The Christmas Crib

When I was young, it was quite common to see Cribs in shopping centres or in High Streets around Christmastime.  Usually they were provided be the Knights of St Columba, or some organisation like that.  Nowadays they are less common.  For about the last 10 years, I have organised the putting up of a outdoor crib in the grounds of the Catholic Church in Howden.  It is illuminated, so makes quite a spectacle at night.

There is a story on Catholicism Pure and Simple about attempts to to site a crib in a shoppling centre in Stirling in Scotland.  Apparently the owners of the shopping centre refused permission for a crib.  Not to be put off, some enterprising young people decided to have a live crib with the characters of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus wandering around the shopping centre asking whether there was room at the inn.  The response from the shoppers was very positive, and it became a major news item.

Later the owners of the shopping centre changed their minds and made a public statement of how much the welcomed the initiative.  Read the full story at Catholicism Pure and Simple.

Jim Carroll RIP

Reproduced from the Leeds LMS Blog. lmsleeds.blogspot.com

Of your charity please pray for the repose of the soul of Mr. James Carroll who departed this life on Saturday 25th November at his home after a long illness patiently borne. May he rest in peace.
Jim and Marie were regular attenders at our Masses for many years until ill health curtailed their ability to travel.
Jim was always well informed and a loyal son of the Church. Our prayers go to his widow Marie.

I mention this here because Jim and Marie often came to the York Masses when they were held at English Martyrs on Sunday evenings, so he may be known to some of you. His Requiem, which will be a Missa Cantata takes place at 11.00am on Tuesday 11th December, at the beautiful church of St Edward the Confessor in Clifford, near Wetherby.

If you're able to go the address is: Chapel La, Clifford, Wetherby LS23 6HU

Sunday 8th December

To celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, there will be a Solemn Mass (with priest, deacon and subdeacon) at 12 noon on Sunday 8th December at the Church of St Wilfrid in York.

Being the second Sunday of the month, there will also be a Low Mass offered by Fr Mark Drew at 5pm in the Church of St Mary and St Joseph in Hedon.

Mass at Hedon

There will be a Latin Mass at the Church of St Mary & St Joseph in Hedon on Sunday 11th November at 5pm.  My apologies for not posting this earlier

Institute of Christ the King Continues to Attract Seminarians

Six young men (four Englishmen and two Irishmen) are discerning their vocation at the House of Formation belonging to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, in Preston.  They will spend a year there before deciding whether to apply to join the Institute's International Seminary in Gricigliano, near Florence.   Last year, there were four young men in the house, and two of them are now at Gricigliano and one has decided to become an Oblate of the Institute.  In addition another young man was accepted into the seminary without the need to attend the House of Discernment. 

There are now five seminarians (two in their third year and three in their first year) studying at Gricigliano who joined  as a result of attending the Institute's missions in England.  There could be a further six next year. 

One must pray that all (or at least most) of these young men are eventually ordained and that the Institute will continue to prosper in these islands.

Feasts of All Saints and All Souls

There will be sung Latin Masses at 6pm in St Wilfrid's Church, York on both these Feasts.  The Feast of All Saints (1st November) is, of course, a Holyday of Obligation.  On the Feast of All Souls (2nd November) we remember the faithful departed with a Requiem Mass.  On this occasion, I understand that the choral scholars will be enhanced by members of the University choir, so we can expect some first class singing.

Archbishop Vigano's Third Testimony

Archbishop Vigano has issued a third document, in which he responds to Cardinal Oulett, and refutes some of Cardinal Oullet's assertions.  The full text of Archbishop Vigano's third testimony can be found on Life Site News and elsewhere, and is well worth reading.

A particularly useful feature of this latest disclosure is that it contains a concise summary of the Archbishop's original evidence, and I reproduce it here for the convenience of anyone who does not wish to wade through the original 11 page document.

