Shock

I must confess to having been extremely shocked today when I checked the blogs in my coffee break this morning. I even thought that perhaps I'd not realized it was April 1st and not February 11th. I had to leave the school premises and have a cigarette or two to get my head round what I'd read.
Whilst listening to the BBC news on Radio 4 at 5 o'clock on my way home and I heard the pope's address in Latin I had to choke back a tear or two. One of my daughters had already rung home from University to say that she had been similarly moved. We had both had front row seats at Birmingham when his Holiness visited our country.
This said I do have to admire the Holy Father's courage in breaking with a tradition which is centuries old. I saw on the internet that he had left his pallium at the tomb of Pope Celestine V at Aquila in 2009 after the devastating earthquake there. Pope Saint Celestine resigned the papacy in 1294 aged 79. No doubt Pope Benedict saw first hand the effects of the ill-health suffered by his predecessor, Blessed John Paul,  and moreover the effects it had on the Church in that suffering Pontiff's final years on earth.
Benedict has taken a courageous step forward - in humility and more importantly in Faith - faith that it is the Holy Spirit who guides the Church. There can be little doubt that the Pope's physical frailty is something he does not wish to hinder the progress of the Church especially in these dreadful times in which we live. He is to all extents and purposes still a man with a mission but is wise enough to know that there are others who can take forward his reforms whilst he starts to live a life more accustomed to someone in their mid-eighties and out of the spotlight and flash of cameras everywhere he goes. A natural teacher and not the Rottweiler he had been dubbed at his election, it is strange that this crass tag soon fell into the oblivion it deserved.
How things will develop with a Pope emeritus and who will now lead the Church remain to be seen. The Pope has obviously given this matter no little thought and prayer.

We here in Leeds Diocese, will I believe, for the first time be hearing Mass where no Bishop or Pope is named in the Roman Canon from March 1st 2013.
In the meantime we will soon be having a Votive Mass 'Pro Eligendo Summo Pontifice': the Mass 'Suscitabo mihi', which seems very odd given that we still have a Pope, who many of us love and who will be mentioned in the Roman Canon, the norm being that the Church is usually in mourning when this Mass is offered.
God Bless Pope Benedict XVI and may Joseph Ratzinger have a long and happy retirement.

Success in Harrogate

A congregation of over 70 came to our first Mass at St. Joseph's, Bilton and I would like to thank Father Byrne, the Parish Priest and the celebrant Fr. Smith, who is an army chaplain. I would hope that we will be able to return to St. Joseph's in the future.

On Saturday we shall be having our training day at Notre Dame, Leeds University Catholic chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds. We will be starting at 10.30 a.m. prompt and concluding with Mass at 3.30 p.m. I am working on the premise that this will be a sung Mass in anticipation of the first Sunday of Lent. Please bring a packed lunch.

Masses for Quinquagesima

Masses this Sunday, the last before Lent begins are as follows:

Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton, 10.00 a.m.
St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford. 3.00 p.m. (sung)
St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford. 3.00 p.m.
AND
St. Joseph's, Skipton Road, Bilton, Harrogate, 4.00 p.m.

Mass for Ash Wednesday at Broughton Hall at 11.00 a.m.

Saturday is our server training day at Leeds University Catholic chaplaincy. 10.30 a.m.- 4.00 p.m. More details later this week.

St. Blaize

 

As well as being the feast of Sexagesima yesterday it was also the feast of St. Blaize and so throats were blessed after each of our Sunday Masses.
St Blaize is also the patron saint of wool combers and hence Bradford, because of the city's link with the production of fine quality worsted wool. There is a statue of St. Blaize in the city's wool exchange (see picture), now an excellent bookshop and one of the few quality shops left in the city. There was a secondary modern/middle school of the same name (which ironically burned down in a terrible blaze) and there is now a parish dedicated to him in Bradford.
He is the patron saint of Bradford on account of his atrocious martyrdom where wool combs were used to bring about his demise. He is often pictured holding a wool comb.

St. Blaize, pray for us.
St. Christopher, protect us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. (From the daily prayers for pupils at St. Blaize school in the 1960s and 1970s.)

