"Advancement of the Catholic Religion"

I was delighted to read under the above heading on page 4 of the Diocese of Leeds Annual Review 2017 the following:

"Latin Masses in the Extraordinary Form (EF) continue to be well-attended. The first EF wedding took place at St. Joseph's, Bradford which was also where Bishop Marcus bestowed the Sacrament of Confirmation on 2 young people who had asked for the OLd Rite. At the Cathedral, the Bishop also offered his first EF Mass: a Requiem for his deceased predecessors as Bishop of Leeds."

There were also photos of the wedding and the Confirmation ceremony. The review was freely available today at the back of the Cathedral and St. Joseph's and so I assume this was the case across the diocese. Many thanks to those responsible for compiling the review which paints a very positive picture of the Church in this part of the world.

I am sure that this augurs well for the future and is further evidence that the traditional Mass and Sacraments are now accepted as a regular part and parcel of the life of the Diocese of Leeds.
My personal prayer is that this may long continue to be the case as we are no longer considered with suspicion.
Moreover I think that the same can be said in the dioceses of Middlesbrough (York Oratorians), Liverpool (FSSP at Warrington), Salford (Manchester Oratorians), Lancaster (Preston ICKSP), Shrewsbury (ICKSP at New Brighton) and like us diocesan priests in Hexham & Newcastle.

Lent is already on the horizon and we have two Masses for Ash Wednesday - 10 a.m. at Broughton and 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Bradford.
In the first full week of Lent we also have a parish mission week at St. Joseph's to be preached by Fr. Michael Hall who will  take as his topic: The reality is Christ: Meeting Our Lord in the Seven Sacraments.

I hope that this event will be well attended and I shall be "pushing this" in the coming weeks following Septuagesima.
We shall also be ending the season of Christmas with Masses for the feast of the Purification or Candlemas (also known as the Presentation of the Lord) at Broughton and St. Austin's, Wakefield.
Details to follow soon.

Epiphany III

This Sunday is the third Sunday after the Epiphany and again the Gospel recalls one of our Lord's miracles, namely the healing of the centurion's servant. The Lord answered the pagan Roman's prayer. 

We have three Masses this Sunday :

8.00 a.m. Leeds Cathedral, Cookridge Street, Leeds

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Attendance at Broughton and Bradford is very pleasing but last month there were only about a dozen at the Cathedral for Gaudete Sunday which was very disappointing. Please can I ask members and friends in and around Leeds to make an extra sacrifice to support this Mass, in what is the mother church of the diocese. The atmosphere is invariably serene and the celebrants and staff have been unfailingly accommodating in every respect since our first regular Mass there in April 2015. It would be a great shame to lose this Mass because of lack of support.

Epiphany II

This Sunday is the the Second Sunday of the Epiphany and its Gospel recounts the changing of water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana. It sees the start of the public ministry of our Blessed Lord.

We have two Masses:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford (missa cantata)

I have been updating the sidebars and have added (and removed) some resources and links. I was recently delighted to find a pdf version of Monsignor Ronald Knox's The Mass in Slow Motion courtesy of the Ronald Knox Society of North America and Corpus Christi Watershed so I have added the link to this excellent book.

Prayer requests

My Christmas holiday has been marred with the terrible news that my cousin who is only in her forties has been diagnosed with cancer of the throat, tonsils and tongue. Please would you remember her and her family in your prayers as she starts treatment on Monday. 

Please also remember two close friends of mine who are also receiving cancer treatment, one of whom is extremely ill and now rarely conscious.

St. Peregrine Laziosi, pray for them.

Our Lady Health of the sick, pray for them.

Mass attendance today at both Broughton and Bradford were very well attended and following the Mass at Bradford we were again able to have the blessing of chalk for the Epiphany. I shall mark our door lintel tomorrow. 

I was speaking to a gentleman last week who commented how noticeable the rising numbers are at St. Joseph's. Having stable bases where Mass is offered regularly and frequently has clearly led to this and I am increasingly grateful to the Bishop for enabling this and to the wonderful people, staff and clergy at St. Joseph's.

Last Wednesday I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Lecture at the cathedral given by Dr. Judith Champ of Oscott College who spoke about the way the Priesthood today in this country was shaped by the Reformation's Recusant families and the enormous influx of Irish immigrants in the nineteenth century. 

Dr. Champ made some excellent points in what was a very stimulating and insightful lecture which provided much food for thought. Reflecting on what she said has re-enforced my belief that the main problems seem to be that Christ has been eclipsed and few people could define what Catholic identity actually means today or that there are so many conflicting views as to what this identity should be in post Christian Britain. 

