Reports from around the country – What’s happening where you are

DIOCESAN DIGEST

Mass of Ages quarterly round-up

Birmingham & Black Country Louis Maciel 0739 223 2225 birmingham@lms.org.uk birmingham-lms-rep.blogspot.co.uk/

I am pleased to report that most of the EF Masses in the region have resumed after lockdown, with numbers broadly in line with what they were previously save perhaps for a brief reduction due to those shielding or self-isolating, but nonetheless comparing favourably with equivalent Novus Ordo Masses in the same churches.

The Oratory has resumed its usual schedule of a weekday Mass at 5.45pm, a Mass on Saturday at 9am and High Mass on Sundays at 10.30am with an overflow Mass celebrated in the Upper Cloister Hall if capacity is reached. The 5.45pm Mass was replaced with a High Mass at 7.30pm on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and the Feast of St John Henry Newman.

The third Friday Mass at St Dunstan’s resumed in July and is now being celebrated on the new main central altar, which contains a relic of St John Henry Newman which was kindly donated by the Oratory.

Although Fr Tomas has moved to the Cathedral, he is returning to Sacred Heart and All Souls on first Fridays to continue celebrating the Mass in Acocks Green.

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton continues to live-stream Mass on Fridays at 6.30pm for those who are unable to attend in person.

Birmingham North Staffs Alan Frost

A happy though fairly rare event in North Staffs was the celebration in August by Fr Chavasse of a Traditional Rite Nuptial Mass for the wedding of a young couple in his parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption at Swynnerton. The couple are regular attenders of the Old Rite Mass. Unfortunately, the following month Fr Chavasse, who has suffered quite a lot in recent times, had to be admitted to hospital with heart trouble, but, Deo gratias, was able to be taken home a few days later and, in early October, is recovering, and has resumed some parochial duties. The weekly 6pm Sunday EF Mass continues with Fr Stefak (Stoke) or Fr Goodman (Wolverhampton) standing in.

Fr Stefak visited his native Poland in August and on his return resumed the weekly Wednesday 7pm Old Rite Mass at St Augustine’s, Meir, Stoke. He continues to promote and explain the Tridentine Rite Mass in his parish bulletin (which includes two other churches he is in charge of). A Low Mass was celebrated at a former regular venue for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and Eve of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, at the splendid Oulton Abbey Benedictine chapel, and another Mass will be offered here on the evening of the Feast of All Souls, 2 Nov. 16

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

A great deal has changed since my last report in January. Although the introduction of weekly Missae Cantata at Little Malvern was viewed as a success by those attending, it was sadly not a view shared by the parish priest and consequently the Traditional Latin Mass ceased being celebrated at St Wulstan’s from mid-March. I had initiated discussions to celebrate replacement Masses at a neighbouring parish instead but then there was Covid-19 lockdown, since when no tangible progress has been made.

Once lockdown was eased there was at least some good news on the horizon – or perhaps more accurately over the horizon in neighbouring dioceses: the formerly weekly Sunday Low Masses at both Ledbury (Cardiff) and Prinknash Abbey (Clifton) were each to be increased to weekly and each moved to the prime late-morning slot. This has enabled at least some of those formerly attending Little Malvern to attend Masses at Prinknash or Ledbury instead. It has also been possible to arrange for some Masses at Ledbury to be sung: one by a solo cantor, a second by Schola Gregoriana Malverniensis which formerly sang at Little Malvern, and with a few more tentatively planned. The parish priest at Ledbury, Fr Adrian Wiltshire, also took the opportunity to celebrate all his daily private Masses as Low Masses. Prinknash Abbey however found itself simply overwhelmed by the increasingly large numbers arriving from many miles around and has quite understandably consequently had to suspend all public Sunday Masses.

Elsewhere in Worcestershire Fr Jason Mahoney (Redditch) has been celebrating private Low Masses whenever possible, and Fr Christopher Draycott (Evesham) has continued to celebrate midday Low Masses on Mondays, albeit now privately though broadcast on YouTube. No public TLM’s have been celebrated by Fr Douglas Lamb at Kidderminster.

Brentwood Mark Johnson

Our Sung Masses recommenced at St Margaret’s Convent Chapel on 26 July and attendances have been very good. Father Andrew Forys, the parish priest, was moved to Lexden at the beginning of September, and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank him for his co-operation and generous hospitality. He has been replaced as parish priest by Monsignor John Armitage, who I expect many of you may know was the former Rector at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.

As you know, for some years now, we have had an annual Sung Requiem Mass at St Patrick’s Cemetery Chapel in Leytonstone in November. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, that is unlikely to occur this year. However, I will check again with the superintendent at the end of October to see whether the situation has changed. Any change will be notified via the Latin Mass Society website or alternatively those interested should call the office from time to time.