Busy weekend

Tomorrow is the first Friday of February. (Memo to self - go to confession)

Masses tomorrow:
Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall Mass at 9.30 a.m.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds at 7.30 p.m.      (Confessions at call at both Masses)

Saturday is the Feast of the Purification or Candlemas - and the Mass involves the blessing of candles and a procession - it is a simply beautiful feast.
Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton, Skipton at the later time of 11.00 a.m.

Vigil Mass for Sexaguesima at St. Mary's, Halifax at 6.00 p.m. Mgr Smith is back from his recent break.

Sunday:
Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall Mass at 11.00 a.m. Missa cantata.
St. Joseph's, Pontefract at 3.00 p.m.
Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike at 4.00 p.m.

Laus Deo semper!

Septuagesima

Christmastide is rapidly drawing to an end and tomorrow Lent begins to cast its shadow on the Liturgy as we celebrate Septuagesima.
Mass on Saturday, for Candlemas will be at the later time of 11.00 a.m. at Broughton Hall and there will be the newly established first Friday Mass at Immaculate Heart, Harrogate Road, Leeds at 7.30 p.m.

Tomorrow:

Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton, 10.00 a.m.
St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford, 3.00 p.m.

Vigil Masses at  at St. Mary's, Halifax resume next Saturday at 6.00 p.m.

Extra Masses

Please note that for the next two Saturdays only the Masses at Halifax, St. Mary's, have been cancelled.

Extra Masses on the horizon are as follows:
A new venue - Sunday 10th. February at 4.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Skipton Road, Bilton, Harrogate.
Another venue- First Fridays of the month - 7.30 p.m. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds.              
               
There will be Mass at Pateley Bridge's Bewerley Grange chapel in the February half term - details in due course.

Masses this weekend;
Sunday 10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton
              3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford
              4.00 p.m.  Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike

Please do what you can to attend any of the Masses above - especially the Harrogate Mass which may be a force to help us establish ourselves in the Harrogate deanery. Masses in this deanery are generally restricted to those offered publicly at Markenfield Hall usually by Fr. Creighton-Jobe and Fr. Parfitt.
I am also wondering if it is time to resurrect the Knaresborough Pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of the Crag. If you have any thoughts about this please e-mail me. Address in sidebar.

Photo - St Joseph's, Bilton, Harrogate.

Feast of the Holy Family

Masses on Sunday for the Feast of the Holy Family are as follows:

10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, nr Skipton
3.00 p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford (sung)
3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford

I have news of new Mass venues which I will publish later this week.

Leeds Lecture

Fatima 1917

On Wednesday 9th January there is to be a lecture at Wheeler Hall, Leeds Cathedral at 7.00 p.m.
Donal Foley will speak about apparitions of Our Blessed Lady in history.

Something to consider

I saw the following on Fr. Zuhlsdorf's blog:

The Latin Mass is like beer. You have to drink it in a few times to like it. My challenge would be for you to attend the Latin Mass for four Sundays in a row before making a decision. Give it that long. Here’s why.
You will slowly make a shift in the way that you assist at Holy Mass. Your concept of Active Participation will transform in your heart. There is a lot of quiet “space” in the Latin Mass. The first time or so, you’ll be sitting there doing nothing and thinking, “What’s going on? Why aren’t we doing anything?”
When you’ve reached that point, you’re getting close. It’s like drinking beer for the first time. “This tastes terrible? What’s the hype? I don’t understand.” But then you come to realize that beer is more than just the taste.

Follow the link for the entire post  http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/01/the-latin-mass-is-like-beer-you-have-to-drink-it-in-a-few-times-to-like-it-why-taylor-marshall-attends-the-tlm/

I do not know who Taylor Marshall is, but at one time there were two local breweries here - Taylor's and yes, you've guessed it - Marshall's!

Epiphany

 

Masses for this holy feast on its traditional day are as follows:

Saturday  5th January - St Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax at 6.00 p.m.
Sunday  6th January - Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton at 11.00 a.m. (Sung)
                          St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.
                          Holy Spirit, Bath Road, HECKMONDWIKE (not Pontefract!) at 4.00 p.m. Due to a special request this Mass will now continue throughout the winter - many thanks to Fr. Abberton for this. 

