St Patrick's Masses

Mass times for St Patricks for next 3 weeks:

Mon 23rd July 8 am
Tues 24th July 8 am
Wed 25th July 9 am
Sat 28th July 11 am

Mon 30th July 8 am
Tues 31st July 8 am
Wed 1st August 9 am
Sat 4th August 11 am

Sat 11th August 11 am.

Summer Mass Cancelations

Fr Grynowski has informed me that there will be no Friday evening Mass at West Heath on:
- 27th July 2012
- 3rd August 2012
- 24th August 2012

New Latin Mass Venue - Oldbury

After the loss of the Latin Mass at West Bromwich, Fr Chris Handforth will kindly continue to offer the traditional Latin Mass at one of his own Parish Churches. Please make the effort to attend these Masses; the response will predict the continuation, and perhaps regularity, of these Masses.

Saturday 14th July 2012 at 10am (followed by Benediction)

Regular: 2nd Saturday of each month

St Francis Xavier Church

Simpson Street
Oldbury
Sandwell
B69 4AL

Oldbury is very close to the previous location of West Bromwich and has a major bus station, as well as being easily accessible from major road links; M5 Junction 2 and A457 from Birmingham.

West Heath Annual High Mass: Monday 9th July 2012

Fr George Grynowski will be offering Solemn High Mass for the great Feast of St John Fisher & St Thomas More; the Patron of his West Heath parish. Please make every effort to support this event!

St John Fisher RC Church
West Heath, Birmingham
Monday, 9th July 2010 at 7pm
(followed by refreshments)

Fr George Grynowski would like to welcome everyone to a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Use of the Roman Rite at his Parish Church in West Heath, South Birmingham, for its Patronal feast (which differs in the old calender and therefore gives his parishioners the chance to celebrate it twice!) From the website:

Dominating the 45 bus terminus at West Heath, Birmingham is the Catholic Church of St. John Fisher. Even though it rises from below road level, the lofty octagonal building is impressive from every angle, even from the nearby Lickey Hills. The predominant feature is a large octagonal dome surmounted by a large bronze cross. This copper dome has now toned to a soft green tint, a pleasing contrast to the honey coloured brickwork. Over the main entrance the large statue of St. John Fisher offers a blessing to all who enter, pass by or are waiting for the bus!

Parish of St. John Fisher, West Heath was founded on 30th September 1956. The first parish priest, Fr. Philip Smith, celebrated Mass at Turves Green School and later at Archbishop Masterson School for Girls. Work on the new church building commenced on 5th March 1962 with Fr. Smith cutting the first sod. The foundation stone was laid by Archbishop Grimshaw on 25th June that year.The church was opened on 31st March 1964 and consecrated by Archbishop Dwyer on 22nd June 1972, the [new rite] feast of St. John Fisher.

I hope you will be able to attend and support this great celebration, but also important initiative: a Traditional Latin Mass in a normal Parish Church, with all ministers being parish priests from the Deanery. This is the 5-year anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, and the Holy Father's wish for the faithful to benefit from the full riches of this Mass. It will be a time of reflection and what better way to show our support for the Pope than by attending this Mass!

Directions to St John Fisher, West Heath
1 Cofton Road,
West Heath
Birmingham
West Midlands
B31 3QT

SsJohnFisher

 

Advice on the New Rite in Latin

Fr Paul Chavasse says the most recent Latin Mass
in St Chad's Cathedral (May 2008)

Here in the Birmingham area there is nowhere to hear the New Rite Mass sung in Latin. The closest is St Chad's Cathedral (above) which has a professional choir singing the ordinary in Greek and Latin. Any faithful wanting to take their worship further are therefore obliged to attend the Extraordinary Solemn Form at the Birmingham Oratory on a Sunday, or one of the Low Masses at Winson Green or West Heath.

It may therefore be of interest to see what the 'New Rite' Fortescue would say on the subject, no doubt based on curial proclamations and Pontifical practice:

Cardinal Foley celebrated the modern liturgy in Latin
at the Birmingham Oratory  (May 2009)

Reproduced from Mgr Peter J. Elliott's Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year

380. Mass celebrated [in Latin] should be part of the normal schedule for Sundays and Solemnities in all cathedrals and major churches. One Sunday Mass in Latin is obligatory in all basilicas.

...[It] may be appropriate to chant the Gospel in Latin at a Solemn Mass, provided the people have access to a translation of the text.

Parish Latin Low Mass: Possible
without "extensive musical resources"

381. In light of maintaining those musical settings of the Mass that may not seem appropriate in the modern Rite, solemn sung celebrations of the preconcilar rite should take place from time to time in cathedrals and churches where ther are extensive musical resources.

Unfortunately our Cathedral here in Birmingham does not go beyond the bare minimum, and despite its "extensive musical resources" they have never offered a Sung 'preconciliar' Mass, to my knowledge, since the reform of the liturgy. I happen to agree with all the sentiments expressed in the above text, besides the insinuation that the Latin Low Mass is superfluous.

May God bless our Archdiocese and country with an enriched, lively Faith, and a corresponding devotion to the beauty of the our Catholic worship.