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.’

Quinquagesima

Masses on Sunday;

3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
4.00 p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike, but please check with Fr. Abberton beforehand on 01924 410568.
5.10 p.m. St. Augustine's, Harehills, Leeds

Bishop Roche's Pastoral Letter will of course be read at these Masses. This Lent his Lordship places great emphasis on self sacrifice.

An elderly priest (now long since gone to his rewards) once told me how he was delighted to be invited to lunch with the bishop (rubbing his hands at the thought of the feast before him expecting salmon or something fancy with cheese) without realizing that although it was a Friday it was also in Lent. Two bowls of soup was the fare (and only on account of his age!) Everybody else got one bowl and and a glass of water. This was the same priest who considered practicality in Liturgy as being paramount. Upon receiving a different bishop for Confirmations many years ago he produced a Jif lemon to cleanse the bishop's fingers along with a slice of a Danish loaf diagonally cut into two on a little silver platter. The bishop remarked at the time how this arrangement was novel to him. Father took this as a great compliment.

ALSO on Ash Wednesday at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton at 11.30 a.m. (contrary to erroneous information on the national website. Many thanks to DA for spotting this.) Ashes will be distributed at this Mass.

I've pondered the meaning of the "gesima" Sundays so much that I still haven't finally decided which bit of self sacrifice to have a go at. Cigarettes - would make everybody else miserable because my temper would fray after about 2 seconds. Drink - would make no real difference nor would giving up chocolate. But sugar (inc sweeteners) would be tricky - in tea and coffee, cakes, sweets, pastries, buns, ice-cream, jelly, custard and brioche. Last year was meat and that was just different.

I think I'll try to read all 150 psalms and keep dipping into Mgr Knox's  Stimuli and Lightning Meditations  as well as something I got half way through last Lent by Abbot Christopher Jamison called Finding Sanctuary and which I recall admiring until illness struck. The Stations of the Cross, which I understand is an invention of St. Francis, will also have to feature.

As we have the Sacred Triduum again this year at Notre Dame Chapel in Leeds I also need to prepare the things we need as well as printing off the texts we need and the painting the paschal candle.

Busy then!

From the Yorkshire Evening Post

LYONS GERALD BRYAN
(Gerry) February 10, of your charity please pray for the repose of the soul of Gerald, R.I.P., who passed away peacefully aged 89 years (Former Choirmaster of the Cathedral Church of St. Anne, Leeds).
Devoted husband to Mary, loving father of Geraldine, Paula, Anthony and Hilary. A dear father-in-law of Ian, Janice and the late Rob and a loved grandad of Stephanie, Alex, Adam and Joseph.
Gerald will be received into St. Urban's Catholic Church, Leeds 6 on Monday February 20 at 6.15pm.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday February 21 at 10.30am prior to interment at Killingbeck Catholic Cemetery. Flowers, or if desired donations to the YEP Half & Half Appeal, for which a plate will be provided at the church. Friends please accept this intimation.
Enquiries to
Hughes Funeral Services
180 York Road,
Leeds 9
tel: 2480953

Source; YEP 17.2.12

A delightful morning

Fine and milder weather was a beautiful setting for our regular half term Mass at Bewerley Grange chapel near Pateley Bridge this morning - a votive Mass of the Holy Name of Jesus. As ever the schola was in good voice and thanks to the servers Messrs Janko and O'Dowd. Fr. Parfitt preached on the venerable practice of bowing one's head at the Holy Name.
Sr Mary rang the Angelus bell at the conclusion of Mass.

Gerald Lyons RIP

It is with regret that I have to announce the death of my predecessor as LMS rep for the Leeds Diocese, Gerald Lyons, who died on Friday in Leeds.
Gerry who was a former choirmaster at the Cathedral ran the show here in far more restrictive times than we enjoy now and always worked well with Mgr Peter McGuire VG and Canon Tagney in the Killingbeck days.
My sympathy goes to his wife and children.
May he rest in peace.

Sexagesima

Masses for the feast of Sexagesima

Saturday (Vigil) St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m
Sunday (missa cantata) St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00 p.m.
Sunday (Low Mass) St.Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

PLEASE REMEMBER MASS AT BEWERLEY GRANGE CHAPEL on Tuesday 14th February at 11.30 a.m. This is to be a votive Mass of the Holy Name of Jesus. Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt and the Bewerley authorities for this.

