No Mass on Sunday at Bradford

The annual Parish Blessed Sacrament Procession (a real experience of expressing our Faith in a heavily populated Muslim area of Bradford in Leeds Road) will take place on Sunday afternoon and so there will be no Mass at St. Peter's on Sunday in the EF.

Mass will be at Halifax on Saturday at 6.00p.m. and at Castleford on Sunday at 3.00p.m.

Various sources suggest that plans for the Holy Father's visit are not quite on track. Let us pray for the success of the Pope's visit. Perhaps Bishops could authorise skeleton services in their dioceses to allow parish priests and their parishioners to attend the Papal event on the Sunday if the organisers could think bigger.

Training conference announcement

The LMS office has just issued this press release.

10 June 2010

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

For Immediate Release

LMS Residential Training Conference for Priests Wishing to Learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at Downside Abbey, Somerset.

The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales (LMS) is organising a residential training conference for priests wishing to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at Downside Abbey, one of England’s most prestigious monasteries.

The conference will run from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 August 2010 and will feature Traditional liturgies in Downside’s beautiful chapel together with a Gregorian Chant schola and polyphonic choir.

Expert tuition in the celebration of Mass in the Usus Antiquior will be provided on a small group basis. There will be tuition in Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Missa Solemnis and there will be streams for beginners and more advanced students. Tuition will also be given in the other sacraments and in Latin.

There will be opening and closing High Masses, daily Mass, Offices and Rosary. There will also be a closing Conference dinner with guest speaker.

The subsidised fee to participants is only £115.00 which includes all accommodation, meals and training materials. There are limited places and priests are asked to register as soon as possible.

Further details and registration forms can be obtained from the LMS office (Tel: 020 7404 7284, e mail: info@latin-mass-society.org) or from the conference organiser, Mr Paul Waddington (Tel: 01757 638027, e mail: paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk).

Running alongside the training for priests, the Society of St Tarcisius (the LMS’s newly-formed sodality for Traditional altar servers) will organise a residential training course for servers and MCs. Further details can be obtained as above.

Paul Waddington said, “This is the sixth training conference the LMS has organised and we are delighted to be going to Downside Abbey. The Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ has recently praised our work which makes us more determined than ever to provide training to every priest in England and Wales who seeks to learn the Usus Antiquior.”

Latin Mass Society, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH
Tel: 020 7404 7284
E mail: info@latin-mass-society.org
Website: latin-mass-society.org

Corpus Christi

Mass at Pateley Bridge's Bewerley Grange Chapel on Thursday was a memorable occasion, with a schola of six and a pleasing turnout. In true monastic style we sang the Salve Regina at the end of Mass and as usual were graced with the presence of the local PP, Canon Vincent O'Hara whose melodic voice was again in perfect harmony with the schola.

Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt and the authorities at Bewerley for such a truly memorable Mass.

God bless the Pope!

June

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I hope that I will be given some quiet time to meditate upon the Litany of the Sacred Heart in this month. A personal daily prayer of mine from this Litany has long been, "Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offences and negligences, have mercy on us".

The Feast (but not Holyday of Obligation) of Corpus Christi will be offered at the beautifully renovated chapel at Bewerley Grange, which was once an outpost of Fountains Abbey. This will be a missa cantata on Thursday at 11.30a.m..

There will be a missa cantata again for the Feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday at Broughton Hall at 11.30a.m. in line with the instruction of the Bishops of E&W

Saturday there is a Vigil Mass at Halifax St. Marie's at 6.00p.m. and on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Castleford at 3.00p.m.

York, English Martyrs at 6.30p.m.

Manchester, Holy Name at 4.00p.m.

God bless the Pope!

Umwelt

Die Umwelt is German for the environment. I am in the process of marking German speaking tests for nearly twenty schools, ranging from a couple to over fifty candidates.

A common presentation and discussion theme, as well as something which frequently crops up in the general conversation, is the environment and quite frankly I am sick to death of hearing kids trotting out the German for I help the environment by putting on a jumper, turning out the lights and going to the recycling centre with promises of never driving a car or flying anywhere again.

This topic bores me to tears, although I enjoy awarding marks for the use of good German, regardless of what I hear. Years ago 124 children described the film Titanic. I have never wanted to watch this film since.

I have heard two good sermons this weekend about the Blessed Trinity. Fr. Lister focused on the Sign of the Cross and Father Wiley concentrated on the question of who, as opposed to what, God is. That the Feast of the Trinity appears where it does is no accident, given last week's Gospel which foreshadows the Feast and which together allow us an insight into the nature of God, the Blessed three in one.

Blessed be the Holy and Undivided Trinity now and forever more. Amen.

