31 minute read
DIOCESAN DIGEST
Mass ofAges quarterly round-up
Arundel & Brighton - Annie-Marie Mackie-Savage 01323 411370 aandb@lms.org.uk
Masses continue to be regularly said in the Diocese, details of which can be found on the A&B blog. There is a new regular Mass said at Christ the King, Eastbourne, every Tuesday morning at 7.30 by Fr Thomas Mason, and now every fourth Sunday at 8.00 am. We are very grateful to him for this. This means there is now a Latin Mass every Sunday, if you are able to travel. If you have knee trouble, I advise you to take your own kneeler. Actually, take one even if you haven't. Any extra Masses will be advertised on the blog. I am sad to report the death of Fr David Goddard. Mr David Brown writes: "It was a sad but beautiful Mass on a filthy night in a jam-packed church. It was the wish of Fr David to have the EF Mass. Fr Matthew Goddard was the celebrant with FSSP brother priests as deacon and sub deacon. There were at least ten priests dressed in cassock and cotta in choir on the sanctuary. The beauty of the Mass will live in the memory. Fr David Irwin, a long-time friend of Fr David and frequent visitor to WG, gave the oration at the end of Mass. Tom Haggar and his schola were as expected brilliant. This was a fitting memorial to a wonderful priest and a great champion of the Traditional Mass." May he rest in peace.
Birmingham & Black Country - Louis Maciel; 0739 223 2225 birmingham@lms.org.uk http://birmingham-lms-rep.blogspot.co.uk/
All Souls fell on a first Friday, which meant it saw around a dozen EF Masses celebrated over five parishes, including a special 8am Low Mass at St Dunstan’s, in addition to the regular Friday Masses at Wolverhampton and Solihull, and special Masses at Wednesbury and the Oratory, the latter offering a Low Mass every half hour between 8am and 11am and a High Mass at 7.30pm. The following week, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton celebrated the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica with a High Mass at 7pm.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour also celebrated three Rorate Masses at 7am on the three Thursdays during Advent. The Oratory could only celebrate one on the Saturday before Christmas as the other two Saturdays coincided with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Oratorian Blessed Anthony Grassi, for which there was High Mass and Sung Mass respectively.
Christmas itself saw three regional EF Masses celebrated: an 8am Low Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, a 9.30am 16
Sung Mass at St Mary-on-the-Hill in Wednesbury, and a 10.30 High Mass at the Oratory. The rest of Christmastide saw two EF Masses celebrated every day until Epiphany, mainly at the Oratory and Wednesbury although there was a Low Mass at Holy Cross, Lichfield on New Year’s Eve celebrating the transferred feast of St Thomas of Canterbury.
St Mary-on-the Hill celebrated several additional Masses for various Feasts, including the Immaculate Conception, the Epiphany and several Saturday votive Masses of Our Lady.
There is a change to the Mass schedule in the East Birmingham and Solihull deanery – following the departure of Fr Daniel Horgan to Ireland in September, the first Friday Mass at St Augustine’s has now been discontinued, with the last Mass in February. However, there will be a fourth Friday Mass at Sacred Heart and All Souls in Acocks Green which started on the Feast of the conversion of St Paul. As this is a new Mass you may wish to check with the parish before travelling - please see the Mass listings for further details.
Birmingham (Little Malvern) - Alastair J Tocher 01684 893332 malvern@lms.org.uk extraordinarymalvern.uk Facebook: Extraordinary Malvern
The last quarter of our first year at St Wulstan’s saw a significant increase in Mass attendance at our twice-monthly Sunday Masses. The Sung Requiem on the centenary of the Armistice in particular saw over 50 in attendance and it was a pleasure to see the church so full. The Ordinary of the Mass was Victoria’s lesser known Missa pro Defunctis a 4. The parish’s ornate catafalque candle stands had been stripped and resprayed in good time for the Requiem and the original parish funeral pall cleaned up and patched, having not been used for many years previously. A similar Requiem Mass for next Remembrance Sunday is already planned.
By the end of the year we were able to buy our own Altar Missal. In addition, an antique white Roman-style Low Mass set has now been acquired and restored and made available for our Masses along with green and violet copes for the Asperges.
