Reports from around the country

DIOCESAN DIGEST

Mass of Ages quarterly round-up

Arundel & Brighton Huw Davies aandb@lms.org.uk 07954 253284

The past quarter has seen some welcome Sung Masses in the Vetus Ordo in the diocese, for the Feast of the Purification of Our Lady at St Hugh of Lincoln in Knaphill, on the first Sunday of Lent at Our Lady of Consolation in West Grinstead and on the Feast of the Annunciation at Our Lady of Ransom in Eastbourne - aside from at West Grinstead, this was the first time in living memory a Missa Cantata had been celebrated at these churches, so a wonderful achievement for those involved, particularly in the current climate.

The Lenten season got underway with Ash Wednesday Masses at Knaphill and at Sacred Heart in Caterham, and during the Sacred Triduum at Knaphill we were also blessed to have a Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday and a Solemn Liturgy on Good Friday (in the manner as reformed in 1955). Thank you to Fr Hatton for adding this to his schedule for this year and to the group of boys and men who pulled together to serve these complex yet beautiful ceremonies.

Easter Day saw the usual Sunday Masses at Knaphill and St Pancras, Lewes, plus a Mass at St Barnabas, Molesey, which attracted a congregation of 50 - good going for 8 o’clock in the morning. As last year, you are encouraged to view the beautiful hand-painted Paschal candle here if you are passing - a worthy tribute to our risen Lord.

Looking ahead, the Pilgrimage Mass to West Grinstead will again be happening on the Summer Bank Holiday, Monday 29 August, at 2pm with a Sung Mass, followed by refreshments and then Rosary and Benediction. This year, with the lifting of government restrictions, we will also be able to have tours of the historic house, so please mark this date in your diaries.

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

The Oratory celebrated a full Triduum using the Missal of 1962, including Tenebrae at 8pm every day on top of the Mass of Maundy Thursday, the Liturgy of the Passion and the Easter Vigil. The usual two Sunday Masses took place on the day itself, supplemented by the usual Sunday Mass At St Maryon-the-Hill in Wednesbury and an additional Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton. The latter had an additional Mass on the Monday of Holy Week to make up for the one that could not be celebrated on Good Friday. The third Friday Mass at St Dustan’s in Kings Heath could not take place in April for this reason.

Easter concluded a strong Lenten schedule which began with a High Mass at the Oratory and a Low Mass at St Maryon-the-Hill on Ash Wednesday. A well-attended High Mass at 11am for the Feast of St Joseph, which fell on a Saturday this year, was followed by a High Mass of Exposition on Tuesday for the Quarat’oredevotion, moved to Lent this year, before the 16 week concluded with High Mass for the Annunciation, one of two in the region in fact, with OLPS in Wolverhampton also celebrating one on the same day!

The addition of Stations of the Cross before Mass during Lent saw larger than usual turnouts at the March and April First Friday Masses at Sacred Heart and All Souls in Acocks Green.

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

Masses continue as normal, except for Holy Trinity, Hethe which I have been unable to arrange.

Birmingham (North Staffs) Alan Frost

Further to the pamphlet he produced explaining ‘Traditional Mass of the Catholic Church’, for his parishioners at St Augustine’s, Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, last autumn, Fr Kazimierz Stefek put together a booklet for the approach of Lent. Under the series titled ‘Return to Tradition’, he explains Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima, and how the Church keeps these feasts, as well as reminding people about the need to fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. More Sung Masses are planned for the weekly Wednesday celebration during the coming weeks.

Two boys from a family enormously supportive of the Traditional Latin Mass for a number of years, the Cottons, began training to serve the Low Mass at Our Lady’s, Swynnerton, on the Feast of St Joseph, with the encouragement of the parish priest, Fr Paul Chavasse. Fr Paul has had a busier time than usual with various calls upon his services, including marriages and baptisms and the preparation for these sacred events.

Birmingham (Worcestershire) Alastair J Tocher 01684 893332 malvern@lms.org.uk extraordinarymalvern.uk Facebook: Extraordinary Malvern

Masses across Worcestershire – in Kidderminster and Redditch – continue as normal, as do weekly Sunday Masses just across the border in Ledbury, Herefordshire. Sadly, the restrictions imposed by the Archbishop of Cardiff meant however that there were no Traditional Latin Masses in Ledbury for the Sacred Triduum this year.

Absent the opportunity to sing locally at Ledbury, the Schola has found itself recently in the unforeseen position of being able to accept a number of invitations to sing Mass elsewhere. Most recently this included at Lanherne Carmelite Convent in Cornwall, where a handful of singers were privileged to join the local Schola and the Carmelite Sisters in singing the Masses for Palm Sunday, the Sacred Triduum, and Easter SUMMER 2022

Sunday, and culminating with Sung Vespers early on Easter Sunday evening. We are most grateful to all at Lanherne for their warm welcome.

In other news, one of our younger gentlemen who had not previously served Mass took advantage of a recent LMS server training day in London to learn the basics. We welcome him to our growing pool of trained servers in Ledbury.

