National Events

Here is a reminder of two important upcoming events:

1) LMS Training Conference for Priests at London Colney, Herts (Monday 24 - Friday 29 August 2009)

The conference is being organised with the encouragement of the Archdiocese of Westminster. There will be groups for beginners as well as ones specialising in Missa Cantata and High Mass. See my previous post for more details.

2) Confirmations in the Traditional Latin Rite at St James's Church, Spanish Place, London W1 on Saturday 7th November at 11am

Enrolments are currently being taken. Bishop George Stack (left), auxiliary bishop in Westminster, will administer the Confirmations. This is the sixth consecutive year the LMS has organised the ceremony. Parents who require Traditional Confirmation for their children in November should contact the LMS office for full details of how to register (020 7404 7284 thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk)

AGM and Pontifical High Mass

Yesterday we had the important occasion of the Annual General Meeting for all members of the Latin Mass Society of England & Wales. It was lovely to see so many friendly faces, and to be introduced to some of the other Reps from around the country.

Fr Martin Edwards (right) gave an inspiring talk at the AGM. He has been a member from the early days, and first attended an AGM in 1982 (the year I was born!!). His talk which was essentially about the theological virtue of Hope in the context of the Holy Father's recent encyclical Spe Salvi facti sumus: "In Hope we are saved". (Romans 8:24)

The present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey.

Spe Salvi Paragraph 1 (Pope Benedict XVI)

He reflected on the many years of patient perseverance on the part of traditionalists in this country, where the Latin Mass Society had an important effect internationally. From the early days in the late 60s and early 70s, with the support of Cardinal Heenan; to more recent difficulties securing the annual Mass at Westminster Cathedral; to last year's triumphant Pontifical Mass with Cardinal Castrillon de Hoyos! The culmination of staunch fidelity to the hierarchy amidst certain ridicule has led to a situation now of vindication for those "holy, stubborn and sidelined Catholic laity and priests" following Summorum Pontificum. What a relief! But there is clearly still much work to do.

Dr Joseph Shaw, the new Chairman, assured members that the great things we have seen in the last two years will continue in earnest. There are now two Priests Training Conferences per year, in Catholic institutions, with the latest in London Colney having the full support and encouragement of the Archdiocese of Westminster.

Furthermore, Dr Shaw has acknowledged that formation and catechesis are at the forefront of a Catholic renewal which the LMS should contribute towards. From my point of view, a rigerous and wholly orthodox Catholic education is the best thing I could want for my children, especially in the context of the extraordinary form of the Latin Rite which we choose to nourish them with. We believe, as traditionalists, that this is the best and safest way to instil in them the faith of our fathers. The crisis which we see in our Church has unfolded to be one of poor catechesis, and so what must have started as a visible change in worship has been exposed to have it's roots in deficient modernist philosophy corrupting Catholic thought. I, for my part, am thrilled by Dr Shaw's emphasis of this aspect, which includes the encouragement of Gregorian Chant and serving workshops and other initiatives to further what has been preserved all these years.

What many people were most interested in was the recent controversial resignation of members of the LMS committee including the Chairman Julian Chadwick. A full statement was read out which I would be happy to forward to anyone. It was agreed at the AGM to publically record our thanks for all their hard work over the years, and the fruitful ways in which they have promoted traditional Catholicism in these important times (despite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding their departure). The secretary assured us that it was a dispute of internal management, which is about to be thoroughly reformed, rather than any disagreement in the policies or direction of the LMS.

The Pontifical High Mass from the faldstool (above left) was celebrated by Bishop John Arnold, auxiliary of Westminster. This was an important touch since it indicates a direct involvement and approval on the part of the Archdiocese, rather than the LMS having to rope in a Bishop from elsewhere! The Mass was sober and peaceful, with the sounds of the Westminster Choir filling the vast expanse of the beautiful Byzantine building. I couldn't help but notice a small group of tourists wander in and become absolutely transfixed by what was happening during the Canon of the Mass. A powerful sight indeed! The belltower was ringing out during the consecration to awesome effect! Bishop Arnold gave a thoughtful sermon on the Sacred Heart of Jesus (above right), and that through His mercy everything He asks us to do for His glory, will be empowered by His grace.

If anyone else felt like me, I dareday we left stengthened, enlivened and encouraged to continue with renewed vigour and purpose! We are not fighting to ghettoise some sort of elitist remnant, but rather share a pearl of great price with all we meet. This is a Mass for enrichment; for parishes, for priests, for men, women and children: to experience a piece of our Catholic heritage, and deepen our knowledge and understanding of the mystery of Faith.