One young man from York mentioned, in a question, that the traditional orders seem not to have problems of recruitment and Dr. Champ readily agreed that this was the case and conceded that he made an interesting point.

It was also very good to see Bishop Stock at the lecture.

The next main event on the calendar is our Lenten Mission week which will take place in the first full week of Lent. Each evening there will be Mass and a talk covering the Seven Sacraments. We hope that there will be one Solemn High Mass and confessions will be available. Details to follow over the coming weeks. 

Epiphany

This Sunday is the Feast of the Epiphany in England and Wales and we have two Masses:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton (missa cantata)
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Third Cathedral lecture

On Wednesday 3rd. January at 7.00 p.m. there will be the third of this cycle's Leeds Cathedral Lecture in the Wheeler Hall, situated just behind the cathedral.

The speaker: 

Professor Judith Champ

Professor of Church History and Director of Studies at St Mary’s College, Oscott. Has published widely on the post-Reformation history of English Catholicism, including The English Pilgrimage to Rome: A Dwelling for the Soul(2000), A Different Kind of Monk: William Bernard Ullathorne (2006), A Seminary Goes to War: St Mary’s College, Oscott and the First World War (2015), The Secular Priesthood in England and Wales: History, Mission and Identity(2016).

The topic:

“The Priest in the Parish: Shopkeeper or Sherpa?”

(A discussion of some aspects of how the priesthood in this country has been shaped by its missionary history since the Reformation, and how it has reached its present sense of ‘crisis’. But the main focus will be on the direction for the future, and ways in which history can be harnessed to power renewal, exploring some ideas that might point towards a positive and dynamic vision for the future of the priesthood and the parish.)

As always, please consider attending the lecture. As with all things there is a danger that we might lose it if we don't use it.

Happy New Year

Pictured is the Sanctuary of  the Sacred Heart Chapel, Broughton Hall on Christmas Eve, and kindly sent to me by one of the servers, Mr O' Dowd.
Many thanks to him and a happy new year to all.

Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

We have two Masses this weekend for the Octave within the Nativity:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Masses this week at Broughton Hall at 10. 30 a.m.
Confessions at call.

Merry Christmas

Attendance at our Masses over the holiday season have been very pleasing with  well over a hundred attending our Masses for Christmas.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new year.

This weekend







Two days of obligation back to back this weekend with five Masses to celebrate the sacred mysteries of the third joyful mystery of the holy Rosary.




On Sunday which is the Vigil of the Nativity we have two Masses:


11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford (missa cantata)



For Christmas Day on Monday

11.30 p.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton (Sunday night)
11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford


Confessions at call.
Masses at 10.30 a.m. weekdays including Saturdays at Sacred Heart, Broughton.

Gaudete Sunday

Gaudete Sunday is almost upon us and we have three Masses this Sunday:

8.00 a.m. Leeds Cathedral, Cookridge Street, Leeds

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Attendance continues to rise at many of the Extraordinary Form Masses in the diocese and following the success of the the Mass at the chantry chapel last week plans are afoot for regular Solemn High Masses next year as well as a Missa Cantata to mark Candlemas - the end of the Christmas Season.

Confessions at call.

Chantry photos

Thanks to John Roberts of Wakefield here is a small selection of photos from Friday's Mass at Wakefield's chantry chapel for the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

The missal is set

The prayers at the foot of the altar

The Gospel

Again thanks to all concerned.

Advent II

The High Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Wakefield's historic chantry chapel was attended by about forty souls tonight who braved the freezing cold outside and the music provided by the St. Austin's singers was absolutely first class. Thanks to them, the serving team and Revv. Smith, Aladics and Crawley. It was lovely to see the statue of our Lady being incensed after the Mass. I hope to publish some photos of the event on Sunday, thanks to John Roberts of Wakefield.

Masses for the second Sunday of Advent are as follows:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Confessions at call.

Masses Monday - Saturday at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton at 10.30 a.m.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

There are two Masses on Friday for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Both of these are thirty minutes later than the times mentioned in the previous post.

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
7.30 p.m. Wakefield Chantry Chapel, Kirkgate, Wakefield This will be a Solemn High Mass.  The clergy will be Mgr Smith, Fr. Aladics and Fr. Crawley.

There were good turnouts today for the first Sunday of Advent both at Broughton and St. Joseph's. This is very encouraging.

Today I have confirmed the Christmas Masses - there will be three:
11.30 p.m. (24th. December)  Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
11.00 a.m. (25th. December) Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. (25th. December) St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Advent I & the Immaculate Conception

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and the first day of the new liturgical year. Happy new year!