Last but certainly not least, our thanks as ever to all our priests who faithfully celebrate Mass for us and support us in many other ways. Please remember them in your prayers.

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

Sunday Masses at Blackfriars in Cambridge continue as normal, and additionally a Mass will be celebrated on Ascension Thursday at 9.15am.

It has been requested that the dates of planned Sung Masses be announced in advance. We plan to establish a means of doing so soon.

Brentwood (Epping) Sister Susan Asher

Our faithful priests, Mgr Gordon Read and Rev. Dr Michael Cullinan, have soldiered on, alternating with each other. The Cantata part of the Missa has been possible owing to the attendance of our very experienced organist from Sittingborne in Kent, Andrew Cesana, and our gifted singers, Andrew Bosi from Islington, Ivan Grimer from St Albans (who also provides music on his amazing electronic keyboard when Andrew Cesana cannot be with us), Mike Sutton from Dagenham, Rafael Vanni from Croydon, and locals Juliana Brown and Catheryn Burdett.

The efficient progress of the Mass is due in no small part to our altar servers. Paul Ives and Philip McAdam started us off; then James Murphy took over, helped by his young son, Paul. James’ friend, Lech Handzel-Bonavia, showed an interest from early 2019, when he attended our Mass with his young family. Now he serves, mostly as M.C., and lends a hand training others to serve. He and his family, including new baby Philomena, travel from Saffron Walden. Another important member of the servers’ team, Mark Leverton, travels with his family from Ongar, and for the last several Masses new convert, Liam Barker, has also served at the Lord’s Table.

Paul Ives continues to offer sterling support with refreshments after Mass, and wherever help is needed. Everyone pulls together, and we are slowly forming a strong, faith-filled team.

On Candlemas, the double feast of the Purification of Our Blessed Mother and the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple, we were blessed to have a High Mass, when Fr Mark Higgins joined our two stalwarts, Mgr Read and Fr Cullinan. Fr Mark has a long and special association with this parish. Our High Mass started with a welcome by Canon McGrath, followed by the blessing of the candles by processional celebrant Mgr Gordon at 7.30 p.m. The Lord did us proud by providing ideal weather for lit candles: calm, fine and mild. There was a good turnout of Latin Mass devotees, parishioners and friends. As the long procession wound round the Church outside, the choir, led by Andrew Bosi, chanted the age-old favourites under the presiding eye of Mgr Read: ‘LumenadRevelationem Gentium’, ‘Exsurge,Domine!’, ‘ AdornaThalamumTuum,Sion!’, and, once back inside the Church, ‘Obtulerunt’.

The choir, happily joined by ex-Epping organist Theresa Cleary, now living in Ipswich, and Brentwood East rep., Alan Gardner, sang the Mass ‘Cum Jubilo’, in honour of Our Blessed Lady. The motet, Arcadelt’s ‘Ave Maria’, was sung at the Offertory, and at Communion the popular ‘Ecce Panis Angelorum’, the immortal words of St Thomas Aquinas set to music by King John IV of Portugal. Many compliments were received from the congregation on the singing.

A buffet spread was laid out in the hall for all attendees, after Mass, with Bucks Fizz, followed by tea and coffee, for lubrication!

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

This is a catch-up report for Withermarsh Green Latin Mass Chaplaincy.

Autumn, Winter and Spring have seen a steady increase in the number of people attending the Chaplaincy. Daily Masses in the old rite continue, with two Masses on Sundays.

In September, Bishop Alan Hopes attended to confirm 6 of our young people. It was a beautiful sunny day and everyone enjoyed a celebration in the grounds afterwards.

In November, the Chaplaincy celebrated its first baptism for 3-day old Joseph. This was followed 4 months later by its second baptism for 2-day old Josephine.

On 20 November, the Chaplaincy celebrated one of its patronal feasts, that of St Edmund. The day started with the blessing of a new icon of St Edmund by Julia Ashendon, then a beautiful High Mass. After Mass, festivities continued with shared food, a celebration cake, medieval music and the performance of “The Guardian”, a play written by Fr Whisenant about the veneration of St Edmund. Well done to the freshly formed “St Edmund’s Players”, who terrified the audience with a realistic enactment of the gruesome final moments of St Edmund’s earthly life.

Monthly Sung Masses on the last Sunday of the month have continued, with cantor Daniel Wright and the enthusiastic Withermarsh Green Schola. The “Friends of Withermarsh Green Latin Mass Chaplaincy” charity continues to offer teas and coffees after 11am Sunday Mass and there is usually a sale of baked goods after the monthly Sung Mass.

In May, the Chaplaincy is pleased to be welcoming Mrs Lucy Shaw to lead some of the women in a day of embroidery and, it is hoped, for the inauguration of a new branch of the Guild of St Clare at Withermarsh Green.

A reminder to visitors that in wet weather, the parking area can become very muddy indeed and you may wish to park a little way up the lane and walk down.