Half term

I'm almost half way through my GCSE marking (German speaking) and half term has just begun. Apart from Mass and Confession my only self imposed obligations this weekend involve marking at least 50 scripts before lunchtime on Monday.

Father Lister will be offering Mass at Halifax on Saturday as Father Smith is away.

Fr. Lister was recently revered for his fast bowling skills in Father Elkin of Hexham and Newcastle's blog Let the Welkin Ring, wherein Fr. Elkin recounts their days at the College and on the cricket pitch.

I shall add Fr. Elkin's blog to this blog's links in the sidebar.

On Sunday there will be Mass at St. Joseph's, Castleford at 3.00p.m and at Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds at 6.00p.m.

Blessed be the Holy and Undivided Trinity, now and forever more. Amen.

Dinosaurs

Over the last few weeks I seem to have heard or read the word dinosaur more than I usually might expect to. This is because I do not like the thought of dinosaurs. I saw the first twenty minutes of Jurassic Park and fell asleep (a bit like at a school leavers' Mass).

Years ago I read Mgr. Lefebvre's Open Letter to confused Catholics. One of the chapters of this book, which was translated by Fr Michael Crowdie, is entitled It's a dinosaur, or something close to this. I was able to question this venerable old priest about this and what the Archbishop had written.

At that time the Modernists were claiming that most of that which had gone before was to be consigned to the dustbin forever, likening much of what they were systematically destroying to some sort of never to be repeated horror now extinct.

Many of those who were "in" are now voices from the past, as insipid as their folk Masses, others realise that the revolution in their hearts can never stop, because there is no end for them and the more outrageous their conflict with the Magisterium of the Church the better it gets, albeit often under the banner of Peace and Justice which to many (but by no means all) has come to mean that you can do just as you please.

Alas, for them, they are now the breed entering extinction. After forty years in the wilderness the homeland is becoming increasingly more visible.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

God bless the Pope!

Pentecost

The Birthday of the Church is upon us again, when she celebrates the Apostles receiving the tongues of fire.

I think that this evening at Mass was the first time I have ever actively listened to the Gospel of this Mass, being so preoccupied with the Epistle and Sequence which precede it. Even today I felt it was overshadowed by what had gone before it, but that that it seamlessly links to next week's feast of the Blessed Trinity.

Trinity Sunday only makes sense in light of the events of today's Mass, which in turn make the events of the Ascension, Resurrection, Passion, Baptism, Infancy, Birth and Incarnation of our Blessed Lord, which plot our liturgy, mean so much more.

Reciting the Credo a few minutes later I realised that this great prayer, wherein I was personally reciting aloud what I believe, is the "bigger picture" from which we base our calendar.

As at every Mass the Incarnation, Birth, Death and Resurrection unfold in an unbloody way and become real before our eyes, but Pentecost which is the start end / end start point of the Church's cycle also heralds the celebration of the Feast of the triune God, Father, Son and Spirit. The purple, white and red vestments of the Passion, Death and Resurrection will soon give way to the fresh green colours of the post Pentecost Sundays, at the end of which we will eventually come to welcome the opportunity of self renewal which the Advent purple offers us.

Please remember to pray for our Holy Father and for the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain who recently suffered a serious stroke and remains in hospital.

A thought

A retired priest of this diocese, who shall go nameless, is often found attacking the Traditional Mass in some of the (nominally) Catholic publications of this country.

This is nothing new and I cancelled my subscription to one paper because of this priest's views a couple of years ago.

It is only now, I think I understand why he is so opposed to this Rite of Mass and has been for many years.

I think once it was given a foot in the door again he realised that it would be impossible to get the genie of the spirit of Vat2 back into the vinegar bottle, if the Traditional Mass were to be re-introduced. Not only was it re-introduced but we were told that it was never abrogated!

A look at the many trad/orthodox blogs shows ever increasing and ongoing expansion of the Extraordinary Rite, at all levels of the Church militant. From an ordinary little parish in freezing Glasgow to St. Peter's in scorching Rome this Mass is offered regularly.

It is interesting that suppliers of traditional vestments and liturgical books and equally important resources for an informed and more discerning laity fruitful in vocations are doing a roaring trade. Paying big money in bad times shows not only sacrifice but demand, with the desire to fill a big hole.

None of this means that the liturgical abuses will stop and alternative versions of the Catholic Faith will be embraced by priests and people alike, but it has set the Roman cat lover and the cat amongst the pigeons and the mess they have left everywhere after 40 years in the wilderness.

God bless the Pope!

Ss Joseph and Michael, pray for us!

