Masses Continue in York

There have now been three Sunday evening Masses at the church of the English Martyrs in York. The first two were celebrated by Fr Stephen Maughan and the third by Fr Alex Redman. Fr Redman is a priest of the Clifton Diocese, but working full time as Catholic chaplain to Wakefield Prison. He has free time on Sundays and has volunteered to say Latin Masses whenever he is available. So we will have backup for the occasions when Fr Maughan is away.

About 40 attended the first mass, but the numbers were down a little at the following ones. The problem in one of publicity. It seems that very few people know about these Masses. I have asked the parishes in the York area to include an item on this Mass in their newsletters; but, so far, I am not aware that anything has appeared. For the first Mass, I arranged for an item in the local paper, which probably accounted for the larger number. I have sent information to the diocesan newspaper, Catholic Voice, but this will not appear until the December issue, due to the lead times. Does anyone have any ideas of how to spread the news around?

Italian Opinion Poll

Rorate Caeli has reported on an opinion poll conducted in Italy by one of that country's leading polling organisations. I understand that the results can be considered reliable. Apparently, three questions were asked.

1. Are you aware of the motu proprio, summorum pontificum, by which Pope Benedict XVI approves both forms of the Roman Rite?

64% of practicing Catholics said YES
58% of all catholics said YES

2. Would you find it normal to have both forms celebrated in your parish?

71% of practicing Catholics said YES
71% of all Catholics said YES

3. If the Extraordinary Form were available in your parish, would you attend

a) at least once a month?

63% of practicing Catholics said YES

b) at least once a week?

40% of practicing Catholics said YES


These are all remarkably high percentages. I would guess that if the same questions were asked in England, the figures would less than half the Italian ones. However, this is only my guess. It would be interesting to see the results of a similar poll conducted here.

The most significant result is the one that found that 63% of practicing Catholics would attend a usus antiquior Mass at least once a month if there was one in their parish. This must surely be a compelling argument for provision of at least some older rite Masses in most Italian parishes. The result that as many as 71% of Catholics would consider this normal, would seem to suggest that opposition amongst parishioners would be minimal.

Another result that I find surprising is the level of awareness of summorum pontificum in Italy. Of course, being aware of the existence of summorum pontificum is not the same as knowing exactly what it decrees; nevertheless, 64% is a remarkable figure for a country where there is no equivalent to the Latin Mass Society, and very few old rite Masses are celebrated.

Fr Stephen Maughan's First Mass in the Usus Antiquior

Yesterday, Fr Stephen Maughan celebrated his first Mass in the Usus Antiquior, and he did it very well. From now, at least until Christmas, there will be a Low Mass at 6.30pm every Sunday at the church of the English Martyrs in York. Fr Maughan will be the usual celebrant.

About 40 attended yesterday, which was quite good since it is nine months since the last Latin Mass in York. Interestingly, many of the congregation were people that I had not seen before. In the other hand, some who were regulars last year were not there. Hopefully, the attendence will build up so that there are enough for this Mass to continue indefinitely.

Please pass on information about this Mass to anyone you know who might be interested.

Good Appointment in Birmingham

I think that we can be well pleased with the Holy Father's choice for the see of Birmingham. It was announced today that Bishop Bernard Longley, Auxiliary in Westminster, will be moving to the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Bishop Longley is considered orthodox, and is known to be reasonably sympathetic to the traditionalist point of view. He is also well educated, having an Oxford degree.

This is an imaginative appointment, bypassing several bishops who are already ordinaries in their dioceses, and might have considered themselves ripe for promotion.

Well Attended Mass in Howden.

The Mass celebrated last night at the church of the Sacred Heart in Howden was well attended. I did not get a chance to count, but going bey the number of booklets used, the congregation was around 35. Fr David Smith of St Marie's Church in Hallifax celebrated and the propers were sung by the Rudgate Singers. The congregation joined in Missa de Angelis.

I was well pleased by the size of the congregation. I had guessed that about 20 would come.

Pope to visit Britain in September 2010

The fantastic news is on the BBC here.

John Paul II visited York in 1982 so it's not out of the question that His Holiness may decide to do so next year...

Resumption of Masses in York

Starting on Sunday 11th October, there will be a regular weekly Sunday Mass in the usus antiquior at the Church of the English Martyrs, Dalton Terrace in York. It will be at 6.30pm, not 6pm as previously. For the time being, it will be a Low Mass. The celebrant will be Fr Stephen Maughan.

Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested.

Coming shortly to York

The Sunday Latin Mass in York that was suspended last January is to resume. The target date is Sunday 11th October, although we cannot be sure of this at the moment. Neither can we be sure of the timing or venue. What we do know is that for the time being, it will be a Low Mass.

The celebrant will be Fr Stephen Maughan, who has had to learn the ars celebrandi of the usus antiquior, and readers will understand that we cannot proceed until he has satisfied himself that he is proficient.

Full details will be posted here as soon as they are available.

Mass at Howden

There will be a Mass in the usus antiquior at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Knedlington Road, Howden at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th September, which is the Feast of St Michael the Archangel. Fr David Smith of St Marie's, Halifax will be the celebrant.

It is proposed that it should be a Missa Cantata, and in view of the the feast, Missa de Angelis is appropriate. Of course, this is only practical if enough people turn up to sing.

The church is very close to the M62 motorway so is easy to get to. Leave the M62 at junction 37. When you reach a roundabout, turn left; and, after 100 yards, just before a pertol station take a very minor road on your right. At the next junction, turn right, follow this road around a curve. You will find the church on your left just before you reach a crossroads junction.

Priests' Training

I have just returned from London Colney in Hertfordshire, where the Archdiocese of Westminster has its Pastoral Centre. All Saints Pastoral Centre is an impressive range of buildings in extensive grounds which, until 1973, was a convent for Anglican nuns. It has cloisters arranged round central courtyard and a sizable chapel in the gothic style designed by Sir Ninian Compar. Although the buildings were conceived on a grand scale, with elegant parlours and a spacious great hall, the bedrooms, being the former nuns' cells, are small and make few concessions to the modern age. Throughout the five days that I was there, I found the food good and the staff helpful.

More than 20 priests attended with the intention learning to celebrate Mass in the usus antiquior. Some were beginners and studied Low Mass; others, who had attended previous conferences, studied the rubrics of Missa Cantata or Solumn Mass. Tuition was given by six experienced priests who regularly celebrate in the older form. During the course of the week, at least five priests offered their first Mass in the extraordinary form.

Besides tuition in the ars celebrandi, there were spiritual lectures and a range of liturgies which were designed to be examples of best practice. These included Vespers, Compline and Benediction, as well as daily public Mass. Plainsong and polyphonic settings were provided by the Charles Finch Singers who also lead the singing of the office.

Private Masses began at 6.15am and and took place at various side altars, providing plenty of early morning work for the team of servers, who were on duty later in the day at the public liturgies.