Hallam Nicholas Ross

I am very pleased to report progress in Hallam, thanks to the initiative of Fr Chris Ainslie.

Fr Chris began saying Low Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Doncaster, late last year. We are also grateful to Bishop Ralph Heskett for his concern and support.

Low Mass is now celebrated regularly, on the last Sunday of the month at the new location of St Thomas of Canterbury, Kirk Sandall, Doncaster.

We are also grateful to Fr Elliott for the provision of the Mass in his church and for his invaluable and careful assistance.

May this prove to be a stable provision and I hope to see more people join us in the coming months. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

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

The year has proceeded with all previous ancient rite liturgies delivered at Gateshead, Thornley, Coxhoe, Cheeseburn and Whittingham; however, we note with some sadness the suspension of Cheeseburn Masses until further notice following the retirement of the local Sacristan / server. The initial encouraging number of attendees was depleted following the winter storm episodes, not entirely surprising given the remote location! Our gratitude has been again sent to the Riddell Family Estate owners.

There is a planned High Mass at Wooler in June, at which the Westland Singers may feature.

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

Despite the darkness of winter and the solemn days of Lent there has been much to lift the spirits in Preston. The Institute's Patronal Feast Days of St Francis de Sales, St Thomas Aquinas and St Benedict were celebrated with great solemnity, joy and beauty, and were well supported. In February there was High Mass for the church's Patronal Feast of St Walburge, with veneration of the relic afterwards.

In March there was a Novena in honour of St Joseph, culminating in a Sung Mass at English Martyrs on 19 March, followed by consecration of the Institute to St Joseph. Then the following week, for the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, there was Sung Mass at English Martyrs at noon and in the evening Sung Vespers and Benediction followed by the Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart.

We had the great joy of welcoming back Canon Pedro Duarte after his ordination by Cardinal Raymond Burke on the Feast of St Benedict. Canon Duarte offered his First Solemn High Mass on Passion Sunday, in the presence of Canon Montjean, and gave First Blessings afterwards. On the Saturday prior to Palm Sunday he gave a most interesting presentation to the Society of the Sacred Heart to help us in preparing for Easter. After assisting with Holy Week at New Brighton and some time in Portugal, he will return to spend the month of May with us.

On Saturday 19 March St Benedict's Academy held an Open Morning. It was an opportunity for interested families to have a tour, talk to the Canons and Sisters and meet other families. Canon Cristofoli gave a presentation on how the Academy came into being. When he arrived at St Walburge's in 2016 he had no intention of opening an educational centre, indeed his superior had expressly forbidden him to even think of such a project. But by February 2017 he had the growing conviction that he had to do something for the families who attended the shrine. After much prayer, Providence decreed that he should receive approval from both his superior, Mgr Wach, and the diocesan bishop, Bishop Campbell. The St Walburge buildings were not available at the time so the Academy was started in the parish rooms of English Martyrs in January 2018. At first there were only two families but it has steadily grown and there are at present 24 children from nine families. Of these children, seven boys serve on the altar at weekday Masses, as well as at St Walburge's at weekends.

Canon Post, the Principal, then talked about the ethos, aims and curriculum of the Academy and the plans for the future. God willing, from the start of the academic year 2022-2023, St Benedict's will be in new premises on the St Walburge's site. The aim is to restore the buildings that were the former Talbot Schools adjacent to the church and presbytery. A survey has shown that the necessary restoration work is not as extensive as feared but it will still require £97,000. Some generous benefactors have already donated £40,000 but they still need to find £57,000. The money will be allocated as follows: £25,000 to repair the roof; £35,000 to create a suitable playground for the children; £20,000 to restore the sanitary facilities; £7,000 to fence off the playground and car park; £10,000 for redecoration and electrical work. Once this work has been done the Academy will have a more suitable building with more space, allowing more enrolments.

If you can, please help the Canons to raise this money so that we can give our children the authentic Catholic education that is so badly needed in our times. Go to their website icksp.org.uk/saintbenedicts/about/ to find out more about the Academy and to donate. If you would like to be sent their newsletters as they are published, or if you are an interested parent and would like to arrange a visit, then please email the Principal, Canon Ryan Post, at saintbenedicts@icksp.org.uk . We are also pleased to report that the builders are now making progress in installing the slates on the roof at St Walburge's.

Our five candidates from the House of Discernment recently spent two weeks at the Seminary at Gricigliano to explore their vocations and experience the life of the Seminary. They were also able to meet with Cardinal Burke.

Palm Sunday saw a full church, despite the cold, and many remarked how well-behaved the children were during the three-hour-long Mass and Procession with palms. The Sacred Triduum was celebrated in full and well-supported, Good Friday particularly so, despite the challenge of parking near English Martyrs with a football match at Preston North End! The veneration of the Cross was particularly moving. We ourselves were unable to go to the Easter Vigil but our Assistant Rep, Nicholas Steven, was able to attend and says it was “a beautiful ceremony which included everything from the lighting of the New Fire, processing into the Church to the ascending chant of 'Lumen Christi'', the Blessing of the Font and the Baptism of the Paschal Candle, followed by one adult baptism, three confirmations and four First Holy Communions. Three hours were gone in a flash!” After Mass on Easter Sunday we were once more visited by a Pascal lamb and the children (young and old) hunted for Easter Eggs in the presbytery garden.