Masses this weekend

Epiphany IV

Vigil Mass at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.
Low Mass at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

Candlemas - February 2nd. Holy Mass

There will be Mass for the Feast of the Purification (Candlemas) on Thursday 2nd. February at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton at 11.30 a.m., which will include the traditional procession and blessing of candles. Many thanks to Father Parfitt for this.

Cancellation

I have just received word from Father Abberton that there will be no Mass at Heckmondwike tomorrow as there are problems with the heating in church.

Masses this weekend and good news

Back to post-Pentecost green this weekend as we enter the pre Septaguesima season.
Sun 15 II SUNDAY after EPIPHANY II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity.

Masses
Vigil Saturday 14th. January St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.
Sunday 3.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Rd. Castleford.
Sunday 4.00p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike. Please confirm by telephoning 01924 402579
NO MASS at St Augustine's, Leeds as the celebrant is receiving a body into church.

Also I have just received news that our Easter Triduum will go ahead again this year. Many thanks again to Fathers Hall and Kravos who were so accommodating at Christmas.

Epiphany

Masses this weekend for the Feast of the Epiphany are as follows:

Saturday: Vigil Mass St. Mary's, Gibbet Street Halifax. 6.00p.m.
Sunday: Missa Cantata St. Peter's. Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00p.m.
Low Mass St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00p.m.

Apologies for the light posting since Christmas - my modem fizzled out and died on Christmas day and has only been replaced this week.

Happy New Year to everybody.

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!

Difficult week - Laus Deo semper

I returned to my home from London last week from the annual Requiem and Joint Rep/Committee Meeting at 11.25 p.m. I had left the Cathedral at 3.35 p.m. I enjoyed a scenic view of Lincoln Cathedral by spotlight and experienced how long it takes to locate and fit a new (working) electrically powered locomotive, met one of our semi-retired occasional celebrants at Wakefield, prepared a Power point presentation on Bloom's taxonomy in delivering modern languages in Key Stage 3 and then read three quarters of the latest copy of the Oldie magazine. At 44 I thought I might be a bit young to enjoy this publication but was reassured to read that a twenty-six year old woman is similarly engrossed. Its articles remind me of the very decent texts the Joint Matriculation Board used to offer in the Ordinary Level English Language Comprehension tests in the nineteen seventies and eighties.

The LMS meeting in London was also a bit of a let down as they had to find alternative accommodation at the last minute, which sadly curtailed the length of the meeting and reduced the time to share opinion etc. The fact that the Victoria line was also not running at all, made it even more of a bind.

On Sunday, returning from Castleford, I was delayed by fog and an accident on the M62, making us ten minutes late for the Mass at St. Augustine's in Leeds. Fr. Wiley was kind enough to wait for us.

Yesterday ( Saturday) I set off to Mass in Halifax and soon after the exhaust pipe came loose and started to scrape against the carriage way, so I had to turn back. I got up early to repair it on Sunday and spent ages faffing about until I can take it to the garage on Monday, and so we could get to Mass in Castleford.

As we passed the old Cardinal Hinsley Grammar School near Tong we again heard the dreaded clunk. More road side repairs and back home again. More messing about in fading light with old dry cleaners' twisted coathangers so as to be able to drive to the garage about a quarter of a mile away tomorrow after school.

I did manage to refrain from using any expletives (at least in English - although a couple of German and Polish words did spring to mind).

The planned teachers' strike scheduled for Wednesday puts me in an awkward position. I don't want to strike about this issue of pensions. I don't want to pay more to get less and be forced to work longer to do it. A strike at this point for me does seem to be jumping the gun. Negotiations are still under way and there is room for manoeuvre. I can also use the time to go into an empty of children school (as some of my junior colleagues have told me they will) and do those things I need to get done before Christmas to deal with admin and resources, as opposed to the teaching. Less than three weeks to the Christmas holidays and still a great deal to do.

My father is also gravely ill, please pray for him as he awaits an operation to remove a cancer infested left lung and please remember too to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory in the last days of this month of November and early days of new season of Advent.

Laus Deo semper!

And so to London...