Solemn High Mass for Ss John Fisher & Thomas More

St John Fisher RC Church
West Heath, Birmingham
Thursday, 9th July 2009 at 7pm
(followed by Buffet Dinner)

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 Parish outside the Oratory! The fruits of Summorum Pontificum, and the Holy Father's wish for the faithful to benefit from the full riches of this Mass will, God willing, be more and more abundant as time goes by! In "not some, but all" Catholic Parishes! (to quote Cardinal Castrillon de Hoyos!)

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

Dedication of St Chad's

As I set about writing the Mass sheet for next sunday's Mass, I suddenly realise that in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, it is the Double of the First Class Feast (!) of the Dedication of St. Chad's Cathedral! There are some beautiful prayers in the common Mass for dedications, Terribilis. For example:

How wonderful are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. (Introit, Ps 83)

and I particularly like the Gospel, which appeals to a sinner (and avid tree-climber) like me!

But Zacheus standing, said to the Lord: "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold." Jesus said to him: "This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost". (Luke 19)

For some of my posts on our Cathedral, see my Lacrimarum Valle blog. We pray particularly at this time for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our Church as a new Archbishop is selected for the Archdiocese.

High Mass coming...

Okay, there is lots going on at the Oratory at the moment. But I am working on trying to organise the first Mass outside the Oratory, in one of the Parish churches in the city of Birmingham. With so much interest from both priests and laity, I hope to make some concrete arrangements soon, so watch this space...

Corpus Christi

Once again a glorious High Mass for the traditional feast of Corpus Christi. Fr Guy Nicholls was celebrant, Fr Anton Guziel was Deacon, and Fr Philip Cleeveley was Subdeacon. It was followed by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament around church followed by Pangua Lingua Gloriosa and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Here are some choice photos of the memorable occasion, and a further inspiration to love and adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament which he gave the world on that Blessed Thursday before His death.

The next High Mass will be for the feast of Ss Peter & Paul on Monday June 29th at 8pm.

Can be found on my Flickr page

Colney Priests Application Form

Following on from the recent press release, here is a direct link for information and application for any priests wishing to learn how to say the traditional (extraordinary form of) Mass.
http://www.almanor.plus.com/

Annual General Meeting and High Mass

A Pontifical High Mass at Westminster Cathedral will be on
Saturday June 20th at 2pm
celebrant: Bishop John Arnold (Auxiliary in Westminster)

This will be preceded by the AGM at 11am in the RHS Conference Centre (Greycoat Street SW1P 2QD) which I hope to report on. The speaker will be Fr Martin Edwards. This is a particularly important AGM because the integrity of the LMS has been called into question after a chain of events over the past year that culminated in the resignation of the previous Chairman, Julian Chadwick, and a few other prominent members.

I do not think this is a major problem for the society, and feel its focus is more determined than ever. The new interim Chairman, Dr Joseph Shaw, puts forth an excellent vision for the Society, and included young families and traditional Catholic education in his priorities. He writes an interesting editorial in the latest edition of Mass of Ages;

"... [a challenge] which we face as Catholics and Traditionalists [is] secularism, the ideology of the day, which is gnawing away at all the Christian and moral assumptions of the state and public discourse...

Our liturgical concerns are intimately connected with the problem which [Archbishop Vincent Nichols] has so eloquently identified. This is because the Mass which we promote is acknowledged even by its critics to make present to the faithful the mysterium tremendum, the mystery of the Faith... [which] focuses our attention on the spiritual nature of spiritual realities, the very realities which Archbishop Nichols' opponents want to deny...
If the spiritual is not emphasised in the liturgy, then where will the Catholic faithful go to find it?

However, some members (especially older more experienced ones) seem to feel this is the worst thing to ever befall the Society. Some are gearing up for a split from the society to go it alone. This would be a great shame because traditionalists, as a sad minority group in the Church, need to display unity of purpose and geographical links in order to best proceed and succeed.

London Colney Priest Training Conference

2 June 2009

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

For Immediate Release

LMS Residential Training Conference for Priests Wishing to Learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney, St Albans, Herts

The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales (LMS), in association with the Archdiocese of Westminster, is organising a residential training conference for priests wishing to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney, Herts, the premier conference centre of the Archdiocese of Westminster.

The conference will run from Monday 24 August to Friday 28 August 2009 and will feature Traditional liturgies in London Colney’s magnificent Ninian Comper-designed chapel together with a Gregorian Chant schola and polyphonic choir.

Expert tuition in the celebration of Mass in the Usus Antiquior will be provided on a small group basis. There will be guest lecturers and all participants will receive 1962 Missals.

As well as daily Sung Mass, devotions will include Lauds, Benediction and Rosary.

The subsidised fee to participants is only £115.00 which includes full board and accommodation. Places are limited and priests are urged to register as soon as possible.

