Photographic interlude

I am a great admirer of the French photographer Robert Doisneau whose photographs of Paris captured the spirit of the times in which his photos were taken. I used to have copies of Doisneau's work in my classroom when I was teaching and I have several books of his work.

This afternoon when I came out of church on a beautiful spring day and the faithful were gathered outside chatting I was reminded of two photos taken by Doisneau in Paris in 1945. The first is entitled Les bien-pensantes and the second Sortie de messe à Sceaux. (Sceaux is a suburb of Paris.) The difference between the photos in 1945 and the scene outside St. Joseph's in Bradford today was that there were many children and my heart felt as warm as the lunchtime sunshine.

After the Consecration of the wine today a child squealed as two others were giving their father the runaround. As our eldest daughter sat beside me with her two children and due to give birth to her third child any day now my heart rejoiced. 

A young Polish couple were waiting at the sacristy door after Mass with details of their beautiful little son, Aleksander, who is to be baptised in a couple of weeks. 

Deo gratias!

(Photos from Jean-Claude Gautrand's Icon book published by TASCHEN)

Reminder that we have two Corpus Christi Masses : Wednesday at St Winefride's at 6.00 p.m. and on Thursday at Clayton, St. Anthony's, at 9.30 a.m.

 

Trinity & Corpus Christi

 

This coming week sees two of the most glorious feasts of the entire Church year, Trinity Sunday and Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is no longer a Holy Day of Obligation, but we have two Masses to celebrate this great feast.

Sunday - 30 May 1.00 p.m. St. Joseph's Pakington Street, where over the coming weeks two of the Masses will be followed by EF baptisms. Please remember to book for this Mass and to wear a mask unless you are exempt.

On Wednesday there will be a missa cantata (a first ever) at 6.00 p.m. at St. Winefride's, Wibsey in anticipation of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Many thanks to Mgr Grogan for offering to sing this Mass. No arm twisting necessary there!

On Thursday there will be Mass at St. Anthony's, Clayton, on the feast as it appears in the 1962 missal at 9.30 a.m. 

On Friday there will be the regular first Friday Mass at St. John the Evangelist, Buttershaw at 6.00 p.m.

I am also very pleased to report that one other priest in Bradford recently offered his first Mass in the old Rite and another is undertaking instruction which I hope will mean more public Masses in Bradford in yet more churches.

Deo gratias!

It was announced today that our former bishop, Archbishop Arthur Roche has been promoted to head the Congregation for Divine Worship following the retirement of Cardinal Sarah. As Bishop of Leeds Archbishop Roche was always very accommodating and never refused to see me or help me when I was the diocesan representative for the LMS.  I wish him every success and happiness in his new role. 

Pentecost

 

This weekend we celebrate the descent of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost Sunday and the birthday of the Church.

Mass on Sunday will be a missa cantata at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. Please remember to book at office.stjoseph.bradford@dioceseofleeds.org.uk 

Ascension

 This week marks the feast of the Ascension of our Lord into Glory.

Wednesday - 6.00 p.m. St. Winefride's, Wibsey, Bradford. Rogation Wednesday Mass of the Vigil of the Ascension.

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

Sunday - 1.00 p.m. St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford. Please book for this Mass. 

Masses this week

 We have four Masses this week:

Wednesday - 6.00 p.m. at St Winefride's, Wibsey. Bradford

Thursday - 9.30 a.m. at St Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford

Friday - 6.00 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist, Buttershaw, Bradford and  7.30 p.m. at St. Austin's, Wakefield. (Please book for the Wakefield Mass.)

Sunday - 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford. Please book in advance for this Mass.

The Mass at St. Patrick's, Elland on Saturday went very well. It is a beautiful church and the local parishioners were hospitable and helpful, making everybody feel very welcome. Fr. Hall's conferences were of the cerebral and spiritual standard we have come to expect and the invocations of St. John Eudes relating to St. Joseph recited before each of the the three conferences enabled us to focus our minds and hearts. The day concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  Thanks again to Fr. Michael for this wonderful opportunity to receive the indulgence attached to the the year of St. Joseph and for all his hard work.  

Change of Mass time this week &c.

The usual Wednesday evening Mass at St. Winefride's has been brought forward a day as Mgr. Grogan has a governors' meeting on Wednesday. The Mass on Tuesday will be at 6.00 p.m.

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

Reminder that there will be Mass at St. Patrick's, Elland at 9.00 a.m. on Saturday May 1st.  followed by a day of recollection in honour of St. Joseph, in this year dedicated to him. The day will include three conferences, parts of the Divine Office and conclude with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 3.00 p.m. Please see the previous post for details. There are still some places available. We are very grateful to Fr. Michael Hall for offering this wonderful opportunity to grow in holiness with one of the Church's greatest saints.  I know he has put a lot of hard work into preparing the day.

Low Mass on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Bradford as usual at 1.00 p.m. Please book beforehand.

In honour of Saint Joseph

Modern technology has broken down for the last three days here. The engineer has got everything back up and running again.

Mass on Sunday at St. Joseph's, Bradford, at 1.00 p.m. 

I am delighted to announce the following:

A day of recollection for the Year of St Joseph

Aimed at the community who celebrate the Traditional Form of the Roman Rite every Sunday at St Joseph's, Bradford, but open to anyone from Brighouse or Elland parishes, there will be a Day of Recollection for the Year of St Joseph held on Saturday May 1st, the feast of St Joseph the Worker, at St Patrick's, Elland.

The day will open with a Low Mass in the Traditional Form at 9am.  There will be three "conferences" provided by Fr. Hall and some elements of the Divine Office of the feast. There will also be time for confessions and silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.  The day will conclude with Rosary and Benediction by 3 pm. All liturgical material will be provided.

Tea & coffee will be provided but you are asked to bring your own lunch or visit local outlets.

Booking is essential. Please e-mail Fr Hall by April 26th on michael.hallATdioceseofleeds.org.uk or text him on 07525 419806

 

Palm Sunday

 

Mass for Palm Sunday at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford at 1.00 p.m. Please remember to book beforehand and to bring your mask.

Due to Covid restrictions it has again been impossible to arrange to the Sacred Triduum this year. Mass for Easter Sunday will again be at St. Joseph's, Bradford at 1.00 p.m.  

Passion Sunday

Mass on Sunday is Passion Sunday - the start of Passion Week when the veiling of statues begins, to symbolise our Lord's hiding himself before His execution. 1.00 p.m. at St. Joseph's, Bradford. 

The Mass at St. Joseph's, Bradford,  continues to draw a strong and growing regular congregation. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the Parish Priest, Fr. Angel, and to his wonderful staff as well as our celebrants who give so much of their time to offer the Mass for us.

Masses this week: 

St. Winefride's, Wibsey, Bradford on Wednesday 24th. March at 6.00 p.m. This is the Lenten Mass with a commemoration of St. Gabriel the Archangel. 

Mass for the Annunciation - the Incarnation of our Lord is at St. Anthony's, Clayton, Bradford, on Thursday 25th. March at 9.30 a.m. 

Lent III

Mass for the third Sunday of Lent at St. Joseph's, Pakington Street, Bradford at 1.00 p.m.

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

Next week's change in the liturgical mood marks the start of the march to Passiontide when that mood darkens. 

Masses this week

We have four Masses this week:

Wednesday - 6.00p.m. St Winefride's, Wibsey

Thursday - 9.30 a.m. St Anthony's, Clayton

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

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.