West Heath Mass Alteration

Friday, 13 January 2012
18:00 - 19:00
St John Fisher R C Church, 1 Cofton Road, West Heath, Birmingham B313QT

(one week only - Celebrant Fr Jan Nowotnik)

Mass times for this quarter

All locations are detailed on the right sidebar






From Sunday 27th November, weekly Sunday Mass at the Birmingham Oratory will change to High Mass at 10:30am.

Also every week:

Wednesday 12 noon in Halesowen*
Friday morning 8am in Winson Green, Birmingham*
Friday night 6:30pm in West Heath, South Birmingham
Saturday morning 9:00am at Birmingham Oratory
* variable; see http://www.anthonytalbot.com/masses.htm
Masses outside the ordinary:
Thursday 8th December 2011 (Immaculate Conception) Low Mass at 5:45pm Birmingham Oratory

-No Mass 9th December at West Heath-

Wednesday 21st December 2011 Low Mass at 6pm at St Michael & the Holy Angels, West Bromwich

Saturday 24th December 2011 (Night Christmas) Low Mass with hymns at 6:30pm at St John Fisher, West Heath

Sunday 25th December 2011 (Christmas) High Mass at 10:30am at Birmingham Oratory

Friday 6th January 2012 (Epiphany) High Mass at 7:30pm at Birmingham Oratory

- N.B. No West Heath Mass on Epiphany -

Mass Cancellation

There will be no Mass at West Heath on Friday 9th December 2011.

St Frideswide at West Bromwich

I gave Fr Chris a bit of a shock last night by announcing I'd set up the Missal for this obscure Birmingham (or rather Oxford) Saint rather than St Peter of Alacantara, which he'd prepared for!

In truth, I had set the Missal up for the latter, having glanced briefly at my LMS wall calendar on the way out the house, with all the General Calendar dates. I then happened to check 1 min before Mass started, in the LMS Ordo on my iPhone, and noticed a special local Feast. I automatically thought this took precedence, although in actual fact they're both 3rd Class Feasts for October 19. So I rushed up to the Missal on the Altar and made some amendments to the markers! (And thanked God St Frideswide wasn't a Martyr or I'd have to change the white vestments to red!)

All quite funny really; If I'd been prepared I could have asked Fr Chris which of the two Feasts he'd prefer to observe. In any event, he took it in good humour and even suggested in his humility that he didn't have enough oil in his lamp, in allusion to the day's Gospel Parable Jesus taught about the ten virgins awaiting Christ the Bridegroom!



It was St Frideswide, herself like a wise virgin with extra oil in her lamp, who founded a convent in the 8th Century. I am unsure whether her Feast remains in the new Calendar (historical doubt and all that). Of particular interest is the idea that her 'double monastery' was the foundation of Oxford University. It therefore seems preposterous that women were ever forbidden from following an education there. It seems gloriously romantic to me that it was the institutional Church which preserved and founded rigorous academic and scientific study. Take note Mr Dawkins!


From the St Andrew's Daily Missal:

"St. Frideswide - or Fritheswith - was born about 665 near Oxford, the daughter of noble parents. She founded a convent at the gates of Oxford - where Christ Church now stands. Aelfgar, prince of Mercia, was determined to marry her for her beauty and her inheritance, but she fled to the forests to avoid his attentions. When she returned to Oxford, Aelfgar beseiged the city, but just at the point of victory he was struck blind.

"For many years afterwards, she presided as Abbess of a double monastery of both monks and nuns. Some say that the origins of the University of Oxford lie in the school she established there. She was well known in her lifetime for effecting miraculous cures, and a well at Binsey - where she latterly retired as a hermitess - became known as a place of healing. She died at Binsey on 19th October 735, and was buried in her monastery."

More Photos can be found at my Flickr page.

Oratory Mass Changes

The Oratory Fathers, are reduced to 2 active priests (Fr Gregory is no longer able to say Public Masses owing to his mature age; Fr Dermot and Fr Guy are away) leaving Fr Anton (PP and director of Music), and Fr Paul. Therefore there has been an alteration in the Parish Mass schedule, decided by the Fathers and ratified by the Provost Fr Ignatius, and the Archdiocese.