• In November 2000 the U.S. nuncio, Archbishop Montalvo, informed the Holy See of Cardinal McCarrick’s homosexual behavior with seminarians and priests.
• In December 2006 the new U.S. nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, informed the Holy See of Cardinal McCarrick’s homosexual  behavior with yet another priest.
• In December of 2006 I myself wrote a memo to the Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, and personally delivered it to the Substitute for General Affairs, Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, calling for the Pope to bring extraordinary disciplinary measures against McCarrick to forestall future crimes and scandal. This memo received no response.
• In April 2008 an open letter to Pope Benedict by Richard Sipe was relayed by the Prefect of the CDF, Cardinal Levada, to the Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone, containing further accusations of McCarrick’s sleeping with seminarians and priests. I received this a month later, and in May 2008 I myself delivered a second memo to the then Substitute for General Affairs, Archbishop Fernando Filoni, reporting the claims against McCarrick and calling for sanctions against him. This second memo also received no response.
• In 2009 or 2010 I learned from Cardinal Re, prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, that Pope Benedict had ordered McCarrick to cease public ministry and begin a life of prayer and penance.  The nuncio Sambi communicated the Pope’s orders to McCarrick in a voice heard down the corridor of the nunciature.
• In November 2011 Cardinal Ouellet, the new Prefect of Bishops, repeated to me, the new nuncio to the U.S., the Pope’s restrictions on McCarrick, and I myself communicated them to McCarrick face-to-face.
• On June 21, 2013, toward the end of an official assembly of nuncios at the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke cryptic words to me criticizing the U.S. episcopacy.
• On June 23, 2013, I met Pope Francis face-to-face in his apartment to ask for clarification, and the Pope asked me, “il cardinale McCarrick, com'è (Cardinal McCarrick -- what do you make of him)?”-- which I can only interpret as a feigning of curiosity in order to discover whether or not I was an ally of McCarrick. I told him that McCarrick had sexually corrupted generations of priests and seminarians, and had been ordered by Pope Benedict to confine himself to a life of prayer and penance.
• Instead, McCarrick continued to enjoy the special regard of Pope Francis and was given new responsibilities and missions by him.
• McCarrick was part of a network of bishops promoting homosexuality who, exploiting their favor with Pope Francis, manipulated episcopal appointments so as to protect themselves from justice and to strengthen the homosexual network in the hierarchy and in the Church at large.
• Pope Francis himself has either colluded in this corruption, or, knowing what he does, is gravely negligent in failing to oppose it and uproot it. 

Mass at Hedon

On Sunday 14th October (it being the second Sunday of the month)  there will be a Latin Mass at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Hedon.  It will be at 5pm and a Low Mass celebrated by Fr Mark Drew.  Please give it your support.

Rosary before the Cross

As part of a national campaign, the five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary will be recited for Faith, Life and Peace at 3pm  next Sunday 7th October, in St Wilfrid's Church, York.  This sits nicely between the Sung Latin Mass Mass at noon, and Vespers at 6pm.  So anyone wanting to combine a pious afternoon with a little sightseeing should find the occasion convenient.

According to the website, Rosary on the Coast, the Sorrowful Mysteries will be recited simultaneously in a hundred or more locations throughout Britain.  It follows a similar project some months ago, when the rosary was recited at a large number of coastal locations.

More on Pope Francis

The latest revelation concerning Pope Francis, and his apparent practice of denying or covering up abuse by senior clergy brings the action much closer to home.  Life Site News has carried a story, as yet unproven, detailing how Pope Francis is alleged to have halted an investigation into Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor.  I must emphasise that nothing is proven yet, but the story contains sufficient details, not only to plausible, but to be highly convincing.  Details are given that an investigative journalist could almost certainly check out and determine the truth of the story.  I imagine it will only be a matter of time before this is done.

Anyone who wants to study the evidence in more detail should go to Life Site News.

Institute of Christ the King in Shrewsbury

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is to have a foundation in Shrewsbury.  It has been announced that Bishop Davies has invited the Institute to have a second permanent presence in his diocese.  Canon Smith, who comes from Arcansas in the USA, along with a seminarian will be taking up residence at St Winefride's Church, which is part of the Cathedral parish in Shrewsbury.  Besides celebrating Sunday and weekday Masses at St Wilfrede's, Canon Smith will have some duties at the cathedral. 

Although the Institute of Christ the King already has charge of three churches in England (one at New Brighton and two in Preston), it is a new development for any traditional order of priests to have  regular duties at a cathedral.  This is further evidence of the integration of the Latin Mass into Catholic life in this country.

Canon Smith will be arriving in England before the end of September.

Is This Why We are Short of Priests?

The recent revelations about abusing clergy in the United States are immensely disturbing.  What makes matters worse is the emergence of similar stories in Germany, Australia, South America and elsewhere.  A common thread to all these stories is that many of the depraved acts took place in seminaries often by superiors of the seminary.

If this behaviour is as widespread as it seems to be in several countries,  one would expect most decent seminarians attending such a depraved institution would soon leave, and probably not continue their priestly vocation.  This could well be an explanation of why so many seminaries have had to close, and indeed for the diminishing number of ordinations in recent decades.  One wonders how many young men have been put off pursuing a priestly vocation specifically because of experiencing depraved activities at their seminary.

Most of us, who are disgusted and depressed after reading the recent revelations, would probably think that such behaviour does not go on in this country.  We tend to think that all the priests that we know, or have ever met, are fine men who would never indulge in such bad behaviour.  However, anyone who reads the newspapers also knows that unsuitable men have been ordained to the priesthood in the past, and it is likely that some of these are still around today.  It also seems to be the case that a disproportionate number of these people find their way into positions in seminaries. This prompts the question: Have any of the seminaries serving England and Wales been infiltrated by such undesirables?  Of course we all hope that the answer is no, but we should allow for the possibility that there are some. 

The likelihood is that such infiltration has occurred in the past and this could be a reason for the current shortage of priests.