After a break in April, the Guild meetings will resume in May on the second and fourth Sundays after 10.30 am Mass. Bring a packed lunch and join us for a talk, with catechism for the youngsters, concluding with social and activities for the children. If you can stay longer, there's also the opportunity to attend Vespers and Benediction at 5.30 pm.

A reminder that after 10.30 am Mass on Sunday 15 May, there will be a Solemn Procession in honour of Our Lady. In June we will have the great Feast of Corpus Christi which will be celebrated with Solemn Mass at 12 noon at English Martyrs followed by a Procession, and then on Sunday 19 June, the External Solemnity of Corpus Christi, there will be a Blessed Sacrament Procession with the Preston Deanery at 2.00 pm. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Friday 24 June, there will again be High Mass at English Martyrs at 12 noon and then at 5.30 pm Solemn Vespers followed by Exposition, Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart and Benediction. For future Feast Days and events please see the Institute's website icksp.org.uk/preston/

SacredTriduum,Preston,clockwisefromtop left:AltarofRepose;GoodFriday;BlessingofNewFireat EasterVigil;EasterSunday

Lancaster (North) Nicholas Steven 07715 539395 pilgrimways@gmail.com

Our regular Saturday Low Masses continue with Sung Masses once a month - “Salve Sancta Parens” for Our Lady on 27 February and “Justus ut Palma” for St Joseph on 19 March. As well as rehearsing for these Sung Masses, our six man Schola Gregoriana Sancta Caecilia, now much fortified by Richard Fern’s bass voice, found time to sing Vespers at St Catherine’s in Penrith on St Patrick’s Day and also entered a bracing corporate response for the Synod on Synodality. We even interrupted one practice, at 5.30 pm on 25 March, to join the Holy Father in his prayers for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Three boys, William Whalen, Albert Smielecki and Lenny Pattinson, are now on our Saturday Mass servers’ roster and are getting to grips with the Latin responses. Sunday TLM being as yet unavailable in Cumbria, copious carbon continues to be emitted as some drive back and forth to Preston or Glasgow or Edinburgh or Newcastle. A number of us attended Masses of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Preston on the Feasts of the Annunciation, Maundy Thursday and Easter Vigil.

Requiem Mass for Mrs Helen Farrer was offered at Our Lady and St Joseph, Workington, on Wednesday 6 April. Fr Michael Docherty celebrated Mass and then officiated at the subsequent interment at Cleator Moor. His Lordship Paul Swarbrick, Bishop of Lancaster, granted permission for the Mass to be celebrated in the Old Rite, which was particularly 19

fitting as Helen and her husband Samuel had celebrated their Old Rite wedding in the same church about 70 years earlier. A lovely photograph of the bridal couple kneeling before the altar accompanied the coffin. Farrer family members were present in abundance and two Farrer granddaughters made a last minute appeal for the Mass to be celebrated at the Lady Altar, which was done.

Our “TLM in Cumbria” WhatsApp Group continues to be a valuable channel of communication. Resources signposted this month include the enlightening 20 part series on the prayers and rubrics of the TLM by the Canons of St Walburge, Preston and Daphne McLeod’s brilliant, 16 session Catechism class. Here also we first heard the good news that Pope Francis has authorised the FSSP to continue using the 1962 Missal and corresponding Rituale. Here, William Steven encouraged us to sign up for a local Novena Group while Karolina, Marcin and Julia Grobelny used it to send a spiritual bouquet to our Parish Priests, Canon Luiz Ruscillo, Fr Daniel Etienne and Fr Paul Harrison on the occasion of the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Just text me if you’d like to be added to the “TLM in Cumbria” WhatsApp Group.

Liverpool (Warrington) Alan Frost

Pope Francis confirmed the liturgical identity of the FSSP by decree last February. This excellent news was a relief for the Warrington community after the uncertainty that followed the motu proprio Traditionis Custodeslast July. It also came as a sign of God and Our Lady’s solicitude after a special novena prayed by the FSSP worldwide in preparation to its solemn consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on 11 February, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The mission work of the Priory of St Mary’s Shrine continues to expand, notably of late in the sphere of education. An Open Day to promote the Regina Caeli Academy with the theme of ‘Support our children’s Catholic education’, was held on 5 March. A similar development is taking place with the FSSP in Bedford. This option is seen as a key asset for families to survive and pass on the faith to their children. Visit rcahybrid. org.uk/ for inquiries (register children by 1 May for September 2022.) Such is the growing appreciation of the liturgical and devotional opportunities at Warrington that half a dozen families have moved there in the past year. More families are willing to follow, prompting a house finding novena to be prayed for their resettling.