On Saturday I shall be in London for the annual LMS Pontifical Requiem at Westminster Cathedral and for a joint meeting of the Committee and Representatives. The agenda is as dull as such things usually are but the opportunity to meet with like-minded reps and to socially share experiences and ideas about who we are, where we are and where we are going is something to which I look forward from time to time. This year is no exception.

I look forward to the discussion about the new magazine - I have received an unusual amount of comments about this and likewise the application the Pope's clarification of Summorum Pontificum in May will also be another interesting point of discussion.

Having attended this Mass on many previous occasions I am always moved most by the placing of a wreath on the tomb of a former great Bishop of Leeds - Cardinal Heenan.

This year (5th. Nov) marks the 40th. anniversary of the famous "Christie Indult" obtained by Heenan, to allow limited episcopal permission for the Mass to continue in the Rite celebrated before the Council.

Heenan and one of his successors in Leeds, Bishop Gordon Wheeler, who never refused permission for the "Tridentine Mass", are two greats of the Traditional movement in this country. I always feel proud on this occasion to represent our diocese.

No Mass at Halifax on Saturday

As Monsignor Smith will be away on Saturday and it has proved impossible to find a substitute celebrant I am sorry to report that there will be no Vigil Mass at St. Mary's, Halifax.

There are however 3 Masses on Sunday:

3.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
4.00p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike .
5.00p.m. St. Augustine's, Harehills Road, Leeds.

Many thanks to Fr. John Newman of St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford who welcomed us on Sunday for our Requiem for the war dead in the beautiful chapel of our Lady of Bradford, where the sacristan informed me that the Novus ordo Mass is offered daily ad orientem.
The statue is from St. Mary's church in Bradford ( now sadly closed down) and looks far better in its new home than it did when it was in the now defunct church.

Requiems for our war dead

One of my paternal great-grandfathers fell near Ypres many years ago in 1916 0r 1917. He left a widow and four or five little children, one of which was my grandmother. I've visited the grave at the Tyne Cote cemetery many times and I never fail to be deeply moved by what I experience there. The new Tyne Cote Memorial Centre with links to Leeds City Council , opened by Her Majesty the Queen, is very simply simple and reminds me of my visits to Dachau and Buchenwald Concentration Camps.

This weekend there are Requiem Masses at:

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

Bradford - ST. JOSEPH'S (and NOT St, Peter's) Pakington Street, Manchester Road ( near Lidl Supermarket) at the slightly later time of 3.30p.m. Missa Cantata.

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

Please remember the Holy Souls in Purgatory this month.

Masses this Sunday and a word about next week

Sunday

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

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

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

Due to essential building maintenance at St. Peter's next week the Mass has been transferred to St. Joseph's, Pakington Street and will be at the slightly later time of 3.30p.m. This will be the annual Requiem for the war dead. It will be a Missa cantata and offered in the chapel of Our Lady of Bradford. Many thanks to Fr. Newman for so readily welcoming us again.

Apologies to Fr. Abberton. I only learned about his Mass on the feast of All souls after the event. I am doubly annoyed because I was unable to attend any Mass on that day. Mass at Holy Spirit at 4.00 p.m. tomorrow.

All Saints & All Souls

For Masses this weekend please see the previous post.

For the Feast of All Saints on Tuesday;

Monday, 31st. October, 7.30 p.m. Vigil Mass, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds.
Tuesday, 1st. November, 11.30 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton.

For All Souls on Wednesday, 2nd. November 11.30 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton. (and not at the usual 9.30 a.m.)

Today I attended a co-ordination meeting with Fr. Wiley, the Co-ordinator for the Extraordinary Form in Leeds, after Mass to discuss future provision.
One discussion issue was the poor attendance at some of the Masses we already have and how we can best use and if necessary re-direct the resources at our disposal. Two priests have recently put themselves forward, one to learn the Mass and the other to offer the Mass regularly. Our next meeting in the Spring will see decisions being made. As we have no evening Mass on All Saints Fr. Wiley readily agreed to offering a Vigil Mass on Monday at 7.30 p.m.

Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt for Tuesday's Mass at Bewerley. An hitherto grey day again brightened as the schola sang the Mass for the feast of St. John of Beverley. Another great Yorkshire Saint is St. Robert of Newminster who was born in Gargrave - which is part of Fr. Parfitt's own parish today. Masses at Broughton on Tuesday and Wednesday at 11.30 a.m.