In Hallam Diocese
There will be a *Solemn High Mass in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday, 12th January 2013 at 10:00 a.m.* in St Marie's Cathedral (Blessed Sacrament Chapel), Sheffield. The Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Fr Adrian Tomlinson. He will be assisted by Rev. Mr Kieran Fletcher (Deacon) and Rev Fr David Stafford (Sub-Deacon).                                

Happy New Year

2012 has seen a lot of firsts for us and a lot has happened in that time. This year saw another sung Easter Triduum, Masses on most days of the year including all Sundays, high days and holydays, the visit of Bishop Rifan and the first Pontifical High Mass since the changes when 18 men and boys and a portly bishop squeezed onto the sanctuary at Immaculate Heart, Leeds. The chaplain to the University of Leeds learned to celebrate the EF Mass and sang Masses at Notre Dame and at Wakefield's historic chantry chapel for the feast of the Assumption - executing both beautifully.
We had solemn High Masses for the feast of Ss Peter and Paul and to celebrate Mgr Smith's silver jubilee in December. Several children were baptized in several churches and we had First Holy Communion celebrations. Two sung Masses in the Dominican Rite were offered at Hinsley Hall organized by the Schola  Gregoriana of Cambridge and we were able to welcome back Fr. Lew OP who was the celebrant. Fr. Parfitt retired as Parish Priest of Broughton but remains as a daily celebrant at the Sacred Heart chapel, bringing our number of regular Sunday Masses to three but with up to five for some Sundays of the month.

I hope that 2013 sees as much if not more activity and that we get a worthy successor to Archbishop Roche who has taken up a desk job in Rome. Increasingly people who not long ago were new faces are now commenting on other new faces. We have people of all ages, colour and class and a very good number of priests willing and able to offer Mass if requested. I have had two priests say they wish to offer more Masses in this Rite and moreover we are hosting a servers' training session at the Leeds University Catholic Chaplaincy in February. 

May I take this opportunity to wish everybody all good things in the new year. Mass for New Year's Day is at Sacred Heart chapel, Broughton Hall, Skipton at 11.00 a.m.

Weekend Masses

Saturday 29th December - 6.00 p.m. at St Mary's, Halifax.
Sunday 30th December - 10.00 a.m. at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton.
                                     -   3.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Castleford.
                                     -   7.00 p.m. at Wakefield chantry chapel, Kirkgate Bridge, Wakefield


Tuesday 1st January 2012 - 11.00 a.m. at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Skipton.

Shambolic, a shambles, a sham

Not my words, but those of the Archbishop of Westminster who did not mince his words in commenting upon Cameron's bizarre efforts to redefine marriage.
Bishop Davies of Shrewsbury also took the opportunity to put the traditional Catholic perspective on this appalling decision to curry favour with homosexualists and which did not appear in any manifesto.

Our seedy little country is looking increasingly seedier.

In other news the LMS Chairman, Dr. Joseph Shaw appears to be having a bit of a set to with our dear old friend Basil Loftus via the pages of the ghastly Catholic Times re the issue of female priests. There is a little taster on Dr. Shaw's blog http://www.lms.org.uk/around-the-country/oxford_rep
I think it was a blood crazed ferret journalist who once described Basil as a world class bore, which was quite mild for this journalist.

Information about weekend Masses will follow tomorrow, but there will be NO MASS at Leeds University chaplaincy on Saturday afternoon but there will be an extra Mass on Sunday at Wakefield at 7.00 p.m. in the chantry chapel on the Kirkgate bridge.

Hodie Christus natus est, alleluia

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all our members and friends.

Masses this evening at Notre Dame, Leeds and Sacred Heart, Broughton have both been very uplifting experiences and I should like to extend my thanks to our servers singers and to Fathers Kravos, Hall and Parfitt.

Mass on Christmas Day at Broughton at 11.00 a.m.

Advent IV, more congratulations and Christmas

Mass last Saturday for Monsignor Smith's Silver Jubilee was a very fine and memorable occasion. I am hoping that the gentleman who filmed the Mass will contact me soon with details of how to locate the film on You Tube. Monsignor asked me again to extend his thanks to the Rudgate Singers and the servers.