This year there is no fourth Sunday of Advent as the Vigil of Christmas Eve (traditionally a fast and abstinence day) falls on a Sunday. The feast  supersedes the fourth Sunday of Advent but no fast and abstinence is required.  The technical bits do not diminish the idea of the significance of the beauty of the Gospel

Advent is a good time to make a resolution to transform our old selves in preparation for the end of time and Christ's triumphant Second Coming and er...Christmas.

Confession at call is available at all Masses. 

Sunday:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton, (missa cantata)

12.30 p.m. Saint Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford 

Friday - FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION of our Blessed Lady

10.30 a.m Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

7.00 p.m. Wakefield's historic Chantry Chapel, Kirkgate, missa solemnis - more details on Monday.  

Pentecost XXIV

The final Sunday of the Church's year is upon us. Next week is the first Sunday of Advent. This weekend we have two Masses:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Numbers at St. Joseph's continue to increase as we see friends new and old as well as the stalwart regulars.  I was very pleased to hear that despite his recent move to Wakefield, Fr. Crawley has remained on the rota and Fr. Whitwell is progressing well in his own preparations to offer the Mass in the new year.

This blog has had over 200 hits in the last 24 hours following the Confirmations last night.
The welcome with which the EF Mass has been met at St. Joseph's is "textbook" as the local Bradfordian vernacular used to say.
The Parish Priest, Fr. Angel was attending a School Governor's Committee Meeting but stayed as long as he could before the bishop arrived.

My personal prayer of thanks this week is that Bishop Stock, our father in Faith and bonus pastor, has fed his sheep with a truly paternal disposition.

For the first time ever I think it can be publicly and repeatedly said that the Extraordinary Form of Mass and Sacraments are mainstream in Leeds under Bishop Stock.

Of your charity please would you pray for a friend of mine who is very ill and asks for strength to receive the last Sacraments.

A triumph!

With no little solemnity this evening His Lordship, Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on Leo Williamson and Eva Barrow at St. Joseph's, Bradford. This was followed by Pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Deacon was Fr. Michael Hall, Subdeacon Canon Timothy Wiley, the Revd Expositor was Father Timothy Whitwell and Father Kevin Driver attended in white choir. Messrs Hirst, Nicyperowicz and Walker served with Josef and Fabian Walker who acted as mitre and crozier bearers. Mr. George Watson played the Veni, Creator, Spiritus and O Purest of Creatures at the organ.
Please may I take this opportunity to thank the bishop and everybody else who made the occasion so splendid and memorable.
Congratulations to Leo (Ladislaus) and Eva (Lucia) on their Confirmation Day - may you always be strong in your Faith. God bless you both.

Photo credit Mrs. Illingworth.

Confirmation

For the first time in many years the diocesan bishop will publicly confer the Sacrament of Confirmation followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament according to the books of 1962.

Please do all you can to support this momentous occasion which will take place at 7.00 p.m. on Thursday 23rd. November at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford.

As ever we extend our sincere thanks to Bishop Stock for his solicitude to those attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and Sacraments. 

Sunday - Epihany VI and Pentecost XXIII

This Sunday is the sixth remaining after the Epiphany with the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia Verse, Offertory & Communion of Pentecost XXIII: Collect, Epistle, Gospel, Secret & Postcommunion  are of Epiphany VI.

Masses this Sunday:

8.00 a.m. St Ann's Cathedral, Cookridge Street, Leeds
11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

This week:

Mass Monday-Saturday at Broughton Hall at the new time of 10.30 a.m.
Thursday at St. Joseph's, Bradford, Confirmation and Pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and given by Bishop Stock at 7.00 p.m.

It is good to see that the Cathedral is in use again for the EF Mass this weekend and just as good to see the bishop giving the Sacrament of Confirmation according to the books of 1962 in Bradford. This again marks a first. There have been traditional rite confirmations in this Diocese since 1970. Two of my children were confirmed by Canon Wiley during the interregnum period by dispensation given by the Apostolic Administrator Mgr. Wilson. What is different is that for the first time the diocesan bishop is conferring this Sacrament publicly.
The bishop recently said that he wished to offer the Mass in the Extraordinary Form to show that he is a father to all in his diocese. The bishop clearly sees that deeds speak louder than words.

Reaction and more news

I was contacted yesterday and today by Ruth Gledhill the former Religious Affairs Correspondent for the Times who now works for the Tablet about Saturday's Mass at the Cathedral. She has written a very complementary piece about the Mass which can be viewed here:     https://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicTablet/#

There were also some good photos by Mr Sice and a good write up on the Leeds Diocesan website.