In Lent, in connection with Good Friday, CTS published a short study on the Stabat Mater by the Rector, Fr de Malleray. In addition, the Sophia Institute Press has released a new edition of Fr de Malleray’s book on the Holy Eucharist Ego Eimi-It is I, with a Foreword by Bishop Athanasius Schneider (order from SophiaInstitute.com/EgoEimi or the LMS online bookshop). On a different note during this time, the Mass for the Feast of St Patrick, presented on-line on LiveMass.org, as is Mass at St Mary’s each day, was followed by a reception buffet and an Irish sing-song in the Priory Hall. On 25 March, there was another well-attended Mass celebrating the Annunciation which included an impressive trio of organ, cello and voice. A very important upcoming event is the visit of Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP on Saturday 2 July (3 pm) to give the Sacrament of Confirmation to children and adults. Fr de Malleray offers the thanks of all at St Mary’s to the Archbishop, who comes each summer to confirm parishioners.

Congratulations to Fr Gerard Quirke who recently started as a Postulant to join the FSSP. Clergy and congregation welcome him as part of the St Mary’s Shrine, where he has been assigned for the foreseeable future. Following formation at Maynooth Seminary in Ireland, Fr Quirke was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Tuam in 2018. After some time of discernment, he sought permission from his Archbishop to try his vocation with the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter. FSSP Superior General, Fr Andrzej Komorowski, assigned him to Warrington, and local Ordinary Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP of Liverpool granted him pastoral faculties. (The bishops of Northampton and Portsmouth have also agreed to confirm FSSP parishioners.)

Finally, prayers are asked for Deacon Gwilym Evans, FSSP, from Wales, who will complete his diaconal stage in Warrington by Easter and will go back to the FSSP seminary in Bavaria to prepare for priestly ordination there on 18 June 2022. The dates for his First Masses next July in London and elsewhere will be advertised on the LMS website and on fssp. org.uk. Then Fr Evans is expected to be assigned in England from August onward.

Middlesbrough Paul Waddington waddadux@gmail.com

Latin Masses continue to be offered every day at the York Oratory, on Sunday afternoons at St Joseph’s Stokesley, and on Thursday evenings at Our Lady and St Peter Chanel on Hull. The lunchtime Mass on Thursdays at St Joan of Arc, Catterick has been discontinued due to Fr David Smith moving on to pastures new.

We are grateful to all the priests who offer these Masses, and say a particular thank you to Fr Smith for all his efforts during his time at Catterick.

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

Sunday and weekday Masses have continued according to schedule at St Brendan, Corby, with some additional Masses being celebrated on feast days and Fridays in Lent. It has not proved possible to have any Sung Masses this quarter, but for the second year we were able to have the services of the Sacred Triduum according to the 1955 rite. Enormous thanks are due to Fr Byrne, who has to run two parishes whilst providing these ceremonies for us, to Stephen Parker, our vigilant and unflappable MC, all the servers, and to Sr Cecilia, who provides an ever helpful presence in the sacristy.

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

Our Mass schedule thankfully continues as usual in this part of the world, with our Bedford Sunday Masses at 8.30 am and 12.30 pm and our Chesham Bois Mass at 8 am. The First Sunday 8.30 am Mass at Bedford is usually sung, and we have had the pleasure of welcoming Dominic Bevan, a professional singer, to lead our choir practices in February, March and May. Dominic has been most helpful and encouraging, and we are singing more confidently as a result. We were offered this training through the sponsorship of the Latin Mass Society, for which we are most grateful.

On Ash Wednesday the Bedford evening Mass was well attended, as were our Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday Masses.

On the weekend of Palm Sunday we were privileged to have two priests from the FSSP apostolate atWarrington with us for Saturday afternoon Confessions and the Sunday Masses; Fr Alex Stewart was joined for the first time at Bedford by Fr Gerard Quirke.

In March I witnessed the churching of one of our mothers at the baptism of her daughter; it was lovely to see this ceremony which I was aware existed, but had never actually seen before.

We are looking forward to Low Masses for the Ascension, Corpus Christi and SS Peter and Paul over the coming months; these will be at 11 am at Chesham Bois and 7.30 pm at Bedford.

As always, please see our Facebook page: facebook.com/ bedfordlatinmass/ or the FSSP page fssp.org.uk/bedford/ for updates and other articles of interest.

Nottingham Jeremy Boot 0115 491556 / 07462 018386

Masses are back on a regular footing. On the Saturday before the 2nd Sunday of the month at Good Shepherd Thackeray’s Lane, Nottingham (sung), 4.30pm; on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 3pm at Our Lady and St Patrick, in the Meadows, Nottingham, and weekly at St Joseph’s, Burton Road, Derby at 8am. Plans are still forming for the restoration of the monthly Cathedral Masses but this is a slow process.