This happens to benefit those who attend the Traditional Form since it's numbers have grown to the point it cannot be cancelled, and so therefore it's being combined with previous Novus Ordo time slots.

From immediate effect the Saturday morning Latin Low Mass will be at the slightly earlier time of 9am AT THE HIGH ALTAR (with English readings) followed by exposition and Benediction at 10.45am.

Commencing the First Sunday in Advent, the Sunday Morning EF Latin Mass will be IN THE SOLEMN FORM at 10.30am. There will only be High Masses using the revised Missal of 1969 for extra Feasts (except those transferred in the New Calendar, when as is customary, an EF Solemn High Mass is celebrated on the Traditional un-transferred date at 7:30pm weekdays and 11am Saturday, eg Epiphany, Corpus Christi, etc.)

Holy Souls (November 2nd) will have an EF High Mass at 7:30pm

Please support this opportunity, the first weekly Solemn High Mass in the Archdiocese. Similar endeavours are happening with the Franciscans in Stoke, but the Oratory will of course feature the professional polyphonic choir, which under Fr Anton's direction will probably not have must Plainchant!

We are working on deciding an appropriate translation to use in the Mass sheets. I suggest perhaps the Knox translation which is easier for the congregation to read than the Shakespearean English used in the Douay Rheims. What do you think? How about the RSV or NRSV?

Remaining Masses for 2011

NOTE EDITED TIMES BELOW:


Signing off, here are the confirmed (*and TBC) Masses outside the ordinary schedule on the sidebar of the main blogsite:

Wednesday 19th October 2011: Low Mass 6pm (St Michael's, West Bromwich)

Tuesday 1st November 2011: Low Mass 5:45pm (All Saints at Birmingham Oratory)


Wednesday 2nd November 2011:High Mass 7:30pm (All Souls at Birmingham Oratory)

Wednesday 16 November 2011: Low Mass 6pm (St Michael's West Bromwich)

Wednesday 21 December 2011: Low Mass 6pm (St Michael's, West Bromwich)


Sunday 25th December 2011: High Mass 10:30am* (CHRISTMAS MORNING MASS)

*= To be confirmed

Additional West Heath Low Mass

Wednesday 7th September at 8am (St John Fisher, West Heath) Anniversary Requiem

Mass Cancellation

Low Mass tomorrow at West Bromwich has been cancelled due to illness. The next Mass at West Brom will be 3rd September at 11am.

Revision of published LMS Masses for Birmingham

Mass on Friday 26th August at West Heath will be LOW not Sung.

Oratory Masses rather than those published are:

1) Feast of Assumption (Mon 15 August) High Mass 7:30pm as in previous years for feasts transferred in the general calendar.

2) There will NOT be a sung Mass on Weds 14th Sep for Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

3) There is the possibility of Low Mass at 5:45pm for All Saints and All Souls (Tues & Weds 1 & 2 Nov) TBC These will not necessarily be advertised beyond the weekly Birmingham Oratory Newsletter published every Saturday on their website.

Mass at St Michael's West Brom on Saturday 3 September will probably be Low, but will be followed by sung Benediction. Due to this event, there will be NO mass on the third Weds in Sept.

Resignation

It is with no little sorrow that I have to inform you, my readers, that I am taking a break from my charitable activities including the Latin Mass Society and the Guild of Catholic Doctors / Catholic Medical Association.

I will continue to be an active and paid up member of both organizations, and would be happy to continue posting any announcements here until a replacement can be found (please volunteer through the LMS Office for position of Birmingham City & Environs Representative.)

My decision to step down from these busy posts is entirely personal and work-related, and is in no way an indication that I have been 'spooked' in the Catholic world in a Mafiosi way. I say this because as we have learned the hard way, anything is possible! I am now looking forward to concentrating on work and spending some more time with my lovely family.

God bless you for reading and supporting me these last few years, and I hope you will remember me in your prayers at this difficult time in my life.

Priest & Server Training Day

Training Day for Priests and Servers Holy Cross Priory, Leicester, Tuesday 23 August 2011

The Latin Mass Society will be hosting a day of training for priests and servers wishing to improve their knowledge of the celebration of Mass in the usus antiquior. It will take place at the Holy Cross Priory in Leicester on Tuesday 23 August from 9.30am till 5pm. A sung Mass will be included as part of the Programme.

