Reports from around the country

DIOCESAN DIGEST

Mass of Ages quarterly round-up

Our Local and Assistant Representatives submitted their reports before the publication of Traditionis Custodes. Appended to some of these report is an update on the current situation in their area/diocese as we go to press.

Arundel and Brighton Huw Davies aandb@lms.org.uk

This summer saw the happy resumption of Extraordinary Form Masses at Our Lady of Ransom in Eastbourne at 10am on Saturdays and at 7.30am on Tuesdays, the latter of which replaces the Mass at Christ the King in Langney, where the regular Ordinariate celebrant has departed the diocese. We are blessed to have two priests at Our Lady of Ransom in Fr Bruno Witchalls and Fr Tristan Cranfield who are enthusiastic about celebrating the Traditional Form of the Mass in this beautiful church.

There was also cause for celebration at St Hugh of Lincoln in Knaphill, where on the feast of Corpus Christi five children received Holy Communion for the first time at Mass, followed by a procession in the streets of Knaphill and ending with Benediction. St Pancras in Lewes also saw a joyful first Holy Communion in the EF, for Penelope, on the feast of SS John and Paul, 26 June. We keep all these children in our prayers and hope that there can be repeats of these occasions in future years, and remain thankful that at both of these churches Mass is offered in the EF every Sunday.

The first EF Mass at Our Lady of Consolation and St Francis in West Grinstead since the start of the pandemic restrictions took place on Whit Sunday, with Fr James Hurley from the Archdiocese of Southwark celebrating a Missa Cantata. Please keep Bank Holiday Monday, 30 August, free for the next Mass, which will be a Pilgrimage Missa Cantata at 2pm, followed by refreshments and then Rosary and Benediction. There will also be a Missa Cantata on Remembrance Sunday at 3pm.

Masses also continue on Wednesdays at Sacred Heart, Caterham, where pleasingly the Traditional Form of the Mass is held in public once again, as does the established and very popular celebration on Saturdays at St Barnabas in Molesey.

STOP PRESS Following the publication of the Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes, Bishop Richard issued all priests of the diocese who currently have a public Mass in the Traditional Form with a faculty to continue, so at present there is no change to the published Mass schedule.

Birmingham and Black Country Louis Maciel 07392 232225 birmingham@lms.org.uk birmingham-lms-rep.blogspot.co.uk/

In addition to the weekly Sunday High Mass, High Mass was offered at the Birmingham Oratory for the Feasts of the Ascension, Corpus Christi and SS Peter and Paul, replacing the usual weekday 5.45pm Low Mass on these days. A High Mass was also celebrated for the Patronal Feast of St Philip Neri on the Spring Bank Holiday, transferred from the 26 May due to the Octave of Pentecost. Low Mass continues to be celebrated at 9am on Saturday and at 7.30am on Sundays.

An additional Low Mass was also offered on the Ascension at St Mary-on-the-Hill in Wednesbury, complementing the usual 11.30am Sunday Low Mass. As a result of the gradual removal of restrictions, communion is now distributed at these Masses.

The weekly first Friday Mass at Acocks Green continues and is increasingly well attended. The third Friday Mass at St Dunstan’s in Kings Heath also continues to attract a decent sized congregation, with a Sung Mass taking place in the month of June in honour of the Sacred Heart.

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton continues to offer Low Mass each Friday night at 6.30pm, only interrupted in this quarter by the Novena preceding the patronal feast day on the 27 June, with Mass being celebrated on Saturday morning at 8am during this period.

Birmingham (Oxford) Joseph Shaw oxford@lms.org.uk oxfordlmsrep.blogspot.com/

I am happy to report that both Archbishop Longley of Birmingham and Bishop Egan of Portsmouth rapidly confirmed that celebrations of the 1962 Mass could go ahead in their respective parts of Oxford, and I am expecting all the Sundays, weekdays, and feast days listed in the quarterly listings to go ahead.

On behalf of all the Traditional congregations of the area I would like to express my gratitude to both Archbishop Longley and Bishop Egan for their pastoral concern, and to the priests of Oxford who celebrate this Mass.

I am also hoping to confirm some extra Masses.

I will inform our local members and supporters about these and also of any disruption by email: please ensure that I have your email address if you wish to be kept informed.

Birmingham (North Staffs) Alan Frost

A sad occasion for the regular worshippers at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Swynnerton, was the funeral of David Ashley, an immense support to the people and practice of the Traditional Rite in North Staffs since his conversion in 1998. The Requiem Mass (Missa Cantata) was celebrated by Fr Anton Guziel, P.P. of Birmingham Oratory, long-standing friend of David, with Fr Chavasse in choro. The Oratory organist attended and led an improvised schola.

David died, aged 68, after suffering severely from cancer and requiring a (successful) brain tumour removal. He was lucid and aware of his time being short, but kept making it to Mass to near the end. His unstinting kindness up to his suffering at the end, suggest for this writer a likening to our martyrs. He left a remarkable collection of traditional Catholic books and music. Rest in peace, David, a good man in every sense.

At St Augustine’s, Meir, Stoke, Fr Stefak has gone to some pains to put together a pamphlet for all parishioners explaining the ‘Traditional Mass of the Catholic Church’, as well as one on ‘Receiving the Lord’ on Holy Communion, promoting receipt upon the tongue, with a section on preparation for Confession. He has also provided a handout explaining Rogation Days.

Birmingham (Worcestershire) Alastair J. Tocher 01684 893332 extraordinarymalvern.uk@btinternet.com extraordinarymalvern.uk Facebook: Extraordinary Malvern

St Gregory the Great, Cheltenham before Mass on the parish Patronal Feast

Firstly, my apologies for the lack of a report last quarter: whilst prepared in time it was for some reason bounced by the email system and by the time I realised this the deadline for copy had passed. This report therefore covers the past six months.

We remain starved of public Latin Masses inWorcestershire, but I am pleased to report that Missae Cantatae – serving those in the south of Worcestershire at least – have continued to be celebrated every Sunday since the second Sunday of Advent, along with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just over the south-western diocesan border at Most Holy Trinity, Ledbury (Archdiocese of Cardiff). All of the Holy Week services there this year have also been fully sung: Maundy Thursday by two cantors; Good Friday by a reduced and socially distanced Schola Gregoriana Malverniensis and including Popule Meus (Victoria) and Crux fidelis (John IV of Portugal); the entire Easter Vigil by solo cantor; and Easter Sunday by a reduced Schola once again and including Haßler’s Missa super Dixit Maria. Many thanks for all these Masses are due not just to the parish priest, Fr Adrian Wiltshire, but also to all servers and singers who have contributed to those liturgies, including Joseph and Columba Shaw who kindly assisted during Holy Week. It is encouraging to note that Sunday attendance has continued to grow throughout the past six months with Easter Sunday’s Mass at a record high.

Whilst the move to Ledbury has proven a move too far for a few former Schola singers, I am delighted to report that a recent recruitment drive in anticipation of church singing restrictions easing has attracted three new prospective Schola members, including one for a proposed new Men’s Schola which would sing Mass once a month. Whilst we already have a regular pool of five servers, a further two more young men have also recently expressed interest in learning to serve and it is hoped to hold a Server Training session soon.

A further and unexpected local highlight took place just over the southern diocesan border at St Gregory the Great, Cheltenham (Diocese of Clifton) where a further Missa Cantata – believed to be the first of its kind to be celebrated there in over 50 years – was celebrated by Fr Philip Thomas and sung by a solo cantor from Malvern for the parish Patronal Feast of St Gregory the Great (12 March). It is to be hoped that the next such Sung Mass there might not have to wait another fifty years!