At Our Lady of the Annunciation, 97 Ashby Rd, Loughborough, Mass is celebrated weekly (with the odd exception) at 6.30 each Wednesday, Low Mass usually but we did celebrate Sung Mass for Ash Wednesday as well as for The Purification on 2 February. Masses for both SS Peter and Paul are planned (12 noon) and for Corpus Christi, anticipated on the vigil 15th June. For more see the Mass schedule.

A Requiem Mass took place in Worksop, north Notts, but now in the Hallam diocese, for a deceased member in early March. This was celebrated by Canon Cahill of Leicester and sung by Nottingham diocesan singers – to whom many thanks.

Our sincere thanks to our priests, and all who help, musicians and servers and in any way, to maintain these Masses.

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

Masses in Leicester continue at Blessed Sacrament, Braunstone, on Sunday mornings at 8.00 am, and at St Peter, Hinckley Road, on Saturdays at 11.00 am. Canon Cahill kindly agreed to a Sung Mass for the feast of the Annunciation at St Peter's, but in the event was struck down by Covid; thanks are due to Fr Thomas Crean, OP, who celebrated the Mass for us with only a few hours' notice.

Happily, the Friday evening Mass at St Joseph, Oakham, has now resumed, celebrated by Fr Stephen Dye.

Masses at St Mary, Loughborough, are covered in the report from Jeremy Boot.

Plymouth (Dorset) Maurice Quinn 07555 536570 devon@lms.org.uk

Mgr Francis Jamieson continues with his once-a-month weekday Traditional Mass at the beautiful church of Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia, Blandford Forum. I am happy to say that these are always followed by a free social lunch to which everybody is invited. Mgr Francis also offers a regular 9.30am Mass on Saturday mornings. Do check the Mass Listings but contact me if you have any other questions. I might just add that this year’s Pilgrimage Mass in honour of the Chideock Martyrs is scheduled to take place at 11.30am on Saturday 17 September at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs & St Ignatius in the village of Chideock. More information regarding this event will be forthcoming nearer the time.

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

Once again, good news is at the heart of the Devon Latin Mass scene, especially now that the fulcrum upon which it turns has moved to Holy Angels in Torquay – with daily Mass, Adoration/Benediction and regular opportunities for Confession being the new norm, thanks to Canon Tanner ICKSP, Prior of the Shrine Church of Holy Angels, Chelston. The whole range of Traditional Masses – including on special Holy Days – now takes place at the shrine. Holy Week proved to be a magnificent example of this with Solemn High Mass on Maundy Thursday, Mass of the Pre-Sanctified on Good Friday, followed at the Easter Vigil with a Sung Mass, and another Solemn High Mass on Easter Sunday. We were pleased to welcome the Institute’s seminarian, Abbe Aaron Zielinski, who will be assisting Canon Tanner at Holy Angels for the next few months.

I have been asked about the possibility of resuming Mass celebrations at Blessed Sacrament, Exeter, and at Ugbrooke House, Chudleigh, and I can say that everything is being done to resume these Masses.

At St Edward the Confessor in Plymouth Masses have been celebrated recently by Fr Martin Budge and by Canon Tanner, and, for the record, these take place at 3pm Sunday afternoons alongside a morning Mass on 1st Saturdays. For more information regarding Mass times please check the Mass listings, and do contact me if you have any concerns either by email or by phone as above.

Easter Sunday at Lanherne Convent, Cornwall

Portsmouth (Reading and Portsmouth North) Adrian Dulston

The usual generous Masses for Lent, Holy Week, and Sacred Triduum provided by the FSSP. A special mention to pray for newly baptised Amit Mandalia on the Easter Vigil for whom I suggest we offer at least one Hail Mary. No need to go over the effort the FSSP priests put in over this period but to continue to thank God for such providence. Perhaps some more faithful may consider joining the Confraternity of St Peter to open up more providential graces. The commitment involves having one Mass offered a year for their intentions, saying the short Confraternity prayer before adding one decade of the Rosary - please get in touch with Fr Phipps at St John Fisher House if you are interested.

I would like to take this opportunity to mention FSSP Summer Camps which will take place at Savio House, in Bollington (nr Macclesfield). St Peter's Summer Camp for Boys runs 1-6 August; St Petronilla Summer Camp for Girls runs 8-13 August 2022.

I do not think I have mentioned before the Pro-Life intentions that are given every Sunday Mass but they change each month and for April it is 'for the softening of the hearts of abortion providers.' A reminder that on each First Saturday after 8am Mass there is usually a Rosary walk near the Abortion Clinic in Reading although do check the Newsletter - available at fssp.org.uk/reading/

Portsmouth (Isle of Wight) Peter Clarke 01983 566740 or 07790892592

EF Masses continue on the Isle of Wight, mainly at St Thomas’s, Cowes. These are offered on most Thursdays at 12 noon by Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris. There is usually Exposition and Confessions beforehand from 11-15am; and lunch (our own) in the church hall afterwards.

We are hoping to have a small Corpus Christi Procession on Thursday, 16 June.