Please remember the November Indulgence for the Holy Souls. A great act of charity.

Masses this weekend - CHRIST THE KING

Masses for the Feast of Christ the King this weekend are as follows:

Saturday 4.00p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds.

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

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

Half term

This week our school was given an inspection. It has been a tiring week. It has been a tiring first half term back. It is now half term. My German lesson, on expressing opinions, to a year 7 class was deemed outstanding by a severe looking inspector. I realised my confidence had finally been restored when I heard this after having worried about it before my 3 month recuperation came to its gradual conclusion a month ago.

Next week is a rest planned and I am looking forward to hearing a sung Mass again at Bewerley Grange Chapel, at Pateley Bridge on Tuesday 25th. October at 11.30 a.m.

Our celebrant will be Fr. Parfitt and the schola will sing.

For this Sunday- Pentecost XX;

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

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

So now you know...

Event: Sacred Circle Dance Weekend

Date: 04/11/2011

Venue:

The Briery Retreat Centre, 38 Victoria Avenue, Ilkley, LS29 9BW briery@btconnect.com

Contact: The Administrator

...

Led by Sylvia Williment. Friday 6pm until Sunday after lunch.

Source: forthcoming events section of the Diocesan website.

Busy weekend

This afternoon we have our first retreat in years - please see previous post. We then have four Sunday Masses.

Saturday - Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton Low Mass for the feast of St. Teresa, 9.30 a.m.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Rd. Leeds, Sung Mass -St. Teresa, c. 3.00 p.m.

St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax (Vigil) Pentecost XVII

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

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

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

Please give your support to any of our initiatives. It's always nice to see new faces.

REMINDER

On Saturday we have our October afternoon of recollection from 1.30 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Harrogate Road, Leeds. There will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, a talk on the Rosary and Benediction. After a break there will be a talk on the spirituality of the Mass followed by a Missa Cantata for the Feast of St. Teresa.

It would be lovely to see good numbers attending - so please do something extra for Our Lord and Our Lady in this month traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary.

We hope to finish at around 4.00 p.m.

Thanks to Revv. Abberton, Hall and Wiley for making this possible.

Pentecost XVII

Masses this weekend:

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

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

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

PLEASE REMEMBER OUR AFTERNOON OF RECOLLECTION NEXT SATURDAY - see previous post.

Afternoon of prayer and recollection for October

Last year I was inspired by a day of recollection at St. Joseph's in Gateshead, organised by my friend Mr. David O'Neill, the LMS rep for Hexham and Newcastle. This was given by a Priest of the FSSP and was followed by a solemn Mass.

On October 15th we are to have our own Afternoon of Recollection. There will be a sung Mass for the feast of St. Teresa, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary and an opportunity for confession.

There will be two spiritual talks;

Fr. John Abberton will speak about the Holy Rosary and Fr. Michael Hall will speak about the spirituality of the EF Mass.

Both these men are powerful speakers.

Please use this opportunity to put yourself out to do something extra in this special month dedicated to the Holy Rosary.

We will start at 1.30 p.m. and finish at about 4.30 p.m.

The venue will be the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds.

Thanks to Father Wiley the Parish Priest, who is the diocesan co-ordinator for the EF Rite of Mass whose help and support has been invaluable in this initiative.

By the way - Mr. O'Neill has arranged another High Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Newcastle on Saturday 5th. November at 10.00 a.m. if you are in the area.

Feasts of the Holy Rosary and St. Bridget

Holy Mass for the Feast of the Holy Rosary at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall near Skipton on Friday 7th. October at 9.30 a.m.

Also on Saturday at 9.30 a.m. for the Feast of St. Bridget.

Updated schedule

Unfortunately we have decided to suspend all Masses at Batley during the week and Wednesday saw the last Mass there. This means that there are no EF Masses there now.

The third Saturday Mass at Batley has been superseded by two Sunday Masses at Heckmondwike, Holy Spirit in Bath Road. These are at 4.00p.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month. I shall ask Mr. Grady of the Diocesan Catholic Post to publish the new schedule in the next edition of the paper.