We are hopeful that the High Mass at Moorfields on Christmas Eve (Midnight Mass) will take place again this year, although at the time of writing this I have not received confirmation. Again, I would recommend members keep a close eye on the website for details.

Brentwood (East) Alan Gardner alanmdgardner@gmail.com

We remain grateful in our extensive ‘country’ part of the diocese to those hard-working priests and laity for their magnificent (often Herculean) efforts to make the Mass available to us – to the extent that in some areas, provision is stronger than pre-virus!

Our gratitude also to the courage of those priests who are thinking intelligently about some of the oddities that are contained in the virus regulations. (Speaking personally, I’m afraid I remain doubtful that Communion on the tongue is more dangerous than in the hand…)

We are ‘climbing back’ to regular Mass provision at Chelmsford, Leigh, Kelvedon, Rochford (now just about daily!), and Stansted; thank you, Fathers. And there are wonderful developments at Withermarsh Green – thank you, Fr Henry! (And see pages 27-29 of this issue.)

I hope I have summarised above the main activity in our part of the diocese, but if you are ‘in the know’ somewhere better locally, my apologies, and please keep me informed so that I can circulate to everyone.

If you are not currently on my local email circulation list (you should be receiving something from me at reasonably regular intervals), do please feel free to get in touch.

East Anglia (West) Gregor and Alisa Dick

Sunday Masses continue at Blackfriars in Cambridge, celebrated for the time being -- according to the weather -- either in or outside the cloister, in order to accommodate numbers beyond the restricted capacity of the chapel.

Several priests who have celebrated the Traditional Mass in Cambridge have moved recently: Fr Aidan Nichols OP is currently teaching in Jamaica, and Fr Bruno Clifton OP has moved to Oxford after completing his doctorate. In the other direction, Fr Gregory Pearson OP has arrived at the priory in Cambridge, as has Fr Robert Verrill OP, who for this academic year will be acting chaplain to the University during Mgr Mark Langham's sabbatical. Furthermore, Fr Simon Leworthy, who was Assistant Priest at the parish of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, is now Parish Priest of Our Lady, Stowmarket. We are grateful to them all and assure them of our prayers.

East Anglia (Withermarsh Green) Sarah Ward 07522 289449 sarahcampling@hotmail.com

This is the first report for the new Latin Mass Chaplaincy at Withermarsh Green church, situated in the beautiful countryside of the Dedham Vale, Suffolk. I must start with a big thank you to the Fenwick family who have made this beautiful church available to the Chaplaincy and for their generous help with setting things up.

An inaugural Missa Cantata took place on 15 August for the Solemnity of the Assumption. Mass was celebrated in the grounds outside the Church to accommodate the large numbers who attended. Special thanks to East Anglia Rep, Gregor Dick who assisted as MC and to Dan Wright who assisted as Cantor. Thanks also to Allan Cantos, MC on the Sunday and to Pippa Wright for her help as Cantor.

It is an unexpected blessing and delight to be able to write that the Traditional Latin Mass is now being said every day of the week at Withermarsh Green! Fr Henry Whisenant was formally installed as Chaplain on 14 September 2020 in a ceremony conducted by the Bishop of East Anglia, Alan Hopes. This was followed by a Pontifical Low Mass celebrated by the Bishop and assisted by Fr Andrew Southwell and Fr Henry. We are all very impressed by the way in which Fr Henry has settled into this new role with such good cheer.

Masses are well attended, so much so that an additional Sunday Mass is now being celebrated at 12 noon. There is a Holy Hour every Saturday after Holy Mass, with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Benediction takes place every Sunday at 6pm. Confession is available before every Mass and by appointment. Altar Server training is taking place on the 1st Saturday of the month after the Holy Hour and, so far, 11 gentlemen have attended.

Please keep this new Chaplaincy in your prayers! (For more on the church at Withermarsh and its history seepages 27-29 of this issue.)

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

We now have one diocesan Sunday Latin Mass, thanks to Canon Michael Brown in Gateshead. This has been on average well attended with a congregation of 40-65.

There is no indication of when Thornley may re-open, however Father Paul Tully [hospital Chaplain] who used to celebrate Mass there, is willing to re-commence at a different location if the new hygiene protocols can be complied with. Father Paul has recently undergone surgery to both eyes, so we wish him a successful, speedy recovery.

Weekday Masses at Coxhoe and Whittington are back to normal schedule. St Mary’s at Barnard Castle is yet to re-open and without a prospective date given to us.

Lancaster Bob & Jane Latin 01524 412987 lancaster@lms.org.uk latinmