Consummatum est. Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum

Once again we recalled the disgraceful horrors of the Passion and death of our Blessed Lord at the Sacred Liturgy according to St. John the Evangelist this afternoon on what was a gloriously sunny day, enabling us to hold our very dignified service in natural light, fittingly subdued in the sanctuary by the blue of the stunning windows. The contrast between the altar of repose last night and its appearance today was stark and dramatic.

There were many new faces today and I hope that even more people will join us for the Vigil tomorrow where the death and shocking events we recalled today will become instantly less painful as we celebrate creation, new life and the Resurrection of Christ, which takes us out of eternal darkness and illuminates us with His light, giving us the chance to win eternal happiness with Him. If this were guaranteed He would not have spent years in His public ministry teaching us the Way to to the Father and issuing stark warnings at times about the consequences of our actions. Consummatum est.

Vigil at 7.30p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. which I look forward to writing about tomorrow with some pictures.

Easter Sunday; St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. Missa Cantata.

Good Friday

About thirty five people came to the Mass of the Lord's Supper this evening and I hope that for the Good Friday Liturgy there will be even more people present. Fr. Kravos was present in choro this evening and two singers and five servers managed to make the celebration a dignified occasion. Fr. Hall, the celebrant, preached a very well constructed and thought provoking sermon.

Good Friday Liturgy at 3.00p.m. Notre Dame chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. As tomorrow the weather promises to be good it will be an opportunity to look at the incredibly impressive windows by Harry Clarke which depict the Litany of Loreto (pictured in the sidebar of this blogsite).

Holy Thursday... faciamus musicam

It is now Holy Thursday and as such sees the start of the Sacred Triduum this evening at Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds at 7.30p.m. There is plenty of free parking around the chapel, but please do not park at the very top of the Avenue as 24 hour access is required.

This evening I was delighted to have received an invitation from friends to attend the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral in Leeds, where Bishop Roche blessed the holy oils and preached a sermon which touched the heart even though it was directed at the Priests and Deacons of his Diocese. He recalled a recent conversation in Rome with the Bishop of Kazakhstan who as a young boy had witnessed the execution in the street of the Priest who had just given him his First Communion (and one presumes Confession) as well as confirming him and his siblings before giving the Holy Viaticum to his dying grandmother. This lad and future Bishop realised his vocation at that moment. Years later he learned that this dead Priest had also witnessed the martyrdom of a Priest in his formative years for similar "crimes".

Martyrdom and Priesthood are linked.

As we approach Easter Sunday and the glory of the Resurrection of the Lord we have to undergo witnessing the ignominy to which Christ was subjected, by the words of the sacred texts and the divine tragedy of the liturgical action. The two words out of the entire Film "The Passion of the Christ" which I shall always remember above anything else were those spoken by the Roman henchman before scourging Christ. He gleefully said, "Faciamus musicam".

Christ is the Priest and Victim, the oblation - indeed the sinless lamb who died for the sinful sheep a Martyr for us and for our salvation. Unique and mind bending.

At the Cathedral I was able to meet a lot of friends and acquaintances, before and after the Mass, some who said they were looking forward to attending our Triduum.

Please do join us tomorrow and or on Good Friday and Easter Saturday if you are visiting, a regular or simply inquisitive.

Ad multos annos!

Happy Birthday, Holy Father!

V. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro.

R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius. [Ps 40:3]

This weekend and HOLY WEEK Times

Hebdomada Sancta

Sun 17 PALM SUNDAY (SECOND SUNDAY of PASSIONTIDE) I Cl R & V
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Cross. Procession (R) Mass (V).
Omit Asperges. Blessing of Palms and Procession before principal Mass.
No Preparatory Prayers. Passion according to S Matthew 26, 36-75;
27, 1-60. No Last Gospel. At other Masses No Judica No Gloria Patri at
the Introit & Lavabo. Last Gospel from the Blessing of Palms. If a Priest
says more than one Mass, the Gospel of S Matthew 27, 45-52 may
replace the Passion.

Vigil Saturday 16th. April. Low Mass, St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.

Low Mass Sunday 17th. April, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00pm.

Low Mass Sunday 17th. April, St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds. 5.00p.m.

Holy Monday - Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton. 9.30a.m.

Spy Wednesday- Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton. 9.30a.m.

HOLY THURSDAY - MASS OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

Thursday 21st. April

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday 22nd. April.

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 3.00p.m.

EASTER SATURDAY

(Vigil) Saturday 23rd. April

Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. 7.30p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY

Sunday 24th. April

Missa Cantata, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

Many thanks to Fr. P. Kravos (who will join us in choro on Holy Thursday) for giving such prominence to the Triduum on the Leeds University RC Chaplaincy website. http://www.uilcc.org/?p=1954. The 15 visitors from that website to this blogsite caught my eye when I checked my stats this evening. I hope they join us. Thanks again to Mike Forbester and his team the Triduum will be sung. And thanks to Mike Murphy and his team, who will sing at Castleford on Easter Sunday

I shall continue to regularly update this week's events as way of a reminder in this holiest time of the year.

Masses tomorrow. Passiontide is upon us

PASSIONTIDE Tempus Quadragesimale: Passionis
All crucifixes and sacred images are veiled in violet.

Sun 10 PASSION SUNDAY (FIRST SUNDAY in PASSIONTIDE) I Cl V
No Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Cross
No Judica No Gloria Patri at the Introit & Lavabo

Sung Mass at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00p.m.

Low Mass at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

Even busier

Tonight I had a long meeting with Fr. Wiley and we reviewed where we are regarding provision of the Mass and what more can be done to promote and advertise the EF Masses and increase provision of same.

After the Triduum and Holy Week schedule our next big event will be the Solemn High Mass and procession of the Blessed Sacrament at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds for Corpus Christi. Members of the Leeds Schola Gregoriana and St. Austin's choir will sing at the Mass.

Clergy have been invited and accepted the invitation to be Sacred Ministers.

Fr. Kravos will be attending our Maundy Mass in choro and we have clergy speakers and celebrants lined up for the October day of recollection.

Busy busy

I have been reading up on the ceremony and rubrics of the Sacred Triduum. Times of Mass will be displayed shortly for Holy Week in the sidebar.

I have sorted the paschal fire, Holy Thursday vestments, the clappers, and the "umbella" as Fortescue calls it.

Tomorrow I have a co-ordination meeting with Fr. Wiley in Leeds after parents' evening. Under discussion will be our solemn High Mass and Procession for Corpus Christi and our October day of recollection on the Mass and Rosary.

I also have to contact our cantor about Sunday's Missa cantata at St. Peter's Bradford and hope to be making arrangements soon for a celebration of the First Sacraments.

Thanks to the Catholic Post...and Laetare!

I got my copy of the Leeds Diocesan "Catholic Post" tonight and was most gratified and grateful to see that the editor had inserted the correct and up to date advert including the times of the Sacred Triduum this year along with details of this blog. My sincere thanks to Mr. Grady.

Our regular Sunday/Vigil Masses attract well over a hundred "regular" people nowadays and there are always visitors and new faces; some of these are simply glad of the timing, others attend with family or friends and some are simply and rightfully inquisitive but nobody questions the fact that they are fulfilling the Sunday obligation, as was sometimes the case not so long ago.

Already this year another Priest of the Diocese has expressed his desire to learn to offer the EF Rite of Mass.

Wakefield St. Austin's choir is to join our Latin Mass schola again and sing at our Corpus Christi Solemn High Mass, Procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at Immaculate Heart, Leeds in June.

The last time they joined forces was at Wakefield Chantry chapel's sung Requiem Mass at the end of December 2010. And splendid it was too.

Work on painting the Paschal candle is now starting so as to be ready for the Vigil and news on parking around the University chaplaincy is good as there is no danger of fines and there is a lot of space. If you plan on coming, please also consider bringing friends, a family member or members and ensure your car, coach or taxi is full!

Extra servers have been recruited for the Triduum and today I selected the vestments for the Vigil Mass of Easter and for the Blessed Sacrament procession to the altar of repose after the Maundy Thursday Mass.

God bless the Pope!

From the Oxford Oratory

I do hope the Oratorians at Oxford do not mind me sharing this good news with you from earlier today.

It was announced in Rome this morning that our own Fr Anton Webb has been selected to represent the Vatican City at the London 2012 Olympics at the Pentathlon.

At a press conference in the Vatican, Archbishop Capriccio Pesce d'Aprile, Prefect of the Congregation for Sport and Physical Fitness, said, "It is true that with a population of about 800, many of whom are elderly prelates, the Vatican City is never going to win as many medals as the USA or China. But we consider it very important to show the Church's engagement with the modern world, so for the first time the Vatican has entered every Olympic event. We have had to co-opt some clergy and religious from around the world to do this, and they will be brought to Rome to train in the Vatican gardens. The self-discipline and asceticism of the religious life will certainly give them the edge over other competitors."

THe Archbishop was hopeful that the Marche Pontificale might be heard for the first time at an Olympic medal ceremony for some events: "The Swiss Guards have put together a formidable archery team, and of course the Church's expertise in the field of liturgical ceremonies will mean that our synchronised swimming team will have a grace and precision that are second to none."

The full list of Vatican competitors will be published on the Holy See's website at midday today.

This weekend

Tomorrow is the First Friday of the month.

Masses at 9.30a.m at Broughton and 7.30p.m. at Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike.

Saturday:

9.30a.m. Broughton

Sun 3 FOURTH SUNDAY in LENT (Laetare Sunday) I Cl V/ROSE
No Gl Cr Pr of Lent

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

Sunday:

Missa cantata at 11.30a.m. Broughton Hall, near Skipton.

Low Mass at 3.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Holy Week - Triduum preparations

The end of term and Holy week are fast approaching. A generous Priest has donated the paschal candle for us to use this year - I am loathe to get a transfer to put on it, so this year our candle will be hand painted. I am inspired by the Paschal Candle 2010 at St. Peter's, Bradford which was a beautiful labour of love in vivid colours. As well as the Cross and the Alpha and the Omega, I have opted to have the Lamb of God bearing the triumphant banner of the Victory of Life over death and hence our possibility of redemption. Another Priest has given us the brass grains of incense, another has agreed to offer the entire Triduum and another has welcomed us to his chapel. I have managed to assemble a small schola and at least three other servers.

Another Priest long since gave us exclusive space to store vestments and other large amounts of liturgical paraphernalia. Over the next few weeks I shall be making visits to get things ready and probably to the dry cleaners.

I am grateful to all these good people who give so generously of their time and resources. Our patience does now and again seem to be rewarded. Nobody could but doubt what a morale booster Saturday's Pilgrimage was for those who attended in body or in spirit.

Sour grapes award must go to Patricius who comments in the first posting about the Minster Mass on the Rorate blog. http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2011/03/report-tlm-at-york-minster.html - please judge for yourself.

Working on the premise that a Pilgrimage is good for the soul I hope that readers of this blog (which saw a hundred visits yesterday) will do everything possible to alert others to the availability of the Holy Week Triduum and of course attend some or all of it.

York photos

There are many sites offering pictures of Saturday's historic Mass. I offer two below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/latinmasssociety/galleries/72157626246685473/

and

http://latinmassmiddlesbrough.blogspot.com/

A memorable and solemn occasion

Between six and seven hundred souls attended the Missa Cantata this afternoon, hundreds of which then walked in procession to English Martyrs church via the Shambles, Lower Ousegate and the Bar Convent.

During the procession one of the street buskers who plays an old piano started to play The Lord is my Shepherd to Crimmond and some other young lads who were making a real old noise with battery powered amplification fell silent as the crucifer approached and passed by until the leaders of the procession were out of earshot. Some people were less respectful as we passed by - they were clearly very unnerved by the sight.

The Minster had placed at our disposal a superb group of professionals. These people were a delight to work with.

My own personal thanks go to the lad in the yellow jacket who went ahead of the crucifer to show him the way from the Minster to English Martyrs.

Having been asked to be the MC at the Mass I remembered most things including the timings of the Gloria, tract and Sanctus but I did manage to forget my camera, so I shall post some copied pictures as they become available.

Please remember that our last Sunday of the month Mass at Castleford is now a Missa Cantata, as are the 1st Sunday of the month Masses at Broughton and the 2nd Sunday of the month Masses at Bradford.

Leeds was represented by four Priests in choro.

There were three priests from Birmingham including the PP of the Oratory, the Prior of the Leicester Dominicans and a Parish Priest from Nottingham Diocese. Fr. Maughan, the celebrant is of course a Priest of the Middlesbrough diocese.

It was great to see friends old and new and I don't think I'm speaking out of turn to say that plans are already under way for next year's Northern Pilgrimage to York.

God bless the Pope!

This weekend

Saturday's pilgrimage to York Minster is of course the big "event" this weekend and tomorrow will see the first Tridentine Missa Cantata in the Minster's history.

As our regular celebrants and servers will be at York tomorrow there will be no regular 4th. Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Mary of the Angels, Batley.

Please remember that Mass is offered every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in term time at 6.45a.m. at St. Mary's, Crossbank Rd. Batley.

Sun 27 THIRD SUNDAY in LENT I Cl V
No Gl Cr Pr of Lent

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

Sunday - Missa Cantata, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

Sunday - Low Mass, Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Road, Manchester at 4.00p.m.

Sunday - Low Mass, English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York at 6.30p.m.

St. Margaret Clitherow, pray for us!

Heart of Jesus crucified, have mercy on us!

FINAL CALL

Saturday 26th. March YORK MINSTER - Missa Cantata 1.30p.m.

Followed by a procession through the west doors of the Minster via the Shambles (location of the Shrine and near to her home), Ouse Bridge, location of her martyrdom and on to the church of the English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed by the veneration of the relic, which has been very kindly loaned to us by the Bar Convent. Similarly we must give thanks to the Dean and Chapter of the Minster who have been truly gracious in every aspect of the arrangements for what promises to be an outstanding occasion.

I attended a co-ordination meeting after Mass on Sunday in York to clear up any final details and was touched by people's generosity of spirit at all levels.

Pro-life groups, Catholic Mother and Ladies groups, home-schoolers, recent converts, young families, interested non-traditionally minded individuals, people from Knaresborough, Shipley, Bradford, Haxby, Leeds, Heckmondwike, Portsmouth, Oxford, Halifax, Selby, Leicester, London, Greater London, Manchester, Liverpool, Harrogate, Sale, York, Gateshead, Newcastle, Scunthorpe, Hull, Wakefield, Keighley, Birkenhead and Sheffield have approached me personally or by e-mail about the event.

Please do everything you can to attend this historic (first Traditional Latin Mass at the high altar since the reformation) in honour of the Pearl of York, the patroness of the Latin Mass Society and moreover an inspirational saint for our times.

Bring a banner for the procession!

I cannot help but think of St. Margaret Clitherow Girls' Grammar School in Bradford which was always headed by a Sister of the Cross and Passion and was the school directly opposite and attached to Cardinal Hinsley Boys' Grammar School, headed by the only headmaster in its two decade history, Walter Earnshaw.

I attended Cardinal Hinsley in the early eighties. During my time there the school became Yorkshire Martyrs Collegiate School - which has now also sadly closed down.

Let us pray for a regeneration of orthodox Catholic devotion and pray that our pilgrimage to York be an occasion of true joy in its Catholic, historic, liturgical, ecumenical, musical and papally approved nature on account of Summorum Pontificum.

God bless the Pope!

This weekend

Saturday is the Feast of St. Joseph. Low Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton, near Skipton. 9.30a.m.

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

Sunday. Low Mass, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

Sunday. Low Mass, St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds. 5.00p.m.

Sunday, Missa cantata, English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace York. 6.30p.m.

St. Patrick's day

Always a poignant occasion for me since our late son's birth and death on this day in 2001.

He only opened his eyes once in his short life when I poured the water on his head to baptise him - a minute after his birth and a moment before he died.

Ten years ago seems like ten minutes. Compared to infinity it's not even the blinking of an eye.

A spring Mass

The sung Mass at Bradford this afternoon was a spiritually rewarding experience. Beautiful spring weather, a good turnout with lots of children and a solemn liturgy including the singing of Adoro te devote and the Attende Domine.

Preparations are well under way for the Mass at York Minster which has now even appeared on several of the American blogsites including the New Liturgical Movement. I am presently finalising details for the serving of the Mass and an excellent booklet has been produced for the day. The relic (the saint's hand) will be transported from the Bar Convent for veneration after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at English Martyrs church. Rehearsals for the singing are being planned and I think it will be a wonderful occasion.

One Parish Priest has requested supply so he can attend.

Other clergy wishing to attend in choro should bring choir dress and a red stole.

Three baptisms

The church of the Immaculate Heart resembled a nursery this afternoon as three little children received the Sacrament of Baptism in the presence of their siblings, cousins, friends and relatives.

Father Wiley took it all in his stride and remarked on how well the children behaved.

I really enjoyed the occasion, the last baptism I went to was our 8 year old son's.

Quadragesima

Masses this weekend:

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

Missa Cantata, Sunday, 3,00p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Bradford.

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

Cancellation

I regret having to announce that the St. Joseph Day of Recollection at Ladyewell near Preston has now been cancelled because of the serious fire there last month. It is hoped to reschedule for later in the year.

Ash Wednesday

After a long wait Lent is finally here.

Masses tomorrow;

6.45a.m. St. Mary of the Angels, Cross Bank Road, Batley

11.30a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton

Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence.

Qinquagesima

Masses this weekend for Quinquagesima;

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY II Cl V
No Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

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

Sunday Missa Cantata, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton at 11.30a.m.

Sunday Low Mass, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

Training Conference in May

PRIESTS’ TRAINING CONFERENCE

BUCKFAST ABBEY

3rd to 6th May 2011

The Latin Mass Society will be holding its seventh residential Priests’ Training Conference at Buckfast Abbey from 3rd to 6th May. The Abbot and community have extended a particularly warm welcome, and this new venue promises to be a great success.

Tuition will be provided by priests well experienced in the traditional rites and will be in small groups selected to suit the experience of each participant. Thus it is expected that there will be groups studying Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Solemn Mass.

There will also be tuition for servers who wish to improve their skills. Again tuition will be in groups according to ability and experience.

The conference will start with Mass at 11am on the Tuesday morning and will end after lunch on the Friday. For those travelling long distances, it will be possible to book a room for the Monday night. Accommodation will be provided in the guest houses of the Abbey and the Abbot has kindly allowed the conference to have extensive use of the Abbey Church both for tuition and for our liturgies.

If you would like to attend this conference, please complete the application form, which can be downloaded from the Latin Mass Society website. It should be returned to the address given with an appropriate cheque. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Latin Mass Society on 020 7404 7284.

Castleford Missa Cantata

The Mass tomorrow at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road at 3.00p.m. will be a sung Mass.

Thanks to John Burton once again for agreeing to take on the musical aspect of this Mass every last Sunday of the month.

The next sung Mass at Castleford after tomorrow will be Sunday 27th. March.

This will follow our National Pilgrimage in honour of St. Margaret Clitherow which will take place the day before (Sat 26th. March) at York Minster. Missa cantata in the Minster at 1.30p.m. followed by procession via the Shambles (where she lived), onto the Ouse Bridge (near to where she met her excruciating death) to the church of the English Martyrs in Dalton Terrace, for veneration of the relic and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 4.00p.m. Already two Leeds Priests have said they will be attending in choro, with Middlesbrough and Hexham & Newcastle Priests also to be in attendance in choir.

Unless anybody knows better I understand that this will be the first ever public Missa Cantata in the Tridentine Rite.

God bless the Pope!

Ladyewell day of Recollection

I recently learned of a serious fire at the little Marian shrine of Ladyewell in the Diocese of Lancaster only a day after I corresponded with a chap in the Salford Diocese about pilgrimages for the North of England. I then picked up this which I hope will be of interest to some of you:

If you are within travelling distance of Preston in Lancashire, there will be a Lenten Day of Recollection led by Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP at Ladyewell Shrine, Broughton, Preston, Lancashire PR2 5ST on Saturday, 19th March 2011 (Feast of St Joseph).

Schedule:
11am - Morning conference: St Joseph, a model of obedience.
12pm - Confessions and Holy Mass (usus antiquior)
1pm - Time to eat packed lunches.
2pm - Afternoon conference: St Joseph, a model of hope.
3pm – Exposition, Confessions (during Adoration) and Benediction
4pm - Tea and coffee.

Free admission. All welcome.
Contact: Matthew McCusker – E-mail : mjp.mccusker@googlemail.com or mobile: 07929 786775

(By kind permission of Rev Fr Thomas Hoole, P.P.and Shrine Director)

Thanks to Matt McCusker for this.

Masses this weekend - Sexagesima

This evening (Friday), Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike at 7.30p.m.

also St. Maries's, Manchester Road, Bury at 7.30p.m.

Tomorrow morning, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall at 9.30a.m.

also English Martyrs, Alexandra Rd. South, Manchester at 10.a.m.

Vigil Mass, St. Mary of the Angels, Cross Bank Road, Batley at 3.00p.m.

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

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

Sunday, Low Mass, Holy Name, Oxford Road, Manchester at 4.00p.m.

Sunday, English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York at 6.30p.m.

Very informative and interesting day

Today's visit to Whalley and Towneley Hall Museum in Burnley were thoroughly enjoyable. After Mass at Broughton we visited the C of E parish church in Whalley where we saw the misericords rescued from the neighbouring Abbey, now in ruins. For Cistercian fittings they seemed extremely ornate but very beautiful. The other parts are in Blackburn Cathedral, where the verger agreed they looked out of place.

We were able to chat with three very pleasant gentlemen after looking round the church in the parish office. One chap was the verger and he explained the problems the parish was experiencing as a result of plans to build houses galore in the district. Their views on clerical celibacy, women priests and Humanae Vitae were no surprise but they all had great integrity and were honest in their convictions - the man whose wife was a retired vicar said that ordaining women hadn't boosted numbers in church attendance.