Masses this weekend:

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

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

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

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

Looking ahead

Saturday 15th. October, 1.30 - 4.30 p.m. An afternoon of prayer and reflection on the spirituality of the Extraordinary Form of Mass and the Rosary. Missa Cantata, Rosary, Benediction and opportunity for confession.

Immaculate Heart of Mary church, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds.

Reminders to follow!

Pentecost XV

Mass for the 15th Sunday of Pentecost will be a Missa Cantata at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

This weekend's Masses

Sun 18th September FOURTEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity.

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

Sunday St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.oop.m. Low Mass.

No Masses at Leeds St. Augustine's, (annual holiday), Batley (now discontinued) or Heckmondwike (clerical retreat).

No Mass at York.

Preparations for an October afternoon retreat are now well underway...watch this space!

Pentecost XIII

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST II Cl G
Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

This weekend, Masses for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost will be as follows:

Saturday (Vigil) 10th. September: St Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax - 6.00 p.m.

Sunday Missa cantata 11th. September: St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford - 3.00 p.m.

Sunday Low Mass 11th. September: St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford - 3.00 p.m.

Numbers were down last month at Bradford on account of the holidays - please do all you can to attend. One of our schola members has moved to Turin for a year so if you feel in fine voice please come and support our singers!

News from Hallam Diocese:

SHEFFIELD SUNG REQUIEM. Solemn Requiem Mass with Absolutions at the Catafalque, Friday 30 September 2011, at 7.30pm. Celebrant: Rev. Fr A Tomlinson, STL. St Theresa's Church, Prince of Wales Road, Sheffield. Music provided by the Eckington Singers inc. Faure Requiem and traditional motets. For more information, please contact0114 2332801 or email: failte.sheff@googlemail.com

Also

NEW SHEFFIELD VENUE for Mass. From Saturday, 10 September, because of the temporary closure of Sheffield cathedral for renovation work, the regular monthly monthly EF Mass will take place in the Cathedral Hall, Norfolk Row, SHEFFIELD S1 2JB. Masses start at 10am and take place on the second Saturday of the month.

Thanks to my colleague Mr. Fitzpatrick for this.

NB No Mass at York this week.

Holiday over. Restored to health. Deo gratias!

I am now ready to back to school on Monday, but with a staggered return for the next four weeks. The last three months have seen some hair-raising moments for me with administration of extreme unction in a most extreme moment, a dose of double pneumonia and two cracked ribs following a fall. My biggest fear was the onset of a fit a depression which I experienced after having acute kidney failure and blood poisoning about 9 years ago, brought on by a scratch I received in Rome. So far so good.

Apologies for a degree of laxity in posting and general activity over recent weeks as my recovery and building up my confidence has been my priority and I have been able to spend extended periods of silence before the Blessed Sacrament and literally passing the strains of life over to Him. A trip to Turin and other sites of pilgrimage in Europe held special significance for me over the last month. This said the chapel at Harrogate hospital,by no means a Catholic one, has an atmosphere which was incredibly conducive to prayer and a deeper understanding for God's will for us. The omnipresence of God is never stifling.

There is quite a bit of activity planned over the next few weeks, irons are in the fire for several projects for which I shall provide notice on this blog.

Masses this weekend

Sun 4 TWELTH SUNDAY after PENTECOST II Cl G

Gl Cr Pr of the Holy Trinity

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's Halifax.

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

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

NB. No Mass at Heckmondwike - as Father is in Rome.

The Assumption - Masses

Holy Mass for the Feast of the Assumption was offered by Mgr. Smith tonight at St. Mary's in Halifax. Over forty people attended.

Masses tomorrow (Sunday), both at 3.00p.m. are at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford, this will be a Missa Cantata and at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

On Monday (sadly no longer a day of obligation) there will be Mass at Broughton Hall at 9.30 a.m. and in the evening at 7.30 p.m. at the Wakefield Chantry Chapel in Wakefield there will be a Missa Cantata. Due to health and safety regulations this is a ticket only event. Please let me know if you would like a ticket as I still have some left.

Happy feastday!

Masses on Sunday 7th. August. Pentecost VIII.

