This Weekend

This weekend will be a busy one for many of us!

On Saturday there is a Mass at Holy Souls' Church in Scunthorpe for the Feast of St Hugh of Lincoln. Music for the Mass will comprise the Gregorian Chant Propers of the Feast, Victoria's Mass & motet 'O Quam Gloriosum' and Byrd's Sacerdotes Domini. The parish priest is an excellent singer and the occasion should be quite marvellous. Please come along and show your support if you are free.

There is also a regular Traditional Mass [Sung on 3rd Sundays] at this church EVERY Sunday at 3pm. For further details see their website at http://www.holysouls.co.uk/

On Sunday in our own Diocese, we return to English Martyrs' Church, York at 6pm for the now bi-monthly Missa Cantata.

Naturally, we would be delighted to see as many people as possible at either/both of the above services, so please do come along if you can!

Mike

Servers

I am delighted to report that we now have two more servers for our Masses in York. Matthew and Simon are both students at York University and have had some training as servers. They have now served twice at English Martyrs' and also once at St Chad's in Manchester. They went to St Chad's at the invitation of a friend who sings in the chior and were told that they might be able to help with the serving. A few minutes before the start of Mass, they realised that they were the only servers. You could say it was a baptism of fire, but they did very well.

We could do with more servers. There should really be four for a sung Mass with incense. Any men wishing to volunteer should contact Paul Waddington waddington@gooleboathouse.co.uk

More Latin Masses in York

The number of traditional Masses in York is set to double. In future there will be a sung Mass in the usus antiquior on the first and third Sunday of each month. They will be at 6.00pm at English Martyrs Church, Dalton Terrace. The new shhedule starts on Sunday 4th November.

Fr William Hudson will be the celebrant and the music will be provided by the Rudgate Singers.

Please come and encourage others to come. We need to prove that there is a demand for the old Mass.

Incidentally we could do with a regular orginist.

Rudgate Singers Latest Service Schedule

I’m including everything we’re involved in without exception, be it full choir, reduced numbers, Schola Cantorum, or other services at which individual members will be present!

Here’s the list.

28/10/2007 20.00 St Mary’s Church, Bishophill, York
Compline. Preceded by Server Training at 7pm.

01/11/2007 19.00
Solemn Mass for the Feast of All Saints.
Contact me via our website if you wish to go, as it's a 'Private Mass' :-)

02/11/2007 20.00 St Chad's Church, Manchester
Solemn Requiem Mass [Victoria a 4]

03/11/2007 18.30 St Mary's Church, Bishophill, York
Vespers of the BVM followed by a rehearsal for Sunday's Mass.


04/11/2007 18.00 English Martyrs' Church, York
Solemn Mass for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost

11/11/2007 15.30 St Mary's Church, Bishophill, York
Vespers of the BVM

17/11/2007 14.00 Holy Souls' Church, Scunthorpe
Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St Hugh of Lincoln [Victoria Mass + Motet O Quam Gloriosum. Byrd, Sacerdotes Domini]

18/11/2007 18.00 English Martyrs’ Church, York
Solemn Mass for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost

25/11/2007 20.00 St Mary’s Church, Bishophill, York
Compline

We could still do with singers for the Masses in York. We also need an Organist as a matter of urgency, now that the Masses are increasing.

Should anyone wish to sing or play please let me know via the comments section or via http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/


Thanks,

Mike

Implrmenting Summorum Pontificum

TRAINING FOR SERVERS

There will be training for servers at 7.00pm on Sunday 7th Oct at the Anglican Church of St Mary, Bishophill Junior, York. We will mostly deal with Low Mass but will also cover the extra bits for High Mass. Hopefully we will make enough progress to have a full set of servers for the Mass at English Martyrs on Sunday 21st October.

Study Day on Summorum Pontificum at Ushaw

From Fr Michal Brown's Blog, Forest Murmurs

I`m delighted to be able to give the details of the forthcoming Study Day at Ushaw on October 24th as mentioned before on this blog. As I understand it this is for priests. I`m really sorry I won`t be able to make it myself. However, here are the details as I have received them.