The day will be suitable for priests with all levels of ability. Tuition will be tailored to suit the requirements of the priests attending with the possibility of studying Low Mass, Missa Cantata or Missa Solemnis. Similarly, servers will be tutored in the various forms of the Mass, according to their experience. They will also have the opportunity of enrolling in the Society of Saint Tarcisius.

The fee for attending is £5 which includes the provision of lunch. Application forms are available here, and should be returned to:

Paul Waddington
Church House
Main Street
Hemingbrough
Selby
YO8 6QE

West Heath change of Mass time

This Friday, 29th July 2011, Mass will be at the soon-to-be implemented earlier time of 6:30pm. This is due to a Parish meeting on the new Translation of the 1969 Missal.

West Heath High Mass 2011

Once again this year, for the third time, Fr George Grynowski invited the Latin Mass Society to his Parish of St John Fisher in West Heath, South Birmingham. The Feast of Ss John Fisher & Thomas More fell on a Saturday this year, which would have otherwise meant a larger turnout. However, today coincided with the Franciscans of the Immaculate second visit to the Birmingham Oratory for their Day with Mary (As well as enjoying a packed congregation, they also benefit from the FI specialty of Sung Mass in the Usus Antiquor).

The Neri Singers sang sang Missa O Quam Gloriosum by Victoria for the mass ordinary, Credo III De Angelis, Exultate Justi by Viadana at the offertory, O Quam Gloriosum by Victoria at communion, and settings of the Gradual and Alleluia to faux bourdons by Ignaz Mitterer. The Organist Mr Oliver Hayes, played the Hymn Rex Gloriose for the chorale prelude before the Introit, and the Bach Little Fugue in G Minor as the voluntary, as well as improvisations on the chant and the polyphony.

Fr George, the Parish Priest, was for the second time Celebrant; with Frs Christopher Miller & Jan Nowotnik as Deacon & Subdeacon respectively. All these three Priests reside in the South Birmingham Deanery, which is fortuitous for Fr George.

In total only about 40-50 people were in attendence, but we know we were also accompanied by the Choir of Heavenly Angels, almost tangible with Victoria's rendition of the Sanctus.

An incense filled Byzantine-style church was as ever grateful for such a beautiful expression of Latin Catholic Worship, beginning with the quiet prayers at the foot of the altar, Judica Me (Ps 42), so the silent and reverent flectamus genua of the Last Gospel according to St John (1:14)... It is a liturgy resplendent in its noble simplicity and reverent decorum. Thanks be to God!

For more Photos see my Flickr Set


The next Sung Mass will be for St Pius X to honour the Modern Feast Day of Pope St Gregory the Great on Saturday 3rd September 2011 at 11am in St Michael's West Bromwich, followed by sung Benediction and refreshments.


There will be NO 7 pm Mass next Friday 15th July 2011 at West Heath; A Low Mass will instead be offered at 6 pm next WEDNESDAY 13th July 2011.

New Mass of Ages Editor

LMS Appoints New Editor of Mass of Ages

The LMS has appointed Gregory Murphy as its next editor of Mass of Ages magazine. Based in Liverpool, where he works as a freelance editor and PR professional, Mr Murphy is a regular member of the congregation at the Traditional Latin Mass celebrated at St Anthony’s, Scotland Road.

Gregory Murphy comes to his new role with over twenty years’ experience behind him as a professional journalist, editor and PR consultant. He learned his trade on local newspapers and Catholic publications, such as the Catholic Pictorial, until, in the mid-1990s, he joined the staff of the Catholic Times where he was News Editor and subsequently Editor. He then spent five very valuable years as Corporate Communications Publications and PR Manager for the Littlewoods Organisation, before deciding to go freelance. Mr Murphy now provides journalistic and editorial services to a range of commercial, public and voluntary sector clients around the UK.

Mike Lord, LMS General Manager said: ‘We were fortunate to have several strong candidates at interview, but were particularly impressed by Gregory’s professional experience, his grasp of what is required in revamping the magazine and by his personal commitment to the Traditional Mass and Faith. We are delighted to have Gregory on board and look forward to seeing the first issue of Mass of Ages under his editorship in November.’