Thanks to Fr. Parfitt for covering for Mgr. Smith at Halifax this evening. Monsignor will be back next week. In your prayers I would ask you to remember Tony, the bell-ringer and caretaker at St. Mary's who is gravely ill.
Tomorrow there are three Masses in the EF;

11.30 a.m. Broughton Hall, Skipton. Missa Cantata.
3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
4.00 p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike.

There is no EF Mass in York tomorrow.

Please do not contact me by telephone until next Saturday as I shall be away - I should be able to access my e-mail however.

Sunday 31 July Mass and news

Mass for the seventh Sunday of Pentecost will be at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

The Vigil Mass at Halifax last evening was well attended and Fr. Hall's sermon on Hell following his sermon last week on Heaven was again very well received. Thanks to Fr. Hall who has covered for Mgr. Smith. Next week we look forward to welcoming Fr. Parfitt at Halifax before Mgr Smith returns from his holiday.

I was delighted to see that my predecessor as rep, Damian Mc Caughan, was recently ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in his native Northern Ireland and is looking very well on it! Ad multos annos, Fr. McCaughan!

Belated congratulations also to Fr. Matthew McCarthy FSSP who was also ordained earlier this summer. I first met (Fr.) Matthew when I went to Manchester University and we were in the same hall of residence. I was delighted when he was accepted by the FSSP as a candidate for the Priesthood and moreso when I learned of his ordination.
Both newly ordained priests have offered Mass at St. Catherine's near Wigan and due to my ill-health I have been extremely sorry to miss both events. A recent fall left me with bruised ribs and has reduced my capacity to walk at a reasonable speed once again.

Preparations are well under way for our Mass at Wakefield chantry chapel on the feast of the Assumption at 7.30p.m. Please ask/contact me for a ticket. I have been given 20 to distribute. Our last Mass there, which was also sung by St. Austin's choir and the Leeds "schola greg", in December was very well attended and that was at the end of December - when the clergy had to vest in the flickering flame of two tiny votive candles in the tiny underground vestry. Parking is free, safe and plentiful. Fr. Hall, a native of Wakefield, is looking forward to offering the Mass.

Missa Cantata

I was fortunate enough to be taken to Barnard Castle for the annual Founders Day Requiem and Absolutions at St. Mary's (pictured left). Fr. Elkin, the PP, who never seems to age (he's always looked like a senior to me) was the celebrant. At the garden party afterwards I was delighted to make the acquaintance of a lovely young couple who are to marry there in a few weeks and another chap who attended the LMS server training day at English Martyrs in York. The Mass was sung to a very soothing polyphonic setting with plainchant Dies Irae. I was very grateful to be taken to Barnard Castle and back in time for Mass at Halifax, by Mr. Burton who is one of our regular singers.

The Mass at Halifax was offered by Fr. Hall, who will be our celebrant again next week. Fr. Parfitt is to offer the Vigil Mass there on the first Saturday of August.

Mass on this Sunday will be a sung Mass (Pentecost VI) and is at 3.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Next Saturday there are to be two Vigil Masses; 4.00 p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds and 6.00 p.m. at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.

No morning Masses at Batley until Monday 5th. September (6.45 a.m.)

MASS ON SUNDAY 17th JULY

PLEASE NOTE that the only Extraordinary Form Mass on Sunday will be at Castleford St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road at 3.00p.m. (No Masses at Heckmondwike or Leeds St. Augustine's.)
Due to clergy holidays there will be no Mass at St. Augustine's in August or September.

MASS AT MARKENFIELD HALL

Missa cantata at Markenfield Hall, a remarkably well preserved medieval moated manor house between Ripon and Harrogate on Tuesday 12th. July at 7.00 p.m.

Thanks to Lady Curteis, Fr. Parfitt and the Leeds Schola Gregoriana for making this possible.

Congratulations and thanks

I was recently delighted to learn that Father David Smith, Parish Priest of St. Mary's, Halifax was made a prelate of honour of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul - the 60th anniversary of Priesthood of the supreme Pontiff and who henceforth will be referred to as Monsignor Smith. Monsignor has been a very good friend to the LMS for as long as I care to remember and is a regular weekly celebrant.

