Mass of Ages Magazine Spring 2018

Mass of Ages The quarterly magazine of the Latin Mass Society

Issue 195 – Spring 2018

FREE

Š Elrica d'Oyen Gebert

Pontifical High Mass at Fatima The Life of Alcuin of York Preston Sisters

Plus: news, views, Mass listings and nationwide reports

CLASSIFIED

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Contents

CONTENTS

5 Chairman’s Message

A programme of restoration, Joseph Shaw looks at two models for the

life of the Church 6 LMS Year Planner – Notable events 7 Liturgical calendar 7 Obituary – Tim Fawcett remembered 8 A Triumphant Pilgrimage to Fatima Caroline Shaw reports on the

ICKSP Pilgrimage to Fatima led by Cardinal Burke 10 Father Michael remembered A sermon on the late Fr Michael Clifton

from Fr Christopher Basden, preached before Archbishop Peter Smith

of Southwark 12 A traditional pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Report by Canon Martin Edwards 14 Upcoming pilgrimage and training courses

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15 Roman report The Old Rite in Scandinavia

Nordic Catholicism is growing says Alberto Carosa 16 Reports from around the country What’s happening where you are 24 Art and Devotion Caroline Shaw looks at The Presentation in the

Temple by Philippe de Champaigne 26 A telling silence Mary O’Regan on the fear of speaking out 27 The Sorrows of Mary

Alan Frost on the history of settings of The Stabat Mater 28 St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs

Paul Waddington visits one of Preston’s most interesting churches 30 Pisanki: Polish Easter Eggs By a priest of the Birmingham Oratory 31 Serving a purpose

Do we still believe in Parishes? asks Fr Bede Rowe 32 Simple but beautiful

Canon Amaury Montjean welcomes the Sisters to Preston 33 Mass listings 40 Young Catholic Adults Damian Barker reports from Douai Abbey 41 Something numinous Lone Veiler on the joys of tradition 42 Heal the sick! By the Catholic Medical Association’s Committee for the

New Evangelization 44 Alcuin of York Philip Goddard looks at the life of a remarkable

English scholar 46 Crossword and classified advertisements 47 Macklin Street The Latin Mass Society 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH Tel: 020 7404 7284 editor@lms.org.uk Mass of Ages No. 195 Cover image: Cardinal Burke celebrating Pontifical High Mass at the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, Fatima © Elrica d'Oyen Gebert

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Due to the considerable volume of emails and letters received at Mass of Ages it is regrettably not always possible to reply to all correspondents.

30 PATRONS: Sir Adrian Fitzgerald Bt, Lord (Brian) Gill, Sir James MacMillan CBE, Colin Mawby KSG, Charles Moore COMMITTEE: Dr Joseph Shaw – Chairman; Kevin Jones – Secretary; David Forster – Treasurer; Paul Beardsmore – Vice President; Paul Waddington – Vice President; James Bogle, Eric Friar; Alisa Kunitz-Dick; Antonia Robinson; Roger Wemyss Brooks.

Registered UK Charity No. 248388 MASS OF AGES: Editor: Tom Quinn Design: GADS Ltd Printers: Cambrian DISCLAIMER: Please note that the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Latin Mass Society or the Editorial Board. Great care is taken to credit photographs and seek permission before publishing, though this is not always possible. If you have a query regarding copyright, please contact the Editor. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission.

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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

A programme of restoration Joseph Shaw looks at two models for the life of the Church

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have been reading Philip Lawler’s study of the Catholic Church in Boston, in the USA, The Faithful Departed. He writes of an approach to managing the Church which is familiar beyond the shores of the United States, which one might call ‘Keeping the Show on the Road’. In Boston the show was impressive: from the 1930s to the 1990s the Cardinal Archbishop was a revered, even feared, figure in the city.

Successive Cardinals over this period, Lawler explains, thought that to keep their influence they needed to tone down the message of the Gospel: not to frighten people off. Lawler’s thesis is that it was the same mind-set which led them to cover up clerical child-abuse cases: for some years, it must be remembered, largely successfully. People mustn’t be frightened off. These Cardinals kept the show on the road until the scandal broke in 2002.

With or without the element of clerical abuse, and with a more or a less impressive show to preserve, this temptation has been present throughout the history of the Church. It is present when we hear of seminarians being told not to preach about ‘difficult’ doctrines.

It is present when Catholic schools want to remove their devotional images. It is present when Catholics don’t want to make the sign of the cross in a public place. It is the sneaky little step beyond common-sense prudence, the step where we stop thinking about what might be counter-productive for others, and start thinking about what would be embarrassing for ourselves.

It is not what the Gospel calls for.

Christ warns us to expect to be hated by the World. St Paul commands his brother bishop, Timothy, ‘praedica verbum insta oportune inportune:’ preach the Word insistently, when it is opportune, and also when it is inopportune: ‘in season and out of season’ (2 Tim 4:2).

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We have come through a period in which the Boston temptation has been particularly strong. Not only in America, but here too it looked for a time as though the Catholic élite could join the establishment, if only it would refrain from rocking the boat. That era is over, but much damage has been done. What is needed now is another approach: as Pope St Pius X’s motto expressed it, ‘instaurare omnia in Christo’, to restore all things in Christ. This is not about seeking confrontation, but of not allowing fear of confrontation to set our priorities for us.

It means recognising that if restoring the Catholic diocesan system (like Cardinal Wiseman), or building a fabulous Italianate church in Knightsbridge (like Fr Faber), or siding with the dockers in an industrial dispute (like Cardinal Manning), causes a brouhaha, the embarrassing publicity might actually do good.

The Latin Mass Society has its part to play in the programme of restoration, because restoring the life of the Church includes, first and foremost, the Church’s liturgical life. Just as in the 19th century, there is much to do, and limited resources, but like then also the potential harvest is considerable.

Elsewhere in this edition of Mass of Ages readers will be able to see details of the Latin Mass Society’s Priest and Server Training Conference, which will take place in Low Week (9 April to 12 April) in Prior Park, Bath. Opportunities for training, to celebrate or support or better appreciate the Traditional Mass are also to be found with the Gregorian Chant Network’s annual Chant Training Weekend at the Oratory School 6 April to 8 April, the LMS Residential Latin Course outside Oxford 30 July to 3 August, and the Guild of St Clare’s Sewing Retreat 2 to 4 March: which was, however, fully booked almost as soon as it was publicly advertised.

We put this training into action with every devotional event which we support, and I could not possibly list even the most important of these. The St Catherine’s Trust Family Retreat is advertised in this issue of Mass of Ages; the LMS Walsingham Pilgrimage is open for booking through our website.

The Latin Mass Society, and the movement for the Traditional liturgy in general in England and Wales, is a ferment of useful activity, of which what is public and visible is only a part. I think particularly of our priest supporters, particularly those in the Traditional Institutes, who teach, provide the sacraments, form souls, and foster vocations. If we do not want the Catholic Church to disappear in England and Wales, then we need to maintain and restore the tottering fabric of our churches, to find the time for a public prayer - liturgy - which is truly worthy of God and edifying for men, and to reach the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens through every kind of public and private means possible. This is the work for which the Latin Mass Society was founded, and which it does with greater vigour today than ever before.

From Cracks in the Clouds by Dom Hubert Van Zeller OSB (erstwhile Br Choleric) 1976.

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EVENTS

LMS Year Planner – Notable Events Saturday, 24 February 2018

Pilgrimage in honour of the ancient, re-founded Shrine of Our Lady of Caversham, which is situated in the church of Our Lady and St Anne, 2 South View Avenue, Reading RG4 5AB. High Mass at 11.30am, followed by refreshments in the parish room.

Friday, 2 – Sunday, 4 March 2018

Guild of St Clare Sewing Retreat at the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Boars Hill, Oxfordshire.

Saturday, 5 May 2018

LMS Pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, Preston, in conjunction with the ICKSP. Assemble 11.45 am at Church of St Walburge for devotions.

Noon: Procession to Church of the English Martyrs for High Mass as 12.30 pm.

ADVANCE NOTICE OF EVENTS

Sunday, 1 July: LMS Pilgrimage to Holywell Monday, 30 July – Friday, 3 August: Residential Latin Course, Carmelite Retreat Centre, Oxford.

Saturday, 11 August: LMS Annual General Meeting followed

by High Mass in Westminster Cathedral.

Thursday, 23 – Sunday, 26 August: LMS Pilgrimage to Walsingham

FACTFILE Details of all our events can be found on our website, together with booking and payment facilities where applicable. Go to lms.org.uk

Please pray for the souls of all members who have died recently Requiescant in Pace Valentine Barlow Sewing at the Guild of St Clare retreat, 2-4 March

© Barbara Kay

Saturday, 10 March 2018

Anthony Gower Valerie Hay-Esson Alec Kay

The Catholic Medical Association is holding a one day conference for juniors and students of the healthcare professions in Tyburn Convent. The conference starts with a Missa Cantata (celebrated by Fr Serafino Lanzetta) at 12 noon, which is open to all to attend.

Maria Loughnane

Sacred Triduum

William O’Connell

The LMS will be celebrating the Sacred Triduum in St Mary Moorfields Church, London. This, as in previous years, will include Tenebrae for all three days. See our website for full details.

Friday, 6 April – Sunday, 8 April 2018

St Catherine’s Trust Family Retreat and Gregorian Chant Network Weekend at the Oratory School, Reading.

See www.stcatherinestrust.org for details.

Monday, 9 April – Thursday, 12 April 2018

Residential Training Conference for priests, deacons, seminarians and laymen wishing to learn to celebrate or serve Mass in the Extraordinary Form to be held at Prior Park College, Bath. Tuition will be in small groups. For clergy and seminarians, this will be provided by priests experienced in the Extraordinary Form, for servers this will be provided by laymen with years of experience in the Extraordinary Form.

PLEASE BOOK EARLY AS WE NEED TO ENSURE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TUTORS FOR THE COURSE.

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Marie O’Brien John O'Farrell Jenny Overton Stefan Petrusewicz Elizabeth Reisz Allyson Smiga Every effort is made to ensure that this list is accurate and up-to-date. However, if you know of a recently deceased member whose name has not, so far, appeared on our prayer memorial, then please contact the LMS, see page 3 for contact details.

The Latin Mass Society relies heavily on legacies to support its income. Please do consider leaving a gift to the Society in your will.

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LITURGICAL CALENDAR/OBITUARY

Liturgical calendar

FEBRUARY 2018 Sun 11 QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY II Cl V Mon 12 SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS of the ORDER of the SERVANTS of the BVM CC III Cl W Tue 13 FERIA III Cl V Wed 14 ASH WEDNESDAY I Cl V Thu 15 FERIA III Cl V Fri 16 FERIA III Cl V Sat 17 FERIA III Cl V Sun 18 I SUNDAY in LENT I Cl V Mon 19 FERIA III Cl V Tue 20 FERIA III Cl V Wed 21 EMBER DAY II Cl V Thu 22 CHAIR OF S PETER Ap II Cl W Fri 23 EMBER DAY II Cl V Sat 24 S MATTHIAS Ap II Cl R Sun 25 II SUNDAY in LENT I Cl V Mon 26 FERIA III Cl V Tue 27 FERIA III Cl V Wed 28 FERIA III Cl V

MARCH 2018 Thu 1 FERIA III Cl V Fri 2 FERIA III Cl V Sat 3 FERIA III Cl V Sun 4 III SUNDAY in LENT I Cl V Mon 5 FERIA III Cl V Tue 6 FERIA III Cl V Wed 7 FERIA III Cl V Thu 8 FERIA III Cl V Fri 9 FERIA III Cl V Sat 10 FERIA III Cl V Sun 11 IV SUNDAY in LENT (Laetare Sunday) I Cl V/ROSE Mon 12 FERIA III Cl V Tue 13 FERIA III Cl V Wed 14 FERIA III Cl V Thu 15 FERIA III Cl V Fri 16 FERIA III Cl V Sat 17 FERIA III Cl V Sun 18 PASSION SUNDAY (I SUNDAY of PASSIONTIDE) I Cl V Mon 19 S JOSEPH SPOUSE of the BVM C I Cl W Tue 20 FERIA in PASSION WEEK III Cl V Wed 21 FERIA in PASSION WEEK III Cl V Thu 22 FERIA in PASSION WEEK III Cl V Fri 23 FERIA in PASSION WEEK III Cl V Sat 24 FERIA in PASSION WEEK III Cl V Sun 25 PALM SUNDAY (II SUNDAY of PASSIONTIDE) I Cl R & V Mon 26 MONDAY in HOLY WEEK I Cl V Tue 27 TUESDAY in HOLY WEEK I Cl V Wed 28 WEDNESDAY in HOLY WEEK I Cl V Thu 29 HOLY THURSDAY I Cl W Fri 30 GOOD FRIDAY I Cl B & V Sat 31 HOLY SATURDAY I Cl V & W APRIL 2018 Sun 1 EASTER SUNDAY I Cl W Mon 2 EASTER MONDAY I Cl W Tue 3 EASTER TUESDAY I Cl W Wed 4 EASTER WEDNESDAY I Cl W Thu 5 EASTER THURSDAY I Cl W Fri 6 EASTER FRIDAY I Cl W Sat 7 EASTER SATURDAY I Cl W Sun 8 LOW SUNDAY I Cl W Mon 9 ANNUNCIATION of the BVM I Cl W Tue 10 FERIA IV Cl W Wed 11 S LEO I P C D III Cl W Thu 12 FERIA IV Cl W Fri 13 S HERMENEGILD M III Cl R Sat 14 S JUSTIN M III Cl R Sun 15 II SUNDAY after EASTER II Cl W Mon 16 FERIA IV Cl W Tue 17 FERIA IV Cl W Wed 18 FERIA IV Cl W Thu 19 FERIA IV Cl W Fri 20 FERIA IV Cl W Sat 21 S ANSELM B C D III Cl W Sun 22 III SUNDAY after EASTER II Cl W Mon 23 FERIA IV Cl W Tue 24 S FIDELIS of SIGMARINGEN M III Cl R Wed 25 S MARK Evangelist II Cl R Thu 26 SS CLETUS & MARCELLINUS PP MM III Cl R Fri 27 S PETER CANISIUS C D III Cl W Sat 28 S PAUL of the CROSS C III Cl W Sun 29 IV SUNDAY after EASTER II Cl W Mon 30 S CATHERINE of SIENA V III Cl W

MAY 2018 Tue 1 S JOSEPH the WORKER, SPOUSE of the BVM C I Cl W Wed 2 S ATHANASIUS B C D III Cl W Thu 3 FERIA IV Cl W Fri 4 S MONICA W III CI W Sat 5 S PIUS V P C III CI W Sun 6 V SUNDAY after EASTER II Cl W Mon 7 S STANISLAUS B M III Cl R Tue 8 FERIA IV Cl W Wed 9 VIGIL of the ASCENSION II Cl W Thu 10 ASCENSION of OUR LORD I Cl W Fri 11 SS PHILIP & JAMES Aps II Cl R Sat 12 SS NEREUS, ACHILLEUS, DOMITILLA V & PANCRAS MM III Cl R

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Obituary – Tim Fawcett

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imothy Fawcett Wood, sometime Latin Mass Society Local Representative and Committee member, died on 28 September 2017, surrounded by his family and just after recitation of the Angelus at 6pm. Born in 1952 in London, Tim was the eldest of four siblings and was educated at The Hall Preparatory School in Hampstead, Holland Park Comprehensive School and later went on to study history of art at The University of East Anglia.

With a natural flair for design, a keen interest in architecture and always up for a challenge, he taught himself to build and became highly respected in his field, not only for his technical expertise but also for his unwavering decency, mildmanneredness and encouragement towards those around him – a “gentleman builder”. Alongside his day-to-day work, Tim constructed a beautiful home in the rolling hills of mid-Wales for his growing family. He was received into the Catholic Church on 15 July, 1989, and he and his wife Emma, raised nine children.

Many Mass of Ages readers will have known or crossed paths with Tim; in particular, those who have walked the annual Paris-Chartres pilgrimage – an unmissable event in his annual diary over the course of many years, including following the onset of his illness – will no doubt recall his regular stints at the helm of the English Chapter, proudly and prayerfully bearing the standard of Our Lady of Walsingham. Other regular family pilgrimage destinations, over the years included Lourdes, the annual meeting of the National Association of Catholic Families in Walsingham and Torreciudad when Tim was a Co-operator of Opus Dei. Tim also dedicated many hours to praying outside abortion clinics as part of the 40 days for life campaign, a cause very close to his heart.

Tim assisted at the Traditional Latin Mass in the mid-Wales and Shropshire area for many years and serving the Mass was always a great privilege and joy for him. A Requiem Mass was offered in the presence of his family and many friends on 7 October 2017, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, at St Winefride's in Shrewsbury where Tim had been a parishioner since 2010. Among the mourners were representatives of the Scottish Clan Wood of Largo of which Tim was the hereditary Chief since 2011. At the wake, Emma and their children spoke proudly of a strong and loving husband and father – remembered by so many as a true gentleman and a family man recalling many treasured memories. No doubt influenced by his devotion to St Joseph, the children notably recalled the impact their father had on their attitude and approach to work, which surely reflected his own: "Whatever you do, do it well and do it for the glory of God”.