The magnificent reredos installed in the early part of the last century by a generous four-barrel-named benefactor includes pictures of Saints James, Ethelreda, Francis of Assisi and Ursula. A small crucifix, slightly redolent of the one in Westminster Cathedral is centrally placed. I thought this to be a very eclectic little group of saints and apart from any personal family associations with the donor I am still pondering as to why these are together. Only afterwards it occurred to me that I ought to have asked about this.

A walk round the abbey ruins confirmed my belief that a Mass there would be very desirable, given that there is a magnificent stone altar reconstructed over the site of the original high altar.

A visit to the retreat and conference centre was very enlightening and I can think of no better place to organise a mid-week retreat with spiritual direction and Mass at very reasonable rates.

The last Abbot of Whalley was hanged at Lancaster for his involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace and is sometimes referred to as a Martyr at the Scaffold.

Having witnessed the extravagant (by Cistercian standards) misericords at the Parish church in Whalley we went on to Towneley Hall museum to view the equally extravagant Whalley Vestments. We were instantly astonished at the size of them. They were either very big monks or the celebrating monks would be totally housed in them (hence the term chasuble - little house). The chasuble and dalmatic are works of art and are embroidered with what some say are strawberries, but to me resemble pomegranates.

The Towneleys who are direct descendants of the de Lacy family (and so linked with Bradford's Bolling Hall) still gather to attend Mass in the Hall at 7.00a.m. once a year on the Eve of All Saints we were told. We had a fascinating view of one of the original seven priest holes situated under a maid's bedroom and above a modern office. How must these trapped priests have lived out their stress and fear? The chapel is complete with an astonishing example of a Dutch carved

altar, Missal and altar cards. The low height altar and huge vestments were in great contrast to each other as they had been brought together by events in time, but by those who held and kept the Catholic Faith, which comes to us from the Apostles.

A very remarkable comment by Mgr Loftus

On page 17 of this month's edition of the Leeds Diocesan Leeds Catholic Post http://www.catholicpost.org.uk/latest/index.htm Leeds Priest Basil Loftus (retired) reviews a book which concerns the Church of the 1960s pastoral Council (Vat 2) some forty-five years on.

"Very wisely, not all the Conciliar documents are covered. Those, for instance, on Education and on the Communications Media are disappointing and inadequate, not to say , in some instances, harmful." writes Mgr Loftus.

As he raises this issue, the comment made me instantly ask myself two questions, firstly are we free to believe (by his example) that perhaps other Conciliar documents are more than disappointing and harmful and secondly what, for instance, makes him think the document on Education should be ranked in this potentially toxic group?

This said, I shall be sending for the book which Monsignor is reviewing and I look forward to reading it, if not to learn what was so "disgraceful" about the treatment of Lavinia Byrne.

I have just finished reading a very enjoyable collection of essays about the Bishops of Leeds put together in honour of Bishop emeritus David Konstant.

It is tragic to see what was built up, taken for granted and then lost over the last forty odd years.

In bookish holiday mood may I recommend The Heresy of Formlessness by Martin Mosebach which as the title suggests is a response to the ills we have suffered by self-styled liturgists and 1970s liberal revolutionaries who keep on running but haven't the foggiest idea where they're going.

Septuagesima

The green and the Gloria now give way to the purple and the tract this weekend as the season of Septuagesima begins.

The bulbs in the garden are looking healthy - the sword-like shoots of the daffodils are more than three inches out of the soil and the snowdrops are in bloom.

Snow is forecast.

Lent is on the horizon.

Masses this weekend

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

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

Sunday, Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford rd. Manchester. 4.00p.m.

Sunday, St. Augustine's, Harehills Rd. Leeds. 5.oo.p.m.

Sunday, English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York. 6.30p.m.

God bless the Pope!

Half term in sight

Our good friend Fr. Parfitt of Broughton will offer a sung Mass at Bewerley Grange chapel near Pateley Bridge, next Thursday, February 24th. for the Feast of St. Matthias.

I am also planning a trip to Whalley Abbey in Lancashire on Wednesday to assess its suitability as a place to hold a pilgrimage and sung Mass there in the summer holidays. This will also mean lots of paperwork and preparation if it proves viable, which I hope it will.

Mass in honour of St. Margaret Clitherow at York Minster

The Mass at York Minster to celebrate the National Pilgrimage in honour of St. Margaret Clitherow on 26th. March will be a sung Mass at the high altar at 1.30p.m.

We will process from the Minster at 3.00p.m. to the shrine of the saint in the Shambles and in a change of plan, onto the church of the English Martyrs in Dalton Terrace instead of the Bar Convent, because of ever increasing space limitation in the Convent chapel as more people register interest. Interestingly, English Martyrs has a very thought-provoking little collection of relics and objects associated with some of those very English Martyrs to whom the church is dedicated.

Pray for good weather and bring a packed lunch!

An excellent read

For a really good five minute read and lots of food for thought take a look at the following link

http://hughosb.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/facing-east-and-papal-fads/#comments

where Fr Hugh of Douai gives his thoughts on facing east.

The mustard seed

Father Hall's sermon at St. Peter's, Bradford, was a pearl today. So redolent of the Little Way of St. Therese in its humility and so powerful in its effect. Father cited examples from his life as Priest and teacher where green shoots, which he likened to the mustard seed of the Gospel, were springing up in his life. Full of hope and inspiration I was truly moved by what he said and much of it he said, he owed to having learned to offer the EF Rite of Mass.

