Please remember to adjust your clocks

BST comes to an end until March and we revert to GMT tonight and need to remember to put back the time on our clocks and watches by one hour, which theoretically means an extra hour in bed.

Extra Mass

There will be 3 Masses on Tuesday for the Feast of All Souls in Leeds Diocese.

6.45a.m. St. Mary of the Angels, Batley

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

7.30p.m. Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike

Salford Diocese

Mass at English Martyrs, Alexandra Road South, Whalley Range, Manchester at 7.00a.m. and 7.00p.m.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Another fine occasion

A gloriously pleasant autumn day saw a Missa Cantata in the upper Nidderdale village of Bewerley at Bewerley Grange chapel, a former grange chapel of Fountains Abbey and ideal setting for the Mass earlier today.

As ever, the Anglican custodian, Sr. Mary Cuthbert was on hand to see everything went smoothly and was truly most welcoming.

The sermon about Saints Simon and Jude was given by the celebrant Fr. Parfitt of Broughton, and interspersed with some of the theology of Bl. John Henry Newman was received by the congregation of well over twenty including the PP of Pateley Bridge, Canon Vincent.

We have three Masses per year at Bewerley, at autumn, early spring/late winter and early summer half term and each time the mood of the Mass is finely in tune with season and is always at 11.30a.m.. Today was no exception. Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt who also invariably brings everything with him for celebration of Mass - which saves me a job. Today four children including the daughter of one of my former pupils were in attendance. Strangely my youngest son likes going to Bewerley because he articulates the fact that he doesn't feel bad about talking in church before Mass.

The above photo is one from a previous occasion when Fr. Parfitt offered Mass at Bewerley.

Please remember the EF Mass is offered regularly in this diocese as can be seen in the sidebar.

Over half term

Training day tomorrow at school, which looks interesting following a talk on Tuesday given by Sir Brian Male about the 21st. century curriculum.

Friday evening Mass at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike at 7.30p.m.

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

Saturday afternoon (vigil), St. Mary of the Angels, Crossbank Road, Batley at 3.00p.m.

Saturday evening (vigil), St. Mary's, Gibbett Street, Halifax at 6.00p.m.

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

Thursday (30th. October) Bewerley Grange Chapel, Pateley Bridge at 11.30a.m.

On Saturday I hope to attend a morning of recollection at St. Joseph's in Gateshead in the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle, to be offered by a priest of the FSSP.

Reminders and announcements

As I write this the November edition of the LMS magazine is at the press.

Mass at Bewerley Grange chapel, Thursday 28th. October. Missa Cantata. 11.30a.m.

Mass at Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall, Tuesday 2nd. November. 11.30a.m.

Sung Requiem for our War Dead, St. Peter's , Leeds Rd. Bradford, Sunday 14th. November. 3.00p.m.

Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart, Broughton Hall. Wednesday 8th. December. 9.30a.m.

First Mass of Christmas, Notre Dame Chapel, Leeds University Chaplaincy, St. Mark's Ave, Leeds. Friday December 24th. 6.00p.m.

Wakefield chantry chapel, Wakefield. Thursday 30th. December. 7.00p.m. Sung Requiem to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Wakefield.

New Year's Day Mass, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds. NOON.

As ever please do all you can to attend as many of these Masses as possible.

The University Chaplaincy will from November become a regular venue. We will be having Mass there on each fifth Saturday of the month at 4.00p.m. as well as the First Mass of Christmas. Many thanks to Fr. Kravos, the chaplain and old friend from his days at Our Lady of Lourdes for permitting us use of the beautiful chapel.

Reminder that there is now Mass each Friday (except last Fridays) at Holy Spirit, Bath Road, Heckmondwike. 7.30p.m. Thanks to Father Abberton.

Masses today

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

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

Mass for All Souls in York

Fauré's Requiem will be the Mass for All Souls on Tuesday 2nd. November at 7.30p.m. at English Martryrs, Dalton Terrace, York.

Reminder also that there will be Mass at Batley at 6.45 a.m., at Broughton at 11.30a.m. and for those in Manchester at English Martyrs, Alexandra Rd. South, at 7.00a.m. and 7.00p.m.

Mass at Christmas

I have now managed to secure priests for the First Mass of Christmas, All Saints, All Souls and Remembrance Sunday. Details in due course.

Ushaw Seminary to close...

