Virtual Walsingham Pilgrimage

 

Readers will be aware that the Latin Mass Society holds a walking pilgrimage to Walsingham every year over the August Bank Holiday weekend.  This year it is to be a virtual pilgrimage.  Go to the LMS main website to find out how to participate.

The State of the Church in Ireland

 

In all of Ireland's 26 dioceses, there is to be just one priestly ordination of a diocesan priest this year.  Before Vatican II, there would have been 90 or more ordinations of diocesan priests in a typical year.  The Church in Ireland is in a pretty poor state.  

By contrast, the Society of St Pius X has ordained two Irish priests this year, and the Institute of Christ the King has accepted three Irishmen into its seminary in Gricigliano.  

Fr O'Connell's Chalice

Here is a picture of Fr Henry O'Connell's chalice.  It incorporates his mother's wedding ring, which can just be seen above the base.  Fr O'Connell's father died recently.  May he rest in Peace.

Withermarsh Green

 Here is a picture of Fr Henry Whisenant admiring the sanctuary at the Church of Our Lady Immaculate  and St Edmund in Withermarsh Green.

Although it is a very modest church, it has many attractions.  The sanctuary is very nicely preserved.

Father Henry O'Connell

Brother (now Father) Henry was ordained to the sacred priesthood at the York Oratory today.  The Ordination Mass can be viewed on the York Oratory's  Youtube channel.

Withernmarsh Green

So many people were expected  to attend the inaugural Mass at the new Latin Mass Chaplaincy at Withermarsh Green in the Diocese of East Anglia, that a tent has been erected so that the Mass can be held outside.

I understand that it rained in East Anglia this morning, so am waiting for a report on how things went.

There will be another Mass tomorrow (Sunday) at 10am.

Here is a picture of Fr Whisenant preaching.

Shrewsbury Cathedral

Shrewsbury Cathedral has been publishing figures for Sunday Mass attendance since they reopened after lock down. 

First Sunday back:

     8am          59

     10am        65

     12am        80

Second Sunday back

     8am          67

     10am        63

     12am        72

I will leave it to readers to work out which Mass is the Latin Mass.

Feast of the Assumption

 Saturday 15th August is the Feast of the Assumption and in normal circumstances wopuld be a Holyday of Obligation.  The York Oratory will be providing a Latin Mass at 9.15am.  It is also streamed on their Youtube channel.

Plainsong at Leeds Cathedral

When churches were closed due to COVID 19, Leeds Cathedral lost no time in livestreaming a daily Mass.  Regrettably, no Latin Masses have been livestreamed, but Latin plainchant has been included in the Sunday Novus Ordo Messes.  I have just heard from a source within the Leeds Curia that this has been extremely well received by viewers, with many favourable comments.

I am told that, although Leeds Cathedral would like to livestreram their Sunday Latin Mass, they cannot do so because they only have one person to deal with the technical aspects.  However, we must be grateful that viewers are being introduced to plainsong.  For many people, it could be the thing that leads them to the Latin Mass.

Withermarsh Green, Suffolk

There is an interesting development  concerning the Latin Mass in the hamlet of Withermarsh Green, which is in the south eastern corner of Suffolk.  Bishop Alan Hopes of East Anglia has invited Fr Henry Whisenant to set up a Latin Mass Chaplaincy based at the very small church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Edmund.  The church and presbytery were sold by the diocese more than a decade ago, and are now privately owned.  By good fortune, they were purchased by Catholics, and the church remains a consecrated Catholic Church, albeit little used.

I understand that Fr Whisenant will be saying a Mass there on the Feast of the Assumption (Sat 15th August) and that there will be a weekly Sunday Mass.  No doubt, daily Masses will follow.

This is the first time in England and Wales that a bishop has allocated a diocesan priest to be a Latin Mass Chaplain exclusively to promote the Latin Mass in his diocese.  Fr Whisenant is a relatively young priest and an enthusiast for the Latin Mass, so there is every prospect of the venture being a success.

The church, which is a Grade II Listed Building, is of a fairly basic design, but none the less very attractive.  It remains unaffected by Vatican II innovations, but I understand  lacks many of the items required for the traditional liturgy.  It looks like this inside:

This post taken from a facebook page shows you the outside.