Please pray for the repose of Tim’s soul and also for his family. May he rest in peace. Chris Rayment

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PILGRIMAGE

A Triumphant Pilgrimage to Fatima Caroline Shaw reports on the ICKSP Pilgrimage to Fatima led by Cardinal Burke

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hroughout 2017, many thousands of faithful Catholics from around the world gathered at the shrine of Fatima to mark the centenary of the Apparitions. In November an international gathering of Catholics joined the Institute of Christ the King’s pilgrimage to Fatima, led by His Eminence, Raymond Cardinal Burke.

Canon William Hudson, whom many readers know, led a group from Brussels.

I don’t think any of us realized how large the pilgrimage was going to be until the first evening, when our small contingent walked into the Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and saw the great church full to bursting, with every seat taken and pilgrims standing 3-deep around the side altars and 10deep at the back. There were pilgrim groups from every country in which the Institute has an apostolate: the United Kingdom and Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and the USA, and even a group from the Institute’s apostolate in Gabon. All ages were represented, with many young children and babies in attendance, and an atmosphere of great joy prevailed throughout the three days.

Institute priests and seminarians worked hard to ensure that everything was as beautiful as possible © Elrica d'Oyen Gebert

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Solemn High Mass for All Souls in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary © ICKSP

One thing that strikes a pilgrim of a more traditional inclination when first arriving in Fatima, is how modern, even ugly, so much of it is. If one imagined the Cova da Iria as a rocky terrain dotted with olive trees, as described in Sister Lucia’s memoirs, the reality of concrete and modernist architecture comes as quite a shock. One could write a long critique of the architecture and sculpture that has been installed in recent years at Fatima, but that is not for this article.

Happily, the first Mass of the pilgrimage, a Solemn High Requiem Mass for the feast of All Souls, was celebrated at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, a traditional and dignified church which houses the tombs of all three seers. Mass was celebrated by Monseigneur Gilles Wach, the Prior-General of the Institute, with Pontifical Assistance from Cardinal Burke. It was the first time that a pre1962 Solemn High Mass (with Pontifical Assistance) had been celebrated in the Basilica since Vatican II, and what a splendid and dignified occasion it was.

It was particularly moving to watch the procession into the church of the Institute’s female religious, the Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus, together with the large number of seminarians of the Institute; a great tide of young men and women from all corners of the world who are dedicating their lives to God. The first night was foggy, and the following morning dark clouds gathered ominously as the pilgrims surged into the ugly modernist Basilica of the Holy Trinity for the Pontifical Mass of the Sacred Heart (this being the First Friday of the month), celebrated by Cardinal Burke. The interior of the basilica is a horror, but it has the advantage of space: it can hold up to 9,000 pilgrims and we numbered, according to estimates, somewhere over 4,000 that morning.

This meant that everyone got a good view of Cardinal Burke processing up the aisle wearing his magnificent cappa magna, a sight that few will ever forget.

The Institute had transported everything

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PILGRIMAGE

Cardinal Burke in cappa magna after the Pontifical High Mass © ICKSP

with them to Fatima to ensure that every Mass was as beautiful and dignified as possible – all the vestments and liturgical objects required for each Mass, large carpets laid over the stark marble steps of the sanctuary, glorious vases of flowers and altar cloths on the bare altar. A small army of seminarians and priests worked discreetly and efficiently throughout the pilgrimage to ensure that, at each stage, everything was prepared perfectly and ran smoothly, to the Institute’s impeccably high standards.

During Mass the Heavens opened, and torrential rain rattled down upon the flat roof of the basilica. There was to be an official photograph after Mass, and we all expected it would be postponed. However, just as Mass ended the rain stopped, the clouds parted and a glimmer of sunshine appeared. A great procession of pilgrims followed Cardinal Burke, the priests, seminarians, oblates and Sister Adorers outside for the photograph. It was quite a sight - Cardinal Burke in vivid red at the centre of the large group, flanked by the purple and distinctive blue of the Institute priests, flags flapping in the breeze and pilgrims greeting each other, recognizing friends from other apostolates, and reuniting with priests and seminarians. Spirits were high and there was a tremendous atmosphere of joy that morning.

The break in the weather did not last, and for the rest of the day the rain pounded down without pause. Cardinal Burke delivered three conferences, in French, Portuguese and English, during the afternoon. His talk was excellent, and similar to the one he had delivered at Buckfast Abbey a month earlier.

He exhorted us all to pray the rosary, perform the First Saturday Communion of Reparation and embrace whatever

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suffering comes from witnessing to the truth of our faith, in reparation for our sins and the sins of the world. His belief that Russia must urgently be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in order to reverse the terrible tide of atheistic materialism, resonated strongly.

The afternoon also provided an opportunity for the pilgrims to make the Way of the Cross, a beautiful path cut through the olive groves and rocky terrain that would have been a familiar sight to the three seers. Groups of pilgrims were arranged according to language, and were led by Institute priests. We paused at the site of the apparition of Our Lady on 19 August 1917, the only apparition to take place outside the Cova da Iria. The rain was pelting down so ferociously that we genuflected into swirling puddles, and at times it was difficult to hear the meditations being read by the priest: here was an opportunity to offer a small sacrifice to Our Lady of Fatima, and for many, it was one of the highlights of the pilgrimage.

In the evening, after dark, there was a rosary procession by candlelight to the Chapel of the Apparitions, led once again by the indefatigable Cardinal Burke. The pilgrimage was undoubtedly arduous for him as it was a heavy schedule, but his graceful smile, his patience and humble devotion to Our Lady was an inspiration to us all.

The following day there was to be an early morning Mass at the Chapel of the Apparitions, but the Institute was informed at the last minute by the shrine authorities that a Latin Mass was not permitted there, so it was moved to a gloomy, soul-less chapel in the basement

of the modernist complex, which was once again transformed by the hardworking priests and seminarians. The Mass was celebrated by Mgr Schmitz, the Vicar-General of ICKSP, with Cardinal Burke in attendance. There followed a rosary at the Chapel of the Apparitions, after which Mgr Wach re-consecrated the Institute to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Then, just as the pilgrimage ended, the sun came out. For most pilgrims there were aeroplanes to catch, but the fortunate few who remained were treated to the sight of Institute priests and seminarians wandering in the sunshine, praying their Divine Office, and stopping to give blessings to anyone who asked.

Institute priests at the evening Rosary © Elrica d'Oyen Gebert

It was a splendid pilgrimage, a time for us all to strengthen our devotion to Our Lady, to assist at beautiful Masses, to pray alongside Cardinal Burke and the Institute, to meet faithful Catholics from around the World, and to renew our trust that in the end, Our Lady’s Immaculate heart will, indeed, triumph.

Group photograph with Cardinal Burke, Msgr Wach and other priests of the Institute © Elrica d'Oyen Gebert

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FEATURE

Father Michael remembered A sermon on the late Fr Michael Clifton from Fr Christopher Basden, preached before Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark

“I believe that the one great reason for which I was born was my ordination to the priesthood.” These famous words –

by Fr Louis Merton OCSO - could very well have been uttered by Fr Michael George Clifton, commonly called “Cliffie” or “Ernie” by his students at Fisher’s School. He has been one of the great characters of our Diocese and to the fingertips he was quintessentially a priest.

The priesthood is (to use the American adjective) simply “awesome.”

It is a unique vocation; to stand in the place of Jesus Christ; to sow the seeds of the Word of God; to sanctify the faithful with the life of the sacraments! We need priests and, on the occasion of losing one, it’s a good time to appeal to you to pray for and encourage vocations; or, if there is anyone who is not as bald as I am, or as grey as some of my brothers here, to actually consider the call because it is so wonderful and urgently necessary!

The readings today set forth an extraordinary panorama, Ezekiel 34: 11-16, the beauty of the good shepherd; then 2 Peter: 1-10 on the horrendous infiltrations into the church and society, for which we need good priests to courageously resist. Finally, the Gospel, St Matthew 11: 7-12, “the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence.”

The sacrament of the Kingdom is the Church and both have been taken by storm by the violent. Fr Clifton has been a voice crying in the wilderness against the storms of pseudo-phycology, destructive theology and the most awful erosion of Christian belief in the history of the Church.

Michael Clifton, like many of our best Catholics was a convert but few know that he had another profound conversion in his life in 1968, as he recounted on his blog “Father Mildew”.

Before that time, he had been a member

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Fr Michael Clifton: a gift for friendship of Slant, a left-leaning Catholic journal published in Cambridge between 1964 and 1970 and thought the Church needed to be shaken up. He was (to use the incorrect political terminology) a “progressive” and a “liberal” demanding complete change. Also in that very year, one of the foremost “Periti” of Vatican II, Joseph Ratzinger, also changed his mind.

He later prophetically declared, “At the heart of the ecclesial crisis is the state of the liturgy.” As Catholics, we have always believed in the principle of “Lex Orandi – Lex Credendi”, in other words the way you pray expresses the way you believe. The chaotic, fashionable, priestcentred, showy, utterly intelligible, and neo-protestant type of Liturgy no longer really squares with the belief of

traditional Catholicism (especially its Eucharistic theology).

Fr Clifton came to realise that there had been a divergence and that that departure from the roots of our faith had resulted in a terrible haemorrhage of Mass attendance, ordinations and conversions that has left Europe a spiritual wasteland.

Fr Clifton could smell the sulphur even before the reforming Pope Paul VI did in 1972 when he said: “We believed that after the Council would come a day of sunshine in the history of the Church – but instead there has come a day of clouds and storms and of darkness – and how did this come about? … We will confide the thought that there has been a power, let us call him by his name – the

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FEATURE Devil! It is as if from some mysterious crack – no, it is not mysterious – from some crack the smoke of Satan has entered the sanctuary of the Church.”

Archbishop Fulton Sheen remarked that, as the Master always warned us, we would have enemies but today the enemy was from within.

Fr Clifton could very well have been tempted to jump ship as there was profound confusion, but for the Grace of God we have persevered as did he, but if only we had kept the priests we had ordained, we would not have a vocations problem today (contemporary defections from the priesthood have never been so colossal since the beginning of the Church). Alternatively, he did not follow Fr Wilders or Fr Lessiter in the direction of Archbishop Lefebvre, instead he remained loyal to the Diocese. In his books he chronicled the infiltrations as in the Alliance of Dissent and wrote many books on the history of Southwark as for example Amigo: Friend of the Poor and The Quiet Negotiator: Bishop Thomas Grant.

Let me tell you a story: before the establishment of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (which happily offers priests occasions of fraternity and nourishment), at St Bede’s we used to host a regular Priest’s seminar. On one occasion, we invited Fr Mark Vickers to speak on his upcoming biography of Cardinal Bourne. When I welcomed him at the front door, he whispered to me, “I hope you haven’t invited Fr Clifton!” I responded that indeed I had – the seminar was open to all. At the end of the talk, Fr Clifton immediately spoke and said, “I would like to say that I totally disagree with almost everything you have said” – and so the rivalry continued!

We live in a time when the Catholic priesthood has been besmirched and disgraced by the horror of abuse – this goes against everything the priesthood stands for. Do we still want to promote vocations? (Why ever why?!) Yes, because the Gospel, the priesthood and the Mass in their truest forms are the most beautiful things this side of Heaven!

There are two great characteristics from which we can learn from our departed brother: 1) his gift of friendship.

2) his love of culture. 1 – the Christian, and especially the priestly apostolate, is best expressed in friendship. St Thomas More for example was described as being “born for friendship.” Of course

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we are all unique and Fr Roger Nesbitt, a good friend of Fr Clifton’s from Fisher School days remarked, “When God created Michael Clifton he left out tact!”

Marygold Turner (of the Latin Mass Society in Kent) echoed this saying, “He was funny, interesting, demanding and in his Homilies shot from the hip with no punches pulled.” The Tydlesley family of Balham remember him fondly from the Traditional Mass community at Colliers Wood (where Fr Martin Edwards said his first Mass secretly behind locked doors in 1991). There was fun, work and lovely trips.

Secondly, culture is one of the Catholic ways of presenting the Gospel of Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Fr Clifton was a man who loved culture.

“Culture Vultures” was one of his lunchtime clubs at The Fisher School.

He loved music, opera, polyphony and worked for years with Charles Finch who, with his sterling singers, “Cantores Missae”, are here with us today. One young man who was amongst those taken to concerts was amazed to find this stiff and strict character welling up with emotion at the music. Young John-Joe Tydlesley would get into fits of giggles at his rendition of Goethe’s Faust.

He would sing badly (on purpose?) and enthusiastically the “ha, ha, ha’s” of the character being condemned to Hell.

Hell? What’s that? Something never mentioned anymore in sermons! Fr Hugh Thwaites once told me wistfully, “Of course most people go there” – I was shocked, “How can you ever say that?”

I retorted, “Our Blessed Lord said so.”

I responded, “Where?” He said, “Will there be only a few saved? Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because I tell you many will try to enter and not succeed.” Now let me assure you, I am appalled at the thought of the type of preaching which holds people hostage to fear – “Perfect love casts out fear!”

– but love is not always perfect and today salvation is often lost sight of.

The missionary imperative has largely vanished saved for development. Our hospitals and schools are wonderful but they are not enough.

So how on earth can we ever persevere in being faithful, supernatural, Catholic Christians in this society? This so-called ‘culture’ is grossly materialistic, allergic to religious devotion and transcendent only in erotomania and the drug culture. How did Fr Clifton remain on the road to the end? He was faithful

to the interior life. I often saw him at the monthly day of recollection at Wickenden Manor. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the priests of the Opus Dei who have visited priests, encouraged priests to be loyal in good times and bad – long before there was ever an official “ministry to priests.” Fr Clifton was regular at getting topped up at their recollections. You simply cannot face the bleak empty face of disbelief without being faithful to sacramental / prayer life. Here was his secret!

In many ways, Fr Clifton was seen as a maverick, he was marginalised, often unappreciated, undecorated and even semi-exiled, but then so was the Master. At the end, in Heathfield (and we thank the Sisters of Grace and Compassion there) he was still apostolic, still forging friendships and promoting culture. I remember once asking the old Dominican Archbishop (who ordained me), while visiting him shortly before his death at the age of 96, if his priest brothers visited him. His reply was sobering. The Sisters come regularly but for the men, it’s “out of sight – out of mind”.

Fr Clifton was uniquely blessed with a brother priest who visited him every day!

This was Fr Peter Fitch, also resident at Heathfield, a young Brentwood priest who had had health issues. He said he learnt so much from Fr Clifton. Latterly Peter has been going on supplies around A&B and Fr Clifton would delight in working out to the minute the bus and train timetables! Sometimes he would want to accompany Peter who would have to remind him, “Father, remember this is my supply!” Recently Fr Peter was trying to teach Fr Michael how to use his new mobile phone. One day, at home with his parents, Peter’s phone rang, it was Fr Clifton. However, when he heard Peter’s voice, he exclaimed, “Oh not you”, and put the phone down. They had become great friends by the time Fr Clifton was dying on 23 February. Fr Peter held his hand and they said the Rosary together; Fr Clifton’s voice was getting softer, so Fr Peter proceeded on with the Litany of Loretto; the breathing became laboured and when he said, “Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy”, he felt the grip had gone – he had departed.

Eternal Rest grant unto him O Lord, and perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in Peace.

Fr Christopher is Parish Priest at St Bede's, Clapham Park in the Archdiocese of Southwark

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FEATURE

A traditional pilgrimage to the Holy Land Report by Canon Martin Edwards

Pilgrims join in Latin Vespers in front of the altar of the Nativity in the Basilica of Bethlehem

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ne of the Five Pillars of Islam is the Hajj – the duty imposed on the observant Muslim of making the pilgrimage to Mecca, should circumstances allow. It is a shame that so many Catholics, who think nothing of treating themselves to several foreign holidays a year, never consider making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Some, of course, are put off by reports of violence and terror in the region: a largely groundless fear - at least in the pilgrims’ places. The Israel government might be faulted for many things, but could

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not be accused of not taking security seriously. Some Traditional Catholics are put off by fears of what might await them liturgically in the various shrines and holy places. This concern is not groundless. Indeed, it was what prompted a group of Traditional Catholics to arrange a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in November 2017. We called the pilgrimage “In the Steps of the Master” and we decided to have only the Usus Antiquior each day.

The Latin Mass Society kindly publicised the pilgrimage on its website,

and Dr Joseph Shaw, LMS Chairman, graciously mentioned it on his estimable and widely-read blog. As a result, we collected a total of 36 pilgrims - a number that pleased Pax Travel, the tour company which made the practical arrangements. As Chaplain, I took the decision not to mention to the ecclesiastical authorities in the Holy Land, in advance, that our Masses would be exclusively in the Old Rite. After all, it is now ten years since Summorum Pontificum: and our group, made up of Traditional Catholics, perfectly fulfilled

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FEATURE the criteria for celebration of the Extraordinary Form. We had a perfect right to the Mass of Ages. However, I thought it prudent not to risk refusal.

Our Masses would come as a surprise.

And so they did. Usually a pleasant one.

Our first Mass, appropriately enough, was in Bethlehem. The chapel was brutally modern; the Mass beautifully ancient; and we had carols before and after thanks to a talented organist, Mr James Barton, from the British Embassy in Amman, who joined our group. During that first Mass a young Franciscan entered the chapel, and noted that we had accomplished some deft liturgical reordering (of the good kind). This caused a discernible frisson of concern – the Franciscans administer most of the shrines in the Holy Land. However, after a few minutes he nodded his head in an authoritative manner, and said, loudly enough to be overheard: “This! This is the True Mass! The True Mass!” I did not feel like disputing that statement.