Pope Francis

On 31st August, I wrote a short piece about the  Testimony of Archbishop Vigano, and his allegations against Pope Francis and other high ranking clergy.  I was reluctant to say categorically that the Archbishop had proved the case against Pope Francis,  as there were one or two gaps in the evidence; although I did say that I found the testimony convincing,  and all the counter evidence rather defensive.

I have now seen a short video that is totally convincing, and which puts Pope Francis at the centre of the cover up of abuse cases in Argentina.  I believe that no one seeing this video can have any doubt about the matter.    The video was reproduced on Fr Zuhlsdorf's blog on 17th September.  Have a look at it there.

First Latin Mass Personal Parish

It has been announced that Bishop Egan of the Portsmouth Diocese is to erect a Personal Parish for those attached to the traditional form of the Mass.  It will be centred around Reading, where the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter have their own house and have been offering Mass at the Church of St William of York for the last 17 years. 

Fr Matthew Goddard of the FSSP will be the Parish Priest, and the announcement states that the new parish will be based at the Church of St William of York until a permanent home is found.  At present, use of the church is shared between the FSSP and the the local novus ordo parish.

The new personal parish, which will be dedicated to St John Fisher, will be the first Latin Mass personal parish in Britain, and only the fourth in Europe, although there are about 40 in the United States.  It will differ from the shrine churches in New Brighton, Warrington and Preston, in that a parish has certain duties, including maintaining baptismal and marriage records.

The suggestion that St William's is a temporary home, will lead to speculation that the FSSP will be handed a church for their exclusive use at some future date.  Presumably, this will happen as a result of some reorganisation and amalgamation of parishes in the Reading area.

Next Mass at Hedon

There will be a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form offered by Fr Mark Drew at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Baxtergate in Hedon on Sunday 9th September at 5pm.

The Testimony of ArchbishopVigano

If anyone has not yet read the testimony of Archbishop Vigano, I recommend it as an important piece of evidence.  The 11 page document is easily found on the internet in written form, or may be listened to read by Fr Zuhlsdorf on his blog.

I read it on Tuesday after returning from a weekend in Walsingham and elsewhere, and thought that it was explosive evidence very detrimental to Pope Francis and several other high ranking clergy.  I then searched the internet for comment and analysis, and found that almost everyone was defending Pope Francis and picking holes in Archbishop Vigano's evidence.  Some fairly reasonable points were raised which did cast some doubts in my mind about the adequacy of some parts of Archbishop Vigano's evidence.  Finally, I reread the testimony, and my ultimate conclusion is that the Archbishop is correct in every detail.  

The testimony is, for the most part, very detailed, giving dates, places and the actual words of some of his conversations.  My first reason for believing Archbishop Vigano is because of the amount of detail given.  Secondly, I believe the details of the evidence because they contain so many surprises.  There are episodes recounted that, at first sight, seem unlikely, and on reflection are indeed so unlikely that it is difficult to believe that anyone would have made them up.

The numerous people who have come to Pope Francis's defence, led in this country by Austen Ivereigh, have not impressed me with their arguments.  Some of the arguments are well presented, but they all have the hallmark of being orchestrated and very much on the defensive.  It seems as if someone has been managing the responses.

As a rule, I do not comment on controversial issues on this blog, preferring to keep to purely factual matters.  On this occasion, I have made an exception because the subject matter is so grave, and because, after several days consideration I have become convinced of the reliability of Archbishop Vigaro's testimony.

St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York

The pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow and the Martyrs of York will take place on Saturday, 1st September.

Pilgrims should assemble at the Bar Convent at 10.30am for a 10.45 departure on foot for Ouse Bridge, where Margaret Clitherow was executed, and The Shambles, where she lived and a house has been made into a shrine to her.

The procession will continue to St Wilfrid's Church where there will be Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 12.10pm.  Benediction will follow.

Latin Mass for Prisoners

The following story has been reported in New Liturgical Movement, where a more detailed account can be found.

It seems that Archbishop Cordilione of San Francisco, along with the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship, visited the San Quintin State Prison for an evening of Music and Meditation.  Apparently the event, which included both polyphony and plainsong, was well attended and and enjoyed by the inmates, to the extent that 25 of the inmates, presumably with the approval of the prison authorities, decided to form their own schola.  Members of the Institute returned to provide tuition, and the schola has progressed to the extent that it is able to sing at Mass competently.

The sequel is that there is to be a Sung Mass in the prison later this month, and that this is intended to be the first of a series.

Feast of the Assumption

There will be a Sung Latin Mass for the Feast of the Assumption at St Wilfrid's Church in York on Wednesday 15th August at 6pm.

For Those Not Able to Walk 57 Miles

Those who do not feel able to walk the 57 miles from Ely to Walsingham, there is another option.  Pilgrims can make their own way to Walsingham on the Sunday.  There will be a Solemn Mass in the Chapel of Reconciliation at 2.00pm on the Sunday.  Pilgrims can then walk the Holy Mile to the Abbey grounds where there will be devotions.

Walsingham Pilgrimage

The annual walking pilgrimage to Walsingham organised by the Latin Mass Society will take place over the August bank holiday weekend, starting in Ely in the evening of Thursday 23rd August and arriving at Walsingham around midday on Sunday 26th August.