Summorum Pontificum

A Study Day at Ushaw College, Durham,
on the motu proprio ofPope Benedict XVI.

Wednesday 24th October.
Programme.

10.00 am: Opening prayer.

10.00 am to 11.15 am: Rev Dr. Alcuin Reid : An introduction to & study of the motu proprio.
11.15 – 11.30: Coffee break.

11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Questions & discussion on the motu proprio.

12.30 pm: Informal Lunch in the college dining room (general mingling and conversation).

1.15 pm to 2.30 pm: Fr John Emerson, FSSP, on the traditional priestly orders (and the co-existence of both forms in a parish?).

2.30 pm to 3.00 pm: Ian Graham, Founder of the Schola Gregoriana of Northumbria on singing the Mass (and to be a LMS diocesan contact on music for priests).

3.00 pm to 3.10 pm: Coffee break.

3.10 pm to 3.25 pm: Leo Darroch, Secretary of the International Federation Una Voce (giving a brief update on the situation around the world).

3.25 pm to 4.00 pm: Open Forum Questions on the events of the day to all participants and making arrangements with any priests who would like further contact.

4.00 pm Closing prayer.

Please note that names are required by 7th October at the latest for booking arrangements.
A donation of £10 to assist with expenses would be appreciated.

FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: The LMS Office at thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk,
orRichard Rainbow, LMS Diocesan Representative:
richard.rainbow@btinternet.com27 St. Paul’s Gardens, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE25 8RG.

Requiem for Jack Conroy

This took place last Monday at St Aelred's Church in York. Fr Raymond Charlton said the Mass perched on the top step. He said it was like being on the north face of the Eiger. Despite this difficulty, caused by the altar having been moved to the front of the footpace, everything went very well. Assisted by Ben Whitworth, Fr Charlton sang the propers.

There was a very good attendance, including many of Jack's relatives and a good number of local parishioners. It is very gratifying that Jack Conroy was able to have his funeral in the ancient form, something that I am sure he very much wanted.

It is perhaps timely to remind all readers that anyone can ask to have a traditional Requiem, and that such a request should be granted. This was agreed by the Bishop's Conference many years ago and the position has been reinforced by the motu proprio. In theory, the person arranging the funeral should simply just have to ask the parish priest for a traditional requiem and it should be arranged. If he is unable to say it himself, he should arrange for another priest who knows the the older form. In practice, there may be difficulties. For example there may be no east facing altar in the church, there may be difficulties finding a priest who knows the old Mass or there may be no server available. These are all matters that usually can be resolved in one way or another. If there are difficulties, contact the Latin Mass Society for advice.

Servers Needed

We desperately need more servers for the Masses we have in the Middlesbrough Diocese. Hopefully, we will soon have many more Masses, but this will not be possible without servers who know the Latin responses and are familiar with the rubrics.

It is proposed to have some training sessions, and, I have in mind 7.00pm on Sundays prior to Compline at St Mary's, Bishophill Junior in York. I would like to propose that the first one is on Sunday 7th October, but this is dependent on having some men (preferably young) who want to learn. Anyone interested should ring Paul Waddington on 01757 638027.

Requiem frr Jack Conroy

There will be a Requiem Mass in the usus antiquior for Jack Conroy, who died recently, at St Aelred's Church, York on Monday 24th September at 2.00pm. Fr Charlton will be the celebrant.

Jack Conroy played a major part in the collecting of signatures for the petition that eventually led to the granting of permission for the monthly Sunday Mass that we now have in York. For thgis we must be very grateful to Jack Conroy.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Vespers of the BVM at St Mary's Abbey York

The first performance of the Solemn Salve Regina, written for St Mary's Abbey, in nearly 500 years - sung by the Schola Cantorum of the Rudgate Singers.

Celebration Everywhere

On Friday 14th September, the feast of the Exhaultation of the Holy Cross, I had to decide which Mass at attend. I could have gone to Scunthorpe where Fr Cahill offered a Massa Cantata; but decided to go to St Chad's in Manchester for a Solemn High Mass to a Mozart setting. At the end we sang the Te Deum. It was marvellous with a very respectable congregation of about 100.