Further details and registration forms can be obtained from the LMS office (Tel: 020 7404 7284)

Mark Johnson, lead organiser, said, “We are extremely pleased to have the backing of the Archdiocese of Westminster and Archbishop Vincent Nichols. This conference – our first at London Colney – builds on the success of our two previous conferences at Merton College, Oxford. I hope the laity will tell their priests about this wonderful opportunity to learn the Usus Antiquior in a welcoming and recollected environment.”

Latin Mass Society, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH
Tel: 020 7404 7284
E mail: thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk
Website: latin-mass-society.org

. . . . ENDS . . . .

For further information, please contact John Medlin, General Manager, or James Murphy, LMS Office Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284;
(F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk

More information and application form

Image: Flickr

Octave of Pentecost

The Novus Ordo missal no longer has a special octave of Masses for Pentecost. Therefore the Birmingham Oratory fathers are offering daily old Rite Low Mass at 8:30am next week in St Philip's Chapel. On Saturday it will be at 9:30am as normal.

Upcoming Masses at Birmingham Oratory

Corpus Christi: Thursday June 11th at 8pm
(Solemn High Mass)

St Peter & Paul: Monday June 29th at 8pm
(Solemn High Mass)

Assumption: Saturday August 15th at 11am
(Solemn High Mass)

Regular Low Masses:
Saturday 9:30am (St Philip’s Chapel)

Sunday 9:30am (High Altar)

Traditional Catholic Vespers

Here are some images from the Solemn Vespers which took place at the Birmingham Oratory on Monday night for the feast of St Philip Neri. Vespers are a regular feature of community worship at the Oratory, taking place every Sunday night at 7.30pm. In terms of those attached to the 1962 liturgical books, they follow the traditional ordinary although change the collect and magnificat antiphons depending on what is going on in the new calender. Enjoy!

O Salutaris Hostia

More photos from today's May Procession at the Birmingham Oratory here.

Young Catholic Adults Retreat

Rosary in the Lady Chapel 2008
Originally uploaded by ps99ddb

Some Good News! Young Catholic Adults Douai Abbey Retreat Gets Bigger and Better!

During the weekend of the 18-20 September 2009. Young Catholic Adults (YCA are part of the international Juventutem Federation) will be running a Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey in the south of England, the weekend will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray. Summorum Pontificum must be working - at least in a "brick by brick" fashion, just look at the following:-

-For the first time Young Catholic Adults will be using the main Abbey Church for Mass

-For the first time YCA will be organising a Missa Cantata, sung by the Douai Singers; this will be followed by a Marian Procession

- YCA has booked out the whole of the retreat complex this year, on the advice of Douai Abbey itself, as the monks were so pleased with the YCA retreat last year

Places are limited so please book early

-YCA will have the retreat centre to itself
-There will be a social in the evening
- Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, all Masses will be in the Extraordinary form
- There will be a Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am. The choir will be the Douai Singers, in the main Abbey Church, followed by a Marian Procession at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) around the extensive grounds of the Abbey (weather permitting, if the weather is poor there will be Marian devotions in the main Abbey Church )
-The weekend will be full-board (except for the Sunday lunch)

How to book

The cost of the weekend will be from as little as 25 pounds for students (or 48-88 pounds for non students) for more details, please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/news.htm or email juventutemcatholicam@yahoo.co.uk or ring 07908 105787.

Events Open to the Public

The Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am followed by a Marian Procession around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) are open to the public.

There are also a few rooms allocated for all age groups (not just YCA) so please book soon.

There are limited places so please reserve your place early!

Upcoming Masses

Traditional Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord
Solemn High Mass
in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite ('Tridentine')
Birmingham Oratory

8pm - Thursday, May 21st 2009

VIRI Galiǽi, quid admirámini aspiciéntes in cælum? allelúia: quemádmodum vidístis eum ascendéntem in cælum, ita véniet, allelúia, allelúia, allelúia.

YE men of Galilee, why wonder you, looking up to heaven? alleluia. He shall so come as you have seen Him going up into heaven, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Here is the perfect opportunity to observe this important feast of Our Lord on the day it is properly intended. Tailored Mass books and full translations are provided, which will make it perfect for newcomers to the Traditional Latin Mass.

Also: there will invariably be Low Mass every Saturday at 9:30am in St Philip's Chapel (adjacent to the Sacristy, entrance next to the Sacred Heart Altar). Adoration happens in the main church every Saturday morning 8.30-10.45, ending with Benediction. So this little Mass is an excellent way to extend this devotion. Please check with me (07967 729168) before travelling, to avoid disappointment, the night before!

Of course, the Sunday Low Mass at 9.30am continues, with new tailored Mass booklets available soon, along with a propers sheet every week.

View Map

I hope to expand the Latin Mass a bit further afield from Birmingham Oratory, which may take some time. In the meantime, it has been suggested we have pilgrimages, and I think a good idea would be one to Harvington Hall for the feast of St John Wall when there will be a Missa Cantata. This will probably be the first Sunday in September, which is a long way away. Please let me know any other suggestions.