We were fortunate enough to have the services of an excellent altar server, Mr Jeff Bedia, a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, former MC at St Matthew’s Cathedral, Washington DC, and now a Brother of the Oratory in Formation in that city.

Mr Bedia tactfully, forcefully and swiftly arranged the sanctuary and altars in the various places we had Mass, while I was vesting in the Sacristy. This usually involved moving sundry pot plants, prayer mats, pious objets d’art, crucifixes, microphones and more pot plants.

The Pilgrimage Chaplain is installed as an Honorary Canon of the Holy Sepulchre by Archbishop Pizzaballa on 11 November 2017 - the feast of St Martin Only once did we meet with resistance in the form of a beautifully dressed “neo-con” seminarian from Brazil who, as part of his seminary formation, was undertaking a placement in Nazareth, and had been put in charge of the sacristy in the Basilica of the Annunciation. He tried to insist that I used the Novus Ordo - even while Mr Bedia was busy moving the pot plants from in front of the High Altar.

Fortunately, I had just been created a Canon of the Holy Sepulchre by Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem - and I pulled rank. Firmly.

I told the (beautifully dressed) young man that he was a visitor in a diocese of which I was a senior cleric, and he had better look sharp if he wanted to stay on. That worked, and the Usus Antiquior triumphed.

Ad orientem - Priest and people face together towards the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Mass in the Church of Dominus Flevit

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It was an extraordinary privilege and blessing to celebrate the Extraordinary Form in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, and on the banks of the River Jordan at the traditional stop where our Blessed Lord was baptised; on the slopes of Mount Carmel; and on an outdoor altar on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Readers of this magazine should know that something called the Status Quo Arrangement exists in those shrines which the Catholic authorities share with other Christian denominations.

This means that nothing can be changed liturgically, and forms that we fixed in the 19th century must be maintained. As a result, many of the prayers and practises which were ditched in the West after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, flourish, of necessity, in the shrines of the Holy Land. Thus we had the joy of attending processions, Vespers, and other services, all sung and celebrated in Latin and Gregorian Chant. These services take place on a daily basis. It was an added joy that the clerics and religious were (nearly) always correctly attired in cassock or habit.

I would urge all faithful Catholics who are reasonably able bodied (some fairly strenuous walking is required) to consider a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and, with the geopolitical situation standing as it now does, to do so sooner rather than later. I would certainly be more than happy to lead another Traditional Mass pilgrimage. The Hajj may not be an obligation for the Christian; but no one who has Walked in the Steps of the Master in the Holy Land will ever forget the experience, or ever encounter the Lord in His Holy Word in quite the same way again. Next year in Jerusalem?

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WHAT'S ON

Priest, Deacon and Server Training

A

fter a break of a year, the Latin Mass Society will be resuming its residential training for priests, deacons and servers wishing to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

This year’s conference will take place from mid-day on Monday, 9th April and conclude at lunchtime on Thursday, 12th April, and will be held, as in recent years, at Prior Park College near Bath.

Accommodation (not en-suite) will be provided in single rooms, although day visitors will also be welcome.

Prior Park College has a beautiful chapel built in a classical style, with a spacious sanctuary and plenty of side chapels suitable for tuition.

Courses will be provided in Low Mass for beginners, as well as for those who wish to study Missa Cantata and Solemn Mass.

There will be a Sung Mass each day, giving an opportunity for those to have reached the standard to practice their skills.

Bookings, which are now being taken, should be made through the Latin Mass Society’s website, lms.org.uk The main liturgies, all of which will take place in the school chapel, will be open for anyone to attend: Monday 9th April Tuesday 10th April

5pm

Solemn Mass

9pm

Compline

11am

Solemn Mass

5pm

Vespers and Benediction

Wednesday 11th April 11am

Solemn Mass

Thursday 12th April

Solemn Mass

11am

“ A substantial and fascinating volume on the FIUV... from its beginnings up to the end of the presidency of the late Michael Davies.”

Joseph Shaw, LMS Chairman

£25

from the LMS shop

“ Here is a unique contribution to modern Catholic literature. Leo Darroch presents in chronological order a factual history, fully referenced, of the work of the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce.”

Lord Brian Gill, LMS Patron

Leo Darroch joined the Latin Mass Society in the 1970s, was elected to the Committee in 1986 and served for more than 25 years. He was deputy Chairman to Chris Inman for a few years in the 1990s, during which time he converted the old style LMS bulletins - which were A4 typed sheets - into the magazine format we now have and was the Editor until November 2000.

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Pilgrimage in Honour of the English Martyrs, Preston Saturday, 5 May 2018

T

he Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs in Preston has been entrusted to the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest by Rt Rev Michael Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster.

This very fine church, designed by Edward Pugin, is not only dedicated to the English Martyrs, but also built on the site of the execution of several of the leaders of the Jacobite Rising of 1715.

The Latin Mass Society, in conjunction with the ICKSP, is promoting a pilgrimage in honour of the martyrs of England, which will be led by the Canons of the ICKSP. The programme is as follows: Saturday 5th May 2018 Assemble 11.45 am at Church of St Walburge for devotions Noon: Procession to Church of the English Martyrs 12.30 pm Solemn Mass The organisers are hoping for a large congregation.

Participants are encouraged to bring banners.

RESIDENTIAL LATIN COURSE This will be the 8th Residential Latin Course organised by the Latin Mass Society.

Monday, 30 July—Friday, 3 August 2018 Carmelite Retreat Centre, Boars Hill, Oxford OX1 5HB The Latin Mass Society’s Residential Latin Course for adults is an intensive course, taught by two experienced priest tutors, focusing on the Latin of the liturgy.

It is ideal for priests and seminarians wishing to improve their Latin. They are joined by lay men and women who wish to engage more closely with the ancient Latin liturgy, or do studies involving Latin.

Fr Hunwicke, of the Ordinariate, and Fr Bailey, of the Manchester Oratory, divide the students by experience so all can learn at an appropriate level.

The Traditional Mass will be celebrated each day during the course for all participants who wish to attend.

See our website for details and sign up today!

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ROMAN REPORT

The Old Rite in Scandinavia Nordic Catholicism is growing says Alberto Carosa

P

erhaps just a few people may have noticed that Scandinavian Catholicism has recently come increasingly under the spotlight, especially since the visit of Pope Francis to Lund in Sweden in late 2016 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran reformation.

Since then, a major development was the appointment of the bishop of Stockholm, Mgr Anders Arborelius, as the first Nordic cardinal in the history of Sweden and Scandinavia at large. He was consecrated on 28 June 2017 and probably it’s no coincidence that in late 2017 Sweden's leading news magazine Fokus named him Swede of the Year for 2017.

'It is a sign that the Catholic Church is increasingly becoming a reality in Sweden and part of Swedish culture' Swede of the Year is a title given annually, since 1984, by an independent jury to a person who during the year has distinguished her or himself in a way that has changed Sweden for the better.

As a matter of fact, Cardinal Arborelius came to top the list of candidates who are ‘interesting and challenging: not simply well-known.’

‘Nineteen years ago, the Swede of the year stepped into a role that no Swede had played since the 16th century’, reads the nomination of the jury, referring to his appointment as bishop of Stockholm in 1998. ‘This year he became the first Swede ever to wear the red biretta. The Swede of the Year has already made history, but he is also a person who, ever since his

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appointment in 1998, has been part of Swedish public debate. To represent the Catholic Church in a country whose identity is mainly secular and otherwise Lutheran, requires a fearless attitude.’

Cardinal Arborelius was happy for the nomination, telling Vatican Radio, ‘I think Fokus showed courage in having chosen me. It is a sign that the Catholic Church is increasingly becoming a reality in Sweden and part of Swedish culture.’

Interestingly, the organisers of the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage have announced that this year’s pilgrimage to Rome, due to take place from October 26-28, 2018, will be led by His Excellency Czeslaw Kozon, bishop of Copenhagen, Denmark.

As far as is known, this is the first time a Catholic prelate, and his northern country, has been associated at such prominent level with a far-reaching initiative based on the celebration of the pre-Vatican II rite in Latin. And this is all the more surprising if one thinks of the level of Protestantisation and secularization of Nordic societies.

Yet, the Vetus Ordo is increasingly celebrated in the Nordic countries.

For example, in 2017 the author of this article was given the rare privilege of attending for the first time a Traditional Latin Mass on Assumption Day (August 15) at the St Olav Parish Church in Jyväskylä, a major city in in the central north of Finland. The Mass was being celebrated by the local diocesan parish priest, Father Anders Hamberg.

Ordained in June 2014, Father Hamberg celebrated his first Mass on Pentecost Sunday as a Missa Cantata according to the Missale Romanum of 1962, in the cathedral in Helsinki, with the full blessing of the Helsinki bishop, Mgr Teemu Sippo.

If the Traditional Latin Mass is making inroads in Scandinavia, it is also due to the fact that at least three

of the region’s bishops are in favour of the old Mass. But with a difference at least thus far: as far as is known, whereas Cardinal Arborelius and Mgr Sippo are not on record for having themselves celebrated the old rite, Mgr Kozon has not only been supportive of the Extraordinary Form since taking office in 1995, and especially since Summorum Pontificum, but has also celebrated an EF Solemn Pontifical Mass at the throne for the feast of the Assumption last year, to mark the 10th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum.

The Extraordinary Form is currently celebrated on the first, third and fifth Sundays of each month in Copenhagen, and occasionally in Aarhus, the second city of the country. It is somewhat dependent on visiting priests, but a few younger priests and seminarians are showing interest. (see https://tinyurl. com/ycsv7avg).

Following Summorum Pontificum, the official website of the diocese of Stockholm featured a post, significantly entitled ‘Tridentinsk mässa’, where the senior prelate outlined his plans for the promotion and expansion of the celebration of the old rite, to preserve and consolidate such rich liturgical and spiritual traditions. He then went on thanking the priests of the Institute of Christ the King for their regular support, not only for the celebration of the liturgy, and they will continue to do so also in the future, but also for being prepared to teach other priests who would like to learn how to celebrate the old rite. ‘Therefore,’ he concluded, ‘the idea is to expand the celebration of this Mass in the three places in the country where it already exists: Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö/Lund.’ (https://web.archive. org/web/20100417002248/http://www. katolskakyrkan.se/1/1.0.1.0/255/1/).

Let hope and pray for the continued growth of the EF apostolate in the Nordic countries.

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

DIOCESAN DIGEST Mass of Ages quarterly round-up

ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON Anne-Marie Mackie-Savage 01323 411370 Mass availability has remained stable over the few months, with only the occasional cancellation. There was a Missa Cantata for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Our Lady of Ransom, Eastbourne, celebrated by Fr Gerard Hatton which was well attended. Any Masses I am informed of will appear on the blog, cancellations likewise, but please remember if I don't know, I can't post on the blog, so please, I'd rather be told the same thing three times than not hear at all. Thank you for your continued support.

BIRMINGHAM (Black Country) Louis Maciel 0739 223 2225 louis.maciel@gmail.com The advantage of being ordained a deacon on Halloween at the Birmingham Oratory is that one immediately has two Feasts on consecutive days to act as Deacon in High Mass, as Brother Dominic found to his advantage. During Advent, there were Rorate Masses on Saturday morning in addition to the 9am Mass. Unfortunately, there was no Pontifical High Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception as reported in the last Mass of Ages because Bishop Byrne was doublebooked.

In addition to the regularly scheduled Low Masses at Halesowen and Maryvale, a High Mass was celebrated on the first Friday of December in Solihull with singing aided by a chant group started at my original parish church of St Dunstan’s in Kings Heath.

There was a choice of three Christmas Masses in the region, with a Low Mass celebrated at St Mary on the Hill in Wednesbury, in addition to one at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton and High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory. This was superseded on the Epiphany when there were High Masses at both Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and the Oratory, in addition to a Low Mass in Wednesbury. The latter, just off junction 9 of the M6, is a new venue for the EF Mass serving the Walsall deanery and followed several private Low Masses at the location, and a new monthly third Sunday Mass which started, appropriately perhaps, on Gaudete Sunday. A comprehensive schedule of Masses being celebrated at the initiative of the new parish priest, Fr Paul Lester, during the next quarter is available in the Mass Listings.

BIRMINGHAM (North Staffordshire) Alan Frost 01270 768144 Traditional Rite Masses continue at Our Lady’s Swynnerton in North Staffs, and apart from carols at the early Christmas Vigil Mass, the Te Deum was sung at the Vigil Mass of the Presentation. Led, we’re happy to report, by Fr Paul Chavasse.

Masses for All Saints, the Holy Souls, and the Dead were

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celebrated by Fr Paul and he was invited to give a talk in a military context about his great uncle, one of perhaps only three men ever to receive the VC twice.

Just to the south of this area, Masses are said regularly in Wolverhampton (Fr Stephen Goodman) and at St George’s Chapel at the Barracks two miles out of Lichfield (Fr Smith).

BIRMINGHAM (Oxford) Joseph Shaw 01993 812874 There are a great many Masses this quarter being celebrated by the very generous priests of the Oxford area, and readers must consult the Mass listings for the complete list, bearing in mind also Holy Rood, Abingdon Road, in Oxford but over the diocesan boundary in Portsmouth, and the English Martyrs, Didcot, also in Portsmouth Diocese but close to many living in Birmingham Archdiocese.

I would like to draw readers' attention in particular to the annual LMS Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Caversham, a refounded medieval shrine, on Saturday 24th February. This year the Saturday of Ember Week of Lent falls on the feast of St Matthias. For the first time we will provide lunch for pilgrims in the very comfortable parish room after Mass. High Mass, celebrated by Fr Anthony Conlon, will be at 11:30am. Chant will be provided by the Schola Abelis, and Polyphony by the Newman Consort.

Please support this and the many other High and Sung Masses on special occasions, and regular Sunday and weekday Masses, being celebrated in the area this quarter.

I am delighted also to confirm that Fr Anthony Talbot is now in place in Holy Trinity, Hethe, and that he will be able to maintain the every-Sunday provision of the Traditional Mass there. These take place at 12 noon; they are sung on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month. Holy Trinity is a very beautiful historic church to the north of Bicester, and I encourage readers living within reach to visit.

BIRMINGHAM (Worcester) Margaret Parffrey 01386 750421 We start the digest that Fr Cornelias has returned to his native home of Ghana. We hope Father will take the Tridentine Mass to all parts Ghana.

The Tridentine Rite will be said by the Parish Priest, Fr Rohan. We are very grateful for Father taking on this extra duty, but know graces will flow abundantly. Mass at usual time 2nd Tuesday in the month at 6pm.

Father started to learn the Tridentine Rite while he was living at Mount Carmel and soon became proficient. Our thanks and prayers go with him. We will try and get his address in order to pray and work with him.

Fr Christopher said High Mass on the Feast of St Egwin’s Anniversary. Egwin was a Benedictine Monk of Worcester to whom Eoves, a swine herd, told of a heavenly vision in Evesham Meadow, which was Our Lady. From here came Our

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY Lady of Evesham and a great Abbey church was founded. St Egwin’s tomb was founded at the base of his shrine. Mass at Evesham every Tuesday at 7pm. Kidderminster Mass at 3pm 1st Sunday of month said by Fr Lamb.

BIRMINGHAM (Little Malvern) Alastair J Tocher 01684 893332 extraordinarymalvern.uk@btinternet.com Facebook: Extraordinary Malvern With the closure at the end of November of Spetchley Park Chapel and the departure of Fr Anthony Talbot to pastures new in Hethe, Oxfordshire it became necessary quickly to find a new Sunday home for the Traditional Latin Mass community in south Worcestershire.

Initial enquiries elicited a very positive response from Dom Edward Crouzet, OSB (Downside), parish priest of St Wulstan’s, Little Malvern and from his Parish Council regarding the use of his church (where the noted English composer Sir Edward Elgar is laid to rest). While Dom Edward does not himself celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form, he has been very welcoming and supportive of our efforts, for which we are extremely grateful. Further local enquiries soon led to Dom Jonathan Rollinson OSB (Belmont) who has enthusiastically taken up our invitation to offer a Missa Cantata twice monthly at 3pm on second and fourth Sundays.

Dom Jonathan already celebrates Low Mass at Belmont Abbey on the other Sundays.

Whilst our relocation has inevitably seen the loss of a few former Mass-goers from Spetchley who are sadly unable to get to Little Malvern, it has already drawn in a few new faces from local parishes, including four potential new members for the Schola Gregoriana Malverniensis and the Schola Parva, both of which have also followed the move to Little Malvern. We are fortunate also in that several servers from Spetchley are still available to us here along with two additional experienced servers from the Cheltenham area.

Our first Mass at St Wulstan’s on 26 November – most likely the first Vetus Ordo Mass there in 50 years – saw a solid 27 in attendance which was a promising start especially since there was less than three days’ notice given of the Mass after all necessary aspects were finally confirmed in place. Sadly, excessive snowfall meant our second Mass planned for 10 December had to be cancelled at very short notice but by the time you read this in AD 2018 we hope – Deo volente – to be fully up and running.

CLIFTON James Belt & Monika Paplaczyk 07890 687453 lmsclifton@gmail.com lmsclifton.blogspot.co.uk Another successful Missa Cantata was held in the Crypt Chapel of Downside Abbey on the first Sunday in December.

This was once more very well attended. The annual Downside High Mass has been confirmed for Saturday 2nd June.