As Covid restrictions ease let us pray that public celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass will also return across Worcestershire.

STOP PRESS With reference to Pope Francis recent announcement, although as yet unconfirmed, Sunday Sung Masses are expected to continue.

Brentwood (East) Alan Gardner alanmdgardner@gmail.com

Gradually, Laus Deo, we are seeing some return to former provision in this ‘country’ part of the diocese. What a joy to be officially allowed to receive Communion on the tongue –at Corpus Christi, of all occasions! Also, a joy to experience a Missa Cantata at Our Lady of Lourdes, Leigh, for Corpus Christi – some of the congregation there hadn’t heard Lauda Sionsung in many years…

Not all good news, sadly – we have an instance of complaints about EF provision from a few OF Catholics; one assumes this stems from misunderstanding rather than anything else. Initial attempts to address this have been unsuccessful; your prayers would be most welcome, please, as we endeavour to resolve this problem positively and compassionately.

As we return to former provision, could we please think, pray, and act regarding servers and singers? In general, those who support the Mass in this way are ‘getting on’ (including myself!), so unless we do something about this, there will come a time when Missae Cantata and Solemnis can no longer be celebrated; it has already been difficult on occasion. If you yourself could contribute, or you know of someone who could, please do take action. Those with a lot of experience and those with none are equally welcome; guidance and encouragement is readily available! Please contact me if help or advice is needed.

This is a large region, so please keep me informed about developments in your local area so that I can circulate details – particularly as arrangements are still in flux. If you are not currently on my local email (bcc!) circulation list (you should be receiving something from me at reasonably regular intervals), do please feel free to get in touch.

East Anglia (West) Alisa and Gregor Dick 01954 780912 cambridge@lms.org.uk

Sunday Masses continue at Blackfriars in Cambridge. For now, these are still being celebrated in the cloister with a combination of indoor and outdoor seating, but when in due course it ceases to be necessary to restrict the capacity of the chapel, we shall return there.

Many blessings attend the regular influx of new faces that is in the nature of a university city, but as those faces flow out again at the same rate, we must now once again make a plea for new servers and singers. If you would like to do one or both of these, please either make yourself known to us in person, or via the contact details above.

STOP PRESS As we went to press, we had not heard from Bishop Hopes regarding the provisions of the Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes. For the time being, Masses are continuing according to the usual schedule.

East Anglia (Withermarsh Green) Sarah Ward 07522 289449 withermarshgreen@lms.org.uk

As national restrictions ease, the Chaplaincy has seen a steady increase of people, particularly young families, attending Sunday Masses. There is now a monthly Sung Mass (usually the last Sunday of the month), led by cantor Daniel Wright and he is joined by the fledgling Withermarsh Green Schola.

The summer months have seen a rise in the number of tasks that need to be undertaken to maintain the fabric of the Chaplaincy and it has been very pleasing to see people’s generosity in giving of their time and energy to mow lawns, clean the Church and presbytery, wash and iron the cassocks and linens and help to raise much needed funds. The new charity “Friends of Withermarsh Green Latin Mass Chaplaincy” (Registered Charity number 1191466) has been hosting refreshments after 11am Sunday Masses, with a monthly cake sale to coincide with the Sung Mass. The charity exists solely to provide financial support to the Chaplaincy – online donations can be made at the CAF Bank Account 00033944, Sort code 4052-40.

Other fundraising events have included a Tolkein Quiz and Barbecue (unsurprisingly, Father Henry Whisenant’s team were the victors!) and a Summer Fete to mark a year since the establishment of the Chaplaincy. STOP PRESS In respect of the Moto Proprio, there is no news as to any changes to the provision of the traditional Latin Mass at Withermarsh Green.

East Anglia (Walsingham) Tom FitzPatrick 07803 166293 walsingham@lms.org.uk

Many of the informal Masses said at the Slipper Chapel by visiting priests with small groups of pilgrims use the Traditional Rite. But of course, this means that they are not always known to people living locally who are attached to the Traditional Rite. Following many requests, the Bishop approved a regular Traditional Rite Mass, usually celebrated by one of the Franciscan Friars attached to the Shrine, to be offered every second Saturday of the month at 9am. This has been taking place since February 2021 in the Chapel of Our Lady of Reconciliation and the numbers attending have been very good, with families well represented. We are very grateful to Bishop Alan and our Franciscans for promoting this initiative and we continue to hope and pray that this will eventually lead to weekly Masses in the Traditional Rite to meet a real need for both residents and visitors in this part of the Diocese. STOP PRESS We expect the status quo to continue for the present, as we pray for both the election of our new Bishop and for the Holy Father.

Hallam Nicholas Ross hallam@lms.org.uk

We remain very grateful to one of the priests of the Diocese for his open and proactive position with respect to having a Low Mass (possibly a Missa Cantata, server-permitting), at least on a number of feast days. At the time of writing, I am in talks with two priests who would vsit the diocese to say these Masses.

However, as an edit in light of recent events, it may be necessary for me to arrange to meet with the Bishop and convey your earnest wishes for there to be some provision made for the TLM in Hallam, and present to him the plans we had in mind. No doubt by the time of publication we'll have a clearer idea on how to handle this unfortunate situation.

Hexham and Newcastle Keith McAllister 01325 308968 07966 235329 k_mcallister@ymail.com

Availability of Traditional Rite liturgies has continued as before, with some encouraging signs that the diocese may see an uplift in provision. First we welcome Fr Thomas Mason from Chichester & Eastbourne to installation at Barnard Castle within the Walsingham Ordinariate arrangements. Fr Thomas is able and willing to offer the Latin Rites. We give thanks for our new Priest, Father Luke Wilkinson, following his ordination in St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle on the Solemnity of SS Peter & Paul. Our Bishop Robert Byrne presided and the Dewhurst Choir presented the Missa de Angelis etc .The ceremonials were streamed on the diocesan YouTube Channel and at the date of writing, are still available. On 4 July Fr Luke offered his first Missa Cantata with the Dewhurst choir support adding music from Palestrina and Piton; he vested with an uncommon, beautiful vestment set sourced in Mexico. He has been assigned to St Mary’s Hexham and its affiliated parishes / villages; we pray for his success and happiness in this Priestly journey—ad multos annos!Vespers commenced at St Joseph’s Gateshead on the same date, a first for the diocese since Vatican II, with the Dewhurst choir and intention to offer Vespers every 1st Sunday: Deo volente! There are planned dates for Latin Rite First Communions, plus Baptism, at Thornley, thanks to Fr Paul Tully. Masses at Cheeseburn are not yet operating, although arrangements are well advanced. Again, we appeal for new (younger) servers to replace the old geriatrics past their use –by date! Careful, patient training / guidance willingly given!

