Christmas Octave Masses 2018

Sunday 24th December 2017
Oratory 10.30 a.m. High Mass

Monday 25th December 2017
Christmas Day
Wolverhampton (OLPS*) 8 a.m.
Low Mass of Dawn
Wednesbury (SMH#) 8.30 a.m.
Low Mass of Dawn
Oratory 10.30 a.m.
High Mass of the Day

Tuesday 26th December 2017
St Stephen Oratory 9.00 a.m.
Low Mass

Wednesday 27th December 2017
St John the Evangelist
Oratory 9.00 a.m. Low Mass

Thursday 28th December 2017
Holy Innocents Oratory 9.00 a.m. Low Mass

Friday 29th December 2017
St Thomas Becket
Oratory 9.00 a.m. Low Mass
Wolverhampton (OLPS*) 6.30 p.m.  Low Mass

Saturday 30th December 2017
Oratory 9.00 a.m. Low Mass

Sunday 31st December 2017
Oratory 10.30am High Mass

Monday 1st January 2018
Octave Day of Christmas Oratory 12 noon High Mass

*OLPS - Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 8PG

#SMH - St Mary on the Hill, St Mary's Road, Wednesbury, WS10 9DL

Oratory direction in sidebar

I wish all readers a Happy and Holy Christmas 2017 and New Year 2018

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

There will be High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the Birmingham Oratory on Friday 8th December at 7.30pm for the patronal feast of the Immaculate Conception. Unfortunately, it will not be Pontifical High Mass as reported in Mass of Ages because Bishop Robert Byrne is unavailable. This will replace the usual 5.45pm low Mass. There will also be a 12 noon low Mass at St Mary on the Hill, Wednesbury, WS10 9DL.

There will be a Rorate Mass at 7.30am at the Birmingham Oratory on Saturday morning (9th December) in addition to the usual 9am low Mass (in previous years it has replaced it).

Solihull: Votive High Mass of the Sacred Heart

This Friday (1st December) there will be a votive High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St Augustine's in Solihull, starting at 6.30pm. It has mainly been organised by Deacon Kevin O'Connor, but it brings together a few contacts I have had for those who are attached to the traditional liturgy in the West Midlands, including a chant group that started in my former parish chuch of St Dunstan's in King Heath. It would be lovely to see you there if you are able to make it.

All Souls and the Month of November at the Oratory

There will be High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the Birmingham Oratory on the Feast of All Souls at 7.30pm in addition to the 5.45pm low Mass. There will be additional EF low Masses at 8am, 9am and 11am. These additional Masses will be at the Holy Souls Altar. There will also be an EF low Mass at St Mary's on the Hill, Wednesbury WS10 9DL (just off junction 9 of the M6) at 12 noon. 

Please note Sung Vespers for the Dead will follow the EF low Mass (of Requiem) on Mondays during November at the Birmingham Oratory

All Saints and an Ordination at the Oratory

High Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated at the Birmingham Oratory on Wednesday at 7.30pm for All Saints, which remains a holyday of obligation. This will replace the usual 5.45pm low Mass. There will be no Wednesday Mass at Halesowen either. Br Dominic's ordination to the diaconate (in the ordinary form) will take place the day before at 7.30pm.

High Mass of Exposition

The Birmingham Oratory is holding its annual Forty Hours devotion this week beginning with High Mass of Exposition in the Extraordinary Form at 7.30pm on Thursday. This will replace the usual 5.45pm low Mass.

Votive High Mass of Our Lady of the Rosary

On Friday there is a Votive High Mass of Our Lady of the Rosary at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton (directions in the sidebar). The October Mass at St Augustine's in Solihull will also take place this Friday at 6.30pm.

Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman

There will be High Mass at 7.30pm on tomorrow (Monday 9th October) for the Feast of Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman. This was not advertised in Mass of Ages and will replace the regular 5.45pm low Mass.

Also this week we have the 2nd Wednesday Mass at Maryvale on Wednesday. I have been told the usual first Friday Mass at St Augustine's in Solihull did not take place on Friday and has been postponed until 20th October. There will also be a votive High Mass in honour of Our Lady at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton on this date.

Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum

A High Mass will be celebrated at the Birmingham Oratory on 14th September for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the tenth anniversary of Summorum Pontificum coming into effect. This replaces the 5.45 low Mass.

The second Wednesday Maryvale Mass will take place tonight at 7pm. The September first Friday Mass at St Augustine's in Solihull was posponed due to the unavailability of the celebrant - this will take place at 6.30pm on Friday. Further details and directions for these Masses are available in the sidebar.