St Thomas’s, Cowes celebrates its 225th anniversary on Trinity Sunday. It was built in 1797 by a generous benefactor, Elizabeth Heneage, making it one of the oldest Catholic churches in England and (probably) one of the oldest parish churches in England, where the EF Mass is offered.

Please telephone for confirmation of these Masses if you are coming from the mainland.

Salford Alison F. Kudlowski salford@lms.org.uk

The Extraordinary Form Low Mass continues on Sundays at 4.45pm at St Chad’s, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester. Please check the website of the Oratorian Community at manchesteroratory.org for a bulletin of weekly events. Supporters can also contact me at the above LMS email address.

St Mary’s in Heaton Norris, Stockport, continues to celebrate an Extraordinary Form Low Mass, most Fridays at 6pm. It is advised to contact Fr Marlor before making travel arrangements. Please refer to Mass Listings for details.

Shrewsbury (Cathedral & St Winefride's) Victoria Keens shrewsbury@lms.org.uk

Bill Quirk, who until recently served as LMS representative for Shrewsbury, died peacefully on the morning of 14 March. His Requiem Mass on the 5 April was attended by a large number of friends and family, along with Bill’s fellow parishioners at St Winefride’s.

Bill Quirk celebrating his 100th birthday

Bill regularly attended Mass here, almost up to his 100th birthday on 11 November 2021. In the last few months of his life he was in a nursing home and no longer able to get to St Winefride’s, but our priest, Canon Michael Wiener, regularly attended to his spiritual needs.

At the time of Bill’s birth few Catholics could have anticipated the liturgical changes that would take place within the next half century. When the new Mass was introduced under Paul VI, though he did not abrogate the old Mass, it was, in effect, banned almost everywhere and even he lamented the loss:

“The introduction of the vernacular will certainly be a great sacrifice for those who know the beauty, the power and the expressive sacrality of Latin. We are parting with the speech of the Christian centuries; we are becoming like profane intruders in the literary preserve of sacred utterance. We will lose a great part of that stupendous and incomparable artistic and spiritual thing, the Gregorian chant.

We have reason indeed for regret, reason almost for bewilderment. What can we put in the place of that language of the angels? We are giving up something of priceless worth.” - Paul VI, General Audience, 26 November 1969.

Many Catholics, deeply distressed, sought out the few Traditional Masses that were still allowed or could be arranged in private and makeshift chapels. Bill’s daughter, Margaret, recalls how her father helped to organise and serve at such Masses around the country. During the bleak years of the 1970’s and 80’s Bill worked to get priests to come to say Mass in Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Newport in Shropshire, as well as in neighbouring Hereford and at Harvington Hall. In Shrewsbury itself, with only a few exceptions, there were no traditional Masses until the mid-1990’s. Eventually, thanks to Bill’s tireless efforts and those also of Shrewsbury diocesan priest, Father Gerard McGuiness, Bishop Brian Noble, then Bishop of Shrewsbury, agreed to allow a Traditional Mass once a month at St Winefride’s Church. By the time of Summorum Pontificum in 2007, Shrewsbury was one of the still few places that had Traditional Masses every Sunday. Canon Hudson, from the ICKSP, became the first regular priest and Fr McGuiness took over in 2010. In 2017 Bishop Mark Davies allowed the Institute of Christ the King to set up an apostolate in Shrewsbury. Finally, after so many years of commitment, Bill was able to see Mass offered on a daily basis in Shrewsbury.

Today our congregation is growing, with new faithful joining us all the time, many coming from outside our area and we have beautiful liturgy and the Mass of ages. At Shrewsbury and in the LMS our debt to Bill Quirk is very great indeed. May he rest in peace.

Southwark (Kent) Marygold Turner

With various vicissitudes of the Covid virus, we are blessed to continue our Masses uninterrupted at St Andrew’s, Tenterden. Ben Bevan’s marvellous choir has attended regularly and their excellent singing is greatly appreciated. We have had visiting priests – old friends – who have looked after us.

Please say a prayer for Andrew Czaykowski who has done so much for us and is ill.

We shall have Masses in St Andrew’s on Ascension Day, Corpus Christi, SS Peter & Paul and the Assumption at 12 noon. Fr Behruz has encouraged we traditionalists to gather once a month for a social get together after Mass on the first Sunday of the month. It’s a very kind idea and well attended, with people bringing in nice food and drink.

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

Here at St Bede’s we have now got back to normal after the upheavals of Covid. Our extra Mass on Sunday at 12.30pm continues, and all our usual activities including our All Saints party have been taking place. Our children’s choir continues singing the Ordinary, one of the Propers and a hymn once a month. The main choir has gained lots of new members and has continued building their repertoire. The serving team continues to grow with around 20 boys now serving regularly.

The winter quarter started with our Christmas midnight Mass (Byrd 3 Part and Alma Redemptoris, Palestrina), Christmas day (Introit Puer Natus, Issac, Missa super Dixit Maria, Hassler, Alma Redemptoris Guerrero) and St Stephen’s Day (Palestrina Missa O Quam Gloriosum with motet, Deus Tuorum Militum, Victoria, Alma Redemptoris Guerrero). We also had a Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St Thomas on the 29 December. We were fortunate to have such a feast of Polyphony, each Mass included the polyphonic setting of the Credo.