Lancaster Bob & Jane Latin NB new phone number: 01772 962387 lancaster@lms.org.uk latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com John Rogan 01524 858832 lancasterassistant@lms.org.uk

We are at last resident in our new home in Preston and very happy to be taking part in the life of the traditional community. During this last quarter we have had some wonderful feast days at St Walburge's and English Martyrs. Ascension Thursday was celebrated with a Solemn High Mass at English Martyrs, including beautiful singing from the Sisters Adorers and some rousing music on the organ played by Canon Scott Tanner. Pentecost Sunday included the singing of the Prophecies and the scattering of rose petals from the ceiling above the high altar. We have also been able to have (socially distanced) processions following Mass: on the last Sunday in May a relic of Our Lady's tomb was solemnly carried in the streets around St Walburge and was followed by the crowning of Her statue. On the Feast of Corpus Christi, Mass was followed by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament in the streets around English Martyrs. A live-streamed procession also took place inside St Walburge's on the following Sunday in lieu of the usual outdoor deanery procession. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart there was High Mass at English Martyrs and that evening we had 7-cope Vespers with Canon Montjean. Following that, Canon Montjean gave a talk about the Sacred Heart Society, the lay association within the spiritual family of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

These occasions have all been most uplifting and have no doubt been encouraging to the increasing number of visitors and 'refugees' who return having discovered that there is life beyond Covid. Indeed the Canons are doing their best to keep things as 'normal' as possible, including forging ahead with much needed fund-raising for the restoration of St Walburge's. There are plans (government restrictions permitting) to hold a Summer Fair (1 August) and an organ recital (21 August). Please see their website (icksp.org.uk/preston/) for full details and support them if you can.

St Benedict's Academy, Preston, now in its fifth year, has recently released an excellent publicity video (available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_8u4aypBIU), and having had a tour of the Academy ourselves we can vouch for the accuracy of its presentation: the enthusiasm of the children and staff is tangible and contagious! The Academy also held an Open Day in June for interested families and there will be around 20-25 children on the roll in September 2021. Work has been going on in the English Martyrs complex to make ready an additional classroom.

The Academy meets on Mondays and Thursdays (all day) and Fridays (mornings). The rest of the time the children have homeschooling. Each day begins and ends with prayers in front of the Tabernacle, and each class also begins and ends with prayer. Study subjects include English Language & Literature, Maths, Science, History, Latin, Greek, French, Art, Catechism, Logic, Rhetoric and Gregorian Chant – one wonders how they manage to fit all that into only eighteen hours a week! The staff include the Canons and Sisters of the Institute, professionally trained teachers, and volunteers. On Fridays each week the children participate in the 12 noon Mass and Sister Bianca Marie leads them in singing the parts of the Mass. At the end of Mass there are devotions to the English Martyrs.

An increasing number of boys wish to serve at St Walburge's and English Martyrs due to the growth of the Academy and the number of families moving to Preston. An appeal has been launched to raise funds for another 6 cassocks for the new altar boys. The boys do really well, even the youngest, some of whom have not yet made their First Holy Communion. Some of the more experienced ones (though not necessarily the oldest) are learning to take on the rôle of MC.

At the end of June, 22 First Year seminarians received the cassock at the Institute's seminary at Gricigliano in Italy. Among them were two Irish, Raphael Lacken and Darrell Lally; two British, Charles Jordan and Patrick McGinnis, and one Australian, Boniface Hewson. They can now be addressed as “Abbé” as they have also received the clerical tonsure. These had been candidates at the House of Discernment in Preston in 2019-20. Also receiving the cassock and tonsure as his first commitment in his vocation of oblate was Juan Camilo, who has spent the last year in Preston.

On 1 July, eight ICKSP deacons were ordained by Cardinal Burke to the Sacred Priesthood 'for all eternity' in Florence, including Canon Francisco Palomar Andres who spent time with us in Preston last year. Finally, the four 2020/21 candidates, Charles Morris, Liam Cain, Matthew Bird and Radek Rybak, will be entering the seminary this Autumn. On 26 June, Rev. Stuart Chapple was ordained for the Lancaster Diocesan clergy and has been appointed Assistant Priest at the Cathedral. He often took part in the Traditional Masses so we hope that he may sometimes be able to offer an EF Mass. Please keep all these young men in your prayers.

There will be clergy moves within the next couple of months which will affect the EF provision within the Diocese. Fr Daniel Etienne, who has been offering Monday morning Masses at St John Vianney, Blackpool, has been appointed Assistant Priest to Canon Luiz Ruscillo at Our Lady of Help, Carlisle. Fr John Millar, currently parish priest at St Joseph's Preston, who has sometimes assisted at Solemn High Masses, will be leaving Preston in August.

Lastly, we have lost one of our most faithful members and supporters of the Institute, Jim Aherne. At his Requiem Mass, Canon Cristofoli, whilst asking for prayers for his soul, also gave his opinion that the Institute would not be in Preston if it had not been for Jim's diligent work behind the scenes. This was endorsed by the following portrait from LMS members Jim and Joyce Lyons:

“To describe Jim Aherne's part in the Traditional Mass provision in Preston you have to go back to the days of 'spot the Latin Mass if you can'. Masses were very dispersed. There was one being held at Salmesbury but after a while this fell by the wayside. Jim decided to speak to the parish priest at St Walburge, Fr (now Bishop) Paul Swarbrick and asked if it would be possible to have a Mass there and after some diplomatic negotiations this was arranged. The Mass was said by Canon Hudson ICKSP and some 150-200 people attended. The response was so good that people asked if they could have another one the following week, which they did. Then, for one reason or another, there were no more. Nothing daunted, Jim approached his own parish priest, Fr Griffiths, at St Mary Magdalen, Penwortham, and asked if it would be possible to have an 8.30 am Mass on a Sunday. With the agreement of the Archbishop of Liverpool this was arranged and this Mass was offered by the Canons of the Institute every week, together with Christmas Day and Holy Days, until the church was closed last year because of the Covid lockdown. In compensation, Canon Cristofoli scheduled a 6.30 pm Mass on Sundays at St Walburge instead.

“Canon Hudson had fallen in love with St Walburge's when he said Mass there, and there followed discussions behind the scenes between the-then Bishop of Lancaster, Rt Rev. Michael Campbell and the Prior General of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, Msg Gilles Wach, which resulted in the church being handed into the care of the Institute in 2014.

“Jim was known to all the parish priests, was very well informed and was not afraid to argue points of religion or Canon Law with them. He was a gentleman who would give the last penny from his pocket to anyone in need.” Requiescant in Pace.

Lancaster (North) Nicholas Steven 07715 539395 warwickbridge@lms.org.uk

Attendance at our Saturday 10am Masses at St Margaret Mary’s in Carlisle now regularly exceeds forty souls. This includes a goodly number of families with young children and also recent converts to the Faith, all of which bodes well for the future of Tradition in our area.

There is a marvellous concordance of quiet devotion during Mass and cordial conversation outside afterwards. As one wag quipped, “It’s the converse of the Novus Ordo, where we used to chat in church and then rush away after Mass without speaking to each other.”

Here are two other impressions.

“It was a lovely surprise to hear Mass being sung from beginning to end on Saturday 8 May. It reminded me of monks chanting in a Monastery - calming and meditative. Thank you very much!”.

“As a convert, I went to my first Traditional Latin Mass a few weeks ago, determined to hate it. Instead, I was amazed and fell in love with the Extraordinary Form. I felt a connection to heaven, to the prophets of the Old Testament, to the disciples of the New and to all the faithful who have attended this Mass throughout the ages. The reverence and majesty activates my thanksgiving to God. I have never felt so free as a woman as when I wear the mantilla….” (N.B. A supply of mantillas and good Catholic books are now available for purchase thanks to Catherine Pattinson.)

The vitality of the liturgy is energizing our growing community, with more and more of us hoping and praying for a Sunday TLM. EF-enabled priests are continuing to be attracted to visit our area - a further fifteen private Masses have been offered at Our Lady and St Wilfrid since the last report.