Accommodation in the form of a campsite for men and floor space in a hall for women is provided each night, with evening meal and breakfast also provided.

Pilgrims assemble on the Thursday evening at Ely, and set off after early Mass on the Friday.

Full details and the booking arrangements can be found on the Latin Mass Society website.

Sunday 12th August

There will be a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 5pm on Sunday 12th August at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Baxtergate, Hedon.  It will be offered by Fr Mark Drew.

Attendance at these Masses in Hedon, which are on the second Sunday of each month, has not been good.  I would urge that more people consider attending.

Pilgrimage in Honour of St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York

The Pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow & the Martyrs of York will take place this year on Saturday 1st September.  The programme for the day has changed from previous years, and is as follows:

10.30am     Assemble at the Bar Convent for veneration of the relic.

The procession will set off from there visiting Ouse Bridge, the place of execution, and The Shambles, the location of the shrine, and arriving at St Wilfrid's Church in time for Mass at 12.10pm, followed by Benediction.

Fr Mark Morris Gets the Sack

Fr Mark Morris is Parish Priest of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Balornock in Glasgow.  It was in this church that Cardinal Burke celebrated a Pontifical Mass last year.  Fr Morris has attended many of the Priest and Server Training Conferences organised by the Latin Mass Society, usually bringing with him other priests and servers from Scotland. 

Amongst Fr Morris's duties has been that of Catholic Chaplain to Glasgow Caledonian University - or that was the case until a few days ago when he was dismissed from that position bu the University authorities.  He had offered Rosary, Benediction and a Litany at his church in reparation for the "gross offence against God" caused by Glasgow Pride.

It is pleasing to see that the Catholic students of Glasgow Caledonian University have reacted in a very measured but firm way saying that they were "extremely disappointed" at the move and that it was "abhorrent that a priest should be dismissed for affirming the teachings of the Catholic Church".

The Sin of Pride

As I was collecting Mass books etc at the back of St Wilfrid's Church in York after the Latin Mass last Sunday, an elderly man approached me and asked why it was that he had been refused Communion.  He went on to express his outrage that Communion could only be given on the tongue.  I responded that it was the law of the Church that at Older Form Masses for Communion is given on the tongue.  At this point, he became fairly aggressive and spoke in such a loud voice that he attracted the attention of people nearby, some of whom decided to join in the debate.  He then said that he was a priest, and had been for 62 years, and claimed that he had been ordained long before all those around him were even born.  This could not be true in my case, but he probably did not realise how old I am, so I will forgive him for that error.

Although I would have liked to debate with him, he was so aggressive that no reasonable discussion was possible.  I was anxious to calm the man down, as such a public row in a church seemed improper.  I asked him where he came from, and he replied: Australia.  Eventually he moved on to do battle with Br Henry, who was outside the church. 

I had noticed this elderly man when he entered the church before Mass, perhaps because he was particularly tall.  He went to sit in the front row.  At Communion time, he stood up and remained standing at his place in a conspicuous way.  He did not go to the altar rails to receive Communion, so his allegation that he was refused Communion was not true.  What was true was that, as is normal in St Wilfrid's, there was an announcement that the "law of the Church required that Communion is received on the tongue and kneeling....".  This is presumably what annoyed him, as it was clear from the way he stood at the front of the church whilst others were receiving Communion time that he was trying to make some point.

Why am I relating this story?  It is only to illustrate how how irrational some people (including priests) are when they encounter traditional practices.  This priest claimed that he was not able to receive Communion because it was being distributed on the tongue.  As Br Henry pointed out this is an example of the sin of Pride.  What is more serious is that he was prepared to have a major row inside a church on the issue.  Everything is compounded by his being a priest.

Sunday Mass at Hedon

There will be a Latin Low Mass at 5pm on Sunday 8th July at the Church of St Mary & St Joseph in Hedon.  The celebrant will be Fr Mark Drew.

Traditional Ordinations in 2018

The blog of the gild of Blessed Titus has a post about the number of traditional priestly ordinations this year. It gives the following figures.

Society of Saint Pius X:   16

Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter:   16

Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest:   6

Institute of the Good Shepherd:  4

One of the FSSP ordinations was, of course, that of Seth Phipps at Warrington.  
If we exclude the SSPX, which the LMS does not promote, we can expect 26 ordinations this year., worldwide.  This excludes traditional religious communities.  These numbers are down a bit on last year, which produced a bumper crop of traditional ordinations, although taking the longer view, the trend is upwards.

With both the Institute of Christ  the King and the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter getting better established in England and Wales, we can expect more home grown vocations.  The Institute seem to have been doing particularly well of late.  I understand that two of the young men who joined their House of Discernment in Preston last year have been accepted to start at their seminary this year, and a further one is to train to be an Oblate.  I also understand that there are applications to join the House of Discernment later this year.