We have recently also acquired a fourth server who had previously served regularly at Spetchley. Having recently discovered a set of torches in the parish store room I would nevertheless still welcome more servers so that we might return the torches to their proper liturgical use.
Lastly thanks as ever to our chaplain, Dom Jonathan Rollinson OSB, our servers and singers for their tireless and enthusiastic support.
Mass at St Wulstan’s
Birmingham (North Staffordshire) - Alan Frost
Free copies of a booklet on the life of Sr Elizabeth Prout were made available in the North Staffs churches before Christmas by a nun promoting her cause for beatification. In Stone, she was converted by Bl Dominic Barberi and founded the female branch of the Passionists. Her community was established in Manchester where the Oratorians now reside and offer the Traditional Rite Mass each week.
Recently several stalwarts of the traditional Latin Mass in North Staffs, over a good number of years, have left this life. One was an outstanding organist and music teacher, Beryl Terry, who worked with the late Lady Mary Berry on Gregorian chant.
She lived at the Benedictine Oulton Abbey where she served as organist, including for the monthly Latin Sunday afternoon Masses at the Church there. Usually the celebrant was Fr Petroc Howell, a splendid priest, who passed away shortly before Beryl.
Former celebrant of the EF in Sacred Heart Church, Burslem, Fr Chris Miller, is continuing to undergo medical and surgical treatment and we hope to comment on his progress in due course. Fr Chavasse, our mainstay celebrant in the area, is also continuing to receive treatment, but is bearing up well and serving visitors and regulars at Our Lady’s, Swynnerton. SPRING 2019
Birmingham (Oxford) - Joseph Shaw oxford@lms.org.uk
Last October’s annual LMS Pilgrimage to Oxford was a great success, with the largest procession through Oxford’s streets, to one of our two sites of martyrdom, that we have seen for many years. Thanks are particularly due to Mrs Shaw who provided food for the pilgrims following Mass, and to Fr Lawrence Lew OP who came all the way from Haverstock Hill to celebrate Mass for us in the Dominican Rite.
Our next big event of the year will be the LMS Pilgrimage to Caversham, which is today a suburb of Reading. Our Lady and St Anne’s Church is within walking distance of Reading station. Our Pilgrimage to the charmingly restored shrine, in the Middle Ages one of England’s greatest, coincides as usual with the Ember Saturday of Lent. We will have a High Mass, the full set of Ember Saturday readings, polyphony from the Newman Concert, and a buffet lunch for pilgrims. The celebrant will be Fr Anthony Conlon. The date is 16th March; Mass starts at 11:30am.
Other notable events include Candlemas at SS Gregory & Augustine’s in Oxford with polyphony (Sat 2nd Feb: Mass at 10:30am), and St Joseph’s feast at English Martyrs, Didcot, over the diocesan boundary in Portsmouth (19th March: Mass at 7:30pm).
Sunday Masses at Holy Trinity, Hethe, are now taking place only four times a year. The next is 31st March. Masses there are at 12 noon.
BRENTWOOD (East) - Alan Gardner alanmdgardner@gmail.com
In the ‘country’ region of the diocese our regular Traditional Masses continue in Chelmsford, Kelvedon and Leigh; please pray for all the celebrants for whom these Masses are an ‘extra’ to their busy parish duties.
If there is a need for Masses in other areas, please let me know. In terms of keeping members informed, Carol Smith continues to work hard to keep us all up to date. If you would like to be kept in the loop, please email me.
We continue to look for servers at Chelmsford and Kelvedon, and for singers across the region –we would very much welcome experienced exponents, and we can support those who would like to learn –if you can help, or if you know of those who can be approached, please do get in touch.
In the last issue we celebrated the life of Maud Sutton who passed peacefully into the arms of Our Lord on 5th October, in her one-hundred-and-second year. On Sunday evening 28th October her body was brought in to Our Lady Immaculate Chelmsford with appropriate ceremonies (and thank you to Sean and Marie Wright for singing on this occasion), followed by a Requiem Mass at noon on Monday. It was of course very much Maud’s wish that this should happen, and we were grateful to all who worked to ensure her wishes were carried out, including Andrew Bosi, Dominic Johnson, and John Tennant who travelled from London to boost the singing (and then travelled back to sing by the graveside).