In addition to our weekly Mass in Carlisle, Canon Watson continues to celebrate the usus antiquior at Our Lady & St Michael's in Workington, normally once a month. The forthcoming Masses, on 10 September (St Nicholas of Tolentino), 8 October (St Bridget) and 12 November (Low Requiem), will all be streamed at www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/ christ-the-good-shepherd

With the kind consent of Canon Luiz Ruscillo, the Cumbria Purgatorial Society has now been inaugurated. Under the patronage of Our Lady & the Cumbrian Martyrs, this pious association is dedicated to assisting the poor souls in Purgatory and those who might sojourn there one day. Our next report will detail the website address and schedule of Masses.

Finally, we have been informed that Fr Etienne, currently serving in Blackpool, will be joining our Parish in September. This is wonderful news, as his reputation for devotion to Tradition goes ahead of him. Father, we await your arrival with great joy!

Liverpool Neil Addison liverpool@lms.org.uk

This has been a disappointing period for the Traditional Mass in Liverpool.The Archdiocese has been engaged in a wideranging Synod process. Originally one of the proposals for the Synod had been that there should be an increased availability of the Extraordinary Form but unfortunately that proposal did not make it into the final recommendations. Apparently, it had not gained the support of over 50% of the Synod delegates who made this decision without ever asking LMS what their views were on the matter. The irony is that in another section of the Synod recommendations the Synod members were exhorted to avoid ‘unconscious bias’ with relation to peoples sexual identity or orientation but it would seem that in Liverpool at least ‘unconscious bias’ is perfectly acceptable when it relates to the Traditional Mass.

On balance however the Synods failure re Tradition is just one part of an overall failure to come up with any specific proposals to ensure the future of the faith within Liverpool. All the final recommendations ended up as a set of meaningless platitudes which could be used to justify almost anything. It’s a shame that so much time and effort has been expended on so little.

As has been the situation since the first lockdown in 2020 we continue to be dependent on the FSSP and ICKSP for Sunday Masses. Fr Simon Henry is offering a midday Traditional Mass on Tuesday and Saturday in his Church in Leyland but that is the only Diocesan Church where the traditional Mass is currently offered. I am writing this just before restrictions are fully lifted in England so it is impossible to say whether Churches will return to the pre-lockdown normal and whether some Priests will be tempted to offer a Traditional Mass again. The LMS locally own Vestments and Altar Missals to assist any local Priest who wants to test the water in his local Church and we stand ready to help in any way we can.

STOP PRESS The Archbishop has made no public comment on Traditiones Custodes, however FSSP Services at St Mary’s continue as before. The regular Latin Masses at Leyland have however ceased for the moment.

Liverpool (Warrington) Alan Frost

At St Mary’s there are now three Masses established on Sundays. Attendance for Masses and other services is high and continues to increase. Confession is available before each of the Masses, and before the evening Mass there is also sung Vespers and Benediction.

There is a vibrancy and dynamism to the Priory complex with the Academy opening in September (TheAcademyStMarys@ gmail.com) and boys’ and girls’ summer camps in the peak District planned for August. Various groups meet weekly, there are adult converts classes and advice is available for people wishing to move to Warrington to be near the Shrine Church. It is hoped that the last hurdles can be surmounted concerning the hiring of a contractor for Priory Court conversion work.

Rector Fr De Malleray gave a talk to a Juventutem group at a pro-life gathering nearby at the end of May. His latest book is now available: ‘Near Missed Masses’, a light-hearted account of places and events across the globe nearly causing Mass not to be offered (aroucapress.com/near-missed-masses). The latest issue of ‘Dowry’ (no. 49) has also just been published.

A cause for celebration is the recent appointment as Fraternity Chaplain of Fr Seth Phipps, FSSP, ordained at St Mary’s in 2018, by Archbishop McMahon, as is the clergy’s expression of ‘heartiest congratulations’ to a couple, John and Simone Sunderland, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in May with a special blessing after Mass. Lastly, a young student who lived at St Mary’s these past six months has just been admitted at the Fraternity’s seminary in Bavaria starting this autumn.

STOP PRESS Following the Pope’s letter restricting the celebration of the Latin Mass, things are continuing as normal at present, though the FSSP, whose priests serve St Mary’s Shrine, have expressed their disappointment.

Menevia Elaine Sharpling meneviastabatmater.blogspot.com/

Thanks to the ongoing determination and commitment of Canon Jason Jones, Fr Paul Brophy and Fr Liam Bradley, Masses have continued in Menevia over the past few weeks albeit with some challenges along the way.

Fr Brophy has been unwell and we pray for a speedy recovery so that he can return to his priestly ministry filled with strength and renewal. Meanwhile the parish priest at Haverfordwest, who kindly allowed Fr Liam to offer the Traditional Mass on the 4th Sunday, is on his way to a new parish and we are unsure if our arrangement will continue after August. Fortunately, Fr Liam has some ideas in mind should a move have to happen and so we continue in hope.

Another welcome development is that new cameras have been installed at Sacred Heart, Morriston which means that the sanctuary and the Divine Mercy Chapel can be viewed 24/7 and all Masses and devotions are now live-streamed. Please check the parish website for the live-stream link.

Just a reminder that Holy Mass at Sacred Heart, Morriston has been moved from 4pm to a new time of 1pm – typically Mass in Morriston is on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays.

At the moment, it is essential to book a place at Mass before travelling although we think that restrictions will be lifted soon. We continue to post information on our blogspot so please check here for the latest information: meneviastabatmater.blogspot.com/

STOP PRESS At present, all Masses are suspended whilst we wait for permissions to be granted by Archbishop Stack. Canon Jones has formally submitted a request for Holy Mass to continue at Sacred Heart, Morriston based on the existence of a stable group and the designation of the church as the Divine Mercy Shrine (Wales). We await news.

Middlesbrough Paul Waddington 01757 638026 paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk

The York Oratory continues to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form every day of the week. On Sundays, it is a Sung Mass at noon. Low Mass is at 8.15am Mondays to Fridays, and at 9.15 on Saturdays. There will be additional Sung Masses at 6pm on the Feasts of the Assumption, St Wilfrid, All Saints and All Souls.

As is usual, there will be no Sunday Vespers during August, although there will be Second Vespers of the Assumption on 15th. There will also be First Vespers for the Feast of St John Henry Newman on Friday 8 October and First Vespers of St Wilfrid on Monday 11 October.

Also, Fr Massie offers a Low Mass on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm in Hull. On two occasions recently, when there has been a Holyday of Obligation on a Thursday, Fr Massie has offered a Sung Mass.

I had hoped to have information about additional Masses in the diocese, but, due to Covid, these have not yet been announced. STOP PRESS Bishop Drainey has let it be known that he does not wish there to be any changes in the programme of Latin Masses in the diocese as a result of Traditionis Custodes.

Northampton North (Northamptonshire) Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 northampton@lms.org.uk

Fr Byrne, at St Brendan, Corby, is now celebrating a regular First Friday Mass in addition to the Sunday Mass, and the longestablished Saturday morning Mass. There were additional Masses for the Feasts of the Ascension, Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart, SS Peter and Paul and the Precious Blood.

Northampton (South) Barbara Kay 01234 340759 mbky3@outlook.com

Baptism of Erin and Cassia Montgomery, Christ the King, Bedford

It has been business as usual at Bedford in the last three months, including well attended Holyday Masses for the Feasts of the Ascension, Corpus Christi and SS Peter and Paul. In fact we celebrated Corpus Christi twice, as we kept the following Sunday as an External Solemnity. On this day six of our children celebrated their First Holy Communion. We have also had several births and baptisms lately and at the time of writing, are looking forward to the marriage of Francis Wanjiru and Celia Mendes from our parish Legion of Mary. Appropriately, they have chosen the day before the Feast of the Assumption as their wedding day.