Deacon Seth Phipps, FSSP, who grew up and found his vocation in Clifton Diocese, is due to be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood on Saturday 9 June. He will celebrate a First Solemn High Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, Weston-SuperMare the following Wednesday, 13 June. Further details will follow on our blog (address above).

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Other regular Masses continue around the Diocese. Three Low Masses were celebrated on Christmas Day, in Weston, Glastonbury and Stow-on-the-Wold. Masses are also planned for Ash Wednesday.

EAST ANGLIA (West) Gregor and Alisa Dick 01223 322401 The Masses at Blackfriars are continuing mostly as usual but with several recent developments. The first is that we have had a recent intake of servers, a lot of them students.

The second is that we had a Sung Mass on Christmas morning, and wish to thank everyone, especially the friars, who assisted. We are still in need of more choir members, and additional servers would always be welcome. And, once again, the children who attend Latin and Greek classes performed their nativity play in Koine Greek.

HEXHAM & NEWCASTLE Keith McAllister 01325 308968 07966 235329 k_mcallister@ymail.com The provision of EF liturgies continues much as before, mainly in the southern half of what is a very large diocese, stretching from the border with Scotland to the Tees valley.

In the past 2 years we have had the huge benefit of the very energetic Fr Bede Rowe assisting our traditional apostolate; now gone to a new appointment in Glastonbury.

For St Joseph’s Gateshead, Fr Michael Brown maintains a consistent Mass provision for Saturdays, Sundays and Holydays. Following the sadness of losing Fr Gary Dickson of Thornley to early retirement because of poor health, there is no resident Priest. We are thus very grateful to Fr Paul Tully (Hospital Chaplain) for his regular Sunday EF Holy Masses and other liturgies.

At St Mary’s Barnard Castle, Fr Wilfrid Elkin, still resident in retirement and an indefatigable octogenarian, celebrates EF Low Holy Masses on Sundays, Holydays and each Tuesday.

In Coxhoe (Durham) we are thankful to Fr Shaun Swales for a regular Thursday Low Mass (sometimes transferred to an adjacent Holy day, with Benediction when appropriate).

Our annual Mass in the c1135 Augustinian Priory of Brinkburn, Morpeth [a property managed by English Heritage (EH)] took place on Sept 9th with a Missa Cantata celebrated by Fr Michael Brown. The acoustics there are simply wonderful and we yet again enjoyed the pleasure of fine choral voices and organ music. After many years of beautiful Mass celebrations here, we sadly face a prospect of being denied access by EH, they quoting Health & Safety risks!

Our F.I. Juventutem group based at St Cuthbert’s in the heart of Durham City continues to flourish thanks to the blessing of Parish Priest Fr Andrew Downie, plus enthusiastic student support and availability of trained MCs and servers.

The November 30 Missa Cantata celebrated by Fr David Phillips, enhanced by the Student Schola, was well attended, as was that of December 14 celebrated by Fr Paul Tully.

Young Catholics keen to engage with F.I.Juventutem and its social events can email juventutemdurham@gmail.com or the Diocesan Rep.

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY LANCASTER Bob & Jane Latin 01524 412987 lancasterlms@gmail.com latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com John Rogan 01524 858832 john_rogan@yahoo.co.uk It's been a fairly quiet quarter across the Diocese but once more there has been exciting news from Preston. Only two weeks after the opening of the new Shrine to the English Martyrs in September, Bishop Michael Campbell announced that the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest had accepted his invitation to come to the Diocese. The Sisters are the female Branch of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest and are a contemplative order, though not enclosed, with the charism of Eucharistic Adoration, and reparation to the Royal Heart of Jesus. They took up residence in the former St Augustine's presbytery on 12 November.

Since the ICKSP arrived in Preston, many young families have been moving into the parish and the Canons have responded by launching an ambitious project to provide a school at St Walburge, as in earlier times. On 21 November, the first group of children began their lessons at St Benedict's School, initially in rooms adjacent to English Martyrs, with the long term plan of restoring the former school buildings next to St Walburge. The liturgy at the school will, of course, be in the Extraordinary Form! This wonderful project will require a goodly sum of money so please do give any support you can – the Institute's address at St Walburge can be found in the Mass Listings.

Meanwhile, Fr Daniel Etienne has undertaken to provide two EF Masses each week at St John Vianney in Blackpool Mondays at midday and Fridays at 6pm - which is very good news for those in the Blackpool area.

We continue to provide a monthly Mass at our other location, St Mary's in Hornby, with a very small but loyal congregation. From time to time new people appear, sometimes from the parish; if they all came at once it could be quite a good sized group! Our grateful thanks to Canon Luiz Ruscillo.

LIVERPOOL (Warrington) Alan Frost 01270768144 St Mary’s Shrine Church in Warrington experienced a very busy Advent and Christmas season; such that the consistently impressive choir were given a rest from their weekly contribution to the Sunday High Mass on December 24, music director Michael Wynne holding the fort from the organ. They were back on song for the carols and Midnight Mass later. The Very Rev. Fr John Berg, FSSP, Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, was welcomed during Advent, and was Celebrant at the 11am Solemn High Mass on Sunday 10 December. He also attended, with Abp Malcolm McMahon OP, a sacred concert on the 16 December. given by the Warrington Choral Society in St Mary’s. The polyphonic Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was preceded by a Novena for the great Feast of Our Lady.

Many regulars were sad that Fr Mawdsley was transferred to take over the FSSP in Bedford, but doubtless he will be seen at various LMS events in the coming year. Fr Lowenstein

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has taken over his duties pending the coming of Fr Verrier to Warrington.

The latest (Winter 2107/2018) FSSP quarterly magazine Dowry (free), which Fr de Malleray edits, is available in the Shrine narthex and on request. There is also a new expanded repository.

MIDDLESBROUGH Paul Waddington paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk 01757 638026 The Mass to mark the Feast of St Charles Borromeo last November in Hull was very well attended. Fr Mark Drew was the celebrant and the Rudgate Singers provided the music.

The Mass was a Missa Cantata, rather than the planned Solemn Mass, because we were not able to find sufficient clergy. Regrettably, the monthly Wednesday evening Masses at St Charles’ Church in Hull have had to be discontinued.

By way of compensation, Fr Drew will be offering a Low Mass at 5pm on the second Sunday of each month at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph in Hedon, which is four miles to the east of Hull. This very plain little church dates from 1803, a time when there were severe restrictions on the building of Catholic churches, and is hidden behind the presbytery. Anybody having difficulty finding it should look for the Shakespeare Inn in Baxtergate. The entrance is alongside the pub’s car park.

Meanwhile Masses continue at noon every Sunday at the Oratory Church of St Wilfrid in York. The Oratorians also provide traditional Vespers and Benediction on Sundays at 6pm.

I am very conscious of the lack of any Latin Masses in the northern part of the diocese. For the foreseeable future, it seems unlikely that the diocese will be able to provide a priest able to fill this gap, so I would welcome any suggestions of other priests that could be approached.

NORTHAMPTON (North) Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 Fr Byrne offered additional Masses at St Brendan's in Corby for All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and celebrated a Sung First Mass of Christmas. The new year got off to a flying start with a Mass for the Octave of the Nativity, which was relatively well attended.

NORTHAMPTON (South) Barbara Kay mbky3@outlook.com 01234 340759 Nick Ross nick@efmass.co.uk 07951 145240 Three churches in this area celebrate the Latin Mass on a regular basis: Christ the King, Bedford (weekly on Sunday at 8.30 am), Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Chesham Bois (weekly on Sunday at 8am) and St Francis of Assisi, Shefford (3rd Friday of the month at 7.30pm). The report from Chesham Bois is that things are ticking along nicely there.

Attendance at Shefford is only 3 – 5 people, so to safeguard this Mass, please consider going along.

Also in our area is the (very modern) church of Our Lady of Light, Long Crendon, near Aylesbury. Organised by Dr Joseph Shaw, the Schola Abelis provided for a Missa Cantata with great solemnity for the Feast of SS Simon and Jude on 28

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY October 2017. We were much obliged to celebrant, Fr Anthony Conlon, former Chaplain to the LMS, and to the Parish Priest and parishioners, many of whom attended.

Chesham Bois has been an Apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP) for some time now. In the Winter edition of Mass of Ages, we reported that the FSSP, based at Reading, were also sending priests to Bedford for Sunday Masses and Holydays of Obligation, starting on 8 October. At the time of writing, we are three months into the Apostolate and things are going well. Fr Goddard, Fr Verrier and Fr O’Donohue have been visiting us on a rota basis each Sunday, alternating with their other Apostolates in Reading and Chesham Bois. Fr Verrier has now been posted to the Apostolate in Warrington, while Fr Mawdsley has joined the Apostolate in Reading.

Our numbers are growing; about 70 people are coming on Sundays, a 40% increase from the 50 we have had in the last two years or so. Among them we have recently welcomed a family who come from just outside Norwich and who even managed to get to Mass on the very snowy morning of 10 December 2017.

Before he moved to Warrington, Fr Verrier – who is a music graduate, and who taught in school before his ordination – started the process of training a small choir, so that Sung Mass could be offered at Bedford once a month. We are hoping to sing for the first time on Sexagesima Sunday, 4 February 2018.

We are also planning to have First Saturday Masses and other devotions on 3 February, 3 March, 7 April, 5 May and 2 June, followed by catechesis, server training and choir practice according to interest. Please see https://www. facebook.com/bedfordlatinmass/ for regular updates.

We have had two ‘firsts’ recently: Rafael Pierlot made his First Holy Communion with us on 17 December, and on Christmas Eve, Maria Kovacsics was received into Full Communion with the Church.

Our 8.30 Christmas morning Mass was attended by 70 or 80 people, well up on the Christmas morning figure in 2016.

We were able to offer our customary refreshments in the hall afterwards and were pleased that a familiar face, Fr Gabriel Diaz, who was staying nearby, called in to greet us. He was part of the original rota of priests who said Mass at Bedford when we started in 2015.

On the last day of 2017, Fr James Mawdsley visited Bedford for the first time. He also celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany the following Saturday, and for the Holy Family on the Sunday, and over that weekend, visited ten families to bestow Epiphanytide home blessings, with more to follow on his next visit later in January.

Looking further ahead, we have an exciting event planned for 21 April. One of the founders of Regina Caeli, an educational academy for children of all ages with fourteen centres in the United States, will give a presentation at Christ the King, Bedford, about what they can offer to families in this country. If there is enough interest, they will open a centre in the UK. Please see our blog as above for more details and to book your place, and contact bedfordlatinmass@gmail.com with any questions.

NOTTINGHAM (Leicestershire and Rutland) Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 Sung Masses were celebrated at Holy Cross Priory in Leicester on the feast of All Saints and on All Souls' Day,

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and at St Peter's in Leicester for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. There will be further Sung Masses at St Peter's for the Epiphany and the Purification. Meanwhile at Oakham the Duruflé Requiem was sung by the St Peter's Singers at a Sung Mass celebrated by Fr Dye on the first Friday of November.

Otherwise the regular schedule of Masses continues. It was pleasing to note a congregation of 120 on the last Sunday of the year at Holy Cross Priory, and I pray that this trend continues into the new year!

NOTTINGHAM (Lincolnshire) Michael Carroll lmslincolnsire.blogspot.com Facebook: Traditional Latin Mass in Lincolnshire, Doncaster, and Hull We are awaiting the return of the Latin Mass to Lincolnshire. Announcements of new Mass times and a new church will be given on the local website and Facebook page as soon as we are informed.

It is now possible to attend St Mary and St Joseph, Baxtergate, Hedon, HU12 8JN on second Sundays at 5pm.

There are also relatively local Masses for those in the north of Lincolnshire at Doncaster (third Sundays at 3pm).

NOTTINGHAM Jeremy Boot 07462-018386 Since the last report there has been a change of clergy at two of our venues: the first at Our Lady and St Patrick, the Meadows, Nottingham and the second with a new Dean at the Cathedral. So far we have suffered no changes to our usual schedule. At the Cathedral, Mass continues at 6.15pm on the third Wednesday (followed by a Juventutem meeting). At Our Lady and St Patrick, although temporarily the church is being run by the local deanery, there is no reason to suppose we cannot remain there for the 3rd (Sung) and 4th Sundays of the month at 2pm for both. For all these Masses, we supply our own priests and do not draw upon the churches’ own resources other than for a venue and an altar. Lastly, we continue with Mass on the Saturday before the 2nd Sunday of the month (4.45pm) at The Good Shepherd Church, Arnold, Nottingham, in the capable hands of Canon Phillip Ziomek, who has been our celebrant for quite a few years now and to whom we extend our grateful thanks.

Attendance at Masses varies between churches but is reasonably stable. Masses are sung at least at one venue a month. We have very limited resources and singers, and particularly servers, are needed to lessen the burden on those on whose fidelity and competence we rely too much already. Many thanks again to all of them and to our hardpressed clergy without whom there would, of course, be no Masses at all.

PLYMOUTH (Devon) Maurice Quinn 07555536579 mq018q1057@blueyonder.co.uk The best good news on the Plymouth Diocese Latin Mass scene has to be the visitation of Bishop Mark to St Edward the Confessor in Plymouth, when he attended the 11.30am Sung Vetus Ordo on the 10 December at very short notice.

The Latin Mass congregation at St. Edward the Confessor

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY in Plymouth – which numbered about a hundred people including whole families with children - were celebrating the 10th ordination anniversary of the celebrant, Fr Anthony Pillari. People came from all parts of the diocese and were treated to a beautiful Missa Cantata with Andrew Proctor as Musical Director leading the chant and supplying the music. The wonderful choir consisted of William and Elizabeth Harbinson, Michael Crawford, and Timothy TindalRobertson. Elizabeth Harbinson, a mezzo soprano who has performed for Pope St John Paull II, sang Shubert’s Ave Maria at the offertory, and Franck’s Panis Angelicus during Holy Communion. The serving team – as always at St Edwards – was superb, consisting of MC Mateus Vila Real, Bishop’s server John Buscombe, Thurifer James Buscombe, Acolytes Alejandro and Oliver Proctor Montano, and the Torchbearer Samuel Proctor. Bishop Mark read the Gospel in English and preached the homily.

After Mass everybody gathered in the church hall for a social buffet lunch organised by Valerie Williams and others.

This was a great success, and included Fr Anthony cutting two celebration cakes supplied and made by Justina Misztela and Stephanie Proctor. It was a joy to see many young children enjoying themselves, and to be entertained by Irish dancers Brendan, Finian, and Nathanael Balcomb, and by Lidia Keogh guitar player and singer, and Elizabeth Harbinson who sang excerpts from Carmen. It was during the buffet lunch that Bishop Mark gave everybody the good news that he is working towards the eventual setting up a permanent Latin Mass venue with full pastoral provision in other areas such as Exeter, Torbay and in Dorset.

We have to thank Fr Tom Reagan OSB for celebrating the St Edward’s Mass on one Sunday, and Fr Reginald-Marie Rivoire O.P. for standing in while Fr Anthony Pillari was away in the U.S.A. and Canada completing studies and visiting his old parish in Texas. Fr Reginald is a member of a new traditional Dominican order in France, and was looking after the nuns at Lanherne in Cornwall, and the St Edward’s congregation in Plymouth until Fr Anthony’s return. This meant that the St Edward’s Vetus Ordo was celebrated in the Dominican Rite – a rare occurrence in Devon.

The monthly Latin Mass at Buckfast Abbey has been alternately celebrated these last six months by Fr Tom Reagan OSB and by Fr Guy de Gaynesford, the Rector of the School of the Annunciation. We have to thank both of these busy priests for celebrating Mass for us in this beautiful location.

An added bonus here was the Sung Requiem in November, celebrated by Fr Tom, with music provided by the Abbey’s musical director, Philip Arkwright.

Last 12 – 14 October Buckfast Abbey hosted the ‘Day with Mary’s’ Symposium with Cardinal Burke as the main speaker. The wonderful spin – off for us was that the Cardinal celebrated the Vetus Ordo on the main altar at 7.30am each morning with a very appreciative congregation, while the abbey’s six small chapels and some of the side altars also had their own celebrant. It was a wonderful opportunity to see these chapels and altars being used for their original purpose, with a Traditional Latin Mass being quietly celebrated at each one.

Our regular monthly Latin Mass at St Cyprian’s, Ugbrooke House, is still being celebrated on the fourth Sunday of each month by Fr Guy de Gaynesford. Unfortunately, the December Old Rite celebration had to be cancelled as it fell on Christmas Eve, a very busy time for our clergy, and Fr Guy

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is no exception, having his own parish at Ivybridge. I must apologise to anyone who may have missed the notices about this cancellation, and I urge anyone travelling any distance to check the Mass Listings or contact me beforehand if possible.

The monthly Latin Mass at Blessed Sacrament in Exeter has been well attended, even though in December it had to be brought forward to the second Sunday due to understandable circumstances beyond our control. Mgr Adrian Toffolo and Fr Harry Heijveld were the celebrants over the last few months, and in November after Mass, Fr Harry treated the congregation to Benediction, which may become a regular feature. We are in need of servers for Mass at this venue (and elsewhere), so if any male readers would be interested in helping out do get in touch with me after Mass or by phone/ email.

On Thursday, 2 November Fr Harry Heijveld celebrated a Sung Requiem at Sacred Heart, Exeter, with Absolution at the catafalque. Unfortunately, this beautiful town-centre church is not one of Devon’s regular Traditional Rite Mass venues, so to have a Sung Requiem here was a memorable occasion for everybody present. We thank Fr Harry for this, and we have to thank Mr Tegwyn Harris for providing the music, and Andrew Munro for coming forward to help with the serving, and for acting as Thurifer.

