Progress in Westminster Diocese

The Latin Mass Society has announced that regular weekly Masses in the Extraordinary Form are to be offered at two new venues in the Westminster Archdiocese.  These are the Church of St Bartholomew in St Albans, and the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Willesden in north west London.

In both cases, the parish priest is having to learn to celebrate Mass in the older form, so it may be a few months before these Masses begin. 

These two iniatives in the Westminster Archdiocese have come about following a series of meetings at which the LMS has made representations to Bishop Hopes for better provision of  traditional Masses in the diocese.  Currently, Sunday Masses are offered in London at the Brompton Oratory and at Spanish Place, but there is no provision in the west or the north west of our capital city.  Hertfordshire, which is also part of the Westminster Diocese, has been having traditional Sunday Masses, although these have become problematical following the death of Fr Davernport, on whom much has depended.

Provision of Latin Masses in the Westminster Archdiocese, which is by far the biggest diocese in England and Wales, has been poor up to now, with none at all in the densely populated suburban areas.  The establishment of four centres where Sunday Masses will be offered regularly is a great improvement, although it will still compare unfavourably with the very much smaller Middlesbrough, where we have two.