On Saturday 15th, I drove to Walsingham for the Latin Mass Society's pilgrimage. We said the full rosary as we walked from the village to the Catholic Shrine at the Slipper Chapel. Then there was a Solemn High Mass in the Chapel of Reconsiliation with plainsong setting, Cum Jubilo, followed by another Te Deum.

This evening I shall be going to the Church of the English Martyrs in York, where Fr Hudson will be celebrating a Missa Cantata, followed by the singing of Christus Vincit.

Of course, there have bee celebratory Masses all over the place, most notably at the Brompton Oratory.

Summorum Pontificem Takes Effect...

Te Deum laudámus:
te Dóminum confitémur.
Te ætérnum Patrem,
omnis terra venerátur.
Tibi omnes ángeli,
tibi cæli
et univérsæ potestátes:
tibi chérubim et séraphim
incessábili voce proclámant:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra
maiestátis glóriæ tuæ.
Te gloriósus
apostolòrum chorus,
te prophetárum
laudábilis númerus,
te mártyrum candidátus
laudat exércitus.
Te per orbem terrárum
sancta confitétur Ecclésia,
Patrem imménsæ maiestátis;
venerándum tuum verum
et únicum Fílium;
Sanctum quoque
Paráclitum Spíritum.
Tu rex glóriæ, Christe.
Tu Patris sempitérnus es Filius.
Tu, ad liberándum susceptúrus hóminem,
non horrúisti Virginis úterum.
Tu, devícto mortis acúleo,
aperuísti credéntibus regna cælórum.
Tu ad déxteram Dei sedes,
in glória Patris.
Iudex créderis esse ventúrus.
Te ergo quǽsumus,
tuis fámulis súbveni,
quos pretióso sánguine redemísti.
Ætérna fac cum sanctis tuis
in glória numerári.
Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine,
et bénedic hereditáti tuæ.
Et rege eos, et extólle illos
usque in ætérnum.
Per síngulos dies benedícimus te;
et laudámus nomen tuum
in sǽculum, et in sǽculum sǽculi.
Dignáre, Dómine,
die isto sine peccáto nos custodíre.
Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri.
Fiat misericórdia tua,
Dómine, super nos,
quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
In te, Dómine, sperávi:
non confúndar in ætérnum.

Rudgate Singers Latest Service Schedule

I’m including everything we’re involved in without exception, be it full choir, reduced numbers, Schola Cantorum, or other services at which individual members will be present!

Here’s the list.

28/10/2007 20.00 St Mary’s Church, Bishophill, York
Compline

02/11/2007 20.00 St Chad's Church, Manchester
Solemn Requiem Mass

04/11/2007 20.00 St Mary's Church, Bishophill, York
Compline [This may change!]

11/11/2007 15.30 St Mary's Church, Bishophill, York
Vespers of the BVM

17/11/2007 14.00 Holy Souls' Church, Scunthorpe
Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St Hugh of Lincoln

18/11/2007 18.00 English Martyrs’ Church, York
Solemn Mass for the 25th Sunday after Pentecost

25/11/2007 20.00 St Mary’s Church, Bishophill, York
Compline

We could still do with singers for the Masses in York.

Should anyone wish to sing please let me know via the comments section or via http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/

Thanks,

Mike

York Services for August

We're maintaining a regular schedule of services throughout August. We would of course be delighted to see as many of you as possible. Commencing later this year, we hope to start singing Vespers [particularly Sunday Vespers] more often. These dates will be confirmed by email and placed in the Calendar in our website when we have them.

Mike

Sunday 5th August. 8pm. Compline. St Mary's Bishophill Jnr

Sunday 12th August. 8pm Compline, St Mary's Bishophill Jnr

Sunday 19th August 6pm. Solemn Missa Cantata. English Martyrs' Church

Sunday 26th August 8pm. Compline, St Mary's Bishophill Jnr

These of course, are subject to change/cancellation, so it's worth checking the website http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/ to make sure.

