Ash Wednesday 2011

Wednesday 9th March

To mark the beginning of Lent with Imposition of Ashes

in the Traditional Rite

Birmingham Oratory, 5:45pm
St Michael's, West Bromwich, 6pm

All Low Masses


Ash Wednesday

I wish you all a blessed Advent penance...

Saturday 26th March

Assuming payments all arrive, the coach is now full for the York Pilgrimage. Thanks to everyone for supporting this LMS national initiative which is being organised by Paul Waddington. The Minster is a large church and I'm glad we're helping to fill it!

Due to the coach trip there will likely be no 9:30am Mass at the Oratory on that day

UPDATE: The Order of Service is now on-line. Although there will be copies available on the day in B&W, the organisers have recommended you print your own just in case there is a mad rush!

Birmingham LMS Flickr Map

Sadly I cannot yet embed it along with the calendar on the side-bar, but here is my Flickr Map showing where and when all my Latin Mass photos were taken.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birmingham-lms-rep/map/

West Heath Low Mass Photos

Feria (6th Sunday after Epiphany)

Harvington Hall Photos

5th Sunday after Epiphany

School Mass

Fr George Grynowski at St John Fisher, West Heath, is undertaking a bold thing; introducing the Traditional Latin Mass to his local school children; Thursday March 3rd at 9:30am. It will be a Low Mass served by one of the school pupils and will be a votive Mass for the Blessed Sacrament. There will also be commentary at various points, as suggested by De Musica Sacra (1958). It is open to the public.

Funeral

Graeme le Monnier, one time representative of the LMS in Birmingham and continuous supporter of the Traditional Liturgy, died last week.

His funeral will be Wednesday 16th February at 11.30am and may be a Missa Cantata. The coffin will be received into Birmingham Oratory the night before. Let's pray for him.

Requiescat in Pace

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Blessing of the Throats

"Per intercessionem Sancti Blasii, episcopi et martyris, liberet te Deus a malo gutturis,
 et a quolibet alio malo. In nomine Patris, et Filii +, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."

Yesterday evening, in addition to the First Friday Mass for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr George Grynowski kindly gave the Blessing of the Throats. This is usually a blessing reserved to 3rd February for the commemoration of St Blase. Here is an extract of the blessing, although the first part was done in the sacristy before Mass:

O God most powerful and most kind, Who didst create all the different things in the world by the Word alone, and Whose will it was that this Word by Which all things were made should become incarnate for the remaking of mankind; Thou Who art great and limitless, worthy of reverence and praise, the worker of wonders; for Whose sake the glorious Martyr and Bishop, St. Blaise, joyfully gained the palm of martyrdom, never shrinking from any kind of torture in confessing his faith in Thee; Thou Who didst give to him, amongst other gifts, the prerogative of curing by Thy power every ailment of men’s throats; humbly we beg Thee in Thy majesty not to look upon our guilt, but, pleased by his merits and prayers, in Thine awe-inspiring kindness, to bless+this wax created by Thee and to sanc+tify it, pouring into it Thy grace; so that all who in good faith shall have their throats touched by this wax may be freed from every ailment of their throats through the merit of his suffering, and, in good health and spirits, may give thanks to Thee in Thy holy Church and praise Thy glorious name, which is blessed for ever and ever. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee lives and reigns, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

A translation of the Blessing used on the throats is ; "Through the intercession of Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr, may God deliver you from sickness of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." I'm sure it's a blessing always welcome at this time of year!

Low Mass Training

On Saturday I helped two young men learn to serve the Low Mass of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. They are both parishioners of St John Fisher, West Heath; where there is a Low Mass every Friday as well as two High Masses per year. One was 18 years old, the other 8 years old. Both showed extraordinary zeal, care and attention. Although Low Masses are usually at a side altar in this Church, its lack of altar steps meant using the high altar was preferable, as you can see from the photos

Since Low Mass is best learned just by doing it, Fr George (Parish Priest) kindly offered a Low Mass for St Francis de Sales shortly after 11am so that what was learned could be implemented. The biggest difficulty for a new server is the recitation of Latin responses, and so I stayed in the Sanctuary to help them along during Mass whilst they shared the major roles.

Although it is usually just one server per Priest in a Latin Mass, for solemnities two are often used. It is also a great way to teach the Low Mass since a more experienced server can be paired with a 'trainee'. This is the case each Sunday at the Birmingham Oratory. One server is in charge of moving the Missal, and always stays on the opposite side of it. The other server is charged with ringing the bell. They also serve in the same way as Acolytes at a Missa Cantata by assisting the Priest with the water and wine at the Offertory, Lavabo and Ablutions.

It is useful to have a basic knowledge of the differences in the Novus Ordo with this type of training. The younger lad in particular had prior experience of serving at Sunday Masses, and therefore was curious about the differences. For instance there are two ablutions, both using wine as well as just water. This server is particularly honoured to be chosen to serve Fr George's school Masses, where he will expose the children to the Latin Mass for the first time. Please pray for these fine young men.

To read about the LMS's latest initiatives for training Altar Servers, see the Society of St Tarcissius website

Candlemas

Feast of the Purification of Our Lady
Low Mass Birmingham Oratory
Wednesday 2nd February 2011
5.45pm

National LMS Pilgrimage to York

NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE IN HONOUR OF

ST. MARGARET CLITHEROW (Patroness of the LMS)

SATURDAY 26TH. MARCH

MISSA CANTATA YORK MINSTER 1.30P.M.

TO BE FOLLOWED BY PROCESSION AND BENEDICTION AT 4.00P.M.