The training day for servers went very well yesterday - please follow this link to see photos of the event

www.flickr.com/photos/24855617@N05/sets/72157625907456463/

Preparations for the National Pilgrimage in honour of our Patroness, St. Margaret Clitherow at York Minster are well underway. Another green shoot.

Busy weekend

Tomorrow - Saturday sees our joint Dioceses Servers' Training session, which involves Leeds, Salford, Middlesbrough and Hexham & Newcastle Reps. This will take place at English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York, concluding with a Missa Cantata at 3.00p.m. to which all are welcome. I hope our rookie servers will be ready to serve it!

Also on Saturday

Low Mass, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall near Skipton at 9.30a.m.

SIXTH SUNDAY after EPIPHANY II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

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

Sunday

Missa cantata, St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Bradford. 3.00p.m.

Low Mass, St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

This weekend we see the last of the green vestments, as Epiphanytide which has run its full course, gives way to the liturgical season of Septuagesima which foreshadows Lent. It will set the scene, so enjoy the last of the freshness of the green, which has perhaps signified the growth of the Holy Child Jesus from his infancy to manhood and early ministry. It will not be seen again until after a temporally late Pentecost. Between the green of this weekend and the red of the Pentecost Mass we will see purple give way to the white of Holy Thursday to Good Friday black and then overnight give way to festal White and Gold. The colours are themselves are an aid to understanding at every level. As a change to the monotony the Church allows Rose coloured vestments in Lent, which is also a pleasant push to instil hope in to us to persevere with our Lenten sacrifices, fasts and alms giving.

Easter is very late this year, so too is February half term. The first of our Masses at Bewerley Grange chapel, Pateley Bridge, this year will be on Thursday 24th. February, a sung Mass for the feast of St. Matthias at 11.30a.m.

Finally - I am rarely, if ever, shocked by what I hear and see, occasionally though I see something which does sicken me. I offer the following link with a question. The question is quite simply, what have we done to deserve this? http://www.alma-de-cuba.com/history/

Regular sung Mass

Following the pleasant change of routine on Sunday at St. Joseph's Castleford, when we had a sung Mass, with epistle and Gospel chanted in the vernacular (Knox translation) instead of Low Mass, it was agreed afterwards by the singers, servers, rep and celebrant that each last Sunday of the month be henceforth a Missa cantata.
You would be most welcome to come along and join the singers - perhaps we can think of something to sing to raise the roof to end this month's Mass before the Marian Anthem is sung on February 27th. at 3.00p.m.

Suggestions I might suggest would include; Praise to the Holiest, Jesus my Lord my God, Faith of our Fathers, O Mother blest or Full in the panting heart of Rome.
Colours of day will not be considered.

Reminder that there is a regular sung Mass at Broughton Hall each first Sunday of the month at 11.30a.m and each second Sunday at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford at 3.00p.m.

A very productive meeting

Last night I attended a co-ordination meeting with our diocesan EF co-ordinator, Fr. Wiley.

We made a great deal of progress in less than two hours over coffee and cake at the presbytery.

Forthcoming events include;

An afternoon retreat with traditional Catholic devotion, including Mass, Rosary, Benediction, talks on the Rosary and the spirituality of the Mass and opportunity for confession. Planned for October.

Server training session in late August.

Clergy training in singing at a mutually convenient time.

Solemn High Mass and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament for Corpus Christi in June.

Mass at the Cathedral in November and other occasions.

We both now have a lot of letters/e-mails to compose and send as well as receiving training in the 1962 rubrics for the Solemn Mass with Fr. Parfitt and checking things by telephone.

Fr. Michael O'Reilly who used to offer Mass for us at Killingbeck Cemetery chapel called this sort of activity in one of his very practical sermons as celebrating the sacrament of the moment which I equated (and still do) with the little way of St. Therese and the desire to sanctify laborious daily activity as a work of God as prescribed by many orders and especially Opus Dei.

The word training appears a lot in this post. I do think this augurs well for the future and thank God daily for our opportunity to attend the traditional Mass so frequently in different places in the diocese.

God bless our Pope!

Mary, Help of Christians pray for us!

Blessed John Henry Newman, pray for us!

Epiphany IV

FOURTH SUNDAY after EPIPHANY II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

Saturday Masses

NEW VENUE ; Notre Dame, Leeds University RC Chaplaincy. St. Mark's Avenue Leeds. 4.00p.m.

St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.

Sunday Mass

St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m. THIS WILL BE A SUNG MASS.

Epiphany III

THIRD SUNDAY after EPIPHANY II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

Mass tomorrow (Saturday)

St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley. Missa Cantata 3.00p.m.

St. Mary's Gibbet Street, Halifax, Low Mass 6.00p.m.

Sunday

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

Masses this weekend

Sun 16 SECOND SUNDAY after EPIPHANY II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

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

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

Sunday, St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds. 5.00p.m.

Bishop Tom Williams auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool will attend the 9.00a.m. Mass at St. Mary Magdalen, Penwortham near Preston on Sunday. This follows hot on the heels of his visit to Farrington near Wigan where he attended a Missa cantata in December.

Bishop McMahon of Nottingham offered a Pontifical Mass in Leicester at the Priory of the Holy Cross Dominican Church on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and earlier in November one of the London Auxiliary Bishops administered the Sacrament of Confirmation at Spanish Place in London, where our own three daughters were confirmed several years ago by the late Bishop James O'Brien.

If you are near Preston on Sunday, please consider showing up and demonstrating the demand for the EF Mass if you are able.

NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE IN YORK

NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE IN HONOUR OF

ST. MARGARET CLITHEROW (Patroness of the LMS)

SATURDAY 26TH. MARCH

MISSA CANTATA YORK MINSTER 1.30P.M.