The Reverend co-ordinator for the EF Mass in the diocese of Leeds, Fr. Wiley (and who trained at St. Cuthbert's Seminary) rang me yesterday afternoon to say that he had just been told of the planned closure of Ushaw. Since then reaction has been from far and wide. Some people are naturally sad and others are ambivalent. There are those who are glad to see the end of the place.

Instead of looking back nostalgically (I've only ever been there twice) I cannot in any way revel in the glories, or otherwise, of its past, save the LMS Conference Masses in the main and side chapels.

Looking to the future however, I cannot fail to miss considering the possibility of some traditional Catholic future for this ready made Catholic Village in need of a good deal of renovation but with enormous potential in the right hands.

Look at how the Holy Redeemer Community on Papa Stronsay work and market themselves. Look at the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate in Lanherne in Cornwall who took over the defunct Carmelite Convent there and are now reputedly looking to establish a third house in this country. Look at the Emmaus Communities, the Pro-Life Organizations, the need for a place to host traditional Catholic training conferences and ongoing formation and even the need for a good Catholic school, not to mention the possibility of continuing priestly formation as an orthodox Catholic seminary.

Come to think of it, there are infitnite possibilities, but that they be Holy, Catholic and Apostolic must surely be at the heart and soul of it. The thought of the beautiful chapel being transformed into a two tier restaurant or auditorium as part of some "development plan" of a business park consortium is very sad. The Church is losing another footing in that part of the world, ironically the Darlington Carmelites (now down to only four nuns) were reported by the BBC to be leaving their convent to live in a detached house nearby this week.

Mr. Paul Waddington, the LMS Rep for Middlesbrough and Treasurer to the Society has posted elsewhere on the blogosphere his desire to hear from any interested party or parties interested in Ushaw's future, and not necessarily with his LMS Treasurer's hat on.

Something for us to pray about.

God bless the Pope - and a reminder of Mass on Sunday 10th. at St. Peter's, Leeds Rd. Bradford at 3.00p.m. in thanksgiving for the success of the Pope's recent achievements, to conclude with the Te Deum.

Missa Cantata with Te Deum

Photo: Interior of Wakefield Chantry Chapel- see below

On this Sunday 10th. October at 3.00p.m. the regular monthly Mass at St. Peter's, Leeds Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford will be a Missa Cantata, with a Te Deum at the concusion of Mass in thanksgiving for the success of the visit of the Holy Father and in recognition of the third year of the implementation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum . Many thanks to Fr. Hall for offering the Mass and Fr. Frank Smith PP for so graciously allowing us all and more as envisaged by the Pope in Summorum Pontificum. It is wonderful to see the Papal flag fluttering outside the Parish Church.

Already half term is looming which reminds me that our next Mass at Bewerley Grange Chapel, will soon be upon us. Sung Mass at 11.30a.m. near Pateley Bridge on Thursday 28th. October. Many thanks to Fr. Parfitt for this.

So far the only Christmas Mass I am able to announce is in the Salford Diocese where I am also rep.

Midnight Mass (at midnight!) will be at Bolton, at St. Osmund's, Long Lane, Breightmet.

This is a regular event and one I can heartily recommend and which we are again attending.

Those in Manchester early on this coming Monday (Oct 10th.) morning may be interested to know that there will be Mass at English Martyrs', Alexandra Rd. South at 7.00 a.m. for the Feast of the Motherhood of our Lady.

There is to be a sung Mass of Requiem at Wakefield Chantry Chapel on Thursday 30th. December in the evening, which also marks the date of the Battle of Wakefield. This is a civic event. The Lord Mayor will be present with other dignitaries. I have 10 tickets to offer those who wish to attend with promise of more if required.

On New Year's Day there will be Mass at the the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Moortown, Leeds, the first in this newly formed parish of St. John Mary Vianney. Details to follow.

Holy Basil - elevates spirit

A Monsignor writes....

I can heartily recommend "Supercritical Holy Basil ", just like me it uplifts, calms and balances. If only every member of every Eucharistic Assembly had me as its President there would be no need for a Catechism, just me, and my word is law. If you don't believe it I'll sue you because I was at the pastoral Council and so I know.

Mgr Fawlty is a retired priest of a pre V2 mould.

Update; Please note Holy Basil comes in capsule form.

Masses this weekend

Saturday: Vigil Mass with commentary, part of the Parish Mission, given by Fr. John Edwards SJ, St. Mary's, Halifax, Gibbet Street, Halifax. 6.00p.m.

Sunday: Missa Cantata, Sacred Heart, Broughton, 11.30a.m.

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

Sunday: Low Mass, Holy Name of Jesus, Oxford Rd. Manchester, 4.00p.m.