A reminder that the bishop is back in action next week on Thursday for Confirmations and Pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. This will be at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 7.00 p.m. As the diocesan website says ALL are welcome. This will be another great opportunity to show our devotion to the rites according to the books of 1962.

Fr. Parfitt has contacted me to say that Masses at Broughton Hall will now be offered at 10.30 a.m. from Monday to Saturday but the Sundays and high days and holy days will continue to be at 11.00 a.m. It is hoped that those accessing Broughton by public transport will benefit from this later time.

Last weekend

It was an incredibly edifying and moving occasion in the Cathedral on Saturday when for the first time in many years a Bishop of Leeds offered Mass according to books of 1962 in his own cathedral. Bishop Stock had requested that he celebrate this Mass for his late predecessors having presided at a Mass for Bishop Wheeler a couple of years ago from the cathedra.

This was the first public Mass offered by Bishop Stock and it flowed beautifully. Fr Michael Hall, who was the Assistant Priest, had tutored the bishop over recent months and the bishop's attention to detail and impeccable preparations were most touching. The diocese has no tunicle and dalmatic to go under the bishop's chasuble but the bishop provided his own along with a copy of the Pontifical Canon.

Fr. Abberton acted as deacon  and Canon Wiley was the subdeacon. Mgr Moger attended in white choir and other clergy were present in the congregation.

The schola gregoriana provided the music under the direction of Mike Murphy and they executed the Requiem Mass and absolution followed by Help Lord the Souls with great solemnity.

The servers were well aware of their duties and carried out their duties with care and aplomb.

Thanks to everyone who played some part in this Mass which ultimately gave great honour to Almighty God.

 Thanks to Mrs Illingworth for the photos.

Lest we forget

This weekend sees remembrance Sunday. On Saturday the Bishop is offering a Solemn Pontifical High Mass of Requiem for his deceased predecessors.
I have seen notice of this Mass on the Offerimus Tibi Domine, Middlesbrough Latin Mass Society, Gateshead Revisited and New Liturgical Movement blogsites as well as the Leeds Diocese Website. Please do consider attending this Mass to show gratitude to the Bishop and all the clergy involved who have given freely of their considerable talents and precious time.
It must be said, not only for those of us born before and at the time of Vatican II, that it would have been unthinkable even ten years ago that such an event would have taken place.

Saturday:    3.00 p.m. Leeds Cathedral, Cookridge Street, Leeds. Celebrant - the Bishop

Sunday:        11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
                       12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford - Sung Requiem Mass for the War Dead with prayers at the parish cenotaph. 

This week

This week we have two important events.

On Wednesday at Wheeler Hall, which is adjacent to the Cathedral the latest cycle of Cathedral Lectures start with a talk by journalist and author Dennis Sewell. The talk begins at 7.00 p.m.

The title of Dennis Sewell's talk is "How to be Counter-Cultural". He describes his topic as follows:

“I ask you to swim against the tide” said Pope Francis, calling on Catholics to be counter-cultural. But in an age of liberal intolerance where the teachings of the Church can be represented as bigotry or even ‘hate crime’, what are the practicalities and the potential risks of telling the truth? And what does being counter-cultural really entail? Is it merely about asserting tradition in the face of modernity and relativism in today’s increasingly secularized Western world? Or must the Church be counter-cultural in a more profound way at all times and in all places?

Later in the week on Saturday we have the Solemn Pontifical High Mass of Requiem.

SOLEMN PONTIFICAL MASS OF

REQUIEM

offered by His Lordship, Bishop Stock.

SATURDAY 11^TH. NOVEMBER 2017

at

3.00 P.M.

ST. ANN’S CATHEDRAL COOKRIDGE STREET, LEEDS

for

the repose of the souls of his  predecessors

Bishops   Cornthwaite, Gordon, Cowgill, Poskitt,  Heenan,  Dwyer,  Wheeler & Konstant

Music provided by the Leeds Schola Gregoriana.

Pentecost XXII and Pontifical Requiem

Many thanks to Fr. Driver for saying the Masses earlier this week at St. Joseph's, Bradford for All Saints and All Souls.

Father Parfitt is much better now and on Sunday we have two Masses:

11.00 a.m. missa cantata  Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Also on Sunday at 8.10 a.m. BBC Radio 4's Morning Worship comes from St. Joseph's, Bradford. The celebrant of the OF Mass is the Assistant Parish Priest, Fr. Whitwell and the preacher Fr. Michael Hall.

On Saturday November 11th. at 3.00 p.m. Bishop Stock will offer a Solemn Pontifical High Mass of Requiem at Leeds Cathedral for his predecessors. I believe that this something of a first in this country and I am grateful to the Schola Greg led by Mike Murphy who readily accepted my request for them to sing.