Gregory Murphy will take over from John Medlin, who retires from the editor's post in August after eight years in the job. Next month's edition of the magazine will be John's last and his presence in the LMS will be much missed.

The appointment of a new editor and the forthcoming redesign and relaunch of Mass of Ages is the last of a series of major changes that have taken place at the LMS over the past two years. The move to new offices, the appointment of a new General Manager, the launch of a new and much-praised website, the use of social media such as Facebook, the adoption of a new constitution and other changes are part of a longer term strategy to enable the LMS to promote the Traditional Mass and the orthodox Faith that accompanies it more effectively following Pope Benedict’s liberation of the traditional liturgy four years ago.

. . . . ENDS . . . .

For further information, please contact John Medlin, Publicist, or Michael Lord, General Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284; (F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) info@lms.org.uk

Oratory & Maryvale join forces for Liturgical Music

We've been interested in the Birmingham Oratory for some years, so it takes us great pleasure to announce the new Blessed John Henry Newman Institute for Liturgical Studies. Apparently it will get us all singing together, so I'm all for it!

Fr Guy Nicholls CO is director to the project. For more go to : http://www.oratorymusic.org.uk/

Successful 2011 AGM

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

For Immediate Release
LMS AGM High Mass and AGM at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, London Saturday 2 July 2011
The Latin Mass Society was warmly welcomed to St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, London on Saturday 2 July by the Cathedral Dean, Canon John O’Toole and the Administrator, Mr Alex Scott for its Annual General Meeting and AGM Mass. The LMS is grateful to all the cathedral staff for their help and encouragement in making our AGM arrangements.
The day commenced at 11.00am with High Mass of the Visitation of Our Lady celebrated by Fr Andrew Southwell, LMS National chaplain, assisted by Fr Michael Cullllinan as Deacon and Fr Gregory Kilaja as Sub-deacon.

The men of the Cathedral Choir sang Victoria’s Missa Quam Pulcri Sunt. The Gloria was taken from the Missa de Angelis, the Creed was Credo I and the Offertory motet was Victoria’s Ave Maris Stella.

After lunch, the LMS AGM convened in the cathedral’s Amigo Hall to hear reports from the Secretary, Mr David Forster, the Treasurer, Mr Paul Waddington and the Chairman, Dr the Hon. Joseph Shaw. The LMS’s National Chaplain, Fr Andrew Southwell, had opened the proceedings with a prayer and after the reports gave an address in which he discussed Pope Benedict’s XVI admirable work in the fields of doctrine and the liturgy.

The meeting then sang ‘God Bless Our Pope’ to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Pope Benedict’s ordination to the Sacred Priesthood and closed with the singing of the Credo.

This year’s AGM was relatively low-key and in a new venue. However, Dr Shaw, in particular, was able to update those present on the increasing level of work being carried out throughout England and Wales by the LMS and its local representatives. The LMS is now more focussed on providing support to those many priests and faithful throughout the country who are gradually reintroducing the Extraordinary Form into their parish life. Its aim is to publicise the liturgical initiatives of Pope Benedict and to support and encourage the growing number of young people and young families who are discovering the Old Rite.

For photographs of the High Mass and the AGM go to our Flickr page here.

. . . . ENDS . . . .

For further information, please contact John Medlin, Publicist, or Michael Lord, General Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284; (F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) info@lms.org.uk

LMS Holywell a great success

Press Release: Another Great Success for the LMS with the National Pilgrimage to Holywell – But We Need a New Organiser, So Please Volunteer
7 JULY 2011

David Lloyd, LMS Vice-President and main organiser of the Holywell Pilgrimage for many years, has sent this report:

The Latin Mass Society’s pilgrimage to the shrine of St Winefride in Holywell, North Wales took place on Sunday 3 July. Father Simon Henry of the Archdiocese of Liverpool was celebrant at a Solemn Votive Mass of a Virgin Martyr and was Assisted by Fr Agnellus FI from the parish of St Joseph, Burslem, Stoke on Trent as Deacon and Fr Ian O’Shea of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool. The sermon was preached by Fr Henry. A number of clergy sat in choir, including Canon Bernard Lordan of the Diocese of Wrexham, and Fr Patrick Hayward of the Archdiocese of Westminster. The MC for the Mass was Mr James Pennington, the LMS’s Representative in Liverpool. Over 170 faithful assisted.