Please also pray for the soul of Peter Whitaker – he had wished to be buried in the Traditional Form which he loved and supported, but unfortunately it did not prove to be possible to arrange this with his family. A Mass was said in December for the repose of his soul.
We also celebrate ‘new life’! We welcome our newest member, Quinn Joseph, born on 11th January at a whopping ten pounds. Whether he is going to be a server or a singer (or both?!) seems currently too early to say…
Cardiff - Andrew Butcher T: 07905 609770 E: cardiff@lms.org.uk
Masses are being offered around the Archdiocese with the addition of Sung and Solemn High Masses as announced by the LMS website or The Oratorians.
We have been extremely fortunate over the last several years with great priests, in particular Dom Antony Tumelty OSB (RIP) and the Oratorians who have provided the faithful with at least a Sung Mass every Christmas, however Christmas Eve 2018 saw the first Solemn High Mass at Midnight in the capital for many years. It was offered at Nazareth House by Fr Sebastian Mary Cong. Orat. which was preceded by the traditional Christmas Carols.
A dawn Mass of Christmas was offered at Belmont Abbey at 7am.
Please remember Dom Alastair Findlay OSB who was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood on Saturday 12 January 2019 at Belmont Abbey. Ad Multos Annos!
Words cannot express my sincere gratitude to all the priests and faithful who support us in so many ways. Thank you all for your hard work and commitment. If there is anything that I or the LMS can do…let me know.
Please continue to check the website for more information. All LMS reps in the country have been given new email addresses. You can now contact me on cardiff@ lms.org.uk or 07905 609770.
Clifton - James Belt and Monica Paplaczyk clifton@lms.org.uk
On Saturday 8th December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Fr Rupert Allen led a day of recollection at Bristol University Chaplaincy. The day began with a very well-attended Missa Cantata, the first to be celebrated in the Chaplaincy since its establishment in the 1960s. The Mass was chanted by a schola made up of students and others from the regular Sunday congregation. Fr Allen gave some talks on the importance of Our Lady in our Catholic faith, and the day concluded with Adoration and Benediction.
The regular Sunday Masses at the Chaplaincy continue to be well-attended, by students, university staff and others. The other regular Masses also continue to be offered around the Diocese. Thanks to all the priests and laypeople who make this possible.
East Anglia (West) - Gregor Dick
The normal Sunday Mass schedule continues at Blackfriars in Cambridge.
The first Sunday of Advent was the tenth anniversary of the establishment of regular Sunday Masses in Cambridge in the Traditional Rite. Mass on that day was offered for the repose of the souls of Fr Christopher Back, who first celebrated these Masses, of Dr Kevin Marshall, who until his death in 2015 was LMS Representative for the diocese, and of all late members of the congregation. We are grateful as always to the Dominicans for their unfailing generosity in ensuring continuity in the celebration of these Masses in the years since Fr Back's declining health and death.
The Masses on Christmas Day and on the Epiphany were sung. We are eager that Mass might be sung with more regularity; volunteers to sing and serve are always welcome.
Lancaster - Bob & Jane Latin 01524 412987 lancaster@lms.org.uk latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com John Rogan 01524 858832 lancasterassistant@lms.org.uk
The winter quarter is always quieter once the Sizergh Masses have finished for the year. All the Masses at St Mary's Hornby have gone ahead as scheduled with the usual faithful attending. Mid-afternoon is not always a convenient time but it would be good to see a few more people.
Canon John Watson has now moved from Boarbank Hall to serve the parish of Christ the Good Shepherd at Workington. He has already been approached by a parishioner about offering an EF Mass, probably on a Saturday in the summer, and this is under discussion. We hope to bring you good news about this in the next edition.
After our report went to print for the winter 2018 edition of Mass of Ages, we heard that the heating system at St Walburge, Preston, had finally given up the ghost so the parish is busy trying to raise the money for a new one. If you can help then do visit their website https://icksp.org.uk/preston/ where you can donate online. We ourselves haven't been there for several months because it is so cold!