On the ecumenical front I was able to enjoy a very pleasant evening with a good friend of mine last week when I was introduced to a (non German speaking !) Lutheran Pastor who had come by a red cope from a Catholic monastery and because we didn't possess one was happy to donate it to us. At the same time I was able to visit St. Luke's Lutheran Cathedral in Headingley, Leeds - the smallest cathedral in England- a place where our own Bishop Roche has also prayed. Thanks to Pastor Mark for his kindness and generosity of spirit.

Please remember that the Mass at Bradford at St. Peter's has been cancelled.
Mass at Castleford, St. Joseph's at 3.00p.m. and at Holy Name, Manchester at 4.00p.m. In York at 6.00p.m. there will be Mass at 6.00p.m.

Jesus, Hope of all who trust in Thee, have mercy on us!
Mary, Immaculate Queen and Mother, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Pray for us!

PLEASE NOTE

There will be no traditional Mass at St. Peter's, Bradford on Sunday (July 10th) as this would clash with the annual parish Garden Party. Normal routine resumes next month. Let us hope they have good weather. Reminder that there is a Vigil Mass at St. Mary's, Halifax on Saturday at 6.00 p.m. and on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

On the first and third Sundays of the month Mass will now be offered at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike at 4.00p.m. and as such the vigil Masses at St. Mary of the Angels, Batley on third Saturdays will now cease, as will the Friday Masses at Holy Spirit. Thanks to Fr. Abberton for the extra Sunday Masses.

A trio of wonderful feasts

Monday is the feast of our Lady of Perpetual Succour - the patroness of the the Diocese of Leeds:

Masses at Batley 6.45 a.m. and at Broughton at 9.30 a.m.

Wednesday is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION for the Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul.

Masses at Batley at 6.45 a.m. and at Broughton at 11.30 a.m.

Friday - the First Friday of the month is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mass at Broughton at 10.00 a.m.

REMINDER

High Mass and Procession of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Benediction.
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CHURCH, HARROGATE ROAD, MOORTOWN, LEEDS at 2.00p.m. SATURDAY 25th. JUNE.
Confessions available.

The Rudgate Singers are 15 years old

Saturday 18th. June sees a sung Mass in Middlesbrough Diocese at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Green Lane, Newby, Scarborough at 3.00p.m. In addition to the Gregorian propers the ordinary will be Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli with motets by Aichinger and Tallis.

This Mass is in celebration of the fifteen years the group has been in existence. I well remember the first Mass they sang at Scarthingwell and they have always delighted me since on the many occasions I have heard them.

I am fortunate to be able to attend tomorrow's Mass as one of the singers has offered me and my eldest son a lift to Scarborough for the occasion.

Apologies for tardiness advertising this Mass.

37 years ago

Today is the 37th. anniversary of my own First Holy Communion at St. John the Evangelist Church, Bradford. The Parish Priest was Fr. Reginald Bessler who is still alive and is a retired priest of the Hallam Diocese and in his 62nd. year of Priesthood. Father's preparation for First Confession and his analogy of a dirty white T-shirt has remained with me all these years and one which I used when preparing my own children for the Sacrament.

Corpus Christi - A first for Leeds in many years

Saturday June 25th. 2.00p.m. SOLEMN HIGH MASS followed by procession and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Rd. Moortown, Leeds.

Confessions available.

The Leeds Schola Gregoriana and the choir of St. Austin's, Wakefield, will sing at the Mass.

Thanks to Frs. D. Smith, M. Hall and T. Wiley (PP) for their readiness to be sacred ministers at the Mass.

Please do all you can to support this event.

First Holy Communion Mass in Bradford

On Sunday - Pentecost - the Birthday of the Church a little girl will receive our Blessed Lord for the first time as she makes her first Holy Communion. This will be at a Missa Cantata at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke at 3.00p.m.

It would be lovely to see a good turnout to celebrate this very special occasion.

Other Masses this weekend:

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

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

Thanks again for all the good wishes and prayers I have received since my second spell in hospital. My tests earlier this week showed no evidence of cancer, thanks be to God, but I am still feeling very weak and breathless.

More prayers please

Having proudly announced I'd be getting back to normal in my last posting I found myself being taken to hospital again the very next day after visiting my GP who immediately rang 999 suspecting I had a clot on my left lung. After six days in hospital I have now been released with pneumonia and a bag of antibiotics and painkilling tablets.

I do feel lousy and would be glad of any prayers.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for us.