Lent II

 

Mass this Sunday is the second in Lent and there is Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. Please remember to book a place, bring your mask and follow the regulations re. queuing for Holy Communion and hand sanitising upon entering and leaving church.

Lent I

Mass tomorrow for the first Sunday of Lent at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. 

Later this week Mass at St. Winefride's, Bradford on Wednesday at 6.00 p.m. and on Thursday at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford.

Of your charity please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Joseph Finan who died recently in Dublin aged 88. Fr. Finan offered the old Mass for us when he was PP in Halifax in the 1980s.

Ash Wednesday

 

Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence. 

Low Mass with the sprinkling of ashes at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford at 5.00p.m.

(No Mass at St. Winefride's)

The penitential season of Lent begins this week.

Masses at St. Joseph's, Bradford:

Quinquagesima Sunday at 1.00 p.m.

Ash Wednesday at 5.00 p.m.

No Mass at St. Winefride's on Ash Wednesday

Mass as usual on Thursday at St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford at 9.30 a.m.

Candlemas &c

 

We have four Masses this week in Bradford and one in Wakefield:

Candlemas : Tuesday 2nd February, St. Joseph's, Bradford, 5.00 p.m.

St. Blaise   :  Wednesday 3rd February, St. Winefride's, Wibsey, 6.00 p.m.

                      Thursday 4th February, St. Anthony's, Clayton, 9.30 a.m.

                      Friday 5th February, St. John the Evangelist, Buttershaw, 6.00 p.m.                                                                                                  St. Austin's, Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield, 7.30 p.m. (please book)

Please remember to register to attend Sunday Masses at St. Joseph's. This Mass is constantly growing in popularity. http://www.stjosephschurchbradford.co.uk/covid-19/4594982224 

Septuagesima

Enforced isolation for a fortnight has had an unpleasant effect on my mental and physical general well-being. Missing Mass uproots my regular routines and generally impedes me. 

To take my mind off things I have been reading even more than usual and I re-discovered a book I picked up in a charity shop some time ago. It is a copy of the writings of the Servant of God, Dorothy Day. I had read the CTS booklet about her years ago.  Radical social activism and traditional piety are melded in a complex character whom I wish to learn more about in this pre-Lent season. I expect that I will be out of my comfort zone again.

Mass on Sunday for Septuagesima at 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford.

Important

 There will be Mass at St. Winefride's, Wibsey this evening (20 Jan) but no Mass at Clayton in the morning due to there being a requiem Mass. Apologies for the short notice.

This week

Wednesday sees the requiem and burial of Fr. Parfitt at Skipton. I understand the body was received into the chapel at Broughton this evening in preparation for the Mass there in the morning. Numbers have been strictly limited to the by invitation event because of Covid restrictions. I hope to organise a High Mass of Requiem for Fr. Parfitt when the restrictions are lifted.

Mass in Bradford on Wednesday evening at 6.00 p.m. at Winefride's, Wibsey and on Thursday at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Clayton.

 

Epiphany

Wednesday is the feast of the Epiphany and we have two Masses:

5.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's, St. Paul's Avenue, Wibsey, Bradford

On Thursday Mass at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Bradford Road, Clayton, Bradford.

Masses this week

Our Christmas Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford, was well attended and it was very touching that Fr. Hall offered the Mass for Fr. Parfitt who died on December 19th. I sorely missed Midnight Mass at Broughton and not because of any lockdown measures.

This week there will be Mass in the EF as follows:

Wednesday 30th. December ; 6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's, Wibsey, Bradford.

Thursday 31st. December; 9.30 a.m. St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford.

Friday 1st January; 7.30 p.m. St. Austin's, Wakefield. 

Sunday 3rd. January 1.00p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford.

Advance notice - future feasts:

Masses for the feasts of The Epiphany and Candlemas will be offered at 5.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Bradford.

May I take this opportunity to wish those reading this every joy and peace during this Christmastide and more of the same when we land in 2021.