We hope to be able to have our usual Masses at Sizergh Castle Chapel this summer. Dates should be available in time for the next edition but please see our website for the most accurate information. We are very grateful to those priests who are willing to travel to offer these Masses. However, the collections are not always sufficient to cover the stipend and travel expenses, so if anyone wishes to offer a stipend for one of the Sizergh or Hornby Masses then please do get in touch as this will help us greatly.
Liverpool - Jim Pennington liverpool@lms.org.uk
The regular Sunday and Holyday EF Masses in the parishes of St Catherine Laboure, Farington, St Mary Magdalen, Penwortham, and St Anthony’s, Scotland Road, Liverpool, continue. Fr O’Shea’s Thursday Traditional Rite Masses at St John’s in Wigan also continue. Fr Hemer of Allen Hall once again offered our Christmas Day Mass at St Anthony’s.
Fr John Harris is now back in his parish, and has resumed his Tuesday Traditional Rite Masses at Holy Spirit, Liverpool, but every two weeks at present. Please check with him before travelling to Holy Spirit – his number is in the Mass listings.
We are still very short of servers for the Mass at St Anthony’s. A student, Jesse Gitau, has joined us, and another has shown interest, but that would still leave us with only four regulars, including me –and I am not precisely a teenager any more. We would love to hear from anyone who would like to join our team.
Liverpool (Warrington) - Alan Frost
The LMS has long held an annual pilgrimage to Holywell, but just last month (January), St Mary’s organised a pilgrimage to Holywell for its young adults (18-35). Shortly after, it was expected a pre-planning application process would confirm the change of use of buildings next door to the Shrine Church from ‘Business’ to ‘Community’. There is still a need for funds to achieve this.
In December, there was a very fulsome celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. As well as Holy Mass, there were Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, Spiritual Conferences and a picnic! At the end there was investiture with the Miraculous Medal and a procession including the reciting of the Rosary.
Of unusual interest is the fact that at Christmas, the Midnight Mass (very well attended) was almost entirely candle-lit, including, notably, all the sconces along the walls of the nave.
Middlesbrough - Paul Waddington 01757 638027 middlesbrough@lms.org.uk
Most activities in the Middlesbrough Diocese centre around the Oratorian Community at St Wilfrid’s Church in York. The Sung Masses continue at noon every Sunday, with a polyphonic setting provided three Sundays per month by choral scholars, most of whom are University students. On the first Sunday, there is usually a plainsong setting. On Sunday evenings, presently at 6pm, traditional Vespers and Benediction is offered.
Fr Mark Drew continues to offer a Sunday Mass at the Church of St Mary and St Joseph in Hedon at 5pm on the second Sunday of each month.
I am very conscious of the lack of any provision of Latin Masses in the northern part of the diocese. I would be interested to hear from anyone who is able to suggest a way of overcoming this omission.
Northampton North (Northamptonshire) - Paul Beardsmore northampton@lms.org.uk
Fr Byrne continues to offer Mass every Saturday; in addition, Masses were offered on the feast of all Saints, the Commemoration of All Souls, and the feast of the Epiphany, and there was a Sung Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Northampton (South) - Barbara Kay bedford@lms.org.uk 01234 340759 Nick Ross nick@efmass.co.uk 07951 145240
The Latin Mass Society came to Bedford for the first time on 10 November for a High Mass of Reparation for the Abortion Referendum in Ireland at the Church of the Holy Child and St Joseph, which houses Great Britain’s authenticated copy of the Miraculous Relic Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Some 80 people attended and enjoyed some splendid liturgy and music.
Our new series of First Sunday Family Catechism Days at Christ the King, Bedford are being well attended, with sessions for the under 8s, under 16s and adults, led by Fr Patrick O’Donohue, FSSP, who regularly says the Mass there beforehand.
Numbers at Bedford continue steadily in the 70s and 80s and we are welcoming new faces all the time. All enjoy refreshments in the hall after Mass with a sales table, proceeds supporting the FSSP Bedford Apostolate.
Matthew Schellhorn, our Director of Music, has sung several Masses in the new season. He is also planning to give a talk on Gregorian Chant on Sunday 24 March at Christ the King to encourage further interest. The small Schola continues to sing Mass on the first Sunday of each month.
