Ascension Day

Thursday 26th May is Ascension Day and a Holyday of Obligation.  Latin Masses in the traditional form will be offered in the diocese as follows:

     York Oratory         08.15    Low Mass

                                   18.00    Sung Mass

     Our Lady, Hull     7.30pm    low mass

Manchester Oratory

It has been announced that the Holy See has given permission for the Manchester Oratory to continue to offer Mass according to the 1962 books on Sundays for a period of two years.

Church of St Chad, home of the Manchester Oratory

At first it seemed curious that there was a need to apply to Rome for this permission, as Traditionis Custodes appears to give responsibility for granting such permissions to local bishops.  However, the reason is that St Chad's Church is a Parish Church as well as an Oratory.  TC includes a clause that the Latin Mass cannot be celebrated in Parish Churches, a stipulation that has been ignored by all other bishops of England and Wales.     

It seems that Bishop Arnold (of Salford) stipulated that a condition of the Manchester Oratory continuing their regular Latin Mass on Sundays, was that the Oratory applied to Rome for permission for this particular Mass to be held in a Parish Church.  This permission has now been granted by the Congregation for Devine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, which is headed by Archbishop Roche.  The permission is limited to two years, after which the Oratory would presumably be expected to reapply.

Although it is regrettable that it has been necessary to go through the process of applying to Rome, the outcome is not unsatisfactory.  One would presume that permission to offer the Latin Mass in a Parish Church would be similarly granted if applied for elsewhere in England and Wales.

Pilgrimage to Honour English Martyrs

With apologies for short notice.

English Martyrs' church, Preston

After a lapse of two years due to COVID, a pilgrimage in honour of the English Martyrs is to take place at Preston on Saturday 7th May.  

The programme is as follows:

     11.45am           Assemble at St Walburge's Church.   

      12 noon           Procession to Church of the English Martyrs' starts

      1pm (approx)  Sung Mass at English Martyrs' begins, followed by tea in the hall.

The pilgrimage will be led by the canons of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, which has custody of both of these spectacular Preston churches.

The Church of St Walburge was designed by Joseph Hansom and opened in 1854.  It boasts the third highest steeple in England, only being surpassed by Salisbury and Norwich Cathedrals.  The Institute of Christ the King has begun a restoration scheme, which will take many years, and is estimated to cost £3.5 million.  Currently, the first stage of the roof renewal is in hand.

The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs was designed by Edward Welby Pugin, and was opened four years after St Walburge's in 1867.  Unlike St Walburge's which was built by the Jesuits, English Martyrs' Church was staffed by diocesan clergy.

Key Addresses

St Walberge            Weston St, Preston.   PR2 2QE

English Martyrs      Garston Road, Preston.   PR1 1NA