From the Young Catholic Adults

Young Catholic Adults Host International Juventutem Weekend at Douai Abbey
During the weekend of the 10-12 September 2010

During the weekend of the 10-12 September . For the first time, Young Catholic
Adults will be running the 2010 Juventutem International Conference at Douai
Abbey(before the Douai weekend was aimed at the UK), the weekend will be led
by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray . The weekend will be
full-board

Places are limited so please book early

* There will be Sung Mass, Low Mass, Rosary, Adoration, Confession, a Marian
Procession in honour of Our Lady of Fatima and socials

* Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, Masses will
be in the Extraordinary form.

THE MAIN GUEST HOUSE

Saturday 11th – Sunday 12th September (full board)*

51 pounds full-board (except Sunday lunch) PER PERSON PER NIGHT

25 pounds for students/low waged/unwaged (or whatever you can afford)

THE COTTAGES

£35 per person per night (full board). Self catering £25 per person
per night (reductions for students:- or whatever you can afford) .

SELF CATERING CAMPING

£5 per person per night (or whatever you can afford - please bring your
own tent and food ).

Limited places so please reserve your place early

To reserve your place FOR THE WEEKEND (no deposit needed if you are coming for
the day on Saturday 5th July), please a 20 pound deposit (NON RETURNABLE) to
Damian Barker, Flat 5, 12 St. Catherine Street, Kingsholm, Gloucester, Glos.
GL2 9DU (please make any cheques payable to Damian Barker). For enquiries ring
07908105787.

For more details see:- http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/

Different look

I thought I'd change the blog layout to something like it was originally, the pale blue background commemorates this Month of Our Blessed Lady.

I have introduced a poll (as if we haven't had enough of those!) for the next month or so. Please take at most ten seconds to answer, but only once, however many times you visit the site.

After a technical misfortune (I pressed the wrong button) I erased the "useful links" section of the blog a few months ago. I have now refined and restored this section.

God bless and protect the Pope!

Ascension Day Mass

Mass for Ascension Thursday will be at St. Mary of the Angels, Cross Bank Road, Batley at 7.00a.m.

The weekend Masses at Halifax, Castleford and Leeds St. Augustine's will be Masses for the Ascension.

Some good news

The appalling Dr. Death ex Lib Dem MP, Evan Harris lost his seat in Thursday's election. Even better the new MP is pro-life.

Following that same election we have a lame duck busted flush Prime Minister whose quoting of scripture before polling day made my flesh crawl.

The election looms

I use the word "looms" because none of the parties fielding candidates have a pro life agenda. The present Government has done nothing for the rights of the unborn child, the Prime Minister is proud of his gay friendly policies, a cigarette paper could be held between the views of the leaders of the other two parties on the same moral issues. I do not particularly like much of what any of the other minor parties have to say.

For the first time ever I am unsure whom to vote for (but I shall not be voting for New Labour). Do I tactically vote Lib Dem to get New Labour out, do I vote for the Muslim Tory candidate to show my opposition to the other two, given the Lib Dem opposition to Faith schools and Labour plans to continue to impose their appalling views , or do I vote for a minority party to express my disgust at all three? Do I spoil my paper by voting for none of the above, as my wife often does? I do believe I have the obligation to show up and put something on the ballot papers, but as yet I am decidedly "undecided". I have no idea what the common good is, as far as the General Election is concerned in this case. Not one prospective candidate has knocked at my front door for me to ask the questions I usually ask.

Decisions, decisions!

God help us come Friday morning.

Cardinal Mayer RIP

The first head of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei , Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer has died just three weeks before his 99th. birthday. A Benedictine Abbot, he will be interred in his Abbey at Metten in Germany where he was professed monk in 1931.

May he rest in peace.

Recent press release

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

Successful Latin Mass Society Priests’ Training Conference at Ushaw College, Durham, 12 – 16 April 2010 (Low Week)


Between Monday 12 and Friday 16 April the Latin Mass Society (LMS) hosted its fifth national residential conference in four years to train priests in the celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The conference was held in Ushaw College, Durham, and twenty priests were trained.

This year, for the first time, the conference included separate tuition for laymen to become proficient MCs for the ceremonies of the Extraordinary Form. Ten laymen attended the course.

Among the clergy present were two young priests from the Archdiocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka, who had been sent by Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, ex-Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship in Rome. Archbishop Ranjith is actively reintroducing the Extraordinary Form into his diocese.

Apart from the expert small group tuition given by experienced priests, there were Latin classes and lectures, daily Lauds, Compline, Vespers, Rosary and Benediction. Each morning the college’s numerous side chapels were used by the priests to say their private Masses.

Traditional Rite liturgies were offered each day in the seminary’s magnificent St Cuthbert’s chapel and there were impressive opening and closing High Masses at which the Church’s treasury of plainchant and polyphony was heard.