Marc Anthony Norfolk, who was born on Boxing Day, was duly and appropriately baptised by Fr O’Donohue on the Feast of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Sunday 13 January.
Masses at Chesham and Shefford continue respectively at 8 am on Sunday and 7.30 pm on the third Friday of the month.
For details of all our activities, please see our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/bedfordlatinmass/
Nottingham (Lincoln) - M.Carroll mcarroll3@hotmail.co.uk
I am very pleased to announce that the Latin Mass has returned to Skegness. This was an unexpected, and extremely welcome addition to the Latin Mass calendar, and it is good to see the far east of the country now starting to be served even more. The Latin Mass is being said at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 22 Grovenor Road, Skegness, PE25 2DB on the 4th Sunday of every month at 5pm. I would like to greatly thank all those who support this new Mass.
The Latin Mass also continues at St Hugh's Catholic Church, 34 Broadgate, Lincoln LN255AQ on the second Sunday of the month at 4pm. We now have an excellent server, and chant is being provided to greatly enhance the Liturgy. Thank you to all those who help and also travel to this Mass. It is good to see the Latin Mass doing well in this part of the country.
Nottingham South (Leicestershire and Rutland) - Paul Beardsmore
It was heartening to have four Old Rite Masses celebrated in the area on All Souls' Day; Fr Gillham at Loughborough was able to offer Mass in addition to those previously scheduled at Holy Cross and St Peter's in Leicester, and the Sung Mass at Oakham. The Oakham Mass, at which the St Peter's Singers performed the Fauré setting, was particularly well attended. Sung Masses have also been celebrated for the feasts of All Saints (at Holy Cross), the Immaculate Conception (St Peter's), and the Epiphany (Holy Cross).
Otherwise the regular schedule of Masses continues unchanged - daily (except Saturdays) at Holy Cross Priory, Saturday and first Fridays at St Peter's, and every Friday at Oakham. The Mass on 1st February at Oakham will be a sung Requiem on the anniversary of the death of Mackenzie Urquhart. There will also be a Sung Mass on the following day at St Peter's in Leicester for the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.
Mgr Francis Jamieson with our reporter Maurice Quinn dressed as a Knight of St Columba- the Torbay Knights of St Columba assisted in the setting up of the altar rails
Plymouth (Devon) - Maurice Quinn 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk
I am pleased to report that here in Devon we have some interesting developments regarding much-needed servers. Andrew Marlborough, a Diocesan seminarian (Allan Hall) currently stationed at Sacred Heart and St Theresa and the Child Jesus parish, Paignton, has been undergoing server training locally, and hopes to serve the usus antiquior in the New Year when time and opportunity allows. For this we have to thank the parish priest, Fr Ralph Candy, for allowing the training to take place at Sacred Heart, both on the sanctuary and in the church rooms. Another young man, Kieron MizziWeaver, who hails from the Blandford Forum area but is now a medical student at Exeter University, has offered to join our serving team in the Exeter area. Kieron learnt to serve the Old Rite while a student at Downside Abbey, and was happy to help out at Blandford Forum when able to do so. We thank them both for their generosity in giving up their time to help out on the sanctuary.
At St Mary’s Abbey, Buckfastleigh, our monthly Latin Mass celebrations have been going well with Fr Guy de Gaynesford and Dom Thomas Regan OSB sharing responsibility in alternate months. A really good bonus for the congregation on Saturday 8 December – Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary –was a Sung Mass. Fr Thomas celebrated, and we were once again pleased to welcome Andrew Butcher, the LMS Rep for Cardiff, as MC for the occasion.
I am pleased to confirm that there will be a Latin Mass at Buckfast every month throughout the year as usual, but at the moment I cannot confirm the date for the months of April and June. Here, I suggest that if you wish to attend our celebrations in either of these two months please contact me by email or by phone for details nearer the time.