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

St. Mary's Parish Mission at Halifax

Tonight I was fortunate enough to hear Fr. John Edwards SJ, preach about "Our Dead" and the Rosary.

The Blessed Sacrament was exposed by Fr. Smith at the start of the sermon which was given by Fr. Edwards, with the intention of praying for the Holy Souls and concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

I remember attending a Parish Mission given by Fr. Edwards twenty five years ago and he has lost none of his eloquence and persuasiveness.

Whilst speaking of the Rosary, he said that we shouldn't be overburdened with thinking about the words of the Hail Mary but should think of them as the wheels of a train because they keep the thing moving and although we are fully aware that they are there we do not have to think about them.

EF Mass at Halifax on Saturday at 6.00p.m.

Interesting northern events

I reproduce the following because I heartily recommend it and hope to attend myself. Even the thought of such an event to be taking place in Newcastle would have brought sneers or laughter just a few years ago. The rolling snowball is gathering speed. I think this is a wonderful initiative hot on the heels of the Pope’s visit.

News from St. Joseph’s, Gateshead. Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.

“In October we have arranged a 2-day Recollection on Friday (29th October) for clergy and on Saturday (30th October) for laity. The Saturday programme will be:

10.00 First Conference
10.40 Confessions
11.00 Second Conference
12.00 Solemn High Mass

The conferences for both clergy & laity will be given by Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP in St Joseph's Church, High West Street, Gateshead NE8 1LX.

The church is situated immediately opposite the Metro Interchange where Metro trains and buses from Newcastle and south of the Tyne arrive frequently.

Please make every effort to attend as Fr de Malleray is putting himself out greatly to make himself available.”

Meanwhile....

Back here in Leeds Diocese I am delighted to learn that St. Mary’s, Halifax is to have a Parish Mission from Saturday 25^th. September to Sunday 3^rd October, to be preached by Fr. John Edwards of the Society of Jesus. As part of the Parish Mission Father Edwards, a formidable preacher and apologist, whom I remember warmly from my days at university, will preach on Confession at the 6.00p.m. Mass on Saturday 26^th. September and there will be Mass with commentary on Saturday 2^nd. October. The daily themes, between these Masses are:

Can we be sure in what we believe?, Conversion - a daily duty, How can God allow evil? And Our dead and Christ’s life in us.

A superb day and a reflection

Having been on the road since 1.30a.m. this morning I am tired to say the least.

It has been a long but worthwhile day. Having seats just a few feet away from the Sanctuary, my eldest daughter and I found it just as easy to watch the Pontiff as to look at the big screens as his facial expressions were quite discernible. The Holy Father looked tired but remained strong throughout the two and a half hour long liturgy.

I was very moved by the Holy Father's very disarming humility, stamina and personal holiness. The sanctuary was filled with cardinals, archbishops and bishops, priests, deacons, altar servers, lay people, religious, readers and television and security people, but all eyes were on the Pope who commanded an incredible and awesome silence when he was speaking and celebrating the Mass. The Pope spoke to my heart and stirred and moved me in a way I seldom experience. My daughter was moved to tears 6 times during the papal liturgy.

The liturgy itself wasn't the sort of thing I would normally go for but it was, as one would expect, very dignified and there were no shocking gimmicks or dancing youngsters in leotards waving smoking dishes and bits of cloth, which seemed to be such a feature of previous papal liturgies.

What was very refreshing and inspiring was that those selected to receive Jesus in Holy Communion from the Servant of the Servants of God again did so kneeling and on the tongue. If this is not a clear message then I do not know what is. Let us take note!

As we were the first to get onto the bus back to the car park in Wythell we were amongst the first to get out of the car park and were home by 3.30p.m. An hour's snooze on the couch took away the groginess as did another hour after dinner! It had been a round trip of about 270 miles.

Sheer joy.

Praise to the Holiest in the height!

God bless and keep our Pope!

Blessed John Henry Newman, pray for us!

Exaudi, Christe!

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam adjuva!

Exaudi, Christe. Benedicto summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva!

Sancte Petre, Tu illum adjuva!  Rex regum!  

Sancte Paule, Tu illum adjuva!  Rex noster!

Christe, spes noster! Tu illam adjuva!

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Exaudi, Christe. Ecclesiae Sanctae Dei salus perpetua. Redemptor mundi, Tu illam adjuva!

Exaudi, Christe. Benedicto summo Pontifici et universali Papae vita! Salvator mundi, Tu illum adjuva!