Thanks to our FSSP priests coming from Warrington and Reading each weekend, we continue to be able to have two hours of Confessions each Saturday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm, with a steady stream of penitents each week. Our normal 8.30 am Mass still needs to be booked as it is so popular, and it is lovely to see many young families coming along despite the early hour. As we are unsure about future restrictions, our extra 12.30 pm Mass will continue at the moment to accommodate everyone who wishes to come. Sunday Mass at Chesham Bois continues at 8am.

Later in the year, for All Saints, we will have our usual 11am Mass at Chesham Bois, and 7.30 pm Mass at Bedford. The priest will stay over in Bedford to say trinated Masses for All Souls starting at 10am. We also have a date for the Mass of Reparation for Abortion at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is Saturday 13 November at 12noon. This is the fourth time we have been privileged to welcome the Latin Mass Society to the beautiful Victorian church in Bedford which houses the Shrine. Monsignor Gordon Read, National Chaplain to the LMS, has very kindly agreed to celebrate this Mass, and Fr Gabriel Diaz, who regularly celebrated the Latin Mass at Bedford a few years ago, will be among the Sacred Ministers. We are hoping for a large congregation without restriction on numbers this year.

As always, please see our Facebook page: www.facebook. com/bedfordlatinmass/ or the FSSP fssp.org.uk/bedford/ for updates.

STOP PRESS By kind permission of Bishop David Oakley, everything will continue as before in Bedford and Chesham for the time being.

Nottingham Central Jeremy Boot 07462-018386 jeremy.boot2@gmail.com

The good news is that we have weekly Masses at St Joseph’s Church, Burton Road, Derby DE1 1TJ at 8am (Low Mass). This is the first regular Mass in Derby for decades. We also continue to have monthly Sung Mass at The Good Shepherd, Thackeray’s Lane, Nottingham NG5 4HT (4.30 Sat. before 2nd Sunday).

There is Mass most Wednesdays at 6.30pm at St Mary of the Annunciation, 97 Ashby Rd, Loughborough LE11 3AB. In addition, we have had Sung Masses there too for the Feasts of St Joseph, the Annunciation, Ascension, Corpus Christi, and SS Peter and Paul. The next Sung Mass at Loughborough will be at 12 noon for the Transfiguration (6 August).

Our other ‘regular’ at Masses at the Cathedral and Our Lady and St Patrick, Nottingham are still on hold until the Covid restrictions allow them to restart. I anticipate this should happen in September. August (excepting Derby and Loughborough) Masses are traditionally suspended because of absences and holidays. Our thanks as ever to all our friends, clergy and lay, who help in any way to allow all our Masses to go ahead.

STOP PRESS At the time of writing no final decision has been made on Traditionis Custodes. We pray for and anticipate a charitable and understanding stance by our Bishop. Our record locally has been exemplary and any loss of our current Masses (some still impeded by the pandemic arrangements) would be keenly felt and appealed if necessary. Bishop Patrick is consulting with interested diocesan clergy.

Nottingham South (Leicestershire and Rutland) Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 northampton@lms.org.uk

The only regular public Masses in Leicestershire at the moment are those at Loughborough, reported on elsewhere by Jeremy Boot.

One interesting development has been the placing of St Mary's church, Husbands Bosworth, into the care of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. The church, which is owned by the Constable-Maxwell family, has suffered little from "re-ordering", and, whilst the weekly Sunday Mass will of course be according to the Ordinariate's rite, it is hoped that a monthly vetus ordo Mass can be established there in due course.

Plymouth (Cornwall) Stefano Mazzeo cornwall@lms.org.uk

Lanherne has a small chapel that seats only fifty people, with a further eight in the choir loft. Therefore, to comply with recent restrictions an extra Mass was added at 8:30 on Sundays. Masses on Sunday are at 8.30 and 10am. During weekdays, Masses are at 8am each day with an extra Mass at 6.15pm on Thursdays. Confessions are on Sundays between 9.15 and 9.45, and on Saturdays at 3pm.

The project to renovate Lanherne chapel and St Joseph's Hall continues, with plans produced and funding being sought, therefore if anyone would like to help please contact the chaplain Canon Scott Smith on 07366 321039 or email canon. smith@institute-christ-king.org.

Our next Christendom Rising video magazine programme from Lanherne is dedicated to why the youth and young adults are flocking to the Traditional Latin Mass. Why are Traditional Catholic families much larger than others and why they are following Catholic moral theology more closely than most. In this episode, we have contributions from Bishop Schneider, on why young people prefer tradition; Canon Smith continues his talk about renovation of Lanherne chapel, the grounds, and St Joseph's hall. Our presenter, Sophie Oliver, also gives us her impressions of the Chartres Pilgrimage (which she has walked six times). We have used clips from EWTN's documentary on the pilgrimage In Search of Christendom - The Chartres Pilgrimage to augment Sophie's talk. The LMS rep for Devon and Dorset, Maurice Quinn, gives an interesting talk on what's happening there. He also asked me to mention that the Institute of Christ the King will oversee the new designated Shrine Church of the Holy Angels in Torquay, and he has great news that Bishop Mark O'Toole will celebrate a Latin Mass at Chideock on 16 October, for further details please see Maurice Quinn's report. Fr Gribbin gives a talk on St Cuthbert Maine, who said Mass at Lanherne in penal times. My co-producer on EWTN's The Message of Lourdes docudrama, Ellen Plumridge, has a call for extras, please contact Ellen at ellen3859@outlook.com. Sophie and Mrs Josephine Ford continue their discussion on bringing up a Traditional Catholic family in the modern world.

To view our latest episode please put Christendom Rising in your search engine. It looks like Google/YouTube may have restricted access to our last video for some reason, probably too Catholic for them, so keep trying. STOP PRESS In the light of the recent letter from Pope Francis, our Bishop writes: “The pastoral provision of the celebration of Mass in accordance with the 1962 MissaleRomanum should continue in the Diocese in the places in which it is being celebrated”.

Plymouth (Devon) Maurice Quinn 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk

At the time of writing, the proposed ending of the lockdown looms on the near horizon, and, as such, we are working hard to pick up the pieces, especially in the Exeter and Chudleigh areas. We hope to restart our regular monthly usus antiquior Masses at Blessed Sacrament in Exeter, and at St Cyprian’s, Ugbrooke House, Chudleigh in August. However, being hopeful that things will have changed, I have included these venues in the Mass Listings, but do please contact me for confirmation before travelling any great distance to attend.

Very good news from St Edward the Confessor in Plymouth, a Latin Mass venue where it has been ‘business as usual’ every Sunday afternoon regardless of the virus situation. A big treat was on offer for those who attended on Pentecost Sunday, as the first Traditional Latin High Mass for decades took place on the main altar, celebrated by Fr Anselm Gribbin, supported by Canon Scott Smith ICKSP as Deacon, with seminarian Patryk as Sub-Deacon (see photo). The altar servers, led by Mat Villa Real, were Alajandro and Oliver Proctor, whose father Andrew supplied the music. It is also pleasing to report that on the Solemnity of St Peter and St Paul, an extra Mass was celebrated at St Edward’s at 6.30 in the evening by Fr Anselm, who looked after Lanherne Convent in Cornwall and St Edward’s while Canon Scott Smith was away. If you would like to be included in the emailing list for St Edward’s, please contact Canon Scott on canon.smith@institute-christ-king.org and you will be included.