In Exeter at Blessed Sacrament, the well-attended Mass celebrations have been shared between Fr Harry Heijveld and Mgr Adrian Toffolo, and we thank them both for giving up their time. The usual Sung Mass in December had to be moved from the third Sunday to the second Sunday, with Mgr Toffolo celebrating and John Tristram serving for the first time as Thurifer in place of Joseph Jones who was away. I am pleased to report that our wonderful tea ladies, Joan Ware and Shelagh Jess, are still on hand to provide much needed refreshments after Mass for those who wish to stay awhile and socialise. We owe them a big vote of thanks for their sterling work throughout the previous year.
Numbers attending our monthly fourth Sunday Mass celebrations have been down recently at St Cyprian’s, Ugbrooke House, Chudleigh, probably the result of the dark winter evenings. The lack of a choir on many occasions has been a problem, which resulted in Fr Guy de Gaynesford having to celebrate a Low instead of the advertised Sung Mass. However, all was well on the fourth Sunday of Advent – the last Latin Mass of the year in this part of the county - when Dr Andrew Beards and his daughter Clare, assisted by Michael Crawford, sang the Mass unaccompanied for a very appreciative congregation. It was particularly pleasing to have many people comment afterwards that to have attended such a beautiful Sung Mass a day before Christmas Eve, and at such a beautiful venue, was profoundly moving. Many thanks to Fr Guy, Andrew, Clare and Michael for making it happen.
I would like to point out that, unfortunately, there will be no Traditional Rite Mass at Ugbrooke House during the month of May for reasons beyond our control. We thank the Rt Hon. Alexander Clifford for offering us an alternative date in May, although this proved to be unworkable for us. Again, do check the Mass Listings before travel.
For some weeks I have been unable to attend the usual Sunday morning 11.30am Missa Cantata at St Edward the Confessor in Plymouth, so to be there for the Third Sunday of Advent was a real pleasure. Fr Anthony Pillari still makes the regular Sunday morning trip to Plymouth from Lanherne Convent in Cornwall to celebrate Mass and to pastorally care for the Latin Mass parishioners. As the usual MC was away, Stephen Proctor was pleased to stand in for him and direct the proceedings. It was also a pleasure to see the confidence and reverent dignity with which the four young servers diligently carried out their duties on the sanctuary. We also have to thank Fr Pillari for travelling to Plymouth to celebrate a Christmas Day Mass, after which carols were sung, and the Child Jesus was venerated –each person knelt at the altar rails and kissed his feet when offered to do so. On the 30 December (Sunday in the Octave of Christmas), Fr Anselm Gribben ICKSP, was pleased to celebrate Mass as he was in the area visiting family. Fr Anselm is no stranger to St Edward’s, as he often celebrated Mass here before his joining the Institute.
If any reader would like to assist in the choir at any of our Traditional Rite Mass celebrations please make yourself known to us (servers or musicians/choir members) at any venue. Also, if any men would like to try serving, especially in the Exeter, Chudleigh and Buckfastleigh areas please contact me so that we can arrange for training, and lastly, do make a note of my new Latin Mass Society email address.
Plymouth (Dorset) - Maurice Quinn 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk
Our Traditional Rite Latin Masses, celebrated in the lovely county of Dorset at St Mary’s, Marnhull, and at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Cecilia, Blandford Forum, are still proving to be popular among those who manage to attend. At the latter venue, Mgr Francis Jamieson has succeeded installing the long-awaited altar rails (see photograph) as part of the general refurbishment of the church building, much to the delight of the usus antiquior congregation who can now receive Holy Communion in a more reverential and traditional manner. Fr Martin Budge and Mgr Francis Jamieson still take it in turns to celebrate the Latin Mass in alternate months at 12 noon in their respective parishes – usually on a weekday (for full details see the Mass Listings). Unfortunately, Mgr Francis had to be away elsewhere in November, but the Blandford Mass went ahead as usual as Fr Martin kindly stepped in to take his place. We owe a debt of gratitude to these two priests, without whom the people of this part of Dorset would have no opportunity to attend Holy Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite every month throughout the year. If any reader is free to attend the usus antiquior celebrations in either of these two venues, we would be most happy to see you and speak afterwards at the social lunch that usually follows. Do check the Mass Listings, and feel free to contact me at any time either by phone or by my new LMS email address if you have any questions.
