The Feminine Approach

When I got home from work yesterday, there was a message on hy answering machine.  It was from a lady who had heard about the pilgrimage on the local radio and gone along, probably not knowing quite what to expect.  Apparently, she was so bowled over by what she saw, that she immediately joined the Latin Mass Society.

She did, however, have one small criticism, and that was that there were no flowers arranged around the base of the statue of Margaret Clitherow that was paraded through the streets of York.  Next year we will try to correct this omission.  Clearly we are lacking in feminine input.

Margaret Clitherow Pilgrimage

I hope that we will be able to publish some photographs soon.  In the mean time, we will have to be content with a written report.

Over 200 people took part in the pilgrimage by attending the Solemn Mass in St Wilfrid's Church, walking in the procession and being present at the Church of the English Martyrs for veneration of the relic and Benediction.  The presence of Bishop Drainey, who presided at the Mass and gave the Benediction, was much appreciated by all.  A lot of people came up to me afterwards and said:  "I wish we had a bishop like him!"  Not only did he not make a single error, but he looked completely confident throughout the proceedings.  I think that this must be due to the amount of preparation that he put into it beforehand.

It seems that the procession made a significant impact in the city of York, there being good coverage both in the local newspaper and on the local radio.  Several people have remarked that the procession was treated with respect as it passed through the busy streets.  Shoppers and tourists alike stood back out of the way to allow the procession to pass, and there was virtually no antagonism shown.

An innovation this year was to carry a statue of St Margaret Cluitherow on the procession, and that added to the impact.  We also had a mobile loudspeaker system for the recitation of the roasry, which was a great help.  Next year, we will introduce further features which will make the pilgrimage even more conspicuous.

Two Days to Go

Two days to go to the pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow in York.  I am going to York tomorrow to record something about it for Radio York which will be broadcast on Saturday morning.  I understand that the York Press have given the pilgrimage some coverage.

Now, all that we can do is hope and pray that it will be well attended.

Changing Attitudes in Seminaries

In his blog, What Does the Prayer Really Say, Fr Zuhlsdorf has a post about a seminarian who claims that a poll has indicated that a majority of seminarians would prefer to be ordained in the older form of the rite.  Furthermore they indicate a preference for Mass celebrated in the extraordinary form.

Unfortunately, no further details are given of the poll, so one must assume that it was conducted informally, and relates to one seminary, which is probably in the USA.  It would be unwise to extrapolate the findings, and apply them to all seminaries in America, or the world.  However, it would be very reasonable to identify a trend.  Such a result would have been unthinkable ten years ago.

It is often said that what happens in America today, happens in Europe tomorrow.  I would be surprised if the results of this poll were not replicated all over America in about three years and this side of the Atlantic in ten.

Masses to Resume in Middlesbrough

The 6pm Sunday Masses at the Church of St Alphonsus, North Ormsby, Middlesbrough, which have not taken place for several weeks, are to resume, starting on Sunday 26th January.  The celebrant, Monsignor Heslin, is making a good recovery following an operation, and is now fit enough to say these Masses.

Regrettably, on occasions when Mgr Heslin is not available, it will be necessary to cancel this Mass, since we have no alternative priest that we can ask to provide cover.

Poster

Here is a poster produced by Mike Forbester for the St Margaret Clitherow pilgrimage.  All we need to do now is to get plenty of people to come

Pilgrimage in Honour of St Margaret Clitherow.

A reminder that the York pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow will take place on Saturday 24th March.  It will commence at 1.30pm with a Solemn Mass in the Church of St Wilfrid, which is close to York Minster.  Following Mass, the procession will set off from outside St Wilfrid's at around 3pm, and will pass through The Shambles and over Ouse Bridge to the Church of the English Martyrs where, at about 4pm, there will be veneration of the relic of St Margaret followed by Benediction.

Bishop Terence Drainey will be presiding at the Mass, which will be celebrated by Fr Michael Brown.  The Rudgate Singers will provide the musical setting, which will be a modern one: Missa Summi et Aeterni Sacerdotis by Jeffrey Ostrowski.  This may be unfamiliar to many people, but I don't think anyone will be disappointed. There will also be music by Victoria, Bruckner, Scarlatti, De Wael (another modern composer) and Gombert.

During the veneration of the relic, the congregation will be invited to sing Faith of Our Fathers, Firmly I Believe and Truely, and God of Mercy and Compassion.  For Benediction the Rudgate Singers will sing the Perosi version of the O Salutaris, Bruckner's Tantum Ergo and Allegri's Adoremus.  The Recessional will be the Worcester version of Laudes Regiae.

Masses in Middlesbrough

Regrettably, the Sunday evening Masses at the church of St Alphonsus in Middlesbrough are discontinued until further notice.  The nearest regular Sunday Mass in the traditional form is at 9am at Barnard Castle.

Pilgrimage in Honour of St Margaret Clitherow

There will be a pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherow in York on Saturday 24th March.  It will begin with a Solemn Mass in the Church of St Wilfrid at 1.30pm at which Bishop Terence Drainey will preside. A procession will follow, which will pass through The Shambles, where Margaret Clitherow lived and over Ouse Bridge, where she was executed ending at the Church of the English Martyrs for Benediction.

Last year, when the Mass was in York Minster, the event was attended by about 750 people.

Sunday 25th December Christmas Day

This year Christmas Day orrurs on a Sunday.  Moreover, it will be the fourth Sunday of the month and a day when there would normally be a Mass in York.

Unfortunately, Fr Callaghan is unable to be with us on Christmas Day, so please note that there will be

NO LATIN MASS AT THE CHURCH OF THE ENGISH MARTYRS IN YORK ON 25TH DECEMBER

Masses will resume in York on Sunday 8th January 2012.