Masses for Advent IV on Sunday -

10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall, near Skipton
3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford (Tickets for the Mass at Wakefield's Chantry chapel next Sunday will be available at this Mass)

Congratulations to Mgr Canon Hugh Boyle, former administrator of Glasgow Cathedral and a dear friend to the Latin Mass Society - especially in this diocese and to Una Voce Scotland. For as long as I can ever remember Monsignor Boyle has been spending his holidays in Yorkshire and celebrating the Mass for us. He was the celebrant at the first High Mass in this diocese since the council, at St. Joseph's in Bradford. He was celebrant at the first Mass at Killingbeck following the issue of Summorum Pontificum and for many years led a summer pilgrimage and offered Mass at the shrine of St. Margaret Clitherow in York in very desperate times. Mgr Boyle celebrates his Golden Jubilee today and I would like to salute him on behalf of us all and say ad multos annos Fr. Hugh! Those who know the Canon will agree that his intelligence is matched only by his kindness and his candour. I have sent him a card and have requested Fr. Parfitt to offer Mass for him and his intentions on behalf of us all.

.

Masses for Christmas.

Christmas Eve 7.00 p.m. Notre Dame, Leeds University Chaplaincy, St Mark's Avenue, Leeds.
                      11.30 p.m.  Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall, near Skipton.
Christmas Day 11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart,  Broughton Hall, near Skipton.


 Please take time out to go to confession in these next few days - no priest who offers the Mass for us will refuse confession at call in good time before or after Mass.

 The above photo is from the Una Voce Scotland website http://www.unavocescotland.org.uk/index.html
I trust they will not mind my using their photograph.

REMINDERS

This weekend we have a SOLEMN HIGH MASS at St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax at 6.00p.m.
This Mass will be for Monsignor David Smith's Silver Jubilee. I remember when the embryo monsignor was ordained at Goole and the joy this gave to the then PP at St. Thomas, Old Goole, the late Father Charlie Holmes. Father was very proud to have a new priest from his parish. I know that Mgr Smith himself often recalls, with no little pleasure, the usual extravagant preparations Fr. Holmes made to make the event a memorable occasion - including the carpet upon which the ordinand was to prostate himself. Fr. Holmes was the priest whose practicality impressed Bishop Wheeler by producing a Jif lemon squeezie to cleanse his Lordship's fingers following a confirmation ceremony and a slice of diagonally cut Slimcea bread to dry them on!

On Sunday there will be 3 Masses:

10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton.
3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
4.00 p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike. (This Mass will be suspended after this until warmer weather in March)

CHRISTMAS MASSES

Christmas Eve - 7.00 p.m. Notre Dame Chapel, University of Leeds Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds.
Christmas Eve - 11.30 p.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall,  near Skipton.
Christmas Day - 11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall,  near Skipton.

On Sunday 30th. December there is to be an extra Mass on that day. The Mass will be a Requiem to mark the exact date of the battle of Wakefield and for the repose of the souls of all those who were killed as the Lancastrians defeated and killed the Duke of York. This was advertised in Mass of Ages and I have now received a couple of requests for tickets. Please let me know if you would like tickets for this. As the catafalque seems to be back in vogue - so the Mass will be followed by absolutions at same. Very fittingly again we will be guests at the Chantry Chapel, on the Kirkgate Bridge in Wakefield. This chapel was in existence even before the Battle of Wakefield. Sung Mass at 7.00 p.m.

Advent II

I have been off colour for the last week but am now feeling much perkier.

Masses this weekend

Sunday;

Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton at 10.00 a.m.
St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Bradford at 3.00 p.m.
St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Next weekend marks the start of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Monsignor Smith of Halifax. The Rudgate Singers will be coming along to sing at the Solemn High Mass which will be a votive Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ Eternal and High Priest. This Mass will be at 6.00 p.m. on Saturday 15th. December at St Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. Ad multos annos Monsignor.