Next Weekend...

Some of us haven't time to rest on our laurels [if we had any to start with!] As soon as the monthly Indult Mass is over, we move onwards to the annual Founders-Day Requiem Mass at Barnard Castle on Saturday.

Let me quote the message I sent to BBC Radio Cleveland which was very kindly mentioned on their Sunday Morning programme yesterday.

For the last 3 years we've sung for the Annual Founders-Day Requiem Mass at St Mary's Catholic Church, Barnard Castle. The Founders being John and Josephine Bowes, who also of course, founded the Bowes Museum, literally next door to the church! Indeed, the church was once in the grounds of the museum, but is now separate.

The service is a Traditinal Rite [or, as we'll now have to get used to saying, the extraordinary Use of the Roman Rite!] Latin Mass, sung exclusively to Gregorian Chant by our Schola Cantorum. Anyone [Catholic or not] is welcome to come.

The 4th annual service is on Saturday July 21st at 12.00 noon. This is always followed by drinks and light snacks in the marquee in the church grounds.

Needless to say, if any of you can come, we would be delighted to see you! I have two spaces in my car should anyone need transport from York.....

Mike

Yesterday

Yesterday's Mass was another success. Again we had a congregation of 50+, but it is quite clear that we need more servers and singers to come forward. We need you! Tuition can be provided for servers, and whilst it would help, sight-reading is not essential for singers, enthusiasm and a desire to learn is more important.

Please get in touch with either Paul or myself via the websites below. We would be delighted to hear from you!

http://www.lms-middlesbrough.co.uk/

http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/

For the record, the Schola Cantorum sang the Propers of the Mass, other chant pieces at Offertory & Communion, the Salve Regina and the Solemn Te Deum. We also managed to get [just!] enough singers to sing most of Byrd's Mass for 3 Voices.

Mike

Order of Service for Sunday + Volunteers needed to sing!

This can be found at http://www.mike4b.free-online.co.uk/Services/Pentecost7.htm

Sorry about the format. My [usually] reliable computer decided not to play and refused to download the rtf file. Feel free to edit and save in the Word Processor of your choice!

As you will see, the music has not been decided completely yet. We would still love to be able to sing Byrd 3 but still need an extra Tenor(s) - and a Bass would be desirable also. We have a rehearsal already aranged for the Chant on Saturday evening. I'm more than happy to include the polyphony in this if we get people who wish to sing it. Failing that, we will just sing the Missa de Angelis.

Please email me [especially if you are a Tenor :-) ] if you are able to sing via the Rudgate Singers Link to the right of this page, and I'll provide you with music and rehearsal details.

Thanks,

Mike

Summorum Pontificum

The Motu Proprio has indeed been published, and it contains all that traditionalists had hoped for. Here is a summary.

When saying a private Masses, priests will be free to choose between the "ordinary form" (novus ordo) and the "extraordinary form" (Tridentine) without reference to their bishop.

In a parish, the extraordinary form (Tridentine) may be used if there is a stable group that requests it.

There is provision for "personal parishes", using the traditional rites, to be set up at the discretion of the bishop.

The above applies to weddings, funerals, pilgrimages etc.

The implementation date is 14th September. Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross.

For the full text, see Vatican website or Rorate Caeil website.

Mass at York Sunday 15th July

There will be a solumn Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs in York on 15th July at 6.00pm. Since this will be the first opportunity to celebrate the publication of Summorum Pontificum we are looking for a good attendance.

Summorum Pontificum

It is now known that the name of Pope Benedict's motu proprio concerning the freeing of the traditional liturgy is Summorum Pontificum and that it will be published at noon on Saturday 7th July (tomorrow).

A brief summary will be posted on this site, although I am sure that the full text, together with the accompanying letter to bishops, will be easily found on the Vatican website and probably on many others.

The Motu Proprio

News has emerged that a meeting of senior bishops representing Episcopal Conferences from around the world took place in Rome yesterday (27th June). Cardinal Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, explained to the meeting about the forthcoming Motu Proprio on the liberation of the use of the traditional rite for the celebration of Mass; Afterwards the Holy Father joined the meeting for an hour and spoke with many of the bishops.

