The Feast of St Chad

The statue of St Chad in St Chad's Cathedral

The first Friday of March coincides with the Patronal Feast of St Chad, whose relics are found in the Cathedral in Birmingham. Thus in addition to the first Friday low Mass at St Austine's in Solihull at 6.30pm, and the regular Friday Masses at the Oratory and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Wolverhampton at 5.45pm and 6.30pm respectively, there will also be a low Mass at St Mary on the Hill in Wednesbury at 8am. Directions to all these Mass centres are available in the sidebar.

Ash Wednesday

There are two EF Masses in the region on Ash Wednesday: there will be low Mass at 8am (not 6pm as mentioned in Mass of Ages) at St Mary on the Hill in Wednesbury, and High Mass at 7.30pm at the Oratory.

The usual 5.45pm low Mass at the Oratory, and the weekly/ monthly Wednesday Masses at Halesowen and Maryvale have all been cancelled.

Candlemas 2018

Friday marks the end of Christmas and the anniversary of the founding of the Birmingham Oratory, which will be celebrated with High Mass at 7.30pm (replacing the usual 5.45pm low Mass). As it is the first Friday there will also be a 6.30pm low Mass at St Augustine's in Solihull. Directions for both of these are in the sidebar. For those who prefer a Mass in the morning, there will a low Mass at St Mary on the Hill, Wednesbury, WS10 9DL at 8.00am. St Dunstan's, Kings Heath will also be celebrating Mass in the Extraordinary Form for the first time at 7pm; this will be the first time the parish priest has celebrated the Mass publicly, just a few days after celebrating the 21st anniversary of his ordination. This will be a welcome return of the Extraodinary Form to the South Birmingham deanery since the end of the Masses at St John Fisher in West Heath a few years ago.

The usual 6.30pm Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton has however been cancelled.

Epiphany Masses 2018

Despite the announcement in September from the Bishops Conference of England and Wales that the Epiphany would be reinstated from this liturgical year, due to the practice of transferring holydays which fall on Saturday and Monday to the nearest Sunday (with the exception of Christmas of course), Epiphany will be celebrated on a Sunday for the next three years. The good news is that there are a plethora of EF Masses you can attend to celebrate the Epiphany this year in the Birmingham and Black Country area:

Saturday 6th January 2018
10.00am Low Mass St Mary on the Hill, St Mary's Road, Wednesbury, WS10 9DL
11.00am High Mass Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, WV10 8PG
11.00am High Mass Birmingham Oratory, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8UE

External Solemnity (Sunday 7th January 2018)
10.30pm High Mass Birmingham Oratory, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8UE

The 6.30pm first Friday Solihull (low) Mass is also this week.

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.