Feast of St Peter & St Paul

Friday 29th June is the Feast of St Peter and St Paul, and a Holyday of Obligation.  There will be a Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 6pm at St Wilfrid's Church in York.

Ordination of Seth Phipps FSSP on Saturday 9th June

The priestly ordination of Seth Phipps FSSP will take place at St Mary's Church, Warrington, at 11am on Saturday 9th June.  Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool will be the ordaining bishop.

A year ago, at the same church, Archbishop McMahon ordained two new priests for the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter.  These are now both working in the USA.  In recent years, there has been a steady trickle of ordinations of Englishmen (and Scotsmen) in the FSSP, although, before last year, all took place abroad. 

Sunday 10th June.

As is usual on the second Sunday of each month, there will be a Low Mass at 5pm on Sunday 10th June, at the Church of St Mary & St Joseph in Hedon.  It will be offered by Fr Mark Drew, the Parish Priest.

Feast of the Sacred Heart

There will be a Latin Mass at 6pm on Friday 8th June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart,  at St Wilfrid's Church in York.  It will be part of two days of Eucharistic adoration and prayer for the City of York, taking place on the Friday and Saturday.

There will be a procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the streets of York at 9.45pm on the Friday, and adoration in the church from 8am on Friday to mid-day on Saturday.  See the parish website for details.

Last year, this was a very successful event, and attracted much attention from the tourists and revellers of York.

Corpus Christi

There will be a Sung Latin Mass for the Feast of Corpus Christi at St Wilfrid's Church in York on Thursday 31st May at 6pm.  The Choral Scholars will be singing Josquin's setting of the Mass, Pange Lingua.

The Latin Mass in Uganda

According to the Ugandan newspaper, the Daily Monitor, a Latin Mass is offered every Sunday at the Catholic Management and Training Institute in Rubaga in Uganda.  This Institute is associated with the local cathedral.  The Mass is celebrated by Fr Christophe Nouveau, who, it seems, is the only priest in Uganda able to offer mass in the traditional form, although two more have now been sent to France for training.

Parishioners of Rubaga had contacted Fr Nouveau in 2004 when he was stationed in Kenya, but had to wait until 2015, when Fr Nouveau moved to Kenya, for a regular Latin Mass.  Fr Nouveau also travels to Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi to celebrate occasional Latin Masses.

The fact that Ugandan priests are being sent to France to be trained in celebrating the Latin Mass, is a very encouraging move, and suggests that at least some Ugandan bishops are accepting, if not encouraging, greater availability of the Latin Mass.  This and similar reports suggest that we can expect a great expansion in the availability of the Latin Mass on the African continent.

English Martyrs Pilgrimage

The pilgrimage in honour of the Martyrs of England & Wales held in Preston last Saturday went very well.  It was a beautiful day with a completely blue sky, which enabled some excellent photographs to be taken.

Starting at St Walburge's Church, the procession moved through pleasant tree lined streets to the English Martyrs Church, a distance of about a mile. The Rosary was recited, as was a litany of the English Martyrs, and hymns were sung.  A couple of main roads were crossed, but this caused little disruption and vehicles courteously gave way to the estimated 150 people taking part.

About another 50 people were waiting at the English Martyrs Church for the Solemn Mass.  The Sisters sang the propers of the Mass beautifully, as did the choir who sang Byrd's Mass for Three Voices.

Afterwards refreshments were served in the adjacent hall.

Here are some pictures;

Procession leaving St Walburge's.

Bier carrying relics

Canon Tanner preaching

Two sisters venerating the relics

Institute of Christ the King Vocation Discernment

Last November, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest opened a House of Discernment for young men exploring their priestly vocations.  Four potential priests took up residence in the presbytery attached to St Walburge's Church in Preston.  As it has turned out, one dropped out of the scheme part way through, but two are now submitting their applications to join the Institute's seminary at Gricigliano.  A further one has decided to pursue a vocation as an Oblate in the Institute.

This is very good news.  The Institute is now advertising for candidates for next year's intake, who will enter the House of Discernment in November.  Let us hope that there will be plenty of applicants.

No Latin Mass at Hedon on Sunday 13th May

Due to the absence of Fr Drew, there will be no Latin Mass at Hedon on Sunday 13th May.

I may have caused some confusion in an earlier post by saying that there will be no Mass on 6th May.  This was an error.  The Latin Masses at Hedon are on the second Sundays of the month at 5pm.

Feast of the English Martyrs

5th May is the Feast of the Martyrs of England and Wales.  It will be celebrated in Preston on Saturday 5th May with a pilgrimage jointly organised by the Latin Mass Society and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Pilgrims should assemble at St Walburge's Church at 11.45 for the procession that will depart at noon.  It is about a mile to the Church of the English Martyrs where a Solemn Mass will be offered.
The weather forecast is good, so the organisers are hoping for a good turnout.  Bring banners if you can.

The Usus Antiquior and the Seminarians of Paris.