The Motu Proprio will be issued shortly, some say on 7th July, others say sooner. The bishops will be receiving an accompanying letter of greater length.

There is little information about the contents of either the Motu Proprio or the letter to the bishops, except there will be some provision to safeguard the authority of bishops in their dioceses.

Deo Gratias.

Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs, York

The Mass on Sunday 17th June was a success. Fr Minskip made us very welcome and there was a reasonable attendance. I was told someone counted 55 which included a number of the local parishioners who are not members of the Latin Mass Society. We were particularly pleased to see several students from York University.

We are very short of servers. We should have a minimum of four for a High Mass. We managed with two, but it was less than perfect. Please volunteer for serving if you know how to do it or would like to learn.

The Rudgate Singers did very well, but again could have done with more numbers. Again, don't be afraid to volunteer. Also our thanks to Bob Smeaton who played the organ.

We should also thank Fr Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King, who travels from Liverpool to say this Mass.

The next Sunday Mass will be on 15th July at 6pm, again at English Martyrs. Please put this in your diary. We urge all readers to mention this Mass to friends so that the numbers can be boosted.

Novus Ordo Latin Mass in Hull

Apparently there is to be a monthly Novus Ordo Latin Mass in Hull (on a Wednesday). Fr William Massie will be the celebrant. Some details given here. Although not the traditional Mass this is surely another piece of good news for the diocese.

Directions to English Martyrs' Church

Thanks to Ben for posting this link to the Discussion group [on yahoogroups] which I would encourage people to join! There's a link to the group/forum on this page on the right, under Diocesan Links.

For directions and parking advice, see http://tinyurl. com/2ysrny

Mike

Mass at York 17th June

The Mass at English Martyrs on 17th June will be at 6.00pm NOT 6.30pm.

Sorry for any confusion.

Mass in York - Sunday 17th June

There will be a Sung Latin Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs, York on Sunday 17th June at 6.30 pm.

Although this is the Third Sunday after Pentecost, the rubrics allow for the Mass of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be said on this Sunday, which is what we will have.

Fr Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King, Supreme Priest will be the celebrant and the Scola of the Rudgate Singers will will be singing the plainsong setting, Orbis Factor.

This is possible with the permission of Fr Dominique Minskip the Parish Priest.

All are welcome, please pass this information on to anyone you know who might be interested.

Traditional Mass in York

The next Traditional Sunday Mass in the Middlesbrough Diocese will be at English Martyrs Church, Dalton Terrace, York on Sunday 17th June at 6.00pm. Father Hudson will be the celebrant and it will be a sung Mass (Orbis Factor).

The church is just off the Tadcaster Road and has a small car park.

There will NOT be a Mass at Everingham on 10th June. The notice in the Catholic Herald is incorrect.

Sung Mass at Everingham

Fr Hudson celebrating Mass At Everingham on 13 May 2007 - the fifth Sunday after Easter.
More photographs to follow soon.

High Mass at Everingham

The High Mass at the church of St Mary and St Everilda in Everingham, East Yorkshire on Sunday 13th May was a great success. Unfortunately, we cannot say at present when the next one will be. Information will be placed on this blog when it becomes available.

Bishop Crowley's Resignation Letter

“My responsibilities as a bishop have been taking a big toll upon my health. Much more than any physical wear and tear, it was the growing strain of those responsibilities upon my nervous resources which had begun to reach a point when I could no longer adequately cope. With that realisation came also the clear awareness that the diocese now needed someone else with new energy and vision to take on its spiritual leadership. To reach that conclusion was, as you might imagine, far from easy, but now that my request to stand down has been accepted by the Holy See, I do feel at peace with the rightness of that decision. There is of course a deep sadness within me at the thought of leaving a diocese and its people in unexpected circumstances, a diocese where I have felt so much at home, and one which it has been my greatest joy and privilege to serve as bishop. But I feel too – and even more strongly – a profound gratitude to God for all the blessings of these past 14 years, years which in the main have been greatly rewarding and happy ones. This is a lovely diocese to be part of, and one where there is so much happening to inspire well grounded hope for the future.“A lot of new life and energy is beginning to break through at various levels, and some very exciting initiatives, for example, in Adult Formation and youth ministry. Above all there is such an abundance of good human and spiritual resources throughout the diocese which should inspire real confidence for the years ahead.”