Oremus pro invicem. 

Fr. Geoffrey Parfitt

 I regret to announce that Fr. Geoffrey Parfitt of Broughton in Craven died peacefully just after midnight 19th. September at a nursing home in Grassington following a spell in hospital following a fall at home.

Fr. Parfitt was one of the few priests in the nineteen eighties and nineties who continued to offer the old Mass despite restrictions placed upon its celebration and there are many of us who owe him a great debt of gratitude. There was never any pomp or fussing. No ostentation. Father's sermons were usually of the same sort regardless of the feast. The message was prayer, the Mass and the value of going to confession.

In his younger days he ran the scout troop in Yeadon and recalled the camping trips and and other adventures with great fondness especially when he met some of the former scouts in later life. A man who enjoyed his own company with his sheep dog Bobby he was fond of hill walking and his sitting room had pictures of hills and mountains on the walls. He was also unsurprisingly very interested in the liturgy especially the Benedictine monastic tradition and always made his way to Ampleforth at Easter. He had been the MC during his time at the cathedral and had been told by Bishop Wheeler that he had to be a hard taskmaster. He didn't disappoint as things went like clockwork in the sanctuary.

He offered Mass in the Extraordinary Form daily when he retired and up until the first lockdown still sang the Mass on the first Sunday of the month. He also offered Mass at Markenfield Hall, the place where he received his vocation in the chapel there. We also had trips to Bewerley Grange near Pateley Bridge and he enjoyed recalling that place's link with the Cistercians of nearby Fountains Abbey when following Mass he would lead the Angelus and the singing of the Salve Regina. 

Details of his requiem have not been finalised but it seems likely that it will now be in the new year.

Father Parfitt was a good and faithful servant. May he rest in peace.     

   

Advent IV and Christmas

There will be Mass on Sunday 20th December - the fourth of Advent at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street at 1.00 p.m. Please remember to register for this Mass and to bring your mask. 

Mass for Christmas this year in the EF is reduced to one Mass in the Leeds Diocese:

Again at St Josph's BradfordFriday 25th. December at 1.00 p.m. Please reserve a place only if you can be sure to attend. Due to the regulations numbers are again limited. 

 

Gaudete! And the Year of St. Joseph.

 

On Saturday 12th December we have our Rorate Mass at 6.30 a.m. at St. Joseph's, Martin Street, Brighouse. This candlelit early morning Mass was a great occasion last Advent.

On Sunday the Gaudete Mass at 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford will be a missa cantata. 

On Wednesday at 6.00 p.m. there is Mass at St. Winefide's, Bradford and on Thursday there is Mass at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Clayton.

I can now confirm that there will be NO Christmas Masses at Broughton Hall as in previous years, but there will be Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. on Christmas Day.

It has been announced that this coming year is to be in honour of St. Joseph and a plenary indulgence has been attached to this. There are various ways of attaining this indulgence including a spiritual retreat of at least a day which must include a meditation on St. Joseph. We hope to organise such a retreat later in the new year to include, Mass, adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Details when I have them will be published here.

Follow the link for information on the Year of St. Joseph:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-12/apostolic-penitentiary-plenary-indulgence-year-st-joseph.html#:~:text=Church%20grants%20plenary%20indulgence%20for%20year%20of%20St.,8%20December%202021.%20By%20Vatican%20News%20staff%20writer

  

Quick update

Thanks to Fr. Winn for offering this evening's Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

Mass at St. Winefides's, Wibsey will be at 5.45 p.m tomorrow Wednesday 9th.  instead of at the usual 6.00 p.m. 

Mass at St. Anthony's, Clayton on Thursday at the usual time of 9.30 a.m.

Rorate Mass at St. Joseph's, Martin Street on Saturday 12th. December at 6.30 a.m. Last year's beautiful candlelit Mass was a truly memorable occasion.  

Mass on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford for Gaudete Sunday. 

Confessions at call.

In your prayers please remember Fr. Parfitt of Broughton Hall who is not well. 