At the conference dinner on the Thursday evening, a letter of support from Archbishop Ranjith was read out. The archbishop encouraged the LMS in its work of implementing the Motu Proprio and helping priests learn the Extraordinary Form of Mass and he congratulated the Society ‘in this beautiful undertaking in the name of the Church’s Tradition and orthodoxy which is our need and the need of the time’.

The LMS has already announced its next residential training conference to be held at Downside Abbey from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 August. Full details are available from the LMS.

The picture above shows Rev. Fr. S. Brown offering early morning Mass at the recent conference. With thanks to my friend Roydosan over on the LMS Middlesbrough blogsite from whom I've copied this picture.

Mass attendance

Without wishing to appear remotely virtuousI attended four Sunday Masses this weekend in this diocese (three Low and one Missa cantata). As far as I could make out from head counts from the sanctuary there were well over a hundred in attendance in total, something I would have only dreamed of even 5 years ago.

We are fortunate in this diocese in having daily Mass and a choice of venues at the weekends.

We have many priest celebrants (over twenty) who have trained at LMS conferences and with our tutor Father Parfitt or have brushed up with our Reverend co-ordinator, Fr. Wiley, who again acted as sacristan at the conference at Ushaw.

Moreover many clergy are very welcoming to us and who realise we don't have horns and demand long sermons in Latin!

There is still widespread ignorance about the availability of the Extraordinary Form and far less open hostility from those who believe the Pope was wrong to liberate this Rite of Mass.

I notice again that the times of some of the the EF Masses are listed with the wrong times in the diocesan newspaper the Catholic Post. I shall contact the editor about this.

If you are new to this blog and are interested in attending an EF Mass please see details to the left of this posting.

Please note there will be Mass again, this time on the Feast of Corpus Christi at 11.30a.m. at Bewerley Grange chapel near Pateley Bridge on Thursday June 3rd.

(The photograph shows Fr. Geoffrey Parfitt at Bewerley last year)

Pass me a blood pressure tablet

The "Catholic" Education Service has appointed a new Deputy Director. A good Catholic? I wouldn't know.

Greg Pope, a retiring Labour MP, certainly not known for his pro-life, pro-Catholic views is to be Ms Stannard's number two.

Mr. Pope's voting against a reduction in the abortion limit to 16 weeks, was explained away by a spokesperson at the "C"ES, as in the past and who pointed out we are all on a Faith journey.

See also http://spuc-director.blogspot.com/2010/04/catholic-education-service-appoints.html

God help us! I thought it was April 1st. before the absolute disgrace of the situation sank in.

Time for a Votive Mass for the forgiveness of sins.

I understand that the four Fridays of May are to be put aside as days of Penance for the sins of perverted clerics and their bishops who were complicit in the cover ups.

Perhaps it is high time to reintroduce meat free Fridays, or Vegetarian Fridays or Fish Fridays and offer this up for the victims and perpetrators of these utterly atrocious crimes.

Old sins tend to cast long shadows.

Sunday's Masses

Masses tomorrow are at;

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

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

The Holy Gospel is about the Good Shepherd, most fitting given the anniversary of the Holy Father's accession to the Pontificate on Monday.

At Mass in Halifax this evening Father Smith spoke of the recent vitriol directed against the Pope by a blood thirsty media and rabid atheists.

God bless the Pope!

Happy Birthday Pope Benedict

Dr. Joseph Shaw, the LMS Chairman, proposed a toast to the Holy Father on the occasion of this the Pontiff's birthday . This was followed by a lively rendition of "Happy Birthday to you Pope Benedict, Holy Father".

The Conference at Ushaw was a great success judging by the comments made by the participants who also had lots of welcome ideas about what they would like to see next time in addition to what was on offer this year.

Contacts were made and friendships were formed, renewed and strengthened.

At many such previous events I have attended much of the conversation has focused on negative things, this time there was an overriding positive exchange of views.

As usual there were many personally inspiring events.

One was a poignant account given by one of the tutors, Fr. Elkin, who was at Ushaw from 1946 until his ordination in 1959. He spoke of the hard times endured by the boys and men at the College. There were four hundred resident students in those days, today there are 26. This said, Father was generally filled with hope about the future of the Church and felt that the efforts of the LMS was playing its part in helping to form the future.

Some of the younger domestic staff at the College were quite mesmerised by the liturgy and a 20 year old student of music who formed part of the excellent schola, who is at the NCM in Manchester gave a few of us an insight into his feelings about how William Byrd must have felt when composing some of his music in penal times and the dangers involved in performing it and how this affected him. Discussion ensued and revealed many other people's experiences for better or worse for allowing themselves to become involved in promoting the 1962 Liturgy.

The best joke I heard this week was:

Q: What was the recessional hymn at Vatican II?

A: Go the Mass is ended!