More information is available on the diocesan website here.

Church Cleaning anyone?

We need volunteers on Thursday 10th May to help clean the wonderful church of St Mary and St Everilda, Everingham
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ss_Mary_&_Everilda,_Everingham for our Mass there the following Sunday, 13th May.



If you're available, please let me or Paul know, as the more volunteers we get, the better the church will look, and of course, it will take us less time.

We meet at the church at 7pm. Hope to see as many as possible there!

Bishop Crowley Resigns

Bishop John Crowley has resigned as Bishop of Middlesbrough. This has been accepted by the Holy Father. Read the story here. There are no details of why the Bishop has chosen to resign but it is presumably linked to his recent poor health. Please remember him in your prayers.

Servers, Musicians and Singers

The introduction of Sunday Masses will bring a need for more Altar Servers. Ideally there should be at least 4 servers (an MC, a thurifer and two acolytes) at a High Mass. We would be grateful to hear of any men and boys who are able to serve or who would like to serve at these Masses.

We could also do with an experienced organist and singers to join the choir. Members of the Rudgate Singers are spread throughout the North of England, the Midlands and Scotland, so we need more local people to join us! Anyone with the appropriate skills who wishes to join should contact me via our website www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

St Margaret Clitherow Society

The Latin Mass Society has adopted St Margaret Clitherow as one of its patron saints. She was a citizen of York and consequently particularly associated with our Diocese. By coincidence, at the same time as St Margaret was adopted as a patron saint of the society, some traditionalist Catholic students at York University formed the St Margaret Clitherow Society. This is a most welcome development and demonstrates that there is interest in traditional Catholicism amongst the younger generation. We know that there are already several members and that the society is planning some activities for the summer term. Their first outing is likely to be the Mass at Everingham on 13th May

We also know that there is a group of young people in Hull who wish to learn to sing Gregorian Chant. We shall try to help them in any way that we can

Frank Highfield

The funeral of Frank Highfield took place recently. Frank Highfield's wife Molly was the representative of the Latin Mass Society in the Diocese before they went to live in Liverpool a few yeras ago. Fr Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King said the Requiem Mass for Frank in Liverpool on Sat 10th March and then came to Middlesbrough on Mon 12th March for the interment and a further Requiem Mass at the Church of St Andrew, Teesville. There was a very good attendance and it is very gratifying to know that Frank was able to have his funeral in the Old Rite.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Solemn High Mass at Everingham

There is to be a Solemn High Mass at the Church of St Mary and St Everilda in Everingham at 11.30am on Sunday 13th May.

Fr William Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King will be the celebrant and the Rudgate Singers will be singing Palestrina's Missa Brevis and other polyphonic motets as well as the Gregorian Chant Propers. This magnificent church was built as a private chapel by the Constable-Maxwell family in 1836 and stands alongside Everingham Hall. It is in the style of the Italian Renaissance and is regarded by many as the grandest Catholic private chapel to have been built in England since the Reformation. It served as a parish church until a few years ago when it was closed by the Diocese of Middlesbrough. Since then, it has been largely disused, although the Guest family, who are the current owners of the Hall, have done their best to keep it in a decent state of repair.

Since this will probably be the first time that a sung Tridentine Mass has been celebrated on a Sunday in the diocese for more than 30 years, we intend that it will be a memorable occasion. the church can seat about 200 and we would like it to be full; so please come along and bring your friends. As an added attraction, and because many will be travelling some distance, we will be serving some light refreshments after Mass.

