Where have all the Candles Gone

Although millions of candles are sold each year in Lourdes for burning at the grotto and being carried in the torchlight procession,  it seems that candles, and especially candlesticks, have practically disappeared from the churches.  At the chapel of St Gabriel in the main basillica, there was just one candle, or rather an oil burning imitation of a candle, with no candlesticks.  At Bartres, and at the chapel of the Sacred Heart, it was exactly the same, although the sacristans did manage to find a second, non-matching, candle.  Only at the Ukrainian Church did we find proper candlesticks.

At the Benediction at the end of the procession of the Blessed Sacrament there was not a single candle to be seen!

Another ecclesiastical item in short supply in Lourdes is the thurible.  At Bartres an exceedingly diminutive and unimpressive one was found, and at the Ukranian Church, as one would expect, they had an Orthodox style thurible with bells.  Otherwise, they seem to have gone out of fashion in Lourdes.

On Return from Lourdes

There were 23 pilgrims on the Latin Mass Society pilgrimage to Lourdes -  somewhat fewer than I had expected, and it seems that many had decided that the cost at £500 to £600 was too great.  I have to agree that that is beyond the budget of many people.

Despite the small numbers, the pilgrimage was a great success.  Mass was celebrated each day by Fr Michael Brown, with three of the five being sung.  I had doubted whether such a small group could support sung Masses, especially since some of our number were not Catholics at all; but whith the help of David O'Neill was was able to sing the propers to a psalm tone, we made a reasonable job of it.  In fact the congregation sang the ordinary parts with great enthusiasm, and the sung Masses were perhaps the highlight of the pilgrimage.

One of the sung Masses was in the village of Bartres, and this excursion also included a visit to Lac du Lourdes for a picnic lunch.  Another was in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which was a fair walk from our hotel, but a delight to visit.  We were made very welcome by the sister in charge.  Our third sung Mass was at the chapel of the Sacred Heart in the Hospital Saint Frai.  This chapel was a great discovery and ideal for the traditional Mass.

The group did most of the usual things including visiting the grotto (many visited it several times) and taking part in the processions.  We also took the Way of the Cross high up the mountain that overlooks Lourdes.  Some of our number were inspired to purchase an enormous candle (20 kg I think).  This was inscribed with the words Latin Mass Society 2012 and should be burning for many weeks to come, close to the grotto.

A Protestant funeral for Richard III?

The BBC reports here that it is highly likely that the remains of Richard III have been discovered. We will know for sure in about twelve weeks once the DNA tests have been completed. All very interesting and a very rare find indeed but the most worrying thing about it is what they propose to do with the remains if they are confirmed as being those of Richard III. The BBC story states that:

If their identity is confirmed, Leicester Cathedral said it would work with the Royal Household, and with the Richard III Society, to ensure the remains were treated with dignity and respect and reburied with the appropriate rites and ceremonies of the church.

So I think this means that Leicester Cathedral intend to bury the remains which will mean a Protestant ceremony. This would have been completely alien to Richard III who was of course a Roman Catholic as were all Englishmen at that time. In fact if Richard III had won the battle of Bosworth Field there would have been no Henry VIII and quite likely therefore no break with Rome.

We can only pray that if the remains are confirmed as being those of Richard III that he is re-buried with the appropriate rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church of which he was a member.

Extra Mass in York

On Sunday 16th September, there will be an extra Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs in York. as usual, it will be at 4pm.  (16th September is the third Sunday of the month.)

The Mass will be celebrated by Fr David Smith, who is a military chaplain.  Until recently, he has been serving in Afghanistahn, but is now stationed in Harrogate.  Since Fr Smith will have to travel a fair distance to York, we could do with a good sized congregation.

Fr Smith does not yet know the extent of his duties in his new posting, but may be available to help out with Masses in York on a more regular basis.  Developments will be posted on this blog.

On Return from Walsingham

Late on Sunday night, I arrived home, after three days of the Ely to Walsingham walking pilgrimage.  I hasten to add that I was not one of the walkers, who numbered nearly 70.  My role was to move the cooking gear and baggage around, as well as a certain amount of shopping on the way.

The weather was not all that kind to the walkers, who in the course of the 55 miles got soaked several times, especially on the second day.  However, the sun shone all the time that we were in Walsingham.  Fuller reports with pictures, mostly rather dreary ones taken in the rain, can be found on the blogs of LMS Chairman and Chaplain Abroad.

After several days without internet access, it was very pleasing to catch up with some very good pieces of news from around the world.  Perhaps the most exciting is that the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest have secured ownership of the Sacred Heart Church in Limerick and its adjacent very large presbytery. 

This very fine Georgean church in the centre of Limerick was originally owned by the Jesuits.  Some years ago it was purchased by a property developer who intended to turn it into some sort of club and gymnesium.  One idea was that the nave of the church should become a swimming pool.  Fortunately, the collapse of the Irish economy and the subsequent recession intervened; and the building has remained unused, although deprived of some of its treasures.  Restoration will probably take several years and a great deal of money, but it will eventually be a stunning church.

The Institute of Christ the King is not unfamiliar with such projects.  They have undertaken similar, or more ambitious, enterprises in America, most notably in Chicargo, St Louis and Kansas City.  See their US website for details.

Advance Notice

On Sunday 9th September there will be no evening Mass in Middlesbrough, due to Mgr Heslin being on a cruise.  On other Sundays, this Mass takes place at 6pm in the Church of St Alphonsus in North Ormesby.

Sunday 5th August

Although it will be two weeks since the last Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs in York, there will NOT be a Mass on Sunday 5th August.  This is because there were five Sundays in July.  Masses in York are on th second and fourth Sundays of the month.  The next Mass will be at 4pm on Sunday 12th August.

Meanwhile, Masses continue as usual at the Church of St Alphonsus in Middlesbrough.

Feast of the Assumption in Leicester

Fr Cahill has sent me the following poster about a Mass for the Feast of the Assumption in his parish in Leicester.


Unfortunately I cannot get the poster to upload, but the Mass is at 7pm in the Church of St Peter in Leicester

Feast of the Assumption

The Mass for the feast of the Assumption at English Martyrs Church in York will now be a Missa Cantata.  Fr de Malleray of the Priestly Society of St Peter will be the celebrant, and the Mass will be at 7.30pm.

Fr Maughan will also be saying a traditional Mass for the feast of the Assumption.  His Mass will be at 7pm at his church in Loftus.

Lourdes Pilgrimage

The Latin Mass Society is organising a pilgrimage to Lourdes from Monday 17th to Friday 21st September 2012.  Departure is by air from Stanstead Airport on the Monday morning and the return flight arrives at Stanstead on the Friday afternoon.

Prices are in the range £500 to £600 according to choice of hotel etc.  A traditional Mass will be celebrated each day, and there will be opportunities to do all the usual things.

The easiest way to book is to go to the Latin Mass Society website,   www.lms.org.uk   and look under pilgrimages.  An application form can be downloaded from there.