Portsmouth (Bournemouth) - Tim Fawkes Bournemouth t.fawkes136@btinternet.com
The monthly first Friday Masses at the Bournemouth Oratory have continued with a steady congregation of around 35. Additionally, there were Masses offered for the Vigil of All Souls on 1 November and of the Vigil of the feast of the Immaculate Conception on 7 December.
At the time of writing work is being done in the sanctuary that will enable Mass ad orientem to be offered. Until now, only the altar in the Lady Chapel has really been suitable.
Another development has been the installation of communion rails just before Christmas at the front of the nave which were built and supplied by a local firm. It is interesting to see how many people choose to kneel and receive Holy Communion in the traditional manner when they have the choice.
Finally, our congratulations to Brother Andrew Wagstaffof the Bournemouth Oratory who was ordained Deacon by Bishop Philip Egan at a well-attended novus ordo Mass on the stormy night of 9 November. Those there who appreciate traditional music will have enjoyed the singing of Ecce Sacerdos Magnus by Elgar, Tollite Hostias by Saint-Saens and Veni Creator Spiritus sung to plainchant among other traditional works.
Portsmouth (Isle of Wight) - Peter Clarke
The EF Mass continues here on the Island on (most) Thursdays at 12 noon with Exposition and Confessions from 11-30am, thanks to Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris (Ordinariate and parish priest of Cowes and East Cowes). These Masses are usually at St David’s, East Cowes, with occasional Masses at St Thomas’s, Cowes and St Mary’s, Ryde.
Please ring for confirmation of these Masses. Tel. 01983 566740 or 07790 892592
We were delighted to welcome Fr Seth Phipps FSSP to the Island for a Day of Recollection, the week before Advent. Father was ordained in June and this was the first Day of Recollection that he had given. His theme was: "The glories of Mary, and our interior life."
Father gave three most interesting and inspiring talks on: Divine Motherhood and Immaculate Conception; Assumption of Our Lady and Our Lady at the foot of the Cross.
In addition, Father offered Mass, heard Confessions and gave Benediction. The day concluded with the traditional individual blessing and kissing of the newly ordained priest’s hands.
A more detailed account of the Day of Recollection can be read on the Isle of Wight Catholic History Society website: www.iow-chs.org/events-reports
We look forward to another visit from Fr Phipps in the near future.
Portsmouth (Reading) - Adrian Dulston
We had the usual array of Christmas Masses with the FSSP also arranging a midnight Mass to usher in the New Year.
The Sunday Masses continue to be well attended. Men and Women’s groups occur once a month with trips planned for the New Year. There is a vibrancy in the community since the FSSP gained Personal Parish status. As usual, note the Mass times during the week by visiting the FSSP Reading web page. You will also find out the latest news about groups and visits.
Perhaps we could pray especially to Blessed Dominic Barberi, whose plaque where he died is displayed near Reading Station, that the Mass of Ages may be more known and embraced by Reading priests. Blessed Barberi literally gave his heart to England dying of a heart attack. Incidentally, rumours abound that the Blessed Newman will be made a Saint in October but I understand he wanted Blessed Dominic Barberi made a Saint while he was drawing to the end of his own life, so perhaps a double canonisation is appropriate – the Bishop of Birmingham Diocese was keen on this. It’s appropriate that this year the school founded by Blessed Newman near Reading celebrates its 160th anniversary and it so happens to be the 170th anniversary of Blessed Barberi’s death as well! Two Latin Masses are offered in Blessed Newman’s Oratory School in Woodcote, near Reading, on Mondays and Saturdays at 7.30am during term time.
May Royal St Joseph continue to rebuild Our Lady’s Dowry.
Shrewsbury (Chester) - Andrew Nielsen chester@lms.org.uk
Third Sunday monthly masses are continuing at St Clare's Chester. Mass attendance is constant with a small regular congregation.