Everingham is a very small village about 5 miles south of Pocklington; and is signposted from the main A1079 York to Beverley road. The church can be found by taking the road out of Everingham towards Harswell and Holme-on-Spalding-Moor. The entrance to the Hall and church is on the left as you leave the village. If you are uncertain of how to get there, or if you require a lift, do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We already know of several people in York who would like to attend but do not have a means of transport to get there. So please let us know via the website if you are able to offer a lift. It may be that there will be sufficient people to organise a minibus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ss_Mary_&_Everilda,_Everingham

Petition for Iraqi Christians

This is not a usual topic of discussion amongst the traditionalist community but I feel it is of some importance and would like to draw it to your attention:

“Many Christian refugees arrive from Syria on mountain paths used by smugglers, bringing with them little more than a suitcase or two and harrowing stories of rape, kidnapping and murder. Upon arriving, the first place many of them go is the Assyrian and Chaldean churches.”

If you are a UK citizen you can sign a petition to help Iraqi Christians (the vast majority of whom are Chaldean rite Roman Catholics). The deadline is 23 April so there is not much time left. You need to submit a valid e-mail address (which is not published) and then click on the e-mail they send to verify it otherwise your name will not be included.

You can sign the petition here.

Aid to the Church in Need is running a special Middle East Appeal to provide urgent support to Iraqi Christian refugees. See here.

Back to The Office

While we wait for the snags which are delaying the York Mass from going ahead to be ironed out, I'm happy to report the the chanting of the Divine Office goes from strength to strength. Not only have we acquired a new and very enthusiastic member of the Schola - take a bow, Seishi :-) - but last night for the first time, we sang on a Saturday evening, as I'd wanted to do something during the Octave of Easter.

What made yesterday evening so special, was the fact that we were joined by a good friend, Chris, who brought two other people with him, bringing us up to 6 singers! Chris is the Director of music for an Anglican church in Ilkley (St Margaret's), who rehearse on Friday's and sing on Sunday evenings. As these are the days when we have normally sung, it would mean they would miss out on chanting the office with us - so for the foreseeable future, unless other events, concerts etc are taking place, we're going to sing on Saturday evenings.

Yesterday's chanting was excellent, apart from one or two minor mishaps, due to the fact that the Office differs somewhat from what we're used to in the Easter Octave. If you're in York, and want to experience the singing of Gregorian Chant in the context of true Liturgical worship [This IS the Catholic Office by the way, despite the fact that our wonderful hosts are Anglicans!] then please do come and take part. We do have orders of service so to speak where everything is written out in both Latin and English, so you'll know what's happening even if your Latin is only basic... ;-)

Depending on how many of us there are, we occasionally 'retire' to a local pub afterwards, where we either discuss, the service, future plans, what's happening locally - the Moto Proprio is a hot topic at the moment - or anything else that comes to mind. You would, of course, be more than welcome to join us there too!

All dates and times of services and other events can be found in our Calendar on the website http://www.lms-middlesbrough.co.uk/

St Margaret Clitherow

Today is the memorial of St Margaret Clitherow, martyr, known as 'The Pearl of York'. Earlier this year St Margaret was adopted as one of the Latin Mass Society's two patron saints for her devotion to the Holy Mass and her active involvement in the Church.

A Reminder

This coming Sunday 11th March, 6.30pm at St Mary's Church, Bishophill, York

1st Vespers of St Gregory the Great sung by The Schola Cantorum of the Rudgate Singers.

Forthcoming Services

Rather than list each individual service one by one, I thought I'd provide the link to the Calendar on the website, so you can see for yourselves how busy we are!

http://pub3.bravenet.com/calendar/show.php?usernum=217070521

Worthy of note is next Sunday when we shall be singing First Vespers of St Gregory the Great.

I'll quote from the St Andrew Missal.

St Gregory, justly called the Great, is one of the most outstanding popes in the Church's history. The English owed their conversion to his sending a group of Roman monks to make "the Angles angels". .. He watched equally over the sanctification of the clergy and the maintenance of Church discipline.... The liturgy owes him some of its most beautiful prayers, and the very name of "Gregorian Chant" recalls his part in the development of church music. His commentaries on sacred Scripture and other writings excercised a great influence on Christian thought in the Middle Ages, and won him a place with St Ambrose, St Augustine and St Jerome as one of the four great Doctors of the Latin Church. He died on March 12, 604 and his body rests in St Peter's at Rome.