Advent - post lockdown.

The weeks leading up to the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord are upon us now as we have gone from lockdown to Tier 3 and celebration of public Masses is resumed.

Masses this week:

Wednesday 2nd. December - 6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's,  Wibsey, Bradford

Thursday 3rd. December - 9.30 a.m. St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford

Friday 4th. December - 6.00 p.m. St. John the Evangelist, Buttershaw, Bradford

                                      7.30 p.m. St. Austin's, Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield

Sunday 6th. December - 1.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

and

Tuesday 8th. December - 5.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford

Saturday 12th. December - 6.30 a.m. St. Joseph's, Martin Street, Brighouse, Rorate Mass. 

Please remember to register for Mass at St. Joseph's on Sunday and to bring your mask.

Lockdown 2

I must confess to feeling dejected by today's vote in the Commons today which prevents public acts of worship for all those of faith communities. 

Our own Bishop Stock has added his voice to that of the Cardinal Nichols and Archbishop McMahon in a letter to Boris Johnson.  The Leeds diocesan website reports the following:  

"The global spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a fast-evolving situation. From Thursday, 5 November to Wednesday, 2 December, the Government has said that places of worship in England, including Catholic churches, will only be permitted to open for private individual prayer and funerals.

Bishop Marcus has contacted the Prime Minister, adding his personal request to the statement made on behalf of all the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales by the CBCEW President and Vice-President, Cardinal Nichols and Archbishop McMahon, that churches be allowed to stay open for worship and religious services throughout the forthcoming period of national ‘lock-down’.

In the letter, the Bishop told Mr Johnson:

‘Our human nature is comprised of body and spirit, and the spirit is sustained by hope. It is in the heart that hope is born and builds within us the resilience we need to face the challenges in our lives. What I ask you is, please help places of worship to sustain hope in the hearts of a great many people of our country.’ 

Bishop Marcus has asked that both lay faithful and clergy circulate his letter and the CBCEW statement and contact their MPs with all speed to request that the Government’s guidance be amended to allow places of worship to remain open for acts of worship and religious services. 

This means that there will be no public Masses in the the EF or OF for a month in our Diocese.

Oremus pro invicem.

All Saints and All Souls

Sunday is the Feast of All Saints.  Monday is the Feast of All Souls.

Mass on Sunday at 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford and again  on Monday at 5.00 p.m. Confessions at call. 

Please remember the indulgences which can be obtained at this time of year for the Holy Souls in purgatory. 

The annual Mass of Requiem at Leeds Cathedral will go ahead this year on Saturday 21st. November at the main altar at 3.00 p.m. We hope that it will be a missa cantata.  

Christ the King

This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King - the eternal high Priest. 

This feast was instituted by Pope Pius XI in his 1925 encyclical Quas Primus.

While the encyclical that established this feast was addressed to Catholic bishops, Pope Pius XI wanted this feast to impact the laity.
“The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God.”

Holy Mass at 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford. Please remember to bring a mask. Confession available before Mass at request.

Reminder that there is Mass on Wednesday evenings at 6.00 p.m. at St. Winefride's church, Wibsey, Bradford and on Thursday mornings at 9.30 a.m. at St. Anthony's, Clayton, also in Bradford. 

I am hoping to arrange a Mass of Requiem for Bishop Wheeler at Leeds Cathedral in November. Details to follow.

Pentecost XIX -Missa cantata

I'm pleased to announce that we are going to attempt a covidtime sung Mass this Sunday at St. Joseph's, Bradford. This will be the first public sung Mass since March. Holy Communion is distributed on the tongue. l have received some very encouraging comments recently about the EF Mass at St. Joseph's from priests and people. l hope it isn't too long before the Bishop is able to offer Mass and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation according to the books in use in 1962. 

It is pleasing to see the sustained good numbers at Mass. Please remember to register and to bring your masks. It will be good to leave church with the smell of freshly burned incense in the nostrils.