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 This was superseded on the Epiphany when there were High Masses at both Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and the Oratory, in addition to a Low Mass in Wednesbury.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
SPRING 2018
