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.