Fr. Michael Hall. the Assistant Priest, has been working with Bishop Stock in preparation for next week's Mass.

Urgent update

I have only  just received news that due to illness there will be no Mass at Broughton Hall for the Feasts of All Saints or All Souls as far as I know.
So there will only be Masses at 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford on Wednesday and Thursday.

All Saints & All Souls

We have morning and evening Masses for both of these feasts.

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
5.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Christ the King

The last Sunday of October is the Feast of Christ the King and we have two Masses:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton

12.30 a.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Remember to put your clocks back tonight.

Pentecost XX

We have two Masses this weekend for the twentieth Sunday of Pentecost.

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Daily Mass at Broughton Hall, Skipton, at 9.30 a.m.
Confessions available at call at all of our Masses.

Next weekend is the Feast of Christ the King and at the start of November we have the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls.

November

November is to be a busy month for us:

Wednesday 1st November - Feast of All Saints. Mass at 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Bradford and 11.00 a.m. at Broughton Hall, Skipton
Thursday 2nd November - Feast of All Souls. Mass at 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford and at 11.00 a.m. Broughton Hall, Skipton
Wednesday 8th November - Leeds Cathedral Lecture at 7.00 p.m. Wheeler Hall, Leeds Cathedral "How to be counter-cultural" by Mr Dennis Sewell.
Saturday 11th November - Pontifical High Mass of Requiem at 3.00 p.m. Leeds Cathedral
Sunday 12th November - Sung Mass of Requiem for the war dead at 12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford
Thursday 23rd November - Confirmations and Pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 7.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Please put these in your diary and make every effort to attend as many of these events as you can.

Pentecost XIX

We have three EF Masses this weekend for the nineteenth Sunday of Pentecost:

8.00 a.m. Leeds Cathedral, Cookridge Street, Leeds
11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 a.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

There has been a noticeable increase in the attendance at many of our Masses over recent months which is very rewarding for our clergy who freely give of their time to offer the Mass for us. Please continue to lend your support and show demand for the EF Mass.

I am pleased to announce that we have been able to organise a first in this diocese. During the first full week of Lent 2018 we have a week long Parish Mission at St. Joseph's, Bradford to be preached by Fr. Hall on the theme of the Seven Sacraments. Daily Mass and Confessions will be part of the Mission. Details nearer the time.

Pentecost XVIII

Masses this weekend for the eighteenth Sunday of Pentecost with its beautiful Gospel are as follows:

11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
12.30 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford (missa cantata)

Please remember that we have a pontifical High Mass of Requiem at 3.00 p.m. on Saturday 11th November at St. Anne's Cathedral in Leeds. Twelve days later on THURSDAY* 23rd. November the bishop will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation at 7.00 p.m. at Bradford's St. Joseph's.  This will be followed by pontifical Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

(* not Wednesday as wrongly stated earlier)

Please make a note in your diary for these events.

At the end of this year we will be able to say that in the Leeds Diocese six of the seven Sacraments have been given using the books of 1962 in the last twelve months.
With the grace of God it will not be long before the remaining seventh Sacrament, Holy Orders, will be celebrated as we have seen recently in Liverpool.

Wednesday November 8th. sees the first in the latest cycle of the Leeds Cathedral Lectures.
I am looking forward to the first in this series to be given by Mr. Dennis Sewell at 7.00 p.m. at Wheeler Hall, Leeds Cathedral.
I remember reading his book Catholics (pictured above) years ago and being struck by the quality of its content.

I promised John Beaumont who organises the Cathedral Lectures that I would re-read Mr. Sewell's book before hearing his lecture, "How to be counter-cultural". Here is the extract from the poster:

Mr. Dennis Sewell

Writer and broadcaster. Contributing editor of the Spectator and a frequent contributor to the Catholic Herald. Previously on the staff of BBC News, where he worked as a reporter on Newsnight and presented Radio 4’s Talking Politics. His books include Catholics (2002) and The Political Gene - How Darwin’s Ideas Changed Politics (2010).

“How to be Counter-Cultural”

(“I ask you to swim against the tide” said Pope Francis, calling on Catholics to be counter-cultural. But in an age of liberal intolerance where the teachings of the Church can be represented as bigotry or even ‘hate crime’, what are the practicalities and the potential risks of telling the truth? And what does being counter-cultural really entail? Is it merely about asserting tradition in the face of modernity and relativism in today’s increasingly secularized Western world? Or must the Church be counter-cultural in a more profound way at all times and in all places?)

Reminder that Confession is available at call before or after all EF Masses.