We are still eagerly awaiting the arrival of the ICKSP to Holy Angels in Chelston in Torquay during September, where they will be celebrating the usus antiquior daily, and where they will be making a valuable pastoral contribution to the area. Please keep this new project and the Canons of the Institute in your prayers.

Do read the Dorset report for valuable information regarding the forthcoming Chideock Latin Mass Pilgrimage scheduled for October, and make sure that you put this unmissable event in your diaries, and, while you are at it, put ‘Christendom Rising’ in your search engine to access that new online video magazine, where you can see Bishop Athanasius Schneider being interviewed, and in which I make a small contribution regarding the Devon and Dorset Latin Mass scene.

As usual, if you wish to receive regular Devon and Dorset Latin Mass updates via email, please furnish me with your contact details, and remember to share details of ‘Christendom Rising’ with as many people as possible.

Plymouth (Dorset) 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk

Once again, we have pleasant memories from our times attending the Traditional Latin Mass celebrations and socially distanced lunches shared between like-minded friends in Dorset. However, all good things come to an end, and this is nowhere more so than at Our Lady’s in the village of Marnhull, where the parishioners are to lose Fr Martin Budge due to his impending retirement. Sadly, this being the case, the very last usus antiquior at this beautiful and humble location will take place on Thursday

Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia in Blandford Forum, during Corpus Christi

5 August – Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of Snows – at the usual time of 12noon, followed by a social lunch for those who wish to partake. Fr Martin has provided good pastoral care for his parishioners, and I have had the privilege of serving on the sanctuary with Fr Martin at Our Lady’s in Marnhull, and at Wardour Castle when needed. We thank Fr Martin for his unstinting loyalty to the Old Rite over the years, especially as his was a lone Latin Mass witness in the ‘wilderness’ until the arrival of Dom Thomas Reagan OSB at Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia in Blandford Forum, subsequently succeeded by Mgr Francis Jamieson. However, Dorset’s loss is Devon’s gain, as Fr Martin is to reside at the cathedral in Plymouth.

We have to thank Mgr Francis Jamieson at Blandford Forum for offering to take up Fr Martin’s Latin Mass celebrations, which means that, from September onwards, in addition to his every Saturday morning Latin Masses, the Mgr will offer one weekday Mass every month at the usual time of 12noon. As a very special treat, on 7 October, at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary we can look forward to Holy Mass followed by Rosary and Benediction.

A ‘must do’ is to attend the forthcoming Latin Mass Pilgrimage in honour of the Chideock Martyrs at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs & St Ignatius at Chideock, scheduled for 11.30am on Saturday 16 October, the Mass being celebrated by Bishop Mark O’Toole of Plymouth, followed by Veneration of the Relics. This will be the first time that a Bishop of Plymouth has publicly celebrated a usus antiquior in the diocese, and in that particular – and beautiful - historic church, for decades. Bring a packed lunch (tea and coffee will be available), and take the opportunity to tour the church building, pop into the museum, take in a visit to the hidden chapel in the loft where Mass was offered in secret during recusant times, and see the stunningly beautiful wall-painted sacristy – a thoroughly cracking not-to-be-missed day out for the whole family! It is envisaged that this special occasion will be filmed, and will help to put a bit of joy into a month that leads us into the dark November days.

As always, do contact me if you have any concerns or questions regarding any of the above, and, if you wish to receive regular email updates, just send me your contact details. Hopefully, I will see some of you at Chideock in October, if not sooner, and finally, remember to put ‘Christendom Rising’ in your search engine to access the new online video magazine (see the Devon report for more details).

Portsmouth Peter Cullinane pmcullinane@hotmail.com

As reported in the last issue, progress continues to be made in the Marian Franciscans parish of St Joseph's, Copnor, on Portsea Island PO3 6AN. The sorely needed income is starting to come in, so please consider making a donation with gift aid. Please follow the website: www.themarianfranciscans. org if you can possibly help.

The parish is now home to quite a number of Polish families who are anxious to involve their children in the life of the Church at the earliest opportunity. The boys are being gently trained by the younger Friars as altar servers to join others of a similar age. How exciting it must be for a 7- or 8-year old altar boy to be put in charge of the bell, telling grownups what to do next!

The girls, all under 10, are joining in the choir in the Latin parts of the Mass, combining this with helping their parents look after younger siblings. Anyone observing these activities cannot but be impressed by their ability and reverence.

The old rite in the city of Portsmouth is now happily well provided for in contrast to some 15 years ago, there now being two Masses on Sundays.

A word of advice to visitors attending for the first time, whereas there is plenty of parking in the Cathedral carpark for the 8 am Mass, (for which we need more attenders to make it viable), those visiting Copnor at 11 am should allow a good 20 minutes to find parking as the church is in a heavily builtup area with no visitor parking on site. Happily, side roads are generally not resident-only. Visitors should try residential roads to the north and east of the church, avoiding south and west as these lead to the more congested city centre.

Turning to Gosport, the Franciscan nuns are close to establishing a charity similar to Copnor and they seem to have no shortage of vocations.

Anyone who has attended Sung Mass in Gosport will know the immense contribution made by the nuns to the choir and your generous donations are requested for this purpose- please email: sisters.bridgemary@gmail.com for advice about donations.

Portsmouth (Isle of Wight) Peter Clarke

EF Masses continue on the Isle of Wight, mainly at St Thomas’s, Cowes. These are offered on Thursdays at 12noon by Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris. On the Feast of St John the Baptist (24 June) Father celebrated the 10th anniversary of his Ordination as a Catholic priest and 30th anniversary of his Ordination as an Anglican priest In his sermon at Mass at St Thomas’s, Cowes, Fr Jonathan reminded people that John the Baptist was a colossus in terms of biblical figures:-

“He straddles both the Old and the New Testament. He is the precursor of Christ, who was filled with the Holy Spirit whilst still in his mother’s womb. His message was that he (John) must decrease, whilst the One who comes after him (Christ) must increase. So it is in our own lives. We must decrease, whilst the Lord must increase.”

Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris with a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham, presented to him on the occasion of the10th anniversary of his Ordination

At a small (socially distanced) reception in the church garden after Mass, Father was presented with a Statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Please ring for confirmation of these Masses if you are coming from the mainland. Tel. 01983 566740 or 07790 892592.

STOP PRESS In the Portsmouth Diocese, E.F. Masses are continuing as scheduled, for the time being.

Salford Alison F. Kudlowski

I wish to convey my thanks to the Latin Mass Society Committee for appointing me to the role of representative for the Diocese of Salford.

This report is the first since 2017, and since then there have been a number of changes with respect to venues celebrating TLM. What follows is a retrospective look outlining changes as they occurred from 2017, bringing us to the situation to date.

Spring 2017 saw four venues that held TLM, but at the start of 2018 this reduced to three: namely St Chad, Cheetham, St Marie, Bury, and St Osmund, Breightmet, Bolton. The following year of 2019 saw several changes. The provision of the TLM at St Osmund ended, following the death of the priest, Fr Geoffrey Hilton, RIP, but the TLM began to be celebrated at St Mary, Heaton Norris, Stockport in the late summer of that year. In the late autumn the parish priest of St Marie, Bury moved to Sacred Heart parish in Rochdale. This meant that the TLM ceased at Bury, but was started at Rochdale.