This is a rare opportunity; a Catholic Latin Mass from the High Altar of York Minster, an ancient Church dating from the 13th Century, and showing signs of Christian Worship on the site from even earlier. I am arranging a contingent from our region, which will include arrival for about 11am, allowing time before the Mass to have lunch and a look around the city. Following Mass I am also arranging a guided tour around the Minster. The day will end after a Procession to the Bar Convent for Benediction and veneration of St Margaret Clitherow's relics. 

I am arranging a coach which will depart from our region in three locations:

• St John Fisher, West Heath
• Birmingham Oratory 
• St Michael's West Bromwich.

Cost will be £15 per seat (usually twice this price)

I will be offering child discounts for families of three children and over. Infants on laps (0-2) will be free.

I will publish further details as I finalise them. In the meantime, get in touch to reserve a seat! There is a lot of interest so be quick!

Mass Prayer Card for Altar steps

I have made myself a card for Priest and Server to say both the introductory prayers and, on the reverse, the Leonine Prayers. Feel free to print, laminate, and use.
Altar Step Card

Priests' Training Conference 2011

Benediction at Downside Abbey
August 2010

The Latin Mass Society has announced its seventh residential conference for priests who wish to learn the Extraordinary Form of Mass. The conference will take place at Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh, Devon from Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th May.

Tuition will be given in small groups selected according to ability, and will cover Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Missa Solemnis. It is also hoped to provide tuition in the sacraments of baptism and marriage. Only rudimentary Latin is required.

There will also be a residential course for laymen wishing to learn to serve the Extraordinary Form.

The conference will begin late morning on the Tuesday, although there will be the opportunity for those travelling long distances to stay at Buckfast Abbey on the Monday night. The conference will end after lunch on the Friday.

Learning High Mass at Downside Abbey
August 2010

There will be sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form each day; parts of the Office will also be sung.

The inclusive fee is £85 which covers all tuition, accommodation and board.

Application forms for both priests and servers training are available from the LMS office (020 7404 7284) or the LMS website (www.lms.org.uk).

LMS Chairman, Doctor Joseph Shaw said: “The LMS’s training conferences are now well-established in the Church’s calendar of activities. We have already trained over a hundred priests and many more Extraordinary Form Masses are being offered around the country due to our training activities”.

Extra West Heath Mass

This coming Saturday, January 29th, there will be an 11am Low Mass for the feast of St Francis de Sales (today in the modern calender).

The reason for this is to allow the training of two new altar servers in the Parish. Deo Gratias.

New Midlands Chaplain

With the departure of Fr Philip Cleevely from the country for the time being, the LMS committee have elected a new Chaplain to assist with regional issues; Fr Thomas Crean OP. I have put a picture of him on the sidebar; click on it to see the website for the Holy Cross Priory in Leicester where he is based, an impressive Church from the mid-20th Century. Here is a stylised photo of Fr Crean saying Mass this afternoon.

Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ

On Thursday the Birmingham Oratory celebrated its now customary Mass for the Epiphany, on its original untransferred Twelfth Night!

Vidimus stellam eius in Oriente, et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum

We have seen His star in the East, and are come with gifts to adore the Lord

Of particular note was the Subdeacon, Br Richard Duncan, who is the newest member of the Birmingham Oratory community. He has previously trained at Wonersh receiving the ministry of Acolyte, which in the modern Church is the highest 'minor order' and thus places him in the obvious role for Subdeacon of the Mass. Although he has taken this role in the Oratory's Ordinary High Mass, this was the first time he had done so for the Extraordinary Form. The Celebrant was former Provost Fr Paul Chavasse and the Deacon was Fr Anton Guziel, former diocesan Priest but now a full member of the Oratory Congregation.

Another feature was the singing of the moveable Feasts of the New Year, which was done by a European Deacon staying at the Oratory. It is sung to a very interesting and ancient chant, and gives the dates for Ash Wednesday (March 9th), Easter Day (April 24th), Ascension (June 2nd), Pentecost (June 12th), Corpus Christi (June 23rd) and Advent (November 27th).

The Oratory choir sang Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli, the same as this time four years ago when the Oratory started their regular EF High Masses, which was even before Summorum Pontificum.

A full collection of photos can be found here.

Notice

There will unfortunately NOT be a Mass this evening at West Heath. Normal service will hopefully resume next week.

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Ember Wednesday of Advent

Christmas Masses

There are three ways you can fulfill your Christmas (Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ) Obligation. Despite being on a Saturday this year, the Bishops of England & Wales have not transferred it to the Sunday.

• Friday 24th December: 4pm "Midnight Mass" (Missa Cantata) at the Birmingham Oratory
• Friday 24th December: 7pm "Midnight Mass" (Low Mass with English readings and Hymns) at St John Fisher, West Heath
• Saturday 25th December: 9.30am "Dawn Mass" (Low Mass) at the Birmingham Oratory

P.S. The total numbers attending these three Masses combined was 300 - which is therefore the number of people in this region choosing to observe this obligation in the Old Rite. A significant number indeed!

May I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a prosperous new year! 2011 Ordos and Calenders are available from the LMS.

Servers Wanted!

Fr George Grynowski says Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form every Friday at 7pm in his Parish of West Heath in South Birmingham. It has been the case recently that there has been no one able to serve; therefore I appeal to anyone who is willing so spare the odd Friday night and living close by, please help! This is an excellent opportunity to learn to serve this noble Mass, and a wonderful personal incentive to grow in holiness.

Applicants need only be of the male gender!