I will finish with an appeal: If you happen to know the whereabouts of some unwanted altar rails, please contact Fr Francis on 07826 732493.

PLYMOUTH (Dorset) Maurice Quinn 075555 36579 mq018q1057@blueyonder.co.uk It gives me great pleasure to begin 2018 with more good news regarding the Old Rite Latin Mass scene in Dorset.

Mgr Francis Jamieson, the PP of Our Lady of Lourdes and St Cecelia, Blandford Forum, has agreed to celebrate the Vetus Ordo every other month in 2018, and began on the Feast of the Epiphany in January. This means that between Mgr Francis at Blandford Forum and Fr Martin at Marnhull, the Vetus Ordo is celebrated in this part of Dorset once every month, albeit alternately. Do check the Mass Listings for further details and support both venues if possible. I had the pleasure of serving Mgr Francis’s first Latin Mass at Blandford last November 9, on the Feast of the Dedication of the Archbasilica of the Saviour, and you will be pleased to know that the reordering of the sanctuary, started by Fr Tom Reagan OSB, is coming along nicely. A beautiful domed tabernacle has now been acquired, and a large crucifix now adorns the wall directly above it being flanked by two figures.

Mgr Jamieson celebrated the Epiphany Vetus Ordo Mass at Blandford Forum at 12 noon on Saturday 6 January, with about twenty-five appreciative people present in the congregation. It was also a pleasure to meet another server – Kieron Weaver-Mizzi, who served the Epiphany Mass along with Dominic Prendergast, both of whom deserve our thanks for doing so. In future, Mgr Francis hopes that people will stay after Mass for a little social and a shared lunch, as is the custom at Marnhull, so do support this if you have the time.

The Mass celebrated by Fr Martin Budge on Thursday 14 December at Our Lady’s, Marnhull, was preceded by individual confessions followed by the Angelus, with Dominic Prendergast as server. Numbers attending this Mass were at a low level, but this did not affect the quiet dignity

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY and reverence of the celebration in such a lovely old and atmospheric church. It is also pleasing to meet people from other Dioceses attending our celebrations, such as Andrew Robson who had travelled from Clifton Diocese to be present at this particular Mass – he had made the journey to Marnhull for the first time, and was made very welcome by the rest of the congregation, and he joined us all for lunch afterwards in the parish rooms. During a conversation, Andrew suggested the possibility of having some plainchant in the Mass at Our Lady’s, so if any reader would be interested in this please get in touch with me via mobile or email. This is definitely worth doing if we can get enough voices together. Ronnie and Joan Bird, much missed stalwarts of the Old Rite for many years, could not be present at Our Lady’s due to illness, so do keep them both in your prayers.

I like to end on a positive note, so I can tell you that my appeal for any priests in Dorset interested in learning to celebrate the Traditional Old Rite Latin Mass has borne fruit.

I am happy to report that a priest has contacted me about this, and I shall give you more details about this if we get a positive outcome.

As always, do check the Mass Listings in Mass of Ages, the LMS website, or in the Diocesan monthly Catholic South West, which is regularly updated by me.

PORTSMOUTH (Bournemouth) Tim Fawkes 01202 730200 t.fawkes136@btinternet.com Our regular monthly Low Mass at the Bournemouth Oratory in Formation, Church of the Sacred Heart, is now taking place on the first Friday of each month at 6pm. Further Masses are being offered when possible; there will be Mass on Monday 9 April at 6pm, which this year will be the feast of the Annunciation.

Readers may also be interested in knowing of the traditional Benediction service which takes place at 6pm each Sunday. All services are viewable via the church website at www.bournemouthoratory.org.uk PORTSMOUTH (Isle of Wight) Peter Clarke 01983 566740 07790 892592 We were pleased to welcome Canon Martin Edwards back to the Island for Mass (E.F.) today for the Feast of St Andrew, Apostle and Patron Saint of Scotland.

Despite a bitterly cold day, it was good to have a reasonable attendance for the weekday Mass. Canon Martin reminded us in his sermon that Our Lord said to the apostles: - “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men”. He also gave us a vivid account of the very successful pilgrimage that he led recently to the Holy Land. One of the highlights of this was being in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and being conscious that this was where Our Blessed Lord called Peter and Andrew to leave their nets and their boats and to follow Him. It was here by this lake that Jesus gave the Beatitudes and where He did so much of His preaching.

The following week it was good to welcome back to Ryde, Fr Neil Brett (Brentwood Diocese) for a Low Mass in St Mary’s on the Feast of St Ambrose. In his sermon Father spoke about St Ambrose being a reluctant bishop and having to almost be forced into the ministry. However, he proved to be an effective bishop in preaching the Gospel in the battle against the Arian heresy.

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“He was an advocate of sound doctrine and in particular stressed the importance of purity and virginity, not always popular themes with young men. Today, some regard Christianity as extreme and out of touch, as witnessed by the vitriolic opposition against those outside abortion clinics trying to offer help and support to both the mother and child.

In these depressing times for the Church, we must not lose faith. We must adhere to the Gospel message and remember Christ is always with us. We must see in Him both a human and a divine nature”.

With the departure of Fr Anthony Glaysher in the summer and the consequent loss of our regular weekly E. F. Masses, we are grateful to both these priests for travelling to the Island to offer Mass for us.

We are also grateful to Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris (Ordinariate and parish priest of Cowes and East Cowes) for his pastoral care for us in offering the E.F. Mass. Father has now offered five E. F. Masses. These are usually on the third Thursday of the month in different Island churches. See Mass Listings for details.

For further information on Isle of Wight E.F. Masses please contact me on 01983 566740 or 07790892592 PORTSMOUTH Peter Cullinane 023 92 47 13 24 pmcullinane@hotmail.com Sadly, there were two Tridentine rite funerals in the period. The first was in early December for Valerie HayEsson, a longstanding attender at both Winchester and Reading until her illness two years ago.

The funeral, conducted by Fr Matthew Goddard FSSP, took place in the charming Victorian church in Fareham and thanks to Stuart, Valerie’s son, a record collection was taken for the LMS. A Scottish piper at the graveside honoured Valerie’s Aberdonian connections.

The second funeral took place later that month in the equally charming church of St Joseph’s Havant, my home parish, for a lady who, though not an LMS member, had converted to the faith some 50 or more years ago having been attracted, Fr Joe McNerney said, by the old rite Mass.

The funeral Mass replaced the new rite daily Mass and some 40 attended in all, half being older parishioners who had not experienced such a funeral for several decades and were generally complimentary about its reappearance, as I found at the coffee break afterwards.

We were lucky that the Mass was efficiently served by one of our youngest servers, now a first year university man, thus demonstrating to Havant parishioners that it was not just that the more than 60 who followed the old rite but that the young generation were able to serve a rite many thought was extinct.

South Hampshire is lucky in having full Holy Week services at the Friars in Gosport and a 9am Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family parish in Millbrook, Southamptondetails will be available later on both the LMS and parish websites as follows: Gosport: www. gosport@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk Holy Family: www.holyfamilysouthampton.org.uk On Christmas Day, 50 attended a 9am Mass at Holy Family and 45 at Gosport on the Epiphany on January 6.

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY PORTSMOUTH (Reading) Adrian Dulston http://lmsreading.wordpress.com/ Nice to see Sunday crowds at our Advent and Christmas Masses at St William of York. There was a midnight Mass for both Christmas and New Year, with mulled wine after both.

Changing times in Reading with Fr Verrier leaving us in the New Year for Warrington FSSP, although not without a sendoff parish party with Fr Goddard ensuring he had some stiff company and an umbrella as if he needed a reminder. We missed him at our first Friday devotions with his organ support but I guess Warrington will be the richer for it but at least we had the additional presence of Fr Donoghue who helped us chant the Latin Sacred Heart Litany.

The weekday Masses are a real gift from heaven, although numbers fluctuate due to daytime duties and pressures. Visitors come and go even from the University and we occasionally get a person who has never been to a Latin Mass, which is good to see. The FSSP continue to run men, women, and youth groups, together with altar server training.

A reminder that there is confession before each Mass and sometimes during the Sunday Mass – we must remember to thank God for these priests and their dedication for the sake of Christ and His Church, Reading has a heartbeat with the Mass of the Ages.

See https://www.facebook.com/fssp.england for the latest Holy Mass times and relevant news. Note there are changes in Mass times during the week so please keep up to date.

Note Latin Masses at English Martyrs Catholic Church, Didcot offered by Fr Phillip Pennington Harris are reduced to 1st Sundays.

Dodd, our seminarian from the Dome, received the cassock and tonsure from Bishop Mark Davies last summer, please keep him in your prayers.

I am hoping to form a Catholic drama group at the Church with the hope of bringing the standard of acting up to a level that we can film for EWTN's latest docudrama series "The Reformation". Should any budding actors, or indeed actors, be interested in taking part please contact me: semazzeo@ talktalk.net Also, I hope to produce a series of little docuvideos of Masses and news from the Dome, please keep your eyes on the Dome's Facebook and website.

The church gets many parties of visitors and to help people understand a Catholic church, and in particularly the history of the Dome, we have produced an audio tour. The tour is a series of little 3 to 4 minute audio plays that take place in different parts of the church that can be picked up on one’s smart phone via Wi-Fi. Work on the side chapels is now complete and hopefully by the time this is published the scaffolding will have been taken down, and the church is once again watertight.

Last but not least, the Carmel at Birkenhead continues to have a Latin Mass at 7:45 on Thursdays celebrated by a priest from the Shrine. This year the community will be celebrating 100 years of foundation.

SHREWSBURY (Chester) Andrew Nielsen Third Sunday monthly Sung Masses are continuing at St Clare’s in Chester. The 12.30 Traditional Mass now replaces the regular 11.15 parish Mass. Masses continue to be celebrated by the priests of the Institute of Christ the King from New Brighton. Numbers attending Mass have increased since the first Mass back in Easter 2017 (including some St Clare’s parishioners) but more would be welcome. Recently we have had a welcome addition of younger servers in the form of our MC Philip Russell’s grandchildren.

SOUTHWARK (Thanet) Antonia Robinson A busy Christmas in Thanet with Traditional Latin Masses in both Ramsgate and Margate. Ramsgate had a beautiful 9:30pm ‘Midnight’ Mass with music by the Victoria Consort and preceded by Carols, as well as Christmas Day Mass with their parish singers. In Margate the Bevan Family Schola sang a glorious Christmas Day Mass. Margate also had a traditional celebration of Epiphany, including singing of the Te Deum, Sung Mass and blessings of Epiphany Water and chalk. On a less upbeat note, we are most sad to report that Fr Mark Higgins has been moved by the Diocese. Fr Higgins was curate in Ramsgate for almost a year and a half and his great piety and inimitable preaching style made him much-loved.

An excellent and rigorous confessor, with a great love of traditional liturgy, Fr Higgins did much to increase devotion to Our Lady and to the Blessed Sacrament and will be sorely missed. We offer him our heartfelt thanks and prayers.

SHREWSBURY (Wirral) Stefano Mazzeo Activities at the Shrine Church of SS Peter & Paul and St Philomena continue to expand, particularly for young people. Canon Montjean runs a youth group that meets once a month on Saturdays with faith talks and discussion. Anyone between the ages of 14 to 25 who would like to join should contact Canon Montjean, Email: chn.montjean@icrsp.org.

There is also a catechism class for Ages 8 to 12s on Sundays after Mass, again contact the Shrine for details and times. And there will be a group going from the church on the Chartres pilgrimage, contact Canon Montjean.

Canon Vianney Poucin has been giving faith formation talks for adults, this year based on the history of the Church.

Canon Parant in running monthly faith formation talks for married couples, Domus Christiani which looks at love and marriage issues from a Catholic perspective. Contact chn.parant@icrsp.org for further information. We are also running the first five Saturdays devotion for families. Liam

SOUTHWARK (Wandsworth) Julia Ashenden julia.ashenden@gmail.com Our 11am Masses continue each Sunday. Since the last Report to this magazine we have had four Sung Masses with visiting choirs.

In addition to the regular Sunday Masses we have had Low Mass on All Saints and All Souls. The Midnight Mass of Christmas was a beautiful Missa Cantata with Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit pour Noel as the Mass setting; we also had Low Mass (the Mass of Dawn) on Christmas Day. Looking to the future, Canon Edwards, the Parish Priest, has arranged for a professional choir to provide the music at the 11am Mass on the first Sunday of every month. In addition, the 11am Mass for Palm Sunday will be a Missa Cantata, as will the 8pm Mass on Maundy Thursday. The setting for the 11am Mass on Easter Sunday will be Puccini’s amazing Messa di Gloria - a rare opportunity to hear this work within the setting for which it was composed.

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REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WESTMINSTER (Hertford) Tom Short Masses in Hertfordshire continue in the same pattern as before. We are very grateful to Fr Tim Edgar for his commitment at St Albans. As well as Sundays at 5pm, we have had Mass for Holy Cross on 14 September, and had Masses for All Saints and All Souls at 7.30am. In addition to these, on November 3 we had Mass to celebrate the “Feast of the Sacred Roadworks.” The residents had been informed that the road outside the church would be closed for major works all day on 3rd starting from 8.30am. Instead of the usual Mass at 11am Fr Tim decided to say Mass early that day at 7.30am and in the old rite. I wonder how many of us ever imagined we would be thanking the construction industry for promoting the Latin Mass! We had Mass on Christmas Day at 8.30am with quite a good congregation. We shall have Mass on February 2 at 7.30am.

Mass at Baldock at 3pm on the first Sunday of the month continues thanks to the dedication of Canon Noonan. At Old Hall Green Mass is at 3pm on the third Sunday of the month.

Mike Mason is trying to arrange extra Masses here, and by the time you read this there will have been Mass on the second, as well as the third, Sunday of January but at this stage only the third Sunday can be guaranteed. If people want to check about extra Sundays here, they should phone Mike Mason on 07810 778160. He says to be persistent in phoning as he sometimes cannot find his phone!

Mass in Hertford is at 11am on the fourth Saturday of alternate months, March should be the next one but please check the website to be sure.

Occasionally and unpredictably there is a weekday Mass in the St Albans area. Anyone who would like to be informed of this should contact Tom Short on 07811 275243. This phone does not take voice messages despite my 6th formers’ efforts on my behalf, but it does take texts.

WESTMINSTER (Spanish Place) Roger Wemyss Brooks wemyssbrooks@outlook.com Attendances continue to be steady, and growing especially over the holiday period when there are many visitors. This shows the importance of providing many copies of the Society’s Ordinary Prayers booklets, which are regularly reordered. The printed Propers which are now provided for every Sunday Mass are proving very popular.

We need more servers for Low Mass. Any volunteers may contact me and training can be given if needed.

Something worthy to carry forward from that missed report is a few words on the Wrexham Pilgrimage that took place last October. A wonderful Missa Cantata was celebrated in honour of LMS Co-patron, St Richard Gwyn at Wrexham Cathedral on the 14 October. Canon Amaury Montjean, English and Welsh Pro-Provincial for the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was celebrant and Gregorian Chant was provided by a schola consisting of Mr Bernard Beattie, Mr Peter Bamford, Mr Alastair Tocher and Mr Christian Spence. Approximately 40 attended Mass followed by veneration of the relic and I am grateful to Canon Simon Treloar, Cathedral Dean for his continued support. Next year, we must remember to deal with the fire alarm before Mass rather than during Mass – we learned the hard way that burning incense and smoke detectors don’t go hand in glove!

This last quarter saw Masses taking on the First Saturdays (Buckley), Second Sunday (Llay) and Holywell (Fourth Sunday). We missed the First Saturday at Buckley in December due to Canon Doyle being away.

At Holywell in November, we welcomed Canon Hoban, Vicar General Emeritus of Shrewsbury Diocese to celebrate for us and I am grateful to him for his assistance. Again, in November, but at Llay, Canon Lordan celebrated a Requiem on the second Sunday.

Father Armand de Malleray, FSSP held a retreat at Pantasaph Friary over the weekend of the 8-10 December.

We were able have a Mass for the beautiful Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Friday 8 (and also Masses on the Saturday and Sunday). Despite the snow, it would appear all pilgrims made it safely to sadly the last retreat at the centre as the Franciscans have announced its closure.

The heavy snow that beset North Wales over that weekend made St Francis of Assisi, Llay particularly hard to travel to on Sunday 10 December. However, it was good to see the majority of the regulars present despite the near foot of snow on the roads outside.

Finally, I must ask members of the LMS locally to support the Masses that take place within the diocese. Whilst the core numbers remain pretty static, it would be good to see some movement upwards.

From February, the first Saturday Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, Buckley will be at 11am (previously 12.30pm). The Old Rite Mass will actually replace the English Mass on the first Saturday.

WESTMINSTER (Uxbridge) Sebastian Morello The First Friday Masses are going well, and continue to be well attended. Although the choir is quite small, we always have a Sung Mass, which is excellent. It is hoped that this year will see a new server at Uxbridge, which will greatly benefit Fr Schofield as he continues to offer this special Mass, which is so important to those practicing the First Friday Sacred Heart devotion.

WREXHAM Kevin Jones 01244 674011 I omitted to submit a report for the last copy of Mass of Ages, mea culpa!