TO BE FOLLOWED BY PROCESSION AND BENEDICTION AT 4.00P.M.

*************

UPDATE; Benediction and veneration of the relic of St. Margaret Clitherow will take place at the Bar Convent

Server training

Before Christmas I mentioned that there would be a training day for men and boys wishing to learn how to serve the Low Mass and Missa cantata. This will take place at English Martyrs Dalton Terrace, York on Saturday 12th. February. There has been a good amount of interest shown in this by several people from Leeds, Middlesbrough and Hexham & Newcastle Dioceses.

If you are interested please contact me to get further details or to register at infolmleeds AT gmail DOT com.

Feast of the Holy Family

Masses on Sunday for the Feast of the Holy Family:

Missa cantata - St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford at 3.00p.m.

Low Mass - St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

Epiphany

Mass on the traditional day of January 6th. for the Feast of the Epiphany will be on Thursday at 6.45a.m. at St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley.

Update

Thursday evening saw a beautiful sung Requiem at Wakefield's medieval chantry chapel and marked the exact date of the death of the Duke of York in 1460 at the Battle of Wakefield.

Fr. D. Smith was celebrant and Fathers Hall and Kravos attended in choro.

The Parish Priest, Fr. Swinglehurst was in the congregation which filled the chapel to capacity.

St. Austin's choir and members of the Leeds Schola Gregoriana sang excellently.

Fr. Smith preached about the occasion and about the relevance of prayer for the dead, the efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice and the timelessness of Almighty God.

Absolutions at the catafalque followed the Mass.

New Year's Day will see three public EF Masses:

Sat 1 OCTAVE DAY of the NATIVITY of OUR LORD I Cl W

+ Gl Cr Pr of the Nativity
Pl Ind Proper Communic diem sacratissimum

9.30a.m at Broughton Hall

NOON at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds.

and

6.00p.m. St. Mary's, Halifax - Vigil for observation of the external solemnity of the Epiphany.

Happy New Year.

God Bless the Pope!

Already the new year beckons

Physical preparations for the Mass on Christmas Eve began at the start of last week as did they for this Thursday's sung requiem Mass at Wakefield Chantry Chapel and for the New Year's Day Mass at NOON at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds. Mass at Immaculate Heart will be also be missa cantata.

St Austin's Church choir of Wakefield will sing at the Chantry Chapel Mass and our old friend Mr. Mike Murphy will be the main cantor at Immaculate Heart and the celebrant will be Dean Wiley, VF.

I have a couple of tickets available for the Wakefield Mass if you wish to contact me at the address in the left hand bar at the top.

Many thanks to Fr. Kravos for his excellent welcome to us at Notre Dame. His kindness was matched only by that of our celebrant Fr. M. Hall whose kindness and good counsel I value very much.

Please continue to pray for our priests and all those others who continue to help facilitate the Extraordinary Form of Mass in our Diocese.

We are one small piece of a large jigsaw which is getting larger in this, the glorious pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI.

Not Father Christmas

No. Not Father Christmas, but Christ.

During all six pregnancies of my wife neither of us could wait until that moment when nature dictated that the baby was on its way into the world.

I saw a blog earlier rejoicing the feast of the birth of salvation. And I rejoiced in my heart, like Mary must have done at the Annunciation. The invisible would become visible and the God man would be amongst us.

First Mass of Christmas at 6.00p.m. at Notre Dame chapel, Leeds University chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. PARKING should not be a problem in the spaces outside Notre Dame school and St Anne’s Community Services over the road.

Mass at English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York at 8.30a.m.

Mass at noon on Christmas Day at English Martyrs, Alexandra Rd. South, Whalley Range, Manchester.

On the morning of Christmas Eve (Friday) the Holy Father will speak for the first time on the Thought for the Day slot at 7.50a.m. on the BBC Radio 4.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

From the latest FSSP newsletter

First Solemn High Mass back in England of then-Fr Matthew McCarthy, FSSP:

Saturday 28thMay 2011, 3pm;

at St James‘s Church, Spanish Place,

22 George Street, London W1U 3QY -

kindly welcomed by Parish Priest Fr, Christopher Colven.

Followed by First blessings, and refreshments in Parish Hall. Come and pray with and for this newly ordained British priest and for more priestly vocations.

Petition.... and important announcements

A petition has been set up protesting at the manner in which the trustees of Ushaw College have announced its closure. It urges the trustees to defer the closure until such time as proper consultation has taken place and schemes for its survival have been considered.

To sign the petition, go to:

www.ipetitions.com/petition/ushaw/

There is a fair bit of background information about the closure of Ushaw College on Fr Brown's blog, Forest Murmurs and Fr Elkin's blog, Let the Welkin Ring.

(Above courtesy of Middlesbrough LMS Blog)

I have signed the petition and would encourage you to do the same. I would be keen to read the reasons for closure of this place which could, once again, play a pivotal role in restoring the Faith to our isle.

A walk round town today left me shuddering - literally and spiritually. Both involved coldness. Freezing temperatures and horrid, superficial and empty excesses. Christmas is for the children, people say to me. If the way we squander money and debase ourselves during winterval is anything to go by it is little wonder society is how it is.

Moreover Bradford city centre is and for a long time has been redolent of 1980s East Berlin with about as much heart as a plastic pink rocking horse (now with already 20% off at one store).

I bumped in to one of my cousins who told me that she and her husband had both lost their very good jobs at the same time in October, I was really sickened for them, they are both younger than me.