Fr Michael Brown has picked up an interesting story from a French website.  Apparently it is the custom at the seminary serving the Archdiocese of Paris, that each year the students are given the opportunity to study an extra subject that is normally outside the curriculum.  The subject is selected by some form of ballot.

It is reported that this year the eighty students voted by an absolute majority to study traditional litergy and the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.  It is reported that, despite the disquiet of several bishops,  this tuition is now being provided.  For those whose French is better than mine, the whole story can be read on the website 
renaissancecatholique.org/les-seminaristes-de-paris-a-la-decouverte-de-la-messe-traditionnelle/

Success of Rosary on the Coast

On Sunday I was one of 30 people who traveled by coach from York to Scarborough for the Rosary on the Coast.  There, we met 100 others gathered next to the life boat station to recite the Litany of Loretto, sing hymns and say the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary.  We were one of about 400 groups around the coasts of the British Isles doing the same thing at the same time.  If our gathering was of typical size, that would amount to about 52,000 people involved.  The organisers, who are mostly lay people,  must be congratulated on a great success of this project.

I do hope that the project will be repeated in future years.  If that happens I would be keen to give a hand with the organisation, with a view to getting even more groups involved. There is surely scope for expansion.  Along the length of the coast of the Diocese of Middlesbrough there were seven locations, namely: Redcar, Saltburn, Whitby, Scarborough, Hornsea, Withernsea, Hull and Hessle.  It would be nice if a few more, such as Filew and  Bridlington, were added.  Indeed, looking at the map of all the locations, the Yorkshire coast had relatively few flags compared with most parts of the country.

One small amusing anecdote.  Our group gathered at the highest part of the beach at Scarborough, with the water line several yards away.  There did not appear to be any threat from the rising tide, but as the rosary progressed, the water came closer and closer at a remarkable speed.   Those at the lower end of the group had to close in on the others.  By the time we dispersed, there was no beach left with everyone huddled on a paved slipway.  I don't know whether anyone checked the tide times before the event, but if it had been 30 mins later, we would have been in trouble.

Sunday 6th May

There will be NO MASS at Hedon on Sunday 6th May, due to Fr Drew not being available.

Rosary on the Coast

Next Sunday, 29th April, is the day designated for Rosary on the Coast.  The idea, copied from Poland is to have groups reciting the rosary for faith, life and peace all around the coast of Britain.  A few day ago, it was reported that 10,000 people were expected to participate at 247 locations notified to the central organisers.  However, more information is coming in all the time, so these numbers will almost certainly be exceeded.

A group from St Wilfrid's Church in York will be departing by coach for Scarborough at 1.30pm and should be back in York for 5.30pm - just in time for vespers.  The last I heard was that there were 33 booked on the coach, but that bookings were still coming in.  There is still time to book a place on the coach, cost £10.  Telephone Sue Whittaker 07973 321555 or email  suewhitaker@icloud.com

Pilgrimage in Honour of the English Martyrs

There will be a pilgrimage in honour of the English Martyrs at Preston on Saturday 5th May.  Pilgrims are invited to gather  at 11.45am in St Walburge's Church, where there will be devotions, before the procession sets off at noon. 

As you can see from the picture, St Walburge's  has a very tall spire.  In fact it is the third highest spire in England, after Salisbury Cathedral an Norwich Cathedral.  It can be seen for miles around, so should not be too difficult to find.  The Postcode is PR2 2QE for those navigating with the aid of satnav.

It is a little under a mile to the church of the English Martyrs, where Mass will be celebrated at around 12.30 pm.

As you can see from this photograph, this is also a large church, although it's spire never got built.  Both churches are magnificent inside, although the following pictures do not do them justice.

The Church of the English Martyrs occupies a very historic site, as it was built at the place of execution of  some of the leaders of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion  -  a very good reason to attend the pilgrimage.

Another good reason to attend the pilgrimage is that it is being led by the Institute of Christ the King, Supreme Priest -  something that will surely guarantee the success of the event.

Religious Affiliation in the UK

According to a report by Stephen Bullivant, Professor of Theology and Sociology at St Mary's University, just under 10% of young people aged 16 to 29 regard themselves as Catholic.  This compares with 7% who claim to be C of E and 6% Muslim.  This is based on a European Social Survey conducted 2014 to 2016.

The survey is a snapshot, so does not strictly indicate trends.  However, the fact that the figures are only for young people does indicate that within the next 15 years, there will be more Catholics and more Muslims than members of the Church of England.

The report does not mention that the survey covers the whole of the UK, whereas the C of E only covers England.  I presume adjustment has been made for this.

Requiem Mass Tuesday 6th March.

The Requiem Mass of Francis (Frank) Shepherd will take place at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Hedon, on Tuesday 6th March at 12 noon.

Frank Shepherd, who lived in Hedon, has been attending the the Sunday Latin Masses in York and Hedon.

Ash Wednesday

There will be a Mass in the Extraordinary Form, preceded by the blessing and distribution of Ashes at St Wilfrid's Church in York on Wednesday 14th February.  Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinaece.