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Canon Montjean celebrating Mass at Wrexham

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ART AND DEVOTION

A Second Epiphany Caroline Shaw looks at The Presentation in the Temple

by Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) 1648, Musées des Beaux-Arts, Brussels

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his large and magnificent work, a somewhat under-rated masterpiece in the Musées des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, could perhaps be described as the definitive representation of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The artist captures the central moment of the episode in which the aged Simeon, a ‘just and devout man’ who has spent his life in prayer and penance, takes the infant Jesus in his arms and thanks God for fulfilling the promise made to him by the Holy Ghost, that he would see the Messiah before he died.

As onlookers, we gaze up at Simeon, who stands above us on one of the top steps of the classical portico in front of the Temple of Jerusalem. He raises his eyes to Heaven with a look of profound and sincere gratitude. He is moved beyond words. It is almost as though, at that moment, he can see the face of God the Father, to Whom he has devoted his whole life, while at the same moment he comprehends in the interior of his soul that the baby in his arms is God the Son. It is a momentous event in the life of this venerable old man, and indeed in the life of the Church. The artist has captured the brief instant before Simeon utters the great prayer of thanksgiving and resignation that we know as the Nunc Dimittis: “Now, Lord lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.”

This is a moment of great weight, and indeed of great complexity, for if at first it appears as though Simeon is presenting the infant Jesus to His Father in Heaven, it becomes clear, when one looks closely at the solemn and magnificent face of Jesus, and then at the humble and accepting expression of Simeon, that it is Our Lord, in the form of an infant, who presents the holy old man to His Father.

We are reminded of this in the words of the Alleluia of the Mass for this feast:

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“The old man carried the child: but the child ruled the old man, Alleluia.” St Ephraem (d. AD 373), also expounded upon this in a homily on Our Lord: “Now Simeon the priest, when he took Him up in his arms to present Him before God, understood as he saw Him that he was not presenting Him, but was being himself presented.” This central moment reflects in a most beautiful way Simeon’s intimate communion with the three persons of the Trinity: he prays to God the Father in Heaven, he holds God the Son in his arms, and he has God the Holy Ghost, who led him to the Temple, as his guide.

St Joseph stands to the extreme left of the painting, holding two turtledoves in a basket. He gazes in silent wonder at the old man. Our Lady, who stands next to Simeon, seems to direct her gaze towards the prophetess Anna, the holy and venerable lady of fourscore and four years who, as St Luke tells us, appeared at that instant, and “gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Anna points towards Jesus, and explains to her companions that here, in the old man’s arms, is the long-awaited Messiah.

Our Lady gestures towards herself in an expression of humility, but it is also a gesture that foreshadows what we know of Simeon’s final words to her: “a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also.”

We remember as we look at her gesture, that this occasion is one of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. It is clear that she has a foretaste of the sword, as she looks with calm yet sombre attention at the two venerable characters, who seem to know so much about her new-born son. Our Lady’s gesture and expression, of humility mingled with a certain trepidation, might remind us with good reason of the Annunciation: the Angel Gabriel announced Our Lord’s Messianic royalty, whereas this time it is Our Lord’s work of redemption which is being announced.

The ‘sign of contradiction’ that Simeon speaks of, has long been interpreted

as a reference to the Cross, Our Lord’s Passion and the suffering of His mother.

This moment is also a second Epiphany, in which the divinity of the infant Jesus is recognised and acknowledged in the wider world. We are reminded of this by the trio of young men standing next to Anna, who take on the role of the three wise men as onlookers and adorers. They are a masterpiece of quiet drama, beautifully painted, with their wonderfully individual and expressive faces. As they contemplate the Christchild, each undergoes his own interior moment of epiphany, of revelation and conversion.

The artist Philippe de Champaigne was a man of deep faith and sincere convictions. Born into poverty in Brussels, he moved to Paris and quickly became one of the most successful and soughtafter artists at the royal court of the Queen Mother, Mary de’ Medici. He was a great favourite of Cardinal Richelieu, and later of King Louis XIV. He painted portraits of the entire French court, the French high nobility, important members of the Church and State, parliamentarians, architects and other men and women of note. At the height of his popularity and success, he became increasingly drawn to the devout life, and by the time this work was painted, he had become closely involved with Port Royal, the convent in Paris that was at the time the centre of the Jansenist movement in France. Both his daughters became nuns at this convent, and indeed one, Soeur Cathérine, was said to have been miraculously cured from paralysis by her Abbess. De Champaigne’s strong inclination towards austerity and spirituality, and his yearning in his later years for the contemplative life, is perfectly encapsulated in the face of Simeon, the old man who dedicated his life to fasting and prayer, and who was rewarded for his devotion and fidelity by a direct encounter with God Himself.

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ART AND DEVOTION

The artist captures the instant just before Simeon utters the beautiful words of the Nunc Dimittis

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COMMENT

A telling silence Mary O’Regan on the fear of speaking out

"Sorry, Mary. I know I discussed giving you an interview but I'd rather not, I can't air my views on Catholicism.

I'd look more conservative than Pope Francis," said a high-profile Catholic I'd been chasing for an interview. Worried their views on Catholic teaching would be picked up by news sites and they would be hauled over the coals for being a conservative outlier in the time of Pope Francis, they balked at sitting down with me and my Dictaphone.

They were forthright with me because we'd become friendly over the months I had tried to charm them into going on the record on the subject of their personal prayer life and how at home they were in the Catholic Church.

Others feared such an interview would be a gateway for further forensic questioning by the media on such things as “gay rights” and if they agreed with the statement, "who am I to judge" when they may believe such a "lifestyle" to be sinful. They didn't feel the Pope had their back anymore. Yet, it was still the early days of the Francis Papacy.

I was still zealous about seeking out high-profile Catholics, and Catholics in the public eye, who quietly attend the Latin Mass.

I had enjoyed a little success doing interviews during the reign of Pope Benedict when people were so much more open and when the thought of sounding more conservative than the Pope was far from their minds. Now the

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misty days of 2014 and 2015 were upon us, I was getting copious commissions from newspapers and magazines in both England and Ireland and I was sending one interview request per day on average. Yet, as Pope Francis's papacy took on a loose-lipped, loquacious life of its own, the irony was that Catholics in the limelight became tongue-tied about their piety and beliefs.

One exception to this rule was Bill Murray, who gave a fearless, freewheeling interview to The Guardian in November 2014. Among other things, Murray said, "I tend to disagree with what they call the New Mass. I think we lost something by losing the Latin. Now if you go to a Catholic Mass even just in Harlem it can be in Spanish, it can be in Ethiopian, it can be in any number of languages. The shape of it, the pictures, are the same but the words aren’t the same… And I really miss the music – the power of it, y’know? Yikes! Sacred music has an effect on your brain."

‘As a defence mechanism many influential Catholics have fallen silent’

One evening I was at a Tridentine Mass in central London and saw Bill Murray sidle in, clad in a very formal black suit and conducting himself very reverently.

Bill Murray aside, the silence has generally been deafening. And with each new interview Pope Francis has given, the trepidation among people with a public image has only grown greater. Fear of being contrasted with Pope Francis and of being found to be more conservative or traditional is not always the reason for refusing an interview. But it has been given (or hinted at) often enough I've seen a trend emerging. Most of you may be thinking of the interview Jacob ReesMogg gave in 2016, but his interview was all the most exceptional because, for the greater part, Catholics the world over (who have similar fame to ReesMogg) have not dared give an interview as he did.

As a defence mechanism many influential Catholics have fallen silent.

This is more self-protective than cowardice, an exercise in not giving the liberal media sticks to beat them with. Is silence for safety's sake, the hallmark of a dictatorship? When people feel secure by keeping quiet is this the sign of oppression? As I write this I'm careful not to name names or give personal identifying details - it is telling this would cause distress. And I've instructed my best friend to burn all my journals to black ash in the event of my death or disappearance. Only joking - or am I? I can theorise why there was not a coterie of Catholic celebrities who spoke up to defend Francis in light of the ongoing opposition to Amoris Laetitia. I don't believe they care to agree with him. I suggest that had highprofile Catholics wholly embraced Amoris Laetitia they would not be shy about supporting Francis in the public eye. Were they to, they would become darlings of the mainstream. They, however, remain as they have been: silent.

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FEATURE

The Sorrows of Mary Alan Frost on the history of settings of The Stabat Mater

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he Stabat Mater, a mournful poem reflecting on the sorrows of Mary as her Son hung on the Cross, has been prayed since medieval times. It has also been set to music by many composers going back to the 1400s. The opening verse, which sets the tone, begins ‘Stabat mater dolorosa’, ‘the sorrowful mother stood’. In English it begins: ‘At the Cross her station keeping Stood the mournful mother weeping Close to Jesus to the last.’

The three-line structure of each verse and the metre closely resembles the funereal Dies Irae, Dies Illa. The Stabat Mater has one extra stanza. The whole of the text graphically describes the Mother of Christ at the foot of the Cross, a favourite theme of medieval piety. It was probably written by a Franciscan monk, Jacopone de Todi (1228-1306).

Though this devotional poem has only been used as a sequence in the Roman Catholic liturgy to plainchant melody since 1727, composers had been setting the Blessed Virgin’s sorrow by the Cross to music much earlier, most notably Palestrina, the sixteenth century inspirer of so much polyphonic singing.

A chorister himself in the major choirs of Rome, including the Pope’s own choir, the Capella Giulia, he wrote a great deal of sacred music, as did his Flemish contemporary (both died in 1594), Orlando Lassus, who also composed a Stabat Mater. As did Josquin des Pres, who was writing in the fifteenth century; an acknowledged master of polyphony before its development by the likes of Palestrina.

Moving into the Baroque period, several settings of the Stabat Mater were written by the prolific opera composer Alessandro Scarlatti, who died in 1725, and one by his son Domenico, specifically for ten voices. Around this time another Italian, Giovanni Baptista Pergolesi, who died tragically young at 26, composed perhaps one of the most stunning settings of the work.

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In 1735, a year before his death he moved to the Franciscan monastery at Pozzuoli, where he wrote his powerful interpretation of the poem. In 1767 the great Haydn composed his famous and lengthy setting, though only for a small orchestra and choir. Of this work he wrote: ‘I set to music with all my power the highly esteemed hymn called Stabat Mater.’

With Haydn’s work we see a devotional composition, but also the start of performance-for-audience. This was developed by Rossini who, by the age of 37 (in 1829), had composed almost all his great works including his last opera William Tell. But he had one great work left: his Stabat Mater. Its first performance (in 1842) was at the Paris Theatre and was an immediate success. Similar huge approval was witnessed two months later in its Italian debut conducted

by Donizetti in Bologna.

Set for four voices and choir it would not claim to probe the depths of human suffering, but surely conveys the joy of the believer at the prospect of redemption. As the last verse ‘Quando corpus morietur’ says, ‘when my body perishes, grant my soul the glory of Heaven.’

Another 19th century composer, whose reputation increased from his setting of the poem (in 1877), was Dvorak, the first Bohemian composer to achieve world-wide recognition.

The Hungarian Liszt, who took minor Orders, set the Stabat Mater to music, as did a later Hungarian, Kodaly. Towards the end of the century, and towards the end of his life, the great opera composer Verdi wrote Four Sacred Pieces, the final one being the Stabat Mater, in 1896-7.

Elsewhere in Europe, the Irish composer Charles Stanford (1852-1924), included the Stabat Mater among his numerous choral settings.

The coming of the twentieth century did not diminish the appeal of the Virgin’s sorrows to the composer.

Arvo Part (born 1935) put Estonia on the musical map, and his religious compositions, notably his Stabat Mater, were critiques of the atheistic yoke his country was under for so long. His Polish contemporary Penderecki, made a setting of the work and of the Dies Irae dedicated to the memory of the victims of Auschwitz. Another Pole, less avant-garde than Penderecki, Symanowski, composed a setting of the Stabat Mater sung in his native tongue, first performed in Warsaw in 1929.

Seventeen years later the English composer and convert Lennox Berkeley won much acclaim for his setting of the religious work.

In France, a composer who made his name in the 1920s, Poulenc, set the work to music in 1950 following the death of a close friend. As recently as 2008, Karl Jenkins premiered his Stabat Mater, a composition about grief, in Liverpool, and even more recent (2016) is the setting of the Stabat Mater by the UK’s leading contemporary composer, Sir James MacMillan, a Patron of the Latin Mass Society.

For more than seven hundred years, over 190 composers have reminded us through these settings of the grief of mothers everywhere. As the opening of the fifth verse, one of the most moving passages, asks: Quis est homo qui non fleret? Is there one who would not weep?

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ARCHITECTURE

St Thomas of Canterbury Paul Waddington visits one of Preston’s most interesting churches

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ntil the closure of St Augustine’s Church in 1984 (and later demolition), Preston had no fewer than 17 Catholic churches, and this excludes the churches in suburbs south of the River Ribble, which are not strictly within the current city boundaries. Of these, six are (or were) large impressive buildings located close to the city centre, and dating from the middle years of nineteenth century. The largest of the central churches is the Church of St Walburge, which was described in an earlier article in this series. This article concerns the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, which was opened in 1867 and was the last of the six to be built.

Sketch of EW Pugin's original design showing West End with proposed tower

The site chosen for English Martyrs Church (as it is usually known) is an historic one. Formerly known as Gallows Hill, it was the place of execution of sixteen of the leaders of the Jacobite Rising of 1715. A century later in 1817, Garstang Road, which is the main road leading north from Preston, was widened and its gradient eased, which necessitated the levelling of much of Gallows Hill. During the excavations,

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The exterior of the church today

the skeletons of two headless bodies were found, as well as some timbers, which were thought to be the remains of the gallows. Another 50 years later the remaining part of Gallows Hill was levelled to make way for the building of the English Martyrs Church.

In 1864, Bishop Alexander Goss of Liverpool* sent Fr James Taylor to establish a new church to serve the northern part of Preston. A temporary chapel was soon established in the stables of Wren’s Cottage, a several hundred yards to the north of the present church. Fr Taylor bought land at Gallows Hill, had it levelled, and engaged Edward Welby Pugin to design a permanent church. Pugin’s design was for a Gothic church built of rustic sandstone with a five bay nave and apsidal chancel. As was Edward Pugin’s practice in this period, the aisles to north and south were only used for circulation, so that the whole congregation could see the altar. He also designed a tower with four spirelets to stand at the southwest corner, but this was never executed.

Building started in time for Bishop Goss to lay the foundation stone in 1866, and was sufficiently advanced for the bishop to return in December 1867 for the opening ceremony. It had cost £8,000.

Western facade Externally, the most striking feature was, and still is, the west end, which included a very large eight light window with intricate curved tracery. Mounted

on the gable above the window, were a trio of prominent spirelets, decorated with niches and blind arches. These closely resembled the intended spirelets of the proposed tower. Pugin added statues to the tallest spirelet, which is corbelled from the apex of the west window in a manner that he used on several other churches. As a composition, the western facade is impressive, and would have been even more spectacular if the tower had been built. The nave was some 50ft to the apex, sufficiently high to allow tall lancet windows at clerestory level. The chancel had pairs of two light windows high in each of its five walls.

Beneath, there were large oil paintings, and at floor level a row of statues of saints and martyrs. Naturally, there was a fine stone altar with reredos.

In 1874, Fr Taylor moved on to build other churches elsewhere in Lancashire. He was replaced by Fr Joseph Pyke, who soon decided that the church should be enlarged, and asked Edward Pugin to return and design an extension. Unfortunately, Edward Pugin died before any work could be undertaken, but the project was passed to his younger brother, Cuthbert, and his half-brother, Edmund Peter (known as Peter Paul). In partnership as Pugin and Pugin, they took down the apse at the eastern end, and extended the nave by two bays. They also added transepts and a new and enlarged apsidal chancel, which was under a differentiated roof line. The result was to increase the seating capacity by a third, as well as providing side altars in the transepts and a more generously sized sanctuary. The foundation stone for the extension was laid by Bishop Bernard O’Reilly in 1887, and the work was completed in 1888 at a cost of a further £8,000.

The extended church is large, with a seating capacity of 850. The round columns of the arcade have foliated capitals and are tall and slim, which serves to emphasise the considerable height of the building. Above the arcading, lancet windows (two per bay), together with the large west window,

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ARCHITECTURE

and the English Martyrs Act of confidence In the year 2000, a new community room was added. This was an act of confidence at a time following years of declining congregations, largely due to slum clearance and the migration of former parishioners to new housing estates where new churches had been built. Nevertheless, the decline continued. In 2012 the presbytery was sold, there no longer being a resident priest; and in 2014, the parish was merged with those of St Ignatius and St Joseph, and renamed the Parish of St John XXIII. The future for the church, and the other churches in central Preston was looking very bleak.

The remodelled sanctuary

supply plenty of natural light, giving the church a spacious feeling. The ceiling is nicely finished with the spaces between the roof trusses filled with planking to form a sort of wagon roof.

Interior decoration Unlike the earlier design, the new chancel was separated from the nave by a chancel arch, from which was suspended a rood with the figures of Our Lady and St John at either side. The floor level of the sanctuary was raised, giving the altar greater prominence. The walls of the new sanctuary were arranged in three tiers, the lowest one being plain stone. Above, the statues of saints and martyrs were reinstated, and at a higher level, each of the five walls of the apse has a pair of two light windows containing stained glass, but with sufficient clear glass to provide plenty of natural light.

The oil paintings were not reused in the remodelled church.