I am looking forward to our First Mass of Christmas at Notre Dame Chapel. Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds at 6.00p.m. on Friday. This will be a sung Mass.

Much of Monday was spent preparing for the Christmas Mass at Notre Dame, Leeds, the Requiem at Wakefield Chantry Chapel on Thursday 30th. December and for the New Year's day Mass at noon at Immaculate Heart, Moortown, Leeds.

However:

There will be no EF Mass at Batley or Halifax on Christmas Day nor will there be the regular Mass at 3.00p.m. at St. Joseph's, Castleford on Sunday, Boxing Day. Sincere apologies for this.

The nearest EF Masses on Sunday 26th. December (Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus) are at:

Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Road, Manchester. 4.00p.m. (very apt, given the feast.)

English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace, York. 6.30p.m.

Calendar

There are still copies of the 20011 LMS calendar available at St. Paul's Bookshop opposite the Cathedral in Leeds. I have sold all the ones I had.

Advent IV

Masses on Sunday for the fourth Sunday of Advent;Sun 19 FOURTH SUNDAY of ADVENT 1 Cl V
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity
Sunday Office:
At Vespers Mag Ant O radix Iesse

St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds at 5.00p.m.

The Priesthood

I was delighted to learn that a young man of our acquaintance has put himself forward as a candidate for the Priesthood. He is assured of my prayers and Masses will be offered this coming year for our seminarians, for vocations along with those for the propagation of the Faith . I have met several of our seminarians over recent months and couldn't wish to meet a greater group of dedicated and well balanced men.

I understand that my old friend from University days at Manchester, Rev Mr M. McCarthy FSSP will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood next year. When times were very much more desperate we attended Mass together in some odd places and met some equally odd people just to hear those sacred words and witness those sacred actions. (I was probably odder than most!)

A consecrated Bishop will lay hands on and anoint Rev. McCarthy who will then be able to administer the Sacraments

At Confession tonight when my confessor gave me absolution, the only part of him I saw was his hand through the grill.

Reflecting on the advice I had received on the way home, I suddenly recalled the words of a little devotional leaflet I discovered in my great grandmother's missal, now long gone.

Two minutes of googling helped me find the words contained on this leaflet ...

The Beautiful Hands of a Priest.

We need them in life's early morning,
We need them again at its close;
We feel their warm clasp of true friendship,
We seek it while tasting life's woes.

When we come to this world we are sinful,
The greatest as well as the least.
And the hands that make us pure as angels
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

At the altar each day we behold them,
And the hands of a king on his throne
Are not equal to them in their greatness
Their dignity stands alone.

For there in the stillness of morning
Ere the sun has emerged from the east,
There God rests between the pure fingers
Of the beautiful hands of a priest.

When we are tempted and wander
To pathways of shame and sin
'Tis the hand of a priest that absolve us.
Not once but again and again.

And when we are taking life's partner
Other hands may prepare us a feast
But the hands that will bless and unite us,
Are the beautiful hands of a priest.

God bless them and keep them all holy,
For the Host which their fingers caress,
What can a poor sinner do better
Than to ask Him who chose them to bless

When the death dews on our lids are falling,
May our courage and strength be increased
By seeing raised o'er us in blessing
The beautiful hands of a priest.

Deo gratias!

Gaudete! Advent III

This weekend there will be three Gaudete Masses.

Sun 12 THIRD SUNDAY of ADVENT (Gaudete Sunday) 1 Cl V/ROSE
No Gl. Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity
Sunday Office

Halifax, Low Mass, Saturday at St. Mary's. 6.00p.m. (Vigil)

Bradford, Missa Cantata, Sunday at St. Peter's, Leeds Road. 3.00p.m. Confessions available before and after Mass.

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

Reminder - Mass at Holy Spirit, Heckmondwike at 7.30p.m. on Friday and on Saturday morning at Broughton Hall at 9.30a.m.

Advent II

Numbers at Halifax were probably the lowest ever tonight as the weather continued to maintain its feverish grip.

I spoke over the telephone to Fr. Parfitt this evening who lives where temperatures fell to -13 degrees earlier this week. The regular Missa cantata at Broughton at 11.30a.m. will go ahead as usual tomorrow and there will be Mass as usual at 3.00p.m. at Castleford.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Wednesday. Mass at Batley, 6.45a.m. and Broughton at 9.30a.m.

Reminder that there is Mass on Christmas Eve at Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University R.C. Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Ave, Leeds at 6.00p.m.

December 30th. at 7.00p.m. will see a sung Requiem Mass at Wakefield chantry chapel. Please let me know if you would like a ticket for this Mass and civic event, as the Lord Mayor of Wakefield will be in attendance. Celebrant - Rev Fr. D. Smith, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy.

On 1st January 2011 there will be a Missa cantata at Noon at Immaculate Heart, Moortown, Leeds. Celebrant - PP, Rev Fr. T. Wiley VF. This will be the first public Mass in this church for at least twelve years - the penultimate Mass we attended as a family there saw me locking the car keys in the car with the baby whilst her two sisters looked on highly amused!

That baby is now in her last year of school but I still remember clearly how easily the car was broken into by the rescue man without causing any damage to save the situation and to let us get on our way.

Immaculate Heart church was a "regular" venue for the old Mass especially in the days when the great Bp Wheeler was the Ordinary of the Diocese.

Several young men who went on to study for the Priesthood used to attend Masses here from the very early 1980s. One such lad was the present Parish Priest - well, what goes round comes round.

On Monday I have an appointment with a high ranking member of the local Polish Community. I hope he will be able to help me formulate an advert for Polish migrant workers and residents who would like to attend the TLM in this part of the world.