Bishop of Lancaster Appointed

Canon Paul Swarbrick , a priest of the Lancaster Diocese, has been named as the next Bishop of Lancaster.  Canon Swarbrick (59) trained for the priesthood at Ushaw College, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1982.  He has served in various parishes in the Lancaster Diocese as well as spending a spell in Zambia.

It will be of particular interest to readers of this blog that Fr Swarbrick has, in the past, served at both the churches in Preston now run by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.  On his return from Africa, he was briefly Assistant Priest at English Martyrs.  Later he was Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart Church, a parish that included St Walburge's Church.  In fact, an article in the Lancaster Evening Press announcing Canon Swarbrick's appointment has a picture of him inside St Walburge's Church. 

Title Page

I have to ask readers to ignore the information at the top of this blog. The Masses in Redcar no longer take place, neither do the Wednesday evening Masses in Hull.  However, the information concerning activities in York are correct, and we now have a regular monthly Sunday Mass in Hedon.  It is at 5pm on the second Sunday of the month at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph.

Unfortunately. I am unable to change that part of the blog.

Sunday 11th February

On Sunday 11th February, being the second Sunday of the Month, there will be a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the Church of St Mary & St Joseph in Hedon.  It will be at 5pm and celebrated by Fr Mark Drew, who is Parish Priest there. 

The church is in Baxtergate and the postcode is HU12 8JN.  Baxter ate is part of a one way system in Hedon, so most people will have to approach via St Augustinegate, which is the main street.  The church is hard to spot, because it is behind the presbytery.  The most noticeable thing is a large crucifix in the garden, but by the time you have noticed that, you will probably have passed the entrance, and may have to go round the one way system again.  It is best to look for the Shakespeare Inn.  The entrance to the church is next to the pub's car park.

Candlemas

Yesterday morning, the Feast of the Purification, I noticed on Fr Z's blog a poem for Candlemas written by John Henry Newman.

 THE Angel-lights of Christmas morn,

Which shot across the sky,
Away they pass at Candlemas,
They sparkle and they die.

Comfort of earth is brief at best,
Although it be divine;
Like funeral lights for Christmas gone,
Old Simeon’s tapers shine.

And then for eight long weeks and more,
We wait in twilight grey,
Till the high candle sheds a beam
On Holy Saturday.

We wait along the penance-tide
Of solemn fast and prayer;
While song is hush’d, and lights grow dim
In the sin-laden air. 

And while the sword in Mary’s soul
Is driven home, we hide
In our own hearts, and count the wounds
Of passion and of pride.

And still, though Candlemas be spent
And Alleluias o’er,
Mary is music in our need,
And Jesus light in store.

In the evening, I went to Mass at St Wilfrid's in York , where there was blessing of candles and a procession.  The poem was sung as a hymn at the end of Mass.   I had not heard it before.

Mater Dei Latin Mass Parish, Irving, Texas

Here is another report on the spectacular expansion of Latin Mass provision in the USA.

The Priestly Fraternity of St Peter have a parish in Irving, Texas.  I understand that it is canonically erected as a Personal Parish within the Diocese of Dallas.  That means that it has no geographical boundaries, but that it has the same responsibilities (eg maintaining parish records) as any other parish in the diocese.  I understand that the church, which has a small spire, was built as recently as 2009, and so is modern, but nevertheless a decent looking building.

The interior is a little plain, but spacious and not at all bad by modern standards.

Although the church can seat 300, it is considered too small for their requirements.  Currently there are five Masses on Sundays: (7.30am, 9.00am, 11.30am, 1.00pm and 5.30pm) serving a total congregation is over 1,100.  At some Masses, especially on Holydays, some of the congregation have to stand.

The parish has launched an appeal to raise $2,500,000 to build a new church.  Already nearly $1,000,000 has been raised in cash and pledges.  The new church, which will seat 900, will have confessionals, a baptistery and a choir loft, facilities that are lacking in the present building.

The remarkable thing about this story is that a building that was considered big enough in 2009, now needs to be replaced by one three times the size.  Such is the growth in interest in the Latin Mass in Texas over the last 9 years!

Priest, Deacon and Server Training

Bookings are now open for the Priest, Deacon and Server Training Conference to be held at Prior Park College near Bath from 9th to 12th April.   These conferences, organised by the Latin Mass Society, have been held most years since 2007, the year of Summorum Pontificum.  Over this period hundreds of priests, deacons, seminarians and laymen have been introduced to, and learned the rubrics of the Latin Mass.

Tuition in celebrating Mass in the Extraordinary Form is given to priests (and soon to be ordained seminarians) in small groups by experienced priests.   Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Solemn Mass can be studied according to the requirements of each student, although priests are expected to master Low Mass before moving to the more complicated forms.

Servers are also instructed in small groups according to requirements, and again, they are expected to master Low Mass before progressing to Missa Cantata and Solemn Mass.  Most tuition is around an altar, to give a hands on experience.

Prior Park has a beautiful chapel with several side chapels that are well suited to Mass in the Extraordinary Form.  There will be a resident choir so that the daily Mass and the other liturgies can be examples of best practice.