Please support these Masses with your presence if you are able.

Maryvale Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption

Low Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption, Maryvale

As it is the summer holidays, the second Wednesday Maryvale Mass will take place tonight at the parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption rather than the Institute Chapel.

Next week will of course be the Feast of the Assumption - there will be High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory at 7.30pm.

Wolverhampton High Mass in honour of the Precious Blood

The weekly 6.30pm low Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton will be replaced this week with a High Mass in honour of the Precious Blood at 7pm. Directions are available in the sidebar.

SS Peter and Paul

The Feast of St Peter and St Paul is a Holyday of Obligation. For those attached to the EF in the Birmingham area, there will be a 7.30pm High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory tomorrow. Please note this replaces the regular 5.45pm daily low Mass.

Happy Feast!

Masses this week/ Corpus Christi

On Thursday, there will be High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory for the Corpus Christi at 7.30pm. There will be a repeat perfomance on Sunday at 10.30am. The Thursday High Mass replaces the usual 5.45pm low Mass.

The Mass at Redditch that would normally be tomorrow has been cancelled and will take place on the 20th June instead.

Ascension 2017

High Mass will be celebrated tomorrow at the Birmingham Oratory for the Feast of the Ascension at 7.30pm. This replaces the usual 5.45pm low Mass.

LMS York Pilgrimage 2017

Holy Week and Easter EF Masses

There are several EF Masses during Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, the regular High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory will be brought forward to 10am so that palms can be blessed and distributed. During the Triduum, there will be a EF High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory on Maundy Thursday only - the rest of the Triduum will be in the Ordinary Form. There will of course be an Easter Sunday High Mass at the regular time of 10.30am.

The Mass on Tuesday at Redditch has been cancelled due to the unavailability of a priest. Obviously the Masses that normally take place on Friday and Saturday will not take place during the Triduum on Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

Feast of St Joseph

There will be a 7.30pm High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory tonight in honour of St Joseph. The usual 5.45pm Mass is cancelled.

St Joseph's Altar, the Birmingham Oratory (source)

On Saturday, the 9am EF Mass at the Oratory will be a Missa Cantata to celebrate the Annuciation. It is followed by Exposition and Benediction.

Earlier Saturday Oratory Masses During Lent

The Saturday morning Low Mass celebrated at the Birmingham Oratory will be moved to the earlier time of 9am during Lent and will be followed by Exposition and Benediction. Stations of the Cross will follow the 5.45pm Friday Mass.

Ash Wednesday

Lent begins next week and there are a choice of two Masses to observe Ash Wednesday in the traditional form for those residing in the Birmingham and Black Country area. The Oratory will celebrate High Mass at 7.30pm; as usual, this replaces the usual 5.45pm low Mass. At the same time there will also be a low Mass at SS Mary and John, Snow Hill, Wolverhampton WV2 4AD; low Mass is usually celebrated here weekly at 7pm on Thursdays by Fr Guy Nicholls Cong. Orat. but will move to Ash Wednesday next week.

There will however be no Mass at Halesowen on Ash Wednesday next week.

Missa Cantata for St Valentine

Today is Cardinal Newman's birthday and the regular 5.45pm EF Mass will be a Missa Cantata. Pope Pius IX gave Cardinal Newman the relics of an early Christian martyr called Valentine (not that one!) with permission to celebrate his feast on 21st February every year so that the Cardinal could offer a High Mass for his birthday. The relics are under the altar of St Athanasius.

St Athanasius' Altar, Birmingham Oratory

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at Wolverhampton

Fr Gerard McGuiness, a retired priest of the Diocese of Shrewsbury, will celebrate an additional low Mass tomorrow for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 8PG. It will take place at 10.15, just after the regular OF low Mass at 9.30am.

Candlemas and Bl Sebastian Valfre

Christmas comes to a close on Thursday with High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory for Candlemas at the new later time of 7.30pm to enable more people to attend. This replaces the usual 5.45pm low Mass on that day. Tomorrow (29th January) the 5.45pm Mass will be a Missa Cantata for the feast of Blessed Sebastian Valfre: this follows a similar Missa Cantata for the feast of fellow Oratorian St Joseph Vaz on 16th January.

Of note, confirmations in the Extraordinary Form were held at the Birmingham Oratory on 17th January at 7pm, presided by Bishop Robert Byrne.