The high altar was reinstated, but with a more elaborate reredos incorporating an impressive monstrance throne, surmounted by an ornate canopy in the shape of a spire. Pugin and Pugin,

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as always, proved themselves masters of interior decoration. They were able to reuse much of Edward’s work, such as the rood, the statues of saints and martyrs and the windows, and yet improve on the design.

The church had to wait until 1921 for its consecration, indicating that it took a long time to pay off the debt. Since then, it has remained relatively intact, escaping the worst excesses of postVatican II reordering. The creation of a narthex beneath the choir loft in 1964 must be considered an improvement, as perhaps can the relocating of the baptismal font to its current position in the centre aisle.

What is most pleasing for the present day visitor, is the survival of many original Pugin features, which in many churches have been jettisoned in the name of post-Vatican II liturgical practice. These include the high altar, the marble altar rails with their gates, and the marble pulpit, which stands on pillars and is complete with its wooden tester. Another interesting feature is the war memorial chapel with an impressive number of names of fallen heroes of the First World War.

Bishop Campbell celebrating Mass in September 2017

Bishop Michael Campbell OSA, Bishop of Lancaster since 2008, has been very determined to secure the future of Preston’s central churches.

He arrived too late on the scene to save St Augustine’s, but did manage to save three others. He handed over the care of St Walburge’s to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in 2014 and the Church of St Ignatius’ to the Syro-Malabar community in 2015.

In September 2017, he entrusted the English Martyrs Church to the ICKSP, marking the occasion by celebrating a Pontifical Solemn Mass. The ICKSP now offers daily Mass in the Extraordinary Form at both its churches in Preston.

* Preston was in the Diocese (later Archdiocese) of Liverpool until 1924, when the Diocese of Lancaster was erected.

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TRADITIONS

Pisanki: Polish Easter Eggs By a priest of the Birmingham Oratory

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carcely does the New Year begin than our supermarkets stock chocolate Easter Eggs. In fact, this piece of confectionary echoes a richer and more venerable custom. As Easter draws closer many households in Central and Eastern Europe carry out the ancient tradition of decorating real chicken or duck eggs for Easter. The practice is found in German and Balkan regions, as well as pan-Slavic areas, and the Tsars were known to present costly jewelled and enamelled eggs to friends and family. But the custom reached the highest art form in Poland and the western Ukraine.

Called ‘pisanki’, from the Polish ‘pisac’ (to write), this folk art is executed by various techniques. Perhaps the most ancient is to hard-boil the eggs using natural vegetable dyes – orange or yellow from onion skins, red from red onion skins or beetroot, green from spinach or various kinds of moss. The artist then carefully scratches designs with a sharp point, revealing the original white of the shell below. An alternative is to use a brush to ‘write’ designs of a darker shade on a more lightly coloured egg. Geometrical compositions or repeated floral motifs are popular; lines intersected by diagonal strokes and the words, ‘Christ is risen, Alleluia’ and sprigs of Pussy Willow – used on Palm Sunday in parts of Poland – are also popular, as are zigzag designs which represent wolves’ teeth, to protect from evil!

The more skilled artist may attempt to paint birds. Sometimes the eggs are ‘blown’ by pricking a hole at each end and expelling the contents by blowing. Some decorate their eggs with intricate patterns of wool glued on, or even white eggs with red spots to represent the blood of Christ; this is a frequent practice in Lithuania.

Red has always been the most popular and auspicious colour, and red eggs are sometimes called ‘kraszanki’. ‘Krasno’ is the Old Slavic word for red, and of course calls to mind the Precious Blood.

But the most stunning results are obtained by a batik technique using melted wax and several dyes. By means of a tiny metal funnel, the pattern – in a light

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shade or white – is drawn on the egg with melted wax. The egg is then dipped in the palest dye, which of course will not stick to the eggshell where it is covered in wax.

More patterns are drawn in wax, and the egg dipped in the next, darker, dye. The process may be continued, depending on how many colours the artist wishes to include. Finally, the wax is scraped or melted off to reveal the intricate multicoloured designs beneath.

If blown, these beautiful eggs can be kept for many years. Decorated eggs, and sometimes wooden ones, are also made professionally, and sold in folk art shops.

The ritual use of eggs stretches back to the pagan past. To our ancestors, mother nature would be kind and produce flowers, fruit, and vegetables in warmer seasons; but she could be equally harsh and destructive, bringing snow, storms, and floods. The fertile egg, bringing forth new life in the spring, was a source of wonder and magic. Farmers would place an egg in their fields at sowing time, to encourage fertility. Eggs were given as courtship gifts, and left as votive offerings on the graves of the dead.

With the introduction of Christianity, the symbolism of the egg took on a new meaning. The chick breaking forth from the egg called to mind the Resurrection of Christ from the tomb at Easter, so the custom of pisanki became even more popular among the Slavs.

With the dawning of Easter all the forbidden foods of Lent can be once again enjoyed with great enthusiasm. A dyed, hardboiled egg is cut into pieces and shared by all the family members at the table as a sign of good-will. A lamb made from icing sugar or a lamb-shaped cake stands in the centre of the table, reminding us of Christ, the Pascal Lamb.

But before any of these things can be enjoyed, they require the blessing of the priest. On Holy Saturday morning crowds make their way to church, each person holding a decorated basket containing a sample of all the good things to be eaten at Easter breakfast: some salami, bread and cake, salt, horseradish sauce, and coloured pisanki cheerfully nestling among it all. The customary blessing, and even the blessed goods themselves, are called ‘święconki’; a word meaning ‘little blessed things’!

Priests bless the food and sprinkle holy water. Many people present the priest with an item from their basket; he has been too busy with Holy Week ceremonies to prepare swieconki himself.

Only after the first morning Easter Mass, the ‘Resureksja’, when the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession three times around the church, can the Easter breakfast begin. The pisanki remain proudly on display and then are carefully stored away until the next Easter.

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COMMENT

Serving a purpose L

Do we still believe in Parishes? asks Fr Bede Rowe

ast year, I became Parish Priest and Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady, St Mary of Glastonbury, the oldest shrine to Our Lady in the country, and also the Priest in charge of St Michael’s, Shepton Mallet. To all intents and purposes, the latter is Parish Priest in all but name. It is good to be back in the harness as it were, but the nature of parishes has been in my mind lately, not least because of a conference I was lately at, where the speaker asked whether parishes were holding Priests and the Church back from her mission of evangelisation.

Just to stop here for a moment.

By evangelisation, I do not mean the empowerment of the lay faithful in taking their place in the body of Christ, to use modern (40-year-old) jargon, but rather the spreading of the Good News of the salvation which Christ has won for us through His death and resurrection, and the continuation of that saving presence in Our Holy Mother, the Church. Nor am I one of the ‘you are the living stones which make up the Church, the bricks and mortars are holding us back’ brigade.

So, what do I mean? Well, parishes are the stable structures through which the Church interacts with the people of God on a day to day basis, and the people of the parish are those people who have been given into the care of a Priest – the cure of souls. And it was a moment of pride I am sure, when in the 19th century, the Catholic Church was again allowed to set up the parochial structure and exist alongside other groups of Christians in our country. But parishes are there to serve a purpose and are not an end in themselves.

In a way, parishes are part of a world system which no longer exists. In times gone by, people would not move too far from home. I remember asking a lovely lady in Hartlepool if she had always lived there. She looked aghast and said ‘No, I moved here when my husband and I got married.’ When I asked her where she had moved from (suspecting the untold

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of delights of Middlesbrough or the likes) she replied that she had been born in a house down the street! As the world has got smaller, the idea that in our pick-andmix world, and, we must be honest, in our pick-and-mix church, people simply go to their parish Church is far from the reality. People get in their cars, as they do for their shopping, work, and recreation and they drive to where they want to go to Mass. This is not universal, of course, and I know of many who do not have the luxury of such ease of travel, but it is much more common than it used to be.

We also have stable structures which exist outside of parish boundaries. The military is one, but so are the Polish chaplains, and the Syro-Malabar rites, not to mention the Ordinariate. So, we have to ask, with so many exceptions, are parishes still serving the purpose for which they were intended?

One of the problems of parochial structures is that they can end up in the maintenance of the building and keeping the (material) show on the road. A Priest, when he knows of his new appointment, enters his new Church, raises his eyes to heaven and utters the prayer, ‘Thank God’.

Often, it’s for the state of the roof, rather than anything more holy! And although we are not perhaps quite at the level of the perpetual thermometer outside the Church building denoting the state of play of the Church heating/sound system/roof fund (delete as appropriate), such concerns can eat up a considerable amount of the Priest’s and the people’s time. With unlimited resources and people this need not be a problem, but for the vast majority of parishes, a leak or electrical fault is found, then this takes immediate priority.

It may be time that we have to face the hard question of whether parishes and parish buildings as we usually understand them, built in a time of numerous priests, and numerous laity, are helping or hindering the command to bring the world to Christ.

More of this anon…

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FEATURE

A simple but beautiful life Canon Amaury Montjean welcomes the Sisters to Preston

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here was an unusual sight at Manchester airport last 11 November. At the invitation of the Rt Rev. Michael G. Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster, four Religious Sisters arrived in full Religious habit. A suitcase in each hand, they were welcomed by a Canon of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. A lively conversation about the weather and the history of the area sprang up as the car whistled off to Preston, their new home.

After what seemed a brief journey, the Sisters stood for the first time in front of St Augustine’s Presbytery: a tall red-brick building solemnly standing next to Newman College. St Augustine’s Presbytery has become the heart of activity for many generous benefactors.

The Canons of the Institute, the parish priest and many friends had already been hard at work to prepare the convent. Nothing had been overlooked.

There was already a chapel with an altar embellished with an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour to welcome the Sisters. Henceforth, this convent would serve as the base in which the community of Sisters would pray, work, sleep and eat. The following day, after Solemn Benediction at English Martyr’s, our new Shrine church in Preston, in the presence of Msgr Wach, Prior General of the Institute, and a welcoming reception, the convent was blessed by Bishop Campbell. The Sisters’ adventure was off to a good start.

The Sisters have also been discovering the Church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs.

They set to tidying and polishing, and preparing for Mass and Adoration.

Having the grace to serve God in a church dedicated in honour of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, the Sisters attend the monthly talks given by the Canons on the lives of these Saints and Martyrs. It is important to know these great saints under whose protection we all are.

The Sisters Adorers sing the proper of the Mass in Gregorian chant on Sundays, accompanied by a faithful organist. After

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each Sunday Mass, the Sisters are delighted to meet and chat over a cup of tea. At 4pm there is Rosary and Benediction at St Joseph Parish Church. Shortly afterwards, the Sisters are in St Walburge’s Church for the Sunday devotions of Vespers, Rosary and Benediction.

The life of the Sisters in Preston has not been confined to the convent and church. On foot or by car, the Sisters are discovering the nearby parks, the Harris Museum, visiting the parish schools to speak of the religious life, singing Christmas carols to the elderly, and attending the annual Christmas Bazaar.

Recognisable by their black and white habits, it often happens that the Sisters are stopped in the street by locals who wish to confide in them their troubles or express their joy at seeing Sisters again in Preston.

No apostolate is fruitful without God’s assistance. The morning begins when the Sisters confide the day into the hands of Divine Providence, followed by the Consecration to the Royal Heart of Jesus and the Prayer to Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest. The Office of Lauds is sung and extended by an hour of prayer.

Ora et Labora, pray and work, says St Benedict, a patron saint of the Institute;

the Sisters then have time for household duties. At 11.30am it is time to leave the convent to lead the Rosary and assist at midday Mass in the church of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs. On their return and after the community lunch (in silence, during which they listen to an instruction or the life of a saint), the Sisters have a Gregorian chant practice to learn the next Sunday Mass, Religious instruction, as well as the continuation of the daily tasks. Every day at 5pm, the Sisters go to St Walburge’s Church and join the Canons for the Office of Vespers, an hour of Adoration with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Office of Compline, which peacefully concludes a well-filled day. The last deed of the day is the preparation of the points for the next day’s prayer. The day closes with these holy thoughts and ‘the Great Silence.’

The life of the Sisters is simple but beautiful, all centred on the Sacred Heart and the sacrifice of their own life. Their silent prayer for many, and in particular for priests, is vital in a secularised world.

Their faithful witness in the Church is a token of Eternal life. If you wish to help them, contact icksp-uk@icrsp.org, or call 01772 739367.

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FEATURE

Young Catholic Adults Damian Barker reports from Douai Abbey

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etreats are for everyone – for ordinary people at any time in our lives, giving us the option to step aside from life for a while, to rest and become spiritually refreshed in a peaceful environment.

St Benedict did not envisage his monasteries as existing primarily for receiving passing guests. In fact, he saw them as sanctuaries for those who wished permanently to put away the distractions of the world and seek Christ.

Yet, St Benedict recognised the attraction monasteries held for those in the world, and resigned himself with goodwill to making provision for guests, that they be welcomed as if they are Christ himself, as the rule of St Benedict says; “Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, ‘I came as a guest, and you received Me’ (Mt 25:35). And to all let due honour be shown, especially to the domestics of the faith and to pilgrims. (Chapter 53: On the Reception of Guests – the Rule of Saint Benedict) For the last few years, Young Catholic Adults (or YCA) have been guests of Douai Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery in Berkshire, with the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge providing the music for High/Sung Masses, Vespers and Compline. The Rule of St Benedict states: “Let us therefore consider how we ought to conduct ourselves in sight of God and His angels, and let us take part in the psalmody in such a way that our mind may be in harmony with our voice;” (Rule of St Benedict, 19) with this in mind, the weekend encourages the promotion of chant. As in previous years, the Schola organised Gregorian Chant workshops throughout the weekend.

The accommodation was split between “the Cottages”, which are ideal for young people on retreat, or for student or chaplaincy groups seeking simple, discreet, flexible and accessible accommodation; and the Guesthouse, which provides a range of single, double

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Marian Procession in Honour of Our Lady of Fatima with Fr Lawrence Lew OP (left) Canon Poucin ICKSP (centre)

and twin rooms that are adjacent to the main Monastery.

More than 50 people from all over the country attended (20-22 October), the theme was building small and convinced Catholic communities. There was a Votive High Mass for the Douai Martyrs, on Saturday 21 October, with Canon Vianney Poucin de Wouilt ICKSP, as celebrant, Dom. Christopher Greener OSB as Deacon, and Fr Lawrence Lew OP as Subdeacon; followed by a Marian Procession around the grounds of the Abbey in honour of Our Lady of Fatima.

On Sunday, Fr Lawrence Lew celebrated a Dominican Rite Sung Mass. There were also three catechetical talks, Rosaries, two sessions of Confessions, Vespers, and socials! Furthermore, 15 people were enrolled in the Brown Scapular of Mount Carmel.

The Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge was founded in 1975 by the late Dr Mary Berry CBE, an Augustinian Canoness and Cambridge musicologist, with the purpose of advancing the singing and study of Gregorian chant. The chants, full of beauty and variety, and with a profound spiritual content, have been

composed and developed throughout the centuries, and contain music special to many regions and cultures.

Further details, including information about how to become an Associate, can be found at the Schola’s website, www.scholagregoriana.org Young Catholic Adults is a group which promotes a spirit of orthodoxy with charity; it has a deliberately positive non-divisive outlook and uses the Church’s devotional heritage in order to aid souls. YCA promotes the celebration of Masses in the Extraordinary Form, Adoration, the Rosary and other Marian devotions. It is loyal to the Magisterium and follows Benedict XVI’s teaching as found in Summorum Pontificum. YCA has a yearly weekend retreat, which is becoming ever more successful every year, together with other events around the country. The organisation has worked with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, Dominicans, Benedictines and Diocesan clergy. For more information, please see www.youngcatholicadults. co.uk or youngcatholicadults-latestnews blogspot.co.uk

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COMMENT

Something numinous Lone Veiler on the joys of tradition

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'm not, if honest, at my best at 6.30 in the morning in the depths of winter, but who is? So getting up for Rorate Masses in Advent was something of a struggle. Waking everyone up, defogging the windscreen and scraping ice, and driving in the dark, freezing cold, desperate for my morning cuppa, doesn't put me in the best of moods.

As this year wasn't the first time I'd been to Rorate Masses, I was aware that, if I just got up and gritted my teeth, I would be rewarded with something both spooky and sublime. The church, in complete darkness save the candles blazing, and the sanctuary just glowing in flickering light, looked otherworldly and not just timeless, but out of time heavenly in other words.

Of course, what always surprises some people is the number of children present. Yes, children, carrying candles, sitting still-ish and silent (for the most part!), while the liturgy unfolds in the dark. They just love it.

And the symbolism of the dawn Mass isn't lost on them at all. Far from needing to have the Masses dumbed down, it was explained to me, by a child, that we go in with a candle expecting the light of the world to come, and as it gets light outside it reminds us that Jesus is coming and has come. Kids actually ask to go to these dawn Masses. They don't need any talking down to, they don't need to be told, their response to being treated maturely in the Faith is that they pretty much all behave maturely.

Which leads me to ask the question, who in their right minds ever thought that children's Masses, and liturgy, were ever going to actually give children what they need in terms of learning their faith? I don't like being patronised, do you? So why should children spend their formative years being patronised with ‘Jesus and Me colouring’, and not fit for purpose courses for First Holy Communion? Felt banners? Please no, just no. I have yet to meet a child who thinks they are anything other

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than hideous or hilarious, neither response is particularly conducive to concentration at Mass.