Ushaw College Press Release

1 May 2009

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

For Immediate Release

GREAT SUCCESS! TRADITONAL LATIN MASS RETURNS TO THE HEART OF THE CHURCH

The Latin Mass Society’s (LMS) residential training conference for priests wishing to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) held at Ushaw College, Durham from Monday 20 April to Thursday 23 April (Low Week) has been a great success.

Twenty priests, mostly from the northern English dioceses, received intensive training in the celebration of Mass in the Usus Antiquior or Extraordinary Form.

Tuition was given in small groups by priests who regularly offer Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite. Four of the groups were for beginners or near-beginners and concentrated on Low Mass. The other two groups were for priests already proficient in Low Mass and who wished to study the more complicated forms of Missa Cantata or Solemn Mass.

The conference participants felt thoroughly welcomed at Ushaw College, one of England’s most prestigious seminaries. Particularly useful was the availability of many side altars suitable for practice and private Masses. The conference made use of no less than ten of these.

The magnificent St Cuthbert’s Chapel was used for all the public services. These included Lauds, Vespers, Compline, Rosary and Benediction as well as the daily conference Mass. The plainsong chant was provided by the schola of the Rudgate Singers; and at the final Solemn Mass the polyphonic choir, Antiphon, sang Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices.

As a seminary chapel with plenty of choir stalls, St Cuthbert’s Chapel was ideally suited for a gathering which included so many priests. The impressive gothic architecture, cathedral-like accoustic and traditionally styled sanctuary made a perfect setting for the Latin liturgies.

The Holy Father in his Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum not only ‘released’ the Mass but also the other sacraments and Father Thomas Crean OP, who includes part-time hospital chaplaincy amongst his duties, gave a well-received lecture on the pastoral relevance of the Traditional Rite of Holy Unction, Viaticum and Commendation of the Dying.

Canon Stephen Shield, Dean of St Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster, who celebrated some of the conference liturgies, gave the keynote address at the convivial Gala Dinner at which the priests lustily sang ‘God Bless Our Pope’.

One of the priest participants said afterwards, “It rejoiced our hearts to hear the Gothic splendours of the Pugin chapel of St Cuthbert ringing once more to the sound of plainsong and the Mass of Ages. It is to be hoped that more clergy will rekindle joy in the priesthood through discovering the riches of our Catholic heritage.”

Doctor Joseph Shaw, LMS Chairman, said, “The glorious sight of the great chapel with Solemn Mass, two choirs, more than a score of priests in choir, and a good number of local faithful, was surpassed by the bustle of the enormous sacristy and the whisper of private Masses at innumerable altars in the early morning. What the LMS conference represented is the re-establishment of the Traditional Mass as part of the tool-kit of parish priests. It was wonderful to see Ushaw College doing what it has done for two centuries: enabling the training of priests in the Church’s great liturgical tradition”.

The training conference at Ushaw College is the third the LMS has organised. Two very successful conferences were held at Merton College, Oxford, in 2007/8, attended by over 95 priests. However, the LMS wanted to move its conferences to unambiguously Catholic surroundings and Ushaw College was an obvious choice.

The LMS is organising a further training conference for priests at All Saints’ Pastoral Centre, London Colney, St Albans, Herts (the Archdiocese of Westminster’s premier conference centre) from Monday 24 to Friday 28 August. Details are available from the LMS office.

Latin Mass Society, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH
Tel: 020 7404 7284
E Mail: thelatinmasssociety@snmail.co.uk
Website: latin-mass-society.org

….ENDS….

New Low Mass Booklet

Here is the final version of a Mass Booklet which will be put into use at the Birmingham Oratory. Please leave your comments and feedback!

The best way to view it is in full-screen; on the Scribd toolbar below, click on the square icon on the far right.

Credit goes to Musica Sacra for the beautifully scanned artwork.
1962 Low Mass Booklet

If you would like to use this booklet in your own church, I recommend downloading my generic version from Scribd by going here.

Ushaw Priest's Training Conference

Here is a stunning photo by Roy of the Middlesborough LMS blog, from the Ushaw Training Conference. This traditional mode of concelebration, private masses at side altars, is seldom seen nowadays. It is almost a more beautiful sight than a High Mass in full swing. It calls to mind silence, stillness, simplicity and holiness. I pray that all the priests who attended will be inspired and blessed to offer the Traditional Latin Mass to their parishioners. See Joe Shaw's blog for more details.

Dominus Vobiscum

- Paschaltide -

Christos Anesti!

San Benedetto, Norcia

A little while ago, in a Mass of Ages magazine, there was an advert promoting a small community of traditional Benedictine Monks, in Norcia (St Benedict's birthplace). I now support them, and recommend their new website.

Visit here