Statistics for the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter

The Priestly Society of St Peter (FSSP), which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year, has 244 priests, 10 transitional deacons and 153 other seminarians, giving a total membership of 407.  The average age of these members is 37.

The United States is the largest source of vocations, representing 32% of the membership.  This is followed by France with 28% and Germany with 12%.  England and Wales has a smaller, but still significant, representation.  I think that I am correct in saying that this amounts to five priests and eight seminarians.

The Fraternity serves 215 Mass centres worldwide, distributed in 122 dioceses.  Included in the Mass centres are 29 personal parishes, of which 21 are in the USA.


In recent years, the number of ordinations has averaged 12, a figure which is expected to rise due to the expansion of their seminaries.  With this regular influx of young men, the FSSP can look forward to steady growth for the foreseeable future.

Christmas Eve Mass in York

There will be a Latin Mass at 5pm on Christmas Eve at St Wilfrid's Church in York.  It will be a Low Mass.  Please support this Mass if at all possible as it will be the only Latin Christmas Mass in the diocese.

First Sunday Mass at St Wilfrid's, York

Yesterday,  the First Sunday of Advent, Mass was celebrated in the usus antiquior at the Church of St Wilfrid in York.  The Mass, which was at 5pm and followed at 6pm by Rosary and Benediction, attracted a congregation of about 50.

The celebrant was Fr Daniel Seward, provest of the Oxford Oratory, who was visiting their new foundation in York.  Fr Richard Duffield, also from the Oxford Oratory and who was appointed parish priest at St Wilfrid's a month earlier, was also in attendance.  It is expected that he will be joined by a second member of the community before long, and that a new Oratorian community will be established in York.

From now on, this Sunday evening Latin Mass, followed by devotions, will be a regular feature at St Wilfrid's Church.  Fr Duffield was particularly keen to reintroduce a Sunday evening service at St Wilfrid's Church, which is just across the road from York Minster, and visited by thousands of tourists every year.

The Mass replaces the Sunday Latin Mass that was previously celebrated at the Church of the English Martyrs in York.

New Era in York

As from the first Sunday of Advent (that is next Sunday 1st December) there will be a Latin Low Mass at 5pm every Sunday in the Church of St Wilfrid in York.  It will be followed by Rosary and Benediction at 6pm.   This replaces the 4pm Mass at the Church of the English Martyrs in York which is now discontinued.

This development follows the arrival of Oratorian fathers at St Wilfrid's Church and the expectation that a permanent Oratory will be erected there.  It puts the Latin Mass in York on a much firmer basis, as we can now be sure of there being a priest each week.

Unfortunately, car parking is much more difficult at St Wilfrid's Church.  There is a small car park opposite the theatre in St Leonards, which I believe costs £3.50 for two hours.  Alternatively, it is possible to use the park and ride service.

At this point, I would like to express gratitude to Fr Bane at English Martyrs' Church for accommodating the Latin Mass in the last few years; and also to our celebrants, Fr David Smith, Fr James Callagan and Fr Strphen Maughan, who have served us very well.

On Return from Rome

The pilgrimage to Rome was much enjoyed by the thirty odd people who took part.  There are several reports elsewhere on the internet.  I will just say that I m delighted to have had the opportunity to serve Mass in the chapel of the choir at St Peter's Basilica.  I also served a Low Mass for Fr Michael Brown at a side altar in the main part of the basilica.

Mass in Hull Thurs 21st Nov

It has come to my attention that there is to be a Low Mass in the usus antiquior in Hull on Thursday 21st November.  It will be at 7.00pm at the Church of St Francis of Assisi in Wembley Park Ave. (Postcode HU8 0ND).  The celebrant will be Fr Peter Mulholland.

I also understand that Fr Mulholland celebrates a Latin Mass about every two months, but this is the first one that has come to my attention.

Please attend if you can, and spread the word around.

All Change at York

Fr Richard Duffield Cong Orat, together with another Oratorian priest, Fr Nicholas Edmunds Smith, has now taken up residence at the rectory of St Wilfrid's Church in York.  He has now had the opportunity to assess how things lie in the parish and give consideration to accommodating the Latin Mass.

Although there are still some formalities to complete, it is almost a certainty that the Mass that has been offered at 4pm each Sunday at the Church of the English Martyrs will be transferred to the Church of St Wilfrid.  The timing will be revised to 5pm and it will be followed by Rosary and Benediction.

These changes will take effect on the first Sunday of Advent  which is 1st December.

Walsingham Pilgrimage on Video

Below is a video of the recent LMS walking pilgrimage to Walsingham.  About 90 people took part in the 55 mile walk from Ely to Walsingham which took place over the August bank holiday weekend.  The video was filmed and edited by Mike Lord.

 

 

Besides the walkers, others joined the pilgrimage at Walsingham, including a group that travelled by coach from London.  In fact, there were about 300 at the final Mass, and many of these walked the Holy Mile, some barefoot, to the ruins of the medieval abbey.

 

Three priests accompanied the pilgrimage over the three days.  These were Fr Bede Rowe, Fr John Cahill and Fr Michael Rowe (no relation) who had travelled from Australia.  Also, there were several seminarians or young men who were about to be seminarians.

 

 

 

THIS VIDEO DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE LOADED CORRECTLY

The cost of Bishops in the Church of England

One good thing about the Church of England is that they publish detailed statistics and financial statements.  They have just published a report (they do this annually) on the expenditure incurred by bishops and archbishops.  Including the two archbishops, there are 113 of these, made up of 44 diocesan and 69 suffragan bishops. 

The total expenditure is £30.2million. this is made up of:

Work of bishops                                £20.0m
Stipends                                              £5.5m
Maintenance of houses and gardens   £4.7m

All these figures are broken down for each of the 113 bishops.  I suppose that compiling the report must have cost a fair bit.  It does seem an incredible amount of money.

Sung Mass for the Feast of St. Wilfrid. Saturday 12th October. Darlington

If you're within reach of Darlington a week today, you may be interested in coming along. The Mass itself takes place at the end of a locally arranged training day for servers in the EF. The celebrant will be Fr. Michael Brown, a good priest known to many of us, who is also the Northern Chaplain of the LMS. The Rudgate Singers' involvement is in providing all the music for the Mass.

Details are as follows:

Saturday 12th October, 2pm, Church of St. Augustine, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington. DL3 7RG
Sung Mass for the feast of St. Wilfrid.

Gregorian Chant from the Graduale Romanum
Victoria Missa O Quam Gloriosum and motets Ecce Sacerdos Magnus and O Quam Gloriosum.

All Welcome.