Now hang on, dear, I hear you cry, this is the LMS mag, we don't have anything to do with that sort of Nervous Disorder here. Well, yes, actually we do. Where do we believe most Catholics worship? I have a rather schizophrenic worship pattern entirely dependent on whether a Latin Mass is available. I have to live in both worlds,

‘ Kids actually ask to go to these dawn Masses’ whether I like it or not. And it does feel like living in two worlds; unpleasant, but that's the reality for most of us who yearn for the Latin Mass. The Rorate Masses I attended were NO. Would I have preferred Latin? Well what do you think, but as Masses that introduce kids to something of the numinous, sans kiddy worship songs and sending them out giving them the signal that bits of the Mass just aren't for them, they are wonderful. Of course numinous is something the Latin Mass just does, but to show children - and their parents that there is another way to worship that involves contemplation, silence,

spooky darkness, which might just spark a desire for more of it, has to be good. And who knows, a turn towards the Latin Mass? Well, I can dream.

It's not just early Masses that can spark an interest in traditional worship.

Marian processions are being seen once again in my area, black vestments, Benediction, Rosary. All these things point towards the Latin Mass, even if not yet a full-on resurgence (a girl's gotta hope!).

It would be foolish though to ignore the antipathy of certain sectors of congregations - and dare I say clergy to the merest hint of that most dreaded of all things, the 'return to the past'!

I'm not sure there'll ever be a way to get through to that particular mindset, so I don't honestly think there's any point trying. It's enough for them to be horrified that I eschewed the folk Masses I was brought up with as soon as I realised there was an alternative, however irregular and far away, and wear a veil. That really does their heads in. Which is a shame, as once I discovered women could veil, I never looked back.

So, veiling. Does it make a difference? Personally, yes, I physically recognise Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament by wearing my veil, it's helped my prayer life enormously, also comes in handy as blinkers at the NO if custody of the eyes is called for.

Interestingly, where for years I was once the only veiler, I am now one of six. What does this mean? Something is changing for women? Women like lace? Women feel called to respond to the stifled and muffled call of Church tradition? I don't know, but it makes me happy to no longer be the only one. I think Our Lady is pleased too.

However, I'm not changing the name of this column to One of Six; it would make me sound like I'm part of the Borg collective in Star Trek Next Generation. Have I mentioned before that I really love Science Fiction…?

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FEATURE

Heal the sick!

By the Catholic Medical Association’s Committee for the New Evangelization

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ormerly the Guild of Catholic Doctors, the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) was founded in 1911. As healthcare has changed, so has the CMA: such that a few years ago we chose to admit not only Catholic doctors but Catholics from all branches of healthcare.

This is undoubtedly a good thing, as modern healthcare teams are multidisciplinary and thus our organization reflects the contemporary healthcare team. Consequently, it can draw on the skills and experience of a wide range of healthcare professionals.

The Catholic Medical Quarterly is the journal of the CMA and has been published in its current format since 1947, but can trace its heritage back to at least the 1930s. The CMA has also fostered medical missionary training and supported medical missions through the Catholic Medical Mission Society, founded in 1967.

Two years ago, a group of young Catholics in healthcare approached the CMA with a request to set up a new committee to support young Catholics in healthcare through prayer, friendship, and catechesis. This was prompted by our experience of seeing so many of our young Catholic colleagues in healthcare fall away from the Faith and our sense of the urgent need to support them. Since our foundation, we have successfully

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run a variety of events, including two national youth conferences (talks for which will appear on Radio Immaculata very soon!), transforming the CMA Facebook page into an engaging platform which continues to grow, and producing attractive prayer cards to St Giuseppe Moscati (an Italian doctor who lived a century ago).

We named our committee the ‘Committee for the New Evangelization’, taking our inspiration from Bishop Philip Egan’s emphasis on John Paul II’s call to find new ways to evangelize against the backdrop of our sophisticated modern secular society – the so-called ‘New Evangelization.' Bishop Egan has said that this New Evangelization, ‘must be streetwise, media-savvy and critically aware of the culture we live in. Contemporary culture is less a text-based, book culture; it is more a visual culture of concepts, image, art, style and design. We need to see our Catholic Tradition as a toolbox from which things can be taken and used to communicate the message imaginatively and attractively.’

Since many of our committee regularly attend the Traditional Mass, we approached the Latin Mass Society to ask for help to run an event for young Catholics in healthcare (and open to all young pro-life Catholics). This has come to fruition in our upcoming conference ‘Catholics in Healthcare: Men and

Women of Conscience’. This conference will be held at Tyburn Convent in London and is in many ways a collaboration between Tyburn Convent, the CMA, LMS, SPUC and Radio Immaculata.

There will be a Missa cantata followed by lunch and talks. The event will be broadcast on Radio Immaculata. Tyburn Convent is the National Shrine of the Martyrs of England and Wales, so it is fitting that the event should include the Mass at which they would have prayed and for which they died.

Healthcare is, as it were, on a front line against the culture of death and that proximity puts many Catholics off going into it. However, it also offers plenty of opportunities to witness to the Faith. Many of us in healthcare believe we are heeding our Lord’s call to ‘heal the sick’, something the Church has done from the beginning. As the CMA undergoes an exciting resurgence, we beg your prayers and support that we may continue to grow and thus support young Catholics in healthcare to help them keep the Faith.

If you are a healthcare worker, please come to our conference on 10 March.

For more information about the conference search Catholic Medical Association of England and Wales on Facebook.

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FEATURE

Alcuin of York Philip Goddard looks at the life of a remarkable English scholar

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ntil around 1970 the most important books on the Catholic family’s bookshelf were the Holy Bible and the Roman Missal.

For traditionalists they still are. I wonder, though, how many Catholics, traditionalists or not, are aware of how much of the 1962 Roman Missal can be attributed to the work of one man, and an Englishman at that?

The precise year of Alcuin’s birth in York is not known, but it must have been around 735, the year in which St Bede died. His talents were recognised at an early age, and in 766 he became Master of the Cathedral School, where he had himself been educated, as well as Librarian of the Cathedral Library. He occupied this position for some fifteen years, until, on a visit to Italy in 781, he met the man in whose service he was to spend the rest of his life, Charles, King of the Franks, who is known to history, flatteringly, as Charlemagne. Charles’ father was Pepin, known to history, somewhat less flatteringly, as Pepin the Short, who in 747 had become sole ruler of the Frankish Empire.

When Pepin died in 768, his kingdom was divided between his two sons, Carloman and Charles. Carloman died in 771 and Charles became sole ruler. In 774 he visited Rome, where he received the title “King of the Franks and Lombards and Patrician of the Romans” from the Pope. It was Charlemagne’s great ambition to introduce the benefits of civilisation to the semi-barbarous Frankish court. He was therefore on the lookout for men of learning whom he could conscript into supporting him in this task. He decided immediately that Alcuin was just the right man, and succeeded in persuading him to move to Aachen, his capital, as tutor to the royal family and household.

Charles had chosen well. Alcuin not only thoroughly revised the curriculum of the palace school in line with English schools but wrote or rewrote the textbooks himself. However, he was no mere schoolmaster but a deeply learned

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scholar and, like St Francis after him, a great humanist long before the advent of the Renaissance. He took the same delight as Francis in the physical world in all its aspects, as God’s creation for our use and enjoyment. This emerges strongly in his poetry, of which he wrote a good deal, in the classical metres perfected by the great Roman poets.

His themes were the glory of God, the beauty of nature and its transitoriness.

His prayer on retiring to bed deserves to be widely known (and used): He lay with quiet heart in the stern asleep: Waking, commanded both the winds and sea.

Christ, though this weary body slumber deep Grant that my heart may keep its watch with thee.

O Lamb of God that carried all our sin Guard thou my sleep against the enemy.

His love of nature and his sorrow at its transitoriness is well illustrated in his lament for his lost nightingale and its sweet voice: What marvel if the cherubim in heaven Continually do praise Him, when to thee, O small and happy, such a grace was given?

His poetry can also display a sharp sense of humour. On one occasion he received a note from his friend Samuel, Bishop of Sens, to the effect that he was planning a visit. This was highly inconvenient at the time, since Alcuin’s household was suffering from the effects of a particularly poor harvest.

But Alcuin, instead of simply writing a letter asking him not to come, sent him a poem, in which he appealed to the good bishop’s well-known fondness for good living:

So let you stay at Sens, my good bishop, where you still Can keep your men about you and can let them eat their fill: And let no hopes delude you to the sweet fields of the Sauer; Believe me, my lord bishop, you are better where you are.

So be mindful of poor Alcuin, you sitting snug and warm, In your own chimney corner – and God bless you, Sam! Charles’ father, Pepin, had been an enthusiastic Romaniser of the liturgy.

In 753 Bishop Chrodegang of Metz had visited Rome and had persuaded Pope Stephen II to return with him. Stephen’s visit, during which he anointed Pepin and his two sons, Charles and Carloman, as Kings of the Franks, lasted from 753 to 755. This long papal visit enabled the local clergy to familiarise themselves with the nobility and dignity of the Roman rite, and the beauty of its chant, and thus supplied a powerful incentive towards its adoption. Charles continued his father’s policy. But the universal adoption of the Roman rite was severely hampered by a great shortage of suitable books. In an admonition dated 23 March 789, Charles complains of the poor quality of the existing liturgical books, and urges that the task of copying them be undertaken by older men, exercising the greatest care in their work. At about the same time he requested Pope Adrian I to send him a Roman sacramentary.

Adrian sent him one which he described as “immixtum” (i.e. a pure sacramentary of the papal rite, untainted by external elements), known to history as the Hadrianum.

But there was a problem with the Hadrianum. It was a purely papal sacramentary; it contained the liturgy only for the stational days, when the Pope was accustomed to celebrate Mass in one of the stational churches of Rome, and for papal feast days. It did not include any Masses for the ordinary Sundays of the year. Charlemagne therefore gave Alcuin the task of supplementing

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FEATURE

Bishop Otgar of Mainz with Alcuin of York (centre) being introduced to his pupil Rabano Mauro from a Carolingian manuscript of 831

the papal sacramentary by adding Masses for the ordinary Sundays of the year and non-papal feast days, drawing on both Roman and Gallican sources, and composing additional votive Masses himself. At the same time Alcuin also undertook the task of revising the Roman Lectionary for the use of the Gallican Church. The result was a hybrid Romano-Gallican liturgy, which eventually replaced the local rites throughout the Frankish kingdom.

Such was the reverence which the papal sacramentary inspired that originally the Hadrianum and Alcuin’s supplement (the “Hucusque”, as it became known) were kept strictly separate, but as the years went by they were gradually merged. Towards the end of the tenth century this Romano-Gallican liturgy was adopted in Rome itself, and from there it spread throughout the West.

A large number of additions were made over the intervening centuries, particularly Masses for new feasts such as Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart and Christ the King, as well as extra celebrant’s prayers such as those recited at the Offertory, but notwithstanding this the core of the 1962 missal which we still use today is the work of Alcuin of York.

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In 796 Charlemagne appointed Alcuin Abbot of St Martin’s Abbey in Tours, where he remained for the rest of his life. At Tours he established a school, whose pupils included some of the most important scholars of the early mediaeval period, to whose commentaries we owe so much of our knowledge of the liturgy of the time. He also encouraged his monks to perfect the Carolingian script which, as a result of its adoption by Renaissance scholars, is the ancestor of our modern scripts.

When, in 800, Charles was crowned Holy Roman Emperor, Alcuin presented him with a complete Bible, written in his own monastery scriptorium, the text of which had been corrected and purged of errors by himself. And being the man he was, he still found time to appreciate the local wines.

While he was at Tours he became involved in the controversy surrounding the Adoptionist heresy. The Adoptionists claimed that Our Lord was not the true Son of God but merely His adopted son.

One of its leaders was Felix, Bishop of Urgel, and Alcuin wrote a defence of the orthodox doctrine, Contra Felicem, in seven volumes. As a result, Felix’s teachings were condemned and he recanted.

Alcuin never returned to England.

In old age he thought much about his approaching death, and these thoughts are reflected in his verse, for example in a poem addressed to Archbishop Adelhard of Canterbury: And now, Beside the shore of the sail-winged sea I wait the coming of God’s silent dawn.

Do thou help this my journey with thy prayer.

I ask this, with a devoted heart.

Shortly before his death, which occurred in 804, he wrote his own epitaph: Alcuin was my name: learning I loved.

O thou that readest this, pray for my soul.

Next time you open your copy of our beloved Roman Missal, think of that great Englishman, Alcuin of York, and say a prayer of thanksgiving for his life and work, which endures to this day.

The translations of Alcuin’s poems are by Helen Waddell, taken from “Mediaeval Latin Lyrics” (Penguin Classics, 1952) and “More Latin Lyrics” (Gollancz, 1980).

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CROSSWORD

Clues Across

1 A person who carries religious or political convictions too far (7) 5 See 3 Down 8 Mass without incense and just priest and server[s] (3) 9 Bears a likeness to (9) 10 ‘The Curate -- ---’, reference to St John Vianney (2,3) 11 Pope (III) who succeeded the only English pope (9) 14 Port near 13 where St Augustine and his party from Rome landed in 597 (9) 18 Tolkien’s link with campanologist in action! (5) 21 ‘Introibo ad ------ ---’, beginning of the Mass (6.3) 22 ‘---Voce: The History of the FIUV 1964-2003’, recent book by former President Leo Darroch (3) 23 ‘The Oak of -----’, where Abram settled near Hebron after hearing God’s promise [Gen. 13] (5) 24 ‘---- --- standard’; leads by example for others to follow (4,3)

Clues Down

Alan Frost: January 2018

ANSWERS TO WINTER 2017 CROSSWORD

Across:1 Res Ipsa 5 Ricci 8 Bel 9 Obedience 10 Cairo 11 Synagogue 14 Angelorum 18 Equip 21 Intellect 22 Aza 23 Cross 24 Mystery Down: 1 Rubecula 2 Sylvia (or Silvia) 3 Proposal 4 An Even 5 Rail 6 Caning 7 Ilex 12 Gementes 13 Epiphany 15 Giotto 16 Redeem 17 Curate 19 Zinc 20 Alms

Closing Date & Winner

Closing date for the crossword entries: Friday 23 March 2018. The winner of the winter 2017 competition is Dr Porilo from London.

1 Clause (‘and the Son’) from the Creed, source of serious dispute with the Eastern churches (8) 2 Founder of the Birmingham Oratory (6) 3 & 5 Acr: Saint founder of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (6,2,5) 4 ‘The Interior ------’, mystical work of spiritual development by 3 Down (6) 5 ‘---- Mater’, one’s former school or university (4) 6 Holy alternative name for Lindisfarne, founded by St Aidan (6) 7 Typical east end feature of a Romanesque church (4) 12 One who works for the interests of others (8) 13 Where Shrine Church of St Augustine in Kent found, and town where he first preached (8) 15 ‘------ Ioannem Baptistam’, Confiteor (6) 16 Book of the Old Testament (6) 17 A special permission from the Pope, e.g. the Quattuor Abhinc Annos of 1984 (6) 19 Sunday before Easter (4) 20 Early Irish language (4)

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by Canon Amaury Montjean and Canon Scott Tanner ICKSP, at the Oratory School, near Reading, 6-8th April (Low Sunday weekend).

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Gregorian Chant Network: booking now open for the Chant Training Weekend, to be led by Christopher Hodkinson and Fr Guy Nichols, at the Oratory School, near Reading, 6-8th April (Low Sunday weekend).

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UK Chapter of the Chartres Pilgrimage: Thursday 17th May

to Tuesday 22nd. Sponsored places available from the Latin Mass Society.

Email: chartres@duc-in-altum.co.uk

Latin Mass Society: booking now open for the Residential Latin Course, to be led by Fr John Hunwicke and Fr Richard Bailey, at the Carmelite Priory, Boars Hill, near Oxford, Monday 30th July to Friday 3rd August. See www.lms. org.uk

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MACKLIN STREET

Supporting the LMS

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ovember and December were extremely busy months for the staff in the LMS Office. Sales from our online shop were at an all-time high. It was not just our own seasonal products people were buying - Ordos, Wall Calendars, Christmas cards – but a wide selection of books and gifts. It is so encouraging to see members (and non-members) purchasing from us, as this gives much-needed income to the Society.

On-line giants, such as Amazon, undercut the small retailer, sometimes to a very great extent. We might all be guilty of taking advantage of a bargain from time to time but, please remember, every pound of profit from our shop goes towards supporting the work of the LMS. We add new items to the shop all the time, especially for the forthcoming seasons of Lent and Easter, including our range of Easter cards for 2018 (see below). If you are looking to purchase a book, please come to us first. If it is not listed on our website, we might be able to obtain it for you, so please contact us; and, don’t forget, members receive a 5% discount!

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Another valuable source of income to the LMS is Gift Aid. If you are a UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax payer, for every £1 you pay in subscription or donation, we are able to reclaim 25p from HM Revenue & Customs – at no extra cost to yourself. Therefore, if you have not signed a Gift Aid form, please contact the LMS Office today and ask for one.

Paying your annual subscription by Direct Debit saves you money (there is a discount available to members who pay by this method) and us time and money. Again, contact the Office if you would like further details about this. www.twitter.com/latimmassuk (@latinmassuk) www.facebook.com/latinmassuk

To contact the General Manager, Stephen Moseling, please email stephen@lms.org.uk or telephone the office.

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