The choir, drawn from the Manchester area, was under the direction of Christian Spence, conductor of the Yorkshire-based Rudgate Singers. They sang Monteverdi’s Messa a quarttro voci da cappella, polyphonic motets at the Offertory and Communion and the Proper of a Virgin Martyr Me Expectaverunt pecccatores from the Liber Usualis.

Following Mass, the congregation gathered outside the church and, led by the cross bearer, acolytes and clergy, processed to St Winefrides’ Shrine and well reciting the Holy Rosary led by Canon Bernard Lordan, former parish priest at Holywell. In the well crypt the Litany to St Winefride was recited and during the veneration of the relic of part of her little finger the hymn “Thee we hail o sainted maid” was sung by the choir. The day’s events concluded back in the church with solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament given by Fr Simon Henry.

The LMS’s Holywell Pilgrimage has taken place now for about twenty-five years - in the beginning on a Saturday afternoon in the form of a Missa Cantata followed by Vespers and Benediction. It was organised then by Mr Edmund Waddelove, the LMS’s Representative in the Diocese of Wrexham. It is worth noting that in the Society’s early years Edmund represented it in the combined dioceses of Menevia, Shrewsbury and Wrexham. He is still alive and living in Ruthin and is in need of your prayers.

I have been responsible for the continuation and expansion of the pilgrimage for twenty years and early in my tenure also provided the music, drawing on a number of church musicians from as far afield as London, Sheffield, Liverpool, Shrewsbury and the University of Bangor to augment the small Traditional choir in Holywell. I always managed to find sufficient priests to support a Solemn Mass and among the many celebrants were The Rt Rev. Michael Gallagher O Praem, the Rt Rev. Mgr Gilles Wach Prior General of the ICKSP, Canon William Hudson ICKSP, Fr Anton Guizel, Fr Andrew Southwell, Fr Nicholas du Chaxel FSSP, Fr Andrew Wadsworth, Fr Antony Dykes and this year, Fr Simon Henry.

Altar servers from the length and breadth of England and Wales have travelled to Holywell to assist. I have always expected the very highest standard of music for worship and I am grateful to all those musicians who have assisted at this pilgrimage, in particular I must mention Anthony Dickinson who has formed small choirs of the very highest calibre to assist in Holywell on many occasions.

Canon Bernard Lordan who I think has never missed a single pilgrimage deserves a special mention, as does Graham Moorehouse who has for some years brought a coach of about fifty pilgrims from London, who are a welcome addition t our congregation.

Unfortunately, due to advancing years I am no longer able to continue to organise this pilgrimage and have now retired. The LMS has previously appealed for someone to accept this responsibility but so far without success. However, to ensure the future continuation of priestly assistance at Holywell, I have offered the pastoral care to Fr Agnellus Murphy FI who has very kindly accepted and will in future provide the sacred ministers for the pilgrimage and will also try to put in place a master of music.

It is vital that a secretary and sacristan can be found and we appeal for a member or members to volunteer for this work. Please contact Michael Lord, LMS General Manager, in the LMS office on Michael@lms.org.uk or telephone the office on 020 7404 7284.

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Coming Soon...

Latin Mass Society of England & Wales

For the Promotion of the Traditional Latin Rite

Calendar 2012

Plans are well underway for the next LMS Calendar, showcasting some of the big events of 2010-11 as well as illustrating the good work the LMS is helping achieve. It is always a very popular product and sells out fast.

This year we are introducing a new A3 spiral bound format which will give more room for the excellent photos we are in the process of choosing from. If you have any photographs of Latin Masses that you've attended in England & Wales over the last 12 months, please email them to the LMS head office immediately for inclusion in the calendar.

Guild of St Clare

The Guild of St Clare was started by Lucy Shaw in Oxford last year. It has since secured the support of the Latin Mass Society and the St Catherine's Family Trust.

 It also has branches in London and Birmingham, with my wife running two sessions, one of which Lucy joined. They meet in local lady's houses.

The eventual aim is to help make and restore sacred vestments for use at the Traditional Latin Mass.

West Heath High Mass this Saturday

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
Saturday, 9th July 2010 at 12 noon
(followed by Buffet Lunch)

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 4-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