Server training

I am delighted to announce that I have been able to organize a training day in this diocese after a similar successful event in York a couple of years ago. This event is open to Catholic men and boys wishing to learn how to serve the Traditional Mass from any diocese. The tuition will be according to demand.
Once again Fr. Peter Kravos, the chaplain at Leeds University Catholic Chaplaincy has laid the beautiful chapel of Notre Dame, which has three fine altars, at our disposal.
The training day will be on the first Saturday of Lent - February 16th. 2013 at Leeds University Catholic Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Avenue, Leeds from 10.00 a.m. - with a prompt start at 10.30 a.m.
The day will conclude with Mass (sung) at around 4.00 p.m.

Please contact Paul at  paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk to register for this event and state the age and the level of tuition required - i.e. Low Mass, Missa Cantata or Solemn Mass.

There is no fee, but you are asked to bring a packed lunch and cassock and surplice if you have them. Please advise Paul if you need to borrow a cassock or surplice.

Confirmations

On Saturday, in London the third lot of traditional confirmations this year took place. Previously the Sacrament had been administered in the Midlands and on the Wirral. This time it was at St. James, Spanish Place, London and the Bishop was Alan Hopes, Auxilliary in Westminster. This has become an annual event and it is some years now since our own three daughters went to London for just such an occasion. Next year it will be the boys' turn.
Congratulations to all of those confirmed and their families.
Pictures may be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55776120@N08/sets/72157632102096879/

Pentecost XXIV

This weekend marks the last Sunday of Pentecost and means that Advent is on the horizon.

Masses are as follows:

Saturday - St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax at 6.00 p.m.
Sunday - Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall near Skipton at 10.00 a.m
               St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford at 3.00 p.m.

Please do all you can to attend any of these Masses - we are very grateful to the clergy who celebrate these Masses for us.

Wimmin bishops

I listened via livestream to the some of the debate before the Cof E synod voted this evening on the issue of female bishops. It was very interesting to listen to the arguments from those on both sides of the fence. The Bishop of Bradford made a very interesting point, saying that the synod should not be swayed by the ecumenical argument, as Rome regards all CofE orders as being invalid - hence it wouldn't make a difference if the synod voted for the Anglican episcopacy being opened up to females, which he favoured. He was of course correct. It makes no difference to me what they decided. Pope Leo XIII made it clear in 1896 in Apostolicae Curae that their orders were absolutely null and void.
The fact that twenty years ago the C of E opened its ministry of priesthood to women gave some characters in the Catholic Church the idea that they could go around demanding the same was unfortunate. It is interesting that the lay element of the C of E synod was responsible for blocking the legislation for women bishops, the lay element which incidentally makes up the majority of the C of E. If democracy is their way of defining dogma, good for them, but I doubt that this issue will go away, just as it hasn't in our Church where disobedient individuals continue to peddle heterodox ideas in defiance of what Blessed John Paul II taught about the issue in his 1994 Ordinatio Sacerdotalis after the C of E voted for female priests.
Rome has spoken. End of story. 

VI remaining Sunday after the Epiphany

As next week is the last Sunday of Pentecost the Church uses up the free Sundays after the Epiphany which are the ones used before Septuagesima.

Masses this weekend are as follows:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.
Sunday  10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton.
               3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
Please note no Mass at Heckmondwike until the first Sunday in December.

Remembrance Sunday

Masses this weekend are as follows:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Marie's, Gibbet Street, Halifax. Low Requiem Mass.
Sunday 10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart Broughton Hall near Skipton.
              3.00 p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Bradford. Sung Requiem with absolutions at the catafalque.

Broughton Hall

The parish of the Sacred Heart, Broughton was suppressed in September and became a chapel of ease, served from  Skipton. St. Patrick's at Earby became a chapel of ease to St. Joseph's, Barnoldswick.

There is a regular OF Sunday Mass at Broughton at 8.30 a.m. There is also a regular EF Sunday Mass at Broughton at 10.00 a.m. except on the first Sundays when the Mass is sung at 11.00 a.m.
On Mondays to Saturdays there is an EF Mass at 9.30 a.m.
If you are travelling some distance please contact 01756 793 794 to check beforehand.

