Redefinition of Marriage

It is becoming a critical time in the government's proposal for the redefinition of marriage.  On 5th February, there will be the first vote on the matter in the House of Commons.  It would be ideal if representations to MPs were submitted before this time.  This is best done by writing to your MP at the House of Ciommons.  Alternatively an e-mail can be sent, but may have less impact.

Details of who your MP is, and how to get in touch, can be found on the House of Commons website.

In addition, if you have not already done so, be sure to sign the on line petition  at Coalition for Marriage.  It can easily be found on line.

Server Training

There will be a day of server training starting at 10.30am on Saturday 16th February at the University Chaplaincy in Leeds.  Boys and men are invited to to attend and are asked to bring their own packed lunch.

Tuition will be tailored to individual requirements and will be suitable for all levels of experience, including beginners.

The day will end with Mass at 4pm.

Anyone interested should contact Paul Waddington.   paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk.

St Margaret Clitherow

This is advanced notice that this year's polgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow will take place on Saturday 4th May.  In the past, the event has taken place around 26th March, the feast day of St Margaret Clitherow, but this year, that would be uncomfortably close to Palm Sunday.

The format will be similar to previous years, with a Solemn Mass in St Wilfrid's Church, York at 1.30pm followed by a procession through the city, and ending with Benediction and veneration of the relic at English Martyrs Church.

Redefinition of Marriage

The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child is organising a series of meetings around the country to discuss the government's proposals concerning the redefinition of marriage to include same sex partners.  There will be two in the Middlesbrough Diocese:-

Wed 6th Feb  6.30 to 9.15pm  
St Andrew's Church, Bonfield Road,Teesville, Middlesbrough  TS6 9BA

Fri 8th Feb   11am to 2.30pm
Sacred Heart Church, Southcoates Lane, Hull  HU9 3AP

There are other meetings in Leeds and Sheffield.

Anyone wishing to attend must book in, as refreshments will be provided.

Booking can either be at the local church, or by telephoning Saul Smeaton on 020 7820 3126.

Sunday Masses in Redcar

Masses in the usus antiquior have been resumed in the northern part of the diocese.  Mgr Heslin is now saying Sunday Masses at 6pm in Redcar.  The address is:-

Church of the Sacred Heart

Lobster Road

Redcar

TS10 1SH

Please note that, although this is a regular Mass, Mgr Heslin will be away for most of the month of February, and consequently there will be no Mass on 10th, 17th and 24th February.

No further Masses are expected to take place at the church of St Alphonsus at North Ormesby in Middlesbrouygh.

Bishop Robert Morlino

In researching the last two posts, I came across some information which is worth posting.  It concerns Bishop Robert Morlino of the Diocese of Madison in the USA.

Bishop Morlino insists that every one of his seminarians receives tuition in celebrating Mass in the usus antiquior.  He is taking a somewhat stiffer position than is being asked for by the Pope, or indeed by anyone I know in this country.  The Pope is merely asking that seminarians are given the opportunity to learn the older form, whereas Bishop Morlino is insisting that they become competent in it.  Let us look at the consequences.

The Diocese of Madison has no less than 35 seminarians studying for the priesthood.  This compares with, I believe, four in the Diocese of Middlesbrough.  That is more than eight times as many.  Surely there is a lesson there!

More on Oscott

It should be noted that the students at Oscott merely asked for Mass in the usus antiquior to be celebrated from time to time in their seminary.  They did not ask, as far as we know, to be taught how to celebrate Mass in that form.  However, this is something that they would have been perfectly justified in asking.

Clause 21 of universae ecclesiae, the document issued by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to clarify various issues arising out of the Holy Father's motu proprio, summorum pontificum, states the following:-

Ordinaries are asked to offer their clergy the possibility of acquiring adequate preparation for celebrations in the forma extraordinaria.  This applies to seminarians, where future priests should be given proper formation, including study of Latin and, where pastoral needs suggest it, the opportunity to learn the forma extraordinaria of the Roman Rite.

There are two points made here. 

Firstly, bishops are requested to provide all clergy with the option of learning the older form of the Mass.

Secondly, if there are pastoral needs, bishops should provide seminarians with tuition in Latin, and the option of studying the older form of the Mass.

It seems that, through the rector of Oscott College, the bishops of the Midlands and the North are, not only saying that the students cannot have Mass in the older form at their college, but also that they are not prepared to to assist in their acquiring the skills necessary to celebrate the older form when they are ordained.

The action taken in both these cases is contrary to the expressed wished of the Holy Father.

The Teaching of the Usus Antiquior in Seminaries

It has recently come to light that a group of students at Oscott College, the seminary that serves most of the dioceses of the Midlands and the North of England, made a formal request for Mass to be celebrated at least occasionally in the college in the usus antiquior.  It seems that this request was made back in February 2012.  The request resulted in the matter being discussed later at a meeting which included members of the seminary staff and an advisory group of bishops.

The upshot of this meeting was a decision that the priority for Oscott College should be to train seminarians in the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and that the Extraordinary Form was not to be celebrated at Oscott, although seminarians were free to experience the Extraordinary Form where it is provided in the Archdiocese and elsewhere.

It seems that, as a matter of policy, students of Oscott College are not being allowed to "experience" the older form of the Mass at at the seminary, but instead are being allowed to seek it out elsewhere in their own free time.

Since the closure of Ushaw College, Oscott College is where most students for the priesthood destined to serve in the Middlesbrough Diocese can expect to be trained.  Consequently, this is a matter of direct interest to the faithful of the Middlesbrough Diocese.