died this week in a hospice in Lancaster. May she rest in peace.

Mass on Sunday - the first in Lent will be a Missa cantata at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Press release

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

For Immediate Release

Latin Mass Society Announces Six New Patrons

The Latin Mass Society (LMS) has announced the establishment of six patrons, including well-known figures from the worlds of music, journalism, politics and the law.

This marks a major advance for the LMS and for the cause of the Traditional Latin Mass in England and Wales which are both attracting the support of mainstream figures within the Church.

The new patrons include Dr James MacMillan CBE, who composed the setting for the Beatification Mass of John Henry Newman and is well known for his tireless campaigning for excellence in Church music. Charles Moore, a convert to Catholicism, is a former editor of the Daily Telegraph and a prominent national journalist and political commentator. Prince Rupert Loewenstein is a former President and long time supporter of the Latin Mass Society. Lord (Brian) Gill is the second most senior judge in Scotland and was recently honoured with a papal knighthood. He has supported the Traditional Latin Mass for many years. Colin Mawby is another composer who is highly respected in Catholic music circles. He was Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral under Cardinal Heenan and more recently has been very supportive of the LMS’s attempts to nurture a wider knowledge of Gregorian Chant. Sir Adrian FitzGerald is President of the Irish Association of the Knights of Malta, a former mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and was previously a Chairman of the Governors of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School.

Announcing the establishment of the LMS’s new patrons, Chairman Dr Joseph Shaw said: ‘I’m delighted they have agreed to be patrons. This is a real indication of the Society’s standing in the Catholic community and the Church. Since Summorum Pontificum, our support of the Traditional Mass is no longer considered an eccentricity, to be tolerated at best, but an important apostolate for the good of the whole Church and recognised as such by the Holy Father.’