November at English Martyrs

A quick reminder that there is Mass every Saturday in this month of the Holy Souls at English Martyrs, Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester.
This parish was home to one of my predecessors, Kevin Cave and I always think that Kevin is still praying away for his old parish or his prayers while he was here on earth have been answered.
Thanks again to Fr. Marlor and Bernard Richards.
Photo taken from the Hermeneutic of Continuity http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/some-beautiful-gothic-and-some-books.html.

Update: The above should have appeared on the Salford Latin Mass Society Blogspot, but instead of deleting it I'll leave it in case any readers are in Manchester this month!)

Pentecost XXIII

Mass last evening for the Feast of All Souls at Markenfield Hall was a wonderful occasion. I have known Father Parfitt for thirty years and this was the first time I have been present when he has offered a Mass for the dead. It was a filthy night outside and the atmosphere inside the medieval chapel was most evocative and had a cosy feel to it. In his sermon Father recalled the origins of the Feast of All Souls and pointed out that the house and chapel would have been around when the feast was introduced into the calendar following the end of the 100 years War.

Masses for Pentecost XXIII are as follows:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax (celebrant Fr. Hall).
Sunday 11.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, near Skipton (Missa cantata).
              3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

NO MASS AT HECKMONDWIKE THIS MONTH - as Fr. Abberton is on a lecture tour.

All Saints & All Souls

Mass on Thursday at Broughton Hall at 11.00 a.m. (This Feast remains a Holyday of Obligation)
Masses on Friday at Broughton Hall at 11.00 a.m.
                              Markenfield Hall near Ripon at 6.00 p.m.
Update; There will also be Mass at 9.30 a.m. at Broughton Hall on All Souls Day.

Christ the King

Holy Masses for the Feast of Christ are as follows:

Saturday 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.            (Reminder; put back your clocks by one hour - back to GMT)
Sunday 10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall nr Skipton.
              3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Masses at Broughton next week - Mon-Wed 9.30 a.m. Thursday (All Saints) 11.00 a.m. Friday (All Souls) 11.00 a.m.

Also at 6.00 p.m. on All Souls Day there will be Mass at Markenfield Hall, near Ripon.

On Saturday 3rd. November there is to be a High Mass in St. Peter's, Rome. The celebrant will be Cardinal Llovera who is Archbishop Roche's new boss. This Mass is part of a "jamboree" pilgrimage in Rome to celebrate 5 years of Summorum Pontificum. It is only the prohibitive cost of travelling to Rome which prevents me from going along myself. I have often visited the Basilica but never attended any Mass in St. Peter's, although I went to confession there once - it was more like a professional military interrogation!

Christus vincit!
Christus regnat!
Christus imperat!

Dominican Rite (2)

A friend of mine sent me a video of the Mass of our Lady from Saturday and I was able to watch it again this evening. I am highly impressed with this Rite. Fr. Lew said that it is believed that the reformers looked to the simplicity of this Rite when making up the new Rite. Preceding the Mass of Trent there is plenty of simplicity but it is also extremely and deeply rich in symbolism. 

I am very grateful to have been of service to the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge who in turn were a very warm and pleasant group of people. The youngest attendee was less than six months old and was as passive as one could imagine. 

Mgr Smith said that the Dominican Rite had certainly been celebrated at St. Mary's Halifax by priests of the Order as they were natives of the Parish. I notice that Mass of Requiem features on the New Liturgical Movement blog.

Dominican Mass (1)

The sung Dominican Mass was a wonderful event earlier this evening. The chapel at Hinsley Hall was totally filled with people aged between 70 and seven months, with people from all walks of life, including laity and clergy. The singing was understandably very powerful in all respects, given the Schola this is no surprise!
The Dominican Requiem is very much simpler than the Roman Rite; the acolytes form a symbolic triangle around the priest when he is at the centre and all three stand in a straight line whenever the celebrant is at the northern or southern end of the altar. The offertory occurs before the Gospel, but the lavabo before the Orate fratres, there is no psalm 42 in any Dominican Mass and only our Lady and St. Dominic are mentioned in the Confiteor with its solitary mea culpa. One of the acolytes chants the epistle (but not from the Missal). Interestingly no incense at all is used.