I would like to thank Fr Southwell for spending Christmas with us and blessing large amounts of Epiphany water, Chalk and Salt at our usual Sung Mass. The choir continue to sing Polyphonic Propers, with the complete cycle of Issac’s settings, Introit, Alleluia / Tract and Communion with the Palestrina Offertory on the 4th Sunday after Epiphany, Quinquagesima and the third Sunday of Lent. We also had our usual Sung Mass and procession for Candlemas.

We had another Solemn High Mass for the Feast of the Annunciation (Missa super Dixit Maria, Hassler, Ave Regina Caelorum,de la Rue), and also Sung Masses for the Feast of St Patrick and St Joseph.

Holy Week was incredibly busy, and I would especially like to thank Fr Pullicino for all his hard work. On Palm Sunday we had a 15-year-old MC in charge of the sanctuary, the choir sang the Victoria: St Matthew Passion, the Communion setting by Issac, and the AveReginaCaelorum,dela Rue as well as all the usual chants. For the first time this year we had Tenebrae on both Wednesday and Friday evening, rather than just on the Wednesday. On Maundy Thursday we had 16 servers, with the choir singing the Byrd 3-part Mass, Christus factus est, Anerio, Dextera Domine, Palestrina, Ave Verum, Byrd 4v, and a setting of the Pange Lingua.

On Good Friday we once again had 16 servers, with the choir singing the Victoria setting of the Passion, and O caput Cruentatum, (Hassler setting arranged by Bach). The Easter Vigil (Sicut cervus / Sitivit & Missa Brevis,Palestina, & Regina Caeli, Witt) once again with a 15-year-old MC in charge of the 15 servers, as well as a record number of lectors to sing the prophecies.

Our Mass attendance has continued to climb with over a third of our congregation being made up of young families.

Southwark (St George's Cathedral) Oliver McCarthy southwark@lms.org.uk

Mass at St George’s

After more than two years it came as a great relief that the public return of the Latin Mass to St George's Cathedral, Southwark was greeted so warmly both by the Cathedral clergy and staff and by over fifty of the lay faithful who came to worship in the Cathedral's beautiful Lady Chapel. Mass was sung once again to a very high standard, with the assistance of one of the excellent Lay Clerks from the Cathedral Choir. As before, the ceremonies were performed very competently by a team of boys from St Bede's, Clapham Park.

We are very grateful to Archbishop John Wilson for his permission to continue to have the Latin Mass at St George's, and for his kind help and support to Fr Francis Murphy, who is currently serving as Acting Dean of the Cathedral, following the very sad, sudden death of Canon Richard Hearn last year.

Wrexham Kevin Jones wrexham@lms.org.uk

The situation in North Wales is unchanged. In the Diocese of Wrexham no Masses using the 1962 Missal are taking place. It has been well documented as to how we have arrived at this sorry position and so I will not repeat it again.

I have made a submission to the Diocesan Coordinator, Fr Dalgleish in respect of the forthcoming Synod and have attempted to convey how Traditionalism can enrich the life of the Church and should be seen as a gift.

My term as LMS Secretary ends at the next Annual General Meeting. I have served on the Committee since 2014. It has been fulfilling to have been able to give some additional contribution to the Latin Mass Society and whilst the Constitution allows for me to seek approval to remain involved, I decided some time ago not to do so. I wish my successor well.

Society of St Tarcisius Joseph Shaw, National Coordinator tarcisius@lms.org.uk

Server training has returned to London in 2022, and in addition to St Mary Moorfields we have also now used St Dominic's, Haverstock Hill - the Rosary Shrine, which belongs to the Dominicans. This was very successful and I hope to return there soon. I will soon be arranging more dates for the last quarter of the year, and I hope that training for the Dominican Rite will be included for the first time.

Those interested in server training should make sure they are on our mailing list: please contact tarcisius@lms.org.uk.

Our events are always attended by people from outside London, and it would be good to have training events and enrolments in different parts of the country: anyone prepared to organise these should email me. Priests who would like to enrol their regular servers are welcome to do so: we can send you the enamelled diecast medals and the cords of the appropriate colours, as well as printed information about the Society, prayer cards, and the enrolment ceremony.

Scenes from Tarcisius Server Training and Guild of St Clare Days held earlier this year in London

During a pause in the server training, the Chairman and Oliver McCarthy lend a hand unpicking seams with the Guild of St Clare

During a pause in the server training, the Chairman and Oliver McCarthy lend a hand unpicking seams with the Guild of St Clare

Enrolment into the Society of St Tarcisius

Sacred Triduum, Preston. Clock wise from top left: Altar of Repose; Good Friday; Blessing of New Fire at Easter Vigil; Easter Sunday.