Just back from Mass...

Our Mass at Notre Dame, Leeds was a great success with good numbers and lots of very well behaved children. A little girl carried the Bambino to the altar which Father then placed on the altar for the duration of the Mass, in a similar way to that which Pope Pius XII used to do. The Bambino was placed in the crib at the end of Mass. The Mass was offered in candlelight and the congregation then placed their candles at the crib at the end of Mass. Many thanks to the University chaplain, Fr Kravos, who himself now wishes to offer Mass in the EF for us in the new year and of course to our good friend Fr. Hall, who again offered the Mass for us.

On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week (26th.-30th.December) there will be Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall at the later than usual time of 10.30a.m.

On Saturday Mass at 4.oo p.m. at Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds and at 6.00 p.m. at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. Both are Vigil Masses.
On New Year's Day Mass at Broughton Hall at 11.30 a.m. and at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Mass

First Mass of Christmas Saturday 24th. December 7.30 p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, University of Leeds, Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. Missa cantata.

Please note - no Masses in the 1962 Rite on Sunday

May I take this opportunity to thank everybody who has in some way done something to help us promote the Traditional Mass in this diocese over the last year - our priests, servers, singers, sacristans, door people, collectors, ironers, supporters, friends and the LMS office staff Yvonne and James.

Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year to you all.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Masses for Advent IV are as follows:

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

Sunday
St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Castleford, 3.00 p.m.

Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike, 4.00p.m.

St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds, 5.15 p.m.

At Castleford we will welcome Father Kevin Driver who will be celebrating his first Mass at St. Joseph's.
Some of you may remember Father being a celebrant at Killingbeck before he took up his teaching post in the Republic of Ireland.
Please note the slightly later time of the Mass at St. Augustine's.

Happy Winterfest

This afternoon we finished school early. At this time I am usually in the middle of teaching an all girls year 8 group which is achieving level four/five in the National Curriculum, as was the case today. Within a few minutes of the start of the session a girl became ill after her 5th nosebleed in less than three hours and I escorted her immediately to the school nurse - large clots of blood were coming out of her nose and she was very frightened. When I returned to the classroom the girls had formed two groups and they were all crying. In twenty years of teaching this was a first. Order being restored I asked what was the matter. "It's all too much", came the general reply.
This was a group of intelligent young 12-13 year olds.

The only Muslim girl in the class brought a tin of chocolates to share out with everybody.

As the girls were leaving the classroom I overheard one girl say to another "Happy Christmas, though shouldn't I say Happy Winterfest...?"

In this context what exactly do the words 'happy' and 'winterfest' mean?

Gaudete! Advent III

Already the third Sunday of Advent is upon us.

Masses this weekend:

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

Sunday (Sung) St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00p.m. Mass at Our Lady's altar.

Sunday ( Low) St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Leeds, 3.00p.m.

MASS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AT NOTRE DAME, LEEDS UNIVERSITY CHAPLAINCY, ST. MARK'S AVENUE, LEEDS at 7.30 p.m. SUNG.

NO Masses on Christmas Day.

Domine dona nobis pacem!