Accommodation is in single rooms (not en suite) conveniently located close to the chapel and the dining room.  The fee for attending is £120, although there are concessions and seminarians are can attend entirely free.  Fuller details and the booking form can be found on the website of the Latin Mass Society.  Places are limited so early booking is advised.

Extraordinary Form for Beginners

The following is an extract from the newsletter of St Wilfrid's parish:

EXTRAORDINARY FORM FOR BEGINNERS Tuesday, 30 January, 7.30pm. Duration: forty-five minutes to one hour. Location: The Upper Room. A talk introducing the Extraordinary Form (Latin Mass) for those unfamiliar with or wanting to increase their understanding of the EF. The aim is to make all feel confident and comfortable attending it.

This is surely a very good idea.  It is certainly true that many people benefit from having the older form of the Mass explained, and I am sure that some good will come of it.  Look out for reports of increased attendance at the Latin Masses provided at St Wilfrid's Church.

Candlemas Friday 2nd February

The following has been copied from the website of St Wilfrid's Church in York.

Friday, 2 February is the Feast of Candlemas and a special day for the Oratory in England as it it our birthday. It is also the anniversary of the installation of the new Statue of Our Lady of York. In addition to the 12.10pm Mass There will be a Mass at St Wilfrid’s for St Wilfrid’s School (to which all are welcome) at 10am with Blessing of Candles and Procession. There will be a sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 6pm also with Blessing of Candles and Procession.

Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus, Sovereign Priest

A couple of months ago, I reported on the arrival in Preston of three nuns of the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus.  This is the female order of nuns associated with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Today, I received a newsletter reporting on their progress.  It seems that they have settled well into their new home, which is the former presbytery of the church of St Augustine. The building, which had been unoccupied for years, is now equipped with furniture and a chapel.  In recent weeks, the sisters have spent much of their time at the Shrine Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, much of it cleaning the church and polishing the benches.  They attend daily Mass there and on Sundays lead the singing, which I am told they do very beautifully.

The newsletter concludes with an announcement.  On 29th January, Rt. Rev. Michael Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster will be in Florence, when five postulants will receive the religious habit of the order.  Of the five, two are from the USA, one from France, one from Ireland and one from England.  The one from England is Bianca Brajuha, who was a student at York University and used to attend the Latin Masses in York when they were in the English Martyrs Church.  Bianca, whose father is Croatian, was a student of Music.  I am sure that her talents will be much appreciated in the Order.

Bishop Campbell has forged some strong links with the Institute of Christ the King.  Besides entrusting the care of two churches in Preston to them, he has provided the nuns with a former presbytery for their convent, and is a regular visitor to the Institute's motherhouse at Gricigliano.

Diocese of Arlington, Virginia

I keep a fairly close watch on any news coming out of America concerning the provision of Latin Masses.  My reason for doing this is that I believe that the United States is generally ahead of England and Wales in these matters.  In other words, by studying what is happening in the US today, we can get a glimpse of what we can expect in Britain in five or ten years.

In the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, there are now 15 parishes out of a total of 70 where Mass in the Extraordinary Form (the Americans call it the TLM)  is part of the regular schedule.  That is more than one parish in five.  This is particularly remarkable when it is realised that in 2006, the diocese had no regular Latin Masses at all.  By comparison the Archdiocese of Birmingham is probably our best performer in England and Wales.  It also has 15 parishes with regular Latin Masses, but this is out of a total of 236 parishes.  That is roughly one parish in fifteen.  So it could be said that provision in the Diocese of Arlington is about three times better than it is in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

It would take a long time to make the same comparison between all the parishes of the United States, and all the parishes of England and Wales,  but I suspect that roughly the same ratio would emerge.  That is that opportunities to attend a Latin Mass are about three times as great in the USA as they are in England & Wales.

But what of the future?  I believe that the bishops of England and Wales will become increasingly well disposed towards Latin Masses, as will the clergy generally.  Against this, the shortage of diocesan priests will make it increasingly difficult for bishops to make Latin Mass provision. So progress will be slow, but nevertheless I believe that the trend will be in the direction as the American experience.

Church of St Mary & St Joseph, Hedon

Starting on Sunday 14th January, there will be a regular monthly Latin Mass on the second Sunday of each month at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph in Hedon, which is four miles to the east of Hull.  For the time being, it will be a Low Mass and will be offered by Fr Mark Drew at 5pm.

The church dates from 1803, and is one of the oldest in the Diocese of Middlesbrough.  Because it dates from a period when there were severe restrictions on the building of Catholic churches, it is very plain on the outside, and mostly hidden behind the presbytery.  Consequently, it is easy to drive past without noticing.  It can also be a little difficult to find because of the on-way traffic system in Hedon.  The postcode is HU12 8JN and the church is next to the car park of the Shakespeare Inn in Baxtergate.  This is the view that you get from the street:

The main building that you can see is the presbytery, with the church hiding behind.