Fr. Lew was a very patient teacher as he rehearsed us before Mass and as the choir practised.

Tomorrow there is a sung Mass in honour of our Blessed Lady at 10.30 a.m. in the chapel at Hinsley Hall in this the month of the Holy Rosary.

Masses for Pentecost XXI;

Saturday, 6.00 p.m. St Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.
Sunday; 10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart Chapel, Broughton Hall, near Skipton.
              3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.
              4.00 p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike.


Thank God for Summorum Pontificum and for Pope Benedict.

Hinsley Hall-Masses

Just a final call for the two Dominican Rite Masses at Hinsley Hall, Headingley, Leeds this weekend with the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge, which was founded by the late Dr. Mary Berry. The celebrant will be Fr. Lew OP.
Sung Requiem at 5.00 p.m. on Friday.
Sung Mass of our Blessed Lady at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday.
I understand that the Novus Ordo Mass will be also be celebrated on Sunday morning also.

I shall be interested to see what a Traditional Mass feels like in the chapel at Hinsley Hall, which wouldn't rank in my top twenty favourite places of worship, as peaceful as it is. It's the only place I know where the Priest faces the tabernacle and the people at the same time. I shall ponder on this at the Mass on Saturday and its implications, when Mass is ad orientem.

Serving this Mass will be another first for our little but expanding team.

I am at the moment exhausted with visiting my mother in hospital, sometimes twice a day and after a fortnight they still can't say what is the root of the problem. Please remember her in your prayers.   

This week

Masses for Pentecost XX this weekend:

Saturday - 6.00 p.m. St. Mary's, Gibbet Street, Halifax.
Sunday - 10.00 a.m. Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, nr Skipton.
                 3.00 p.m. St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford.
                 3.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pontefract Road, Castleford.

Mass at Pateley Bridge last night was a very beautiful occasion. To mark the start of Pope Benedict's Year of Faith Mass started at 6.00 p.m. after recitation of the Angelus. Sister Mary Cuthbert sounded the bell in the medieval chapel. The chant was of the Mass for Feasts of our Lady. Fr. Parfitt preached in his relaxed but authoritative way, drawing in world history, Church history, theology and recent events in Rome in order to expose and celebrate our Faith. We sang a gusty old O Mother Blest at the conclusion.

Masses every day at 9.30 a.m. this week at Broughton.

Next Friday will mark another "first".
The Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge is holding a colloquium  at the Leeds diocesan pastoral centre, Hinsley Hall. For part of this occasion the Liturgy will be in the Dominican Rite. There was no reformed Dominican Rite following Vatican II. The celebrant of the Dominican Masses will be Father Lew O.P. who was a student here many years ago and who sang in the Cathedral choir.
The Mass on Friday is a sung Mass of Requiem in the chapel at Hinsley Hall and will be at 5.00 p.m.
On Saturday there is to be a sung Mass of our Lady at 10.30 a.m.also  in the chapel.

This is not a Latin Mass Society initiative, which pleases me even more, as it is evidence of a growth in the spirit of Summorum Pontificum near to home, without having to see how things have rocketed in America, Italy, Germany, France, Ireland etc. since September 2007 when the law of the Church changed with regard to the Extraordinary Rite of Mass.
I would ask members, Priests, friends and those interested who are available to attend either of these Masses.
I would also be interested to find out the last time the Dominican Rite was publicly celebrated in this Diocese.

Mass for the Motherhood of Our Lady

There will be a sung  Mass at 6.00 p.m. for the Feast of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Bewerley Grange Chapel near Pateley Bridge on Thursday 11th October. It would be lovely to see this chapel filled again in honour of our Lord and our Lady.
This Mass also marks the start of the Year of Faith.

Pentecost XIX

We have our regular first Sunday Missa Cantata at Sacred Heart, Broughton near Skipton at 11.00 a.m.
There are two Masses in the afternoon -
3.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's Pontefract Road, Castleford
and
4.00 p.m. at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Pontefract.

I hope to give details in the next couple of days of an interesting event taking place at our Hinsley Hall, Leeds in a fortnight.