(adapted)

The invited pilgrim

I am looking forward to the visit to Cofton Park next week to witness the Pope beatifying Cardinal John Henry Newman. I received my information pack yesterday and was interested to see the above "helpful terms", which I didn't feel were particularly helpful. Indeed I thought that they were positively unhelpful.

What was interesting was the request to concelebrating clergy to bring alb, amice and cincture, something which also surprised one or two priests I know to whom I've spoken this weekend.

This said the papal flag is now fluttering gently outside the bedroom window, where it will remain until Pope Benedict is safely back in Vatican territory.

God bless the Pope!

Masses this weekend

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

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

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

NEXT WEEK DUE TO THE VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER THERE WILL BE NO MASS AT LEEDS, ST. AUGUSTINE'S.

This last week has been my first full week back at school. Again my department's results were very good and I have enjoyed teaching all my classes.

At home I am also in the process of a huge sort out of books and papers. I have already filled 8 black rubbish bags for recycling and have selected a lot of things to take to the charity shop. The shredder was red hot.

Feeling shredded myself I am taking my sons and their friend to the National Railway Museum at York tomorrow morning. I'm already looking forward to an extra couple of hours in bed on Sunday, which I shall be denied next week as I shall, God willing, be at the Pope's Mass in Cofton Park.

Needless to say my prayers at Mass this weekend will be for a wonderfully successful Papal visit. I am now really looking forward to the visit and to listening to what the Pope says.

God bless the Pope!

It's not just me....I knew it wasn't!

An Anglican clergyman and scholar from Oxford notes on his blog* about Basil Loftus...

"The man is a complete charlatan in the way he uses misinformation to deceive. I have just read a piece about how Rome subverts the desire of Vatican II for a vernacular liturgy. In this he fails to mention what V2 actually says ... and supports this assertion by a rhetorical trope of Paul VI, the word Dammit, and a claim that V2 is all about ecclesia semper reformanda."

I have long held the view that Basil knows only too well the dangers posed by the EF and the hermeneutic of continuity to his cosy but gaga ideas about "Church".

People like Basil were ten a penny in the seventies and eighties and are now an ageing breed. Do these people serve a purpose (like the doddering gang in charge of Catholics for a changing Church) in so much as anything they say can be taken with a large pinch of salt and ignored, given that what they call for is not the mandate of Christ or His Church?

* http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/some-priestling-called-loftus.html

Masses this weekend and other news

Masses will be offered fulfilling the Sunday obligation this weekend as follows:

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

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

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

Sunday 6.00p.m. Our Lady of Lourdes, Cardigan Road, Leeds. N.B. This will be the LAST Mass at Cardigan Road, as we will be relocating shortly. Details to follow.

The experiment with regular monthly Sunday evening Masses in suburban Leeds has been judged unsuccessful and with the dark nights to be shortly upon us again a new time and venue have been found, this also has to do with the fact that the church is to eventually close as part of the new pastoral provision in Leeds. Thanks to the PP Father Jackson (and his predecessor Fr. Kravos) who has been very kind to us - since he is to move shortly to St Augustine's in Leeds where we have already have one of our our third Sunday Masses, it is not even a case of au revoir let alone adieu!

Occasional EF celebrant and PP of St. Augustine's Fr. Kelly is to go to St. Austin's, Wakefield as curate. We already have a sung Requiem Mass "booked" at the chantry chapel in December to be sung by Fr. Smith, the Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and a regular celebrant of the EF.

We also bid a fond farewell to the PP of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Seacroft, Fr. Billington who is taking up a full time position at Ushaw. This means that there will be no more Friday Masses at Seacroft. Every good wish to Fr. Billington.

Father Wiley is to move to the newly formed Parish of St. John Vianney, which incorporates the former parishes of Immaculate Heart, Moortown and St. Paul's, Alwoodly.

He has already asked me to pencil in a couple of dates, as he did when he was at St. Columba's, Bradford.

I have also several priests to contact who have asked me to discuss the possibility of future Masses with them or other priests.

This morning (Friday) I was delighted to receive a cordial invitation from the Conference of Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland to attend the Beatification Mass of the Venerable John Henry Newman by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park, with my eldest daughter.

I saw the last Pope several times both here and in Italy years later. I have seen Cardinal Ratzinger before, having even translated something written in his own hand from his native German into English.

But I have never attended a beatification Mass and I haven't seen the present Pope since he accepted the throne of Peter.

Delighted to accept the invitation.

God bless the Pope!