So you see the connection with Gregorian Chant, which is why it was too good an opportunity to miss :-) There may be the odd blemish, as Ben and I haven't sung Vespers for a while, and never together. We'll also have a new recruit singing with us who's never sung Vespers at all [Compline this Friday will be his first service] so I hope those of you who can make Sunday evening will forgive us if things go astray somewhat!

In addition to the Office at Bishophill, there are TWO Masses coming up, one just outside the Diocese, but well within reach for people in the York area. It's just over 30 minutes driving time away, and it can take almost that long, just to get from one side of the city to the other, so if you have transport, there's NO excuse for you not to go unless you have pressing needs that keep you in York. I'll quite happily provide directions upon request... [For everybody else who reads this, who doesn't come from the greater York area or who doesn't have transport , this obviously doesn't apply to you, so can safely ignore the above!]

OK. Mini-rant over ;-) the second Mass is actually in York itself on Palm Sunday. We're not so sure yet about the venue, but I'm sure when Paul is in a position to confirm it, he'll let us know!

The Divine Office in York

A friend of mine, who is an Anglican vicar, is in charge of one of Yorks historic churches, in fact, the oldest church foundation in the city, St Mary's, Bishophill Junior. This church is in use only early on Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings for services, Monday evenings for a choir practice [not connected to the church] and the local Orthodox Community use it every first Saturday in the month. The regular congregation is very small, and Andrew, the vicar, is desperate for the church to be used more often and to be seen to be used. With this in mind, he has absolutely no objection for Traditional Catholic services to be held there. He even had a key cut for me such was his enthusiasm for more use being made of the building.

I was asked whether it would be feasible to have Mass here, before we got the good news about St Aelred's, but it's still an Anglican church, and a Catholic priest may be unwilling to celebrate Mass there if we were lucky to find one. However, parts of the Divine Office can be done without the need for clergy, hence I am keen for Compline and occasionally Vespers to be celebrated more often - in the Traditional Rite of course!

The Schola Cantorum of the Rudgate Singers began by singing Compline on 12th January. We currently sing weekly, every Friday at 8pm with the exception of the First Friday of the month, as I have singing commitments elsewhere, in Manchester to be precise, at the monthly High Mass at St Chad's on Cheetham Hill Road.

The Rudgate Singers have used the church before, for a couple of Carol Services. Each time we've attracted 3-4 times the numbers of the regular congregation, but they have mainly been Anglo-Catholics. It's still very early days but I would like to think that if we were to have regular advertised services we might begin to attract Catholics and others too, who have been deprived of any kind of Traditional Liturgy in this city for far too long :-)

Needless to say, we shall also sing at St Aelred's, which works out rather nicely, as it means we shall be singing in York most weekends. For more details of the Schola and the main choir please see our web site http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/

Very Good News

There will shortly be regular monthly Sunday Masses in the Tridentine Rite in York. They will be at the Church of St Aelred in Tang Hall and it is expected that they will begin on Sunday 1st April, which is Palm Sunday.

We are not sure at the moment who the celebrant will be or the exact timing although it is likely to be at 3pm.

Further details will be posted at soon as they are available.

There will shortly be a monthly Latin Mass in York. It is probable that it will be at St Aelred's Church in Tang Hall sometime in the afternoon. Further details will be posted nexzt week.

Bishop Crowley

The Bishop has taken an immediate three-month break from his duties on medical grounds. The diocesan website reports:

Bishop John Crowley’s health has been giving concern in recent months, and on strong medical advice, he will with immediate effect take three months rest and recuperation to be spent outside the Diocese. His Vicar General, The Right Reverend Monsignor Canon Gerard Dasey, will act for him during his absence.

Please remember the Bishop in your prayers.

First Post

Welcome to the blog for the Latin Mass Society in the RC Diocese of Middlesbrough.

This blog will post news about the wider Church, traditional Catholicism and, hopefully, Latin Old Rite Masses taking place in the diocese.