Shrewsbury (The Wirral) - Stefano Mazzeo 01516 386822 wirral@lms.org.uk
The Shrine Church of Ss Peter, Paul and Philomena, the Dome of Home, New Brighton continues to flourish and we have a steady growth in our congregation. However, in a recent interview I recorded for my You Tube channel Canon Montjean said that many local people across The Wirral still do not know that we are open and that we celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in all its glory. Contact Canon Montjean for further details. chn.montjean@icrsp. org Tel. 0151 638 6822. Our church is always open and we have regular tours by local schools and other organisations around the church, during this people can listen to our audio tour of the church during the blitz, and also have various aspects of Traditional Catholicism explained to them by one of the Canons. To take part in a tour please contact Anne at contactus@domeofhome.org. We also have Fr Gribbin now in residence at the Dome to help out.
The renovations under the project manager Anne Archer have now reached the third phase, with the sanctuary and the dome itself about to undergo restorative work. So, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Masses also continue at Birkenhead Carmel every Thursday at 7:45am celebrated by a Canon of the Institute from New Brighton.
Canon Scott Smith ICKSP is now in residence at St Winefride's Presbytery Shrewsbury and there is an increase in the number of Traditional Latin Masses both at St Winefride's church and at Shrewsbury Cathedral; please see the Mass listings.
Southwark (Kent) - Marygold Turner 01580 291372
Having been lucky enough to fill the Holidays of Obligation (Old Rite!) in the summer, we were sad that Fr Richard Whinder was ill for the Immaculate Conception at Headcorn and unable to come as planned. However, at very short notice Fr Michael Cullinan took his place, and we were most grateful. There was a good congregation and I gave lunch at my house for Father and eight in all.
On December 30th, at South Ashford, Marcus Williams, a priest recently ordained by the Bishop of Chru in Switzerland, said Mass, with first Blessings.
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Fr Michael Woodgate celebrated Mass at Maidstone, and blessed the chalk for marking our doors. A very good and grateful congregation was the result.
Westminster (Hertfordshire) - Tom Short
Thanks to Canon Noonan for Baldock Masses and Mgr Read for Old Hall Green and Mike Mason for organisation of them. Also, thanks to Ed Hamer for serving at Hertford Masses.
Westminster (Spanish Place) - Roger Wemyss Brooks wemyssbrooks@outlook.com
Congregations remain stable and sometimes growing, often with visitors unfamiliar with the Old Rite or who have missed it for many years. The copies of the Ordinary Prayers booklets and the print-out of Sunday Propers are in constant use and copies are often requested for purchase.
We are most appreciative of the priests who substitute for our regular Old Rite Chaplain, Fr Michael Cullinan, when his duties at Maryvale call him away. Recently these have included Fr John Hemer of Allen Hall, Fr Gabriel Diaz Patri from St Bede’s, Clapham Park, Fr Christian de Lisle from Homerton and our neighbour from Warwick Street Fr Mark Elliott Smith.
A magnificent High Mass on New Year’s Day was celebrated by recently ordained FSSP priest Fr Seth Phipps, assisted by Fr Elliott Smith, deacon, and Fr David Evans of Hackney as subdeacon. The St James choir enriched the ceremonies with their beautiful singing.
©CelineBisson,WPRAgency
A solemn Requiem will be offered for the late Fr George Dangerfield on Friday 15th February at 7pm. Father celebrated the 9.30 Mass at Spanish Place for many years and will be remembered for his diligence and trenchant preaching. He frequently urged devotion to the Incarnate Lord –
Father had met all the popes of his lifetime, apart from the present Holy Father. When the Managers of the retirement home where he lived in the last years of his life learnt of this, they made great efforts and transported him to Rome where he received a blessing from Pope Francis.
May he rest in peace.
Wrexham - Kevin Jones web http://lmswrexham.weebly.com; twitter.com/LMSWrexham ; wrexham@lms.org.uk ; 01244 674011
This last quarter saw Masses taking on the First Saturdays (Buckley), Second Sunday (Llay) and Holywell (Fourth Sunday).
In November, at Llay, Canon Lordan celebrated a Requiem on the second Sunday.
It is pleasing to see that since the Traditional Mass replaced the English Mass on the first Saturday at Buckley, it has attracted and retained the attendance of a number of the parishioners in addition to regular Latin Mass attendees.
The weather has been kind to us so far this winter and therefore there is no excuse for not supporting the Latin Mass in the diocese! Whilst the core numbers remain static, it would good to see some more people!
