Converts

I was surprised to find that several of the people I talked to on the Walsingham pilgrimage were converts.  In a group of 70, one would expect there to be a few, but they seemed to be surprisingly numerous.  Some were very recent converts.

In answer to a question, one lady said to me:  "I don't know, I have only been a Catholic since last Wednesday."

Back from Walsingham

I took part in the Latin Mass Society's walking pilgrimage to Walsingham over the Bank Holiday weekend.  I should admit that I did not walk the 55 miles from Ely to Walsingham, but was part of the transport team.  One of my roles was to go ahead and prepare for each day's Mass and ensure that everything needed was present.

There were over 70 walkers, including several children.  There was a Solemn Mass each day, with the final one at the shrine in Walsingham.  For me, the climax of the event was the procession along the Holy Mile from the Slipper Chapel to the grounds of the former abbey in the village.  Many, not me, walked this in bare feet, and the rosary was sung in a very joyful manner.

Look out for reports with photographs on other blogs.  You will find something on LMS Chairman and on Chaplain Abroad.  No doubt there will be other reports.

USA Sets an Example

I read in New Liturgical Movement that the Sacred Heart Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit will be holding a four day workshop on the Extraordinary form of the Mass.  Members of the Society of St John Cantius will be presenting the workshop which will be open to senior seminarians, seminary staff and priests of the diocese.

It is interesting to see that seminary staff are specially mentioned.  One presumes that this is to enable the Extraordinary Form to continue to be taught to seminarians in future years.

This follows the example of Bishop Morlino of Maddison, who has expressed the desire that all priests of the diocese should be able to offer the Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

The bishops of the USA, or at least some of them, do seem to be leading the way.  Maybe, one day, the bishops of England and Wales will follow. 

Franciscans of the Immaculate

 

 

Amid all the controversy about the Friars of the Immaculate, I was surprised to come across this video of one of their monks displaying incredible skill with a skateboard.   An even better demonstration has been posted by Fr Zuhlsdorf.  You can see it on his blog   wdtprs.com/blog  under the date 11th August.

The Teaching of Latin in Seminaries

Nowadays, Latin is not taught in all seminaries as a matter of course.  At Oscott and Allen Hall, Latin is included in the curriculum, but the amount of time devoted to it is insufficient for students who have not previously studied Latin to grasp any real understanding of the language.  What is given is really only a brief overview.  At Wonersh, no Latin is taught at all, perhaps because the seminary takes the view that simply presenting an overview would be little help to most students.  Students who study at the Venerable English College in Rome do have the opportunity to study Latin in a more systematic way in their own time.

No Latin is taught at Valladolid where many English and Welsh students spend a propaedeutic year, and the demands on teaching time are much less.

Readers may be interested to know that Canon 249 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states:

The programme of priestly formation is to provide that students, not only are taught their native language, but also to understand Latin well.

In other words, Canon Law requires that seminarians are taught Latin to a good standard.

Sunday 11th August

There will be no Mass in Redcar on Sunday 11th August because Mgr Heslin is away on holiday.  The Mass in York will take place as usual.

Seminarians

We are frequently presented with pictures of a declining Church, especially in the western world.  This is reflected in various figures such as Mass attendance, baptisms, marriages and numbers of priests.  However, although the trend is undeniable, it is not uniform and there are many instances of individual dioceses going against the trend.

Fr Zuhlsdorf has given some figures for the Diocese of Madison in the USA, which has been headed for the last ten years by Bishop Robert Morlino. Since Bishop Morlino was installed in 2003, the number of seminarians in the diocese has increased from 6 to 35 - nearly a six times as many.  As a bonus, Bishop Morlino likes all his newly ordained priests to be able to celebrate Mass in the forma extraordinaria.

I do not have the comparable figures to hand for the Middlesbrough Diocese, but I think it would be fair to say that in the five years since he took charge of the diocese, Bishop Drainey has put considerable effort into seeking vocations to the priesthood, and has had a good measure of success.  For this, he should be congratulated.

However, if the rate of retirements is to be matched ordinations, many more young men must be attracted to the priesthood.  Maybe Bishop Drainey should take a leaf out of the book of Bishop Morlino and encourage all his ordinands to be trained in the forma extraordinaria.