The Covid pandemic altered the scene rather dramatically, with the March lockdown leading to the cessation of all public Masses. Lockdown guidelines being lifted in July, Manchester Oratorians based at St Chad’s was the one remaining parish in the diocese offering the TLM, with Low Mass at 4.45pm on Sundays. The second lockdown in November 2020 again led to a four-week suspension of Mass at St Chad but, by December, the TLM was restored on Sundays at the usual time of 4.45, and this remains the case today. The other TLM parishes have to date not reverted to pre-Covid timetables.

Shrewsbury Victoria E Keens 01743 891592 shrewsbury@lms.org.uk

Masses at St Winefride’s Monkmoor and Shrewsbury Cathedral continue as per the Mass Listings. For possible changes and additional events please check our website.

As Covid measures come to an end, we expect to schedule a number of talks and events which have had to be postponed due to the restrictions imposed by those measures. We recommend checking the ICKSP website regularly for any changes and new events at: https://icksp.org.uk/shrewsbury and you can view the weekly newsletter at: https://icksp.org. uk/shrewsbury/

Shrewsbury (Wirral) Neil Addison liverpool@lms.org.uk

The renovation of the Dome continues and at times it has felt like we have been attending Mass in a building site with scaffolding filling the Church. However, scaffolding or not we realise we are fortunate compared to many other areas. The Canons of the Institute have continued to offer daily Mass and 2 Masses on Sunday combined with other devotions. In May we had the crowning of Mary but sadly we were not able to have our usual procession around the Church and the local square we hope to be able to do so next year.

We have said goodbye to Abbe Juan Mercado who has returned to the Institute Seminary after a year working and studying in the Wirral, we wish him well for his future and hope he has found his time with us worthwhile. This year 8 Priests were ordained at the Institutes Seminary in Gricigliano and 22 new Seminarians enrolled 6 of whom are apparently from Britain and Ireland. In the Dome we are very much made to feel part of the Institute ‘family’ joining in their pleasure as new Institute Churches and Seminarians offer hope for the future.

In July the re-painting of the Sanctuary was completed and it was necessary to turn all our pews around to face the front again. For the past 8 months the sanctuary has been filled with scaffolding and we have heard Mass said at the side altar of St Philomena with all the pews turned to face the right side of the church. The side altar has given sterling service in that role but we are glad to be back facing our beautiful, and freshly painted, Sanctuary again. The moving was done on a Saturday after Mass when we had a great turn out of volunteers to move the pews which are big, solid and heavy. It was a tough job but a very companionable day for all of us and a feeling at the end that it was a job well done. Definitely a case of ‘muscular Christianity’ in action.

Like everyone else we were shocked by Traditione Custodes. Bishop Mark has indicated that all services at the Dome should continue as before. Like everyone else we have to wait and see what happens long term but we know that we are luckier than many other areas of the country.

Southwark (St Bede’s, Clapham Park) Thomas Windsor claphampark@lms.org.uk

Firstly, I would like to thank Fr Holden our parish priest, for arranging priests for our daily Masses, providing a variety of excellent catechetical courses online, excellent sermons, and for his encouragement to the Traditional Community here. Thanks are also due to Fr Pullicino, for his sermons and for happily singing Mass for us on the numerous feasts that have occurred on weekdays over this quarter. Finally thanks are also due to our other priest, Fr Shenouda, who has been learning to celebrate the Traditional Mass and has been a vital link in keeping the daily Mass going at St Bede’s.

Congratulations are due to Cormac McCall one of our former altar servers who was ordained Deacon on the 11 June. Also congratulations to the 8 children who made their (Covid delayed) First Holy Communion, on the former Feast of the Most Precious Blood. This year this fell on 4 June, the External Solemnity of the Dedication of our church. The children’s choir sang the chant Ordinary and the adult choir polyphonic propers and motets.

I must also thank Fr Finigan who kindly celebrated the full Vigil of Pentecost with us. The choir sang the Palestrina's Sicut Cervus / Sitivit Animamea, the Byrd three-part Mass and Ave Verum, and Witt’s Regina Coeli. Please remember Fr Finigan in your prayers.

Our choir has been busy singing the following, the Feast of St George (Byrd three-Part), a Requiem for Rachel Ward (chant), St Mark (Palestrina Missa O Quam Gloriosum, & Motet Cum esset Isaac), the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross (Byrd Three-Part) with procession with the Relic of the True Cross, The Ascension (Byrd Three-Part and Ave Verum), Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension (Missa super Dixit Maria, Hassler, and motets Ascendens Christus, Handl & Ave Maria, Parsons), Trinity Sunday (Palestrina Missa O Quam Gloriosum, and motets O Sacrum Convivium, Pergolesi, Benedicimus Deum,Issac).

On the Ember Saturday of Pentecost we had a Solemn High Mass, for the repose of a benefactor of the Latin Mass Society, John Edward Arnell. The LMS has also sponsored a new side-altar at St Bede's in his memory, complete with a specially commissioned painting of St Bede, by the Catholic artist James Tyldesley. The excellent music for the High Mass, was provided by Matthew Schellhorn, formerly the Society’s Director of Music for London. A few days later we celebrated the feast of our Patron with another sung Mass, with procession or our newly acquired Relic of St Bede. We had Sung Mass and procession inside the church on Corpus Christi, and the following Saturday we had another Sung Mass and procession with the Blessed Sacrament outside around the grounds.

Our Sung Masses continued with the Feast of St Peter and Paul, the Precious Blood, Visitation of the BVM and the Feast of our Dedication, bringing another busy week for our choir and servers to a close.

Southwark (Thanet) Antonia Robinson 01843 845880 07961 153963 thanet@lms.org.uk

It may (so far) have been an unprepossessing summer weather-wise in England, but it seems as though the sun always shines on the Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate. As the country unfurls from Covid-19 restrictions we have seen a steady stream of visitors joining the ever-growing Latin Mass community. Three Traditional Baptisms in May were a particularly joyful counterpoint to the low-level nuisances of social distancing and mask wearing, and it is always a treat to see Pugin’s intricate baptismal font in use. Queen Victoria was so impressed by the font, with its soaring carved oak canopy, at the Great Exhibition of 1851, that she granted a generous lifelong pension to Pugin’s widow.

Sung Masses on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation continue and we are grateful to Shrine Director of Music Ben Scott who has managed not only to keep the musical life of St Augustine’s alive and thriving, but has also orchestrated the technology that allows our liturgies to be shared all over the world through the Shrine’s YouTube channel. The layout of St Augustine’s has allowed for good numbers of congregants (particularly as many are family ‘bubbles’) within the permitted distancing rules, but we are looking forward to being able to use all the pews again. St Ethelbert’s, our parish church, continues with Wednesday morning Masses in the Traditional Rite, as well as the occasional Feast Day Mass in the evening.

One of the benefits of being a Shrine, is that St Augustine’s is a destination for pilgrimage. A large cohort of English pilgrims, young and old, who were unable attend the Chartres Pilgrimage this year came through Ramsgate before Pentecost, stopping for a splendid High Mass on a route that included Aylesford and Canterbury. We have had seminarians David Hunter and Patrick Breeze (both of whom will be ordained this summer, Deo volente: please keep them in your prayers) in choir and assisting with Masses, and we look forward to welcoming David Hunter back as the celebrant of High Mass for the Assumption with Rev. Dr Przemyslaw Zgorecki (formerly of St Bede’s) and Fr Christopher Basden assisting as Deacon and Sub-Deacon. A recent ‘first’ was Fr Gerard Bradley, former Pastoral Director of the Seminary at Wonersh, celebrating his first Missa Cantata. A sad note: as a community we are praying for Fr Timothy Finigan, formerly PP in the nearby town of Margate, who suffered a stroke in May but is making a strong recovery. The Traditional Mass and community in this part of the country owes much to his prayerful stewardship over the years.

