Mass of Ages Report: May 2010

News from the Dioceses
(Birmingham & Black Country)

Mass of Ages Magazine

May 2010

Sadly a Mass at St Chad’s Cathedral has been declined by the Dean, on the grounds that there is no parish-level demand, and that the Oratory (in the same Deanery) has more than enough provision. However, although the Oratory is excellent in its provision of the Latin Mass, it goes no further than offering the Extraordinary Form as 1/9th of total Parish services. It raises the question of how much provision of the Latin Mass there needs to be? From the Dean, perhaps it is suggested to have at least an occasional Mass in each Deanery. Although I have trebled the number since Summorum Pontificum, it still only represents a third of my Deaneries being covered.

I have written to the new Archbishop Bernard Longley to raise these points and to humbly ask that he expose his new territory to what he did for Westminster; A Pontifical High Mass, which would be the major event in the UK since Cardinal Castrillon de Hoyos’ 2007 visit.

A new monthly Mass has been established at St Michaels in West Bromwich, which attracted 60 people on Ash Wednesday and 30 people on St Patrick’s Day. With encouragement, the parish have unearthed old altar cards and missals which are being put back into circulation. Funerals continue to be offered, including a sung Requiem for the father of an FSSP seminarian from Birmingham which took place at the Oratory with Fr Armand de Malleray as celebrant. Requiescat in Pace.

Coming up this quarter are 3 High Masses: At the Oratory for untransferred Ascension Thursday and Corpus Christi, and at St John Fisher in West Heath for its Patronal feast day.