The Shrine Church of St Augustine is fortunate in having outdoor as well as indoor spaces, which meant that, as a community, we were able to meet and speak and see one another beyond Zoom as restrictions eased. A picnic after Sunday Mass in early July was a particular source of joy to our much-loved and gregarious Parish Priest Fr Christopher Basden, for whom the lockdowns have been a torture. In addition to the families, children and teenagers all being able to socialise, this event allowed people who had started coming to the Traditional Mass in recent months to get to know their fellow congregants. The event was so popular that all hope it will become a regular fixture.

At a time when many churches are closing their doors, Fr Basden’s infectious energy and enthusiasm carried the Traditional community of St Augustine’s through the dark recent months with a mixture of cheerful determination, sound liturgy and robust preaching. The sun continues to shine on Ramsgate, and the future of the Shrine as a centre for Traditional Catholicism looks increasingly bright.

Traditional Baptism at St Augustine's, Godmother and server are from the same family

Southwark (Wandsworth) Julia Ashenden

The number of regular Tridentine Masses has been increased over these last months and can now be seen in the Mass Listings of this magazine, which is wonderful news.

There has been a significant rise in the numbers attending these Masses and I would like to mention that one of them is a Sung Latin Mass at 10.30 am for the First Saturday Devotions.

In this last quarter, Masses have continued as advertised, while on Corpus Christi Thursday, Canon Edwards celebrated a Sung Latin Mass, after which he led a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament outside around the local block. This was followed by celebratory drinks in the historic Huguenot Cemetery next to the Church, which has been a useful outdoor space for Catholic gatherings whilst indoor ones are forbidden in these days of Covid.

On the External Sunday Solemnity of Corpus Christi, David Guest’s professional singers came to add to the festivity, as they do once a month. As I have reported before, on the other Sundays several musical parishioners sing a Missa Cantata from the choir loft.

The Traditional Mass attendance is flourishing across all the age groups and it is a pleasure to witness this.

STOP PRESS The situation in Wandsworth is that there is no change. The Archbishop has given permission for all previously scheduled Masses to continue as before.

Southwark (Kent) Marygold Turner 01580 291372

A very difficult time for all of us but we have been very well looked after by Fr Gabriel Diaz, who now lives in my cottage.

All my Masses are centred in Tenterden, where Fr Behruz makes us very welcome. The choir loft has been very useful and Ben Bevan has given us a couple of Sung Masses a month. They are the very best and Andrew Czaykowski most generously funds these Masses.

When Fr Diaz has been away some of my old priest friends have supplied, such as Fr Neil Brett, Fr Michael Cullinan, Fr Basden, who sang Mass last Sunday, also Fr Alexander, who is a stalwart friend.

Since I began this report the Pope has tried to pull the rug from under our feet by dispensing with Pope Benedict’s Summorum Pontificum. We shall have to see how these draconian measures pan out. With the child abuse and homosexuality in the Church, one might have thought he had better priorities than persecuting Traditionalists.

I am delighted to be able to say the Snave Mass will go ahead on Saturday 25 September at 12 noon as planned.

Westminster Spanish Place Roger Wemyss Brooks

It is a great joy and relief to have Old Rite Masses restored and again pretty well back to normal. Congregations are building back towards previous levels. Many of the congregation have been grateful to find refuge meanwhile at the London Oratory and Warwick Street where the ususantiquioris also treasured.

In light of the return of Masses we are in urgent need of servers in order to assist both Fr Michael and Fr Mark with the reverent offering of the Holy Sacrifice. We are fortunate to have a beautiful church where the Old Rite has been faithfully offered every Sunday and many Holydays since the days of Mgr Miles. Training days, particularly for learning to serve Low Mass, are being organised here at St James's on 25 September and 20 November. All men are most welcome to attend regardless of experience. Please contact the LMS Office on 020 7404 7284 or see the Society’s website. The training days are free. You will find your attendance at Holy Mass much enriched.

STOP PRESS I understand that Cardinal Nichols has written to Diocesan clergy saying that established groups may continue to attend current provision of EF Masses. Let's hope that other pastors follow his lead. Deo gratias.

Westminster (Willesden) Anna Grayson-Morley willesden@lms.org.uk 07710 472295

We are currently getting positive responses to our EF Mass with new attendees, including a young family that travels all the way in from Slough. Where a couple of years ago we struggled at times to find servers, we now have, in addition to our regular server Brandon, two brothers who regularly serve and two parishioners who are in training to serve.

I am also very happy to report that our Assistant Priest, Father Andrew Jaxa- Chamiec has now completed his study of the Extraordinary Form and will hopefully start celebrating the Sunday evening Mass sometime in July.

As the threat of the pandemic recedes, and its attendant regulations are eventually removed, we pray that we will have continued growth in interest. With a stronger, reliable attendance and support for our EF Mass, it is our hope to be able to introduce a regular Missa Cantata.

STOP PRESS Following the publication of Traditionis Custodes, the Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden will continue the published schedule for the Traditional Latin Mass until further notice.

Wrexham Kevin Jones e-mail: wrexham@lms.org.uk web: lmswrexham.weebly.com

My supplied report for the last Mass of Ages was unfortunately omitted but I have carried forward some items.

Firstly, it will be well known by now of the passing of Canon Brendan Hoban to his eternal rest on the 29 March. Canon, a former Vicar General in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, was a great friend to the Society in times when Priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form were few and far between. On a number occasions, Canon Hoban came to Wrexham Diocese to celebrate the Usus Antiquior at my request. Requiem æternam donaei, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceatei. Requiescat in pace.

So far as Extraordinary Form Masses are concerned, Covid-19 and the ever decreasing pressure upon the regular pro Old Rite clergy, who are advancing in age but with absolute and remarkable dedication to their vocations in large parishes with multiple churches, has meant that resumption hasn’t yet occurred.

Due to the uncertainties over the pandemic, there was again no annual pilgrimage to Holywell in July. This is a massive personal disappointment. I can assure members and readers that efforts to make it happen this year did take place but sadly Holywell Parish were reticent, and given the slower pace of restriction relaxation in Wales, I can understand their position.

All this demonstrates that the Society does not hold all the cards when it comes to the organisation of the regular Masses and events. We are dependent on venue availability and even more so on clergy for the staple of regular Masses.

As I have warned in these columns previously, priestly numbers are precarious.

A visit to the Wrexham Diocese website shows that there are just 15 diocesan priests; of those three are working outside the diocese, leaving just 12 active diocesan priests. While, there are 25 priests from Religious Orders, many of these live in community and do not tend to travel, even if they did, 37 priests to cover the geographical expanse of North Wales is still a tank running on empty!

And all this is before we even consider the implications of Traditionis Custodes! It is my intention to write to Bishop Brignall to initiate a discussion.

Finally, at Easter, the Diocese bade farewell to Canon Emeritus Simon Treloar from Wrexham Cathedral who is now resident in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Fr Treloar was very helpful in the organisation of Masses at the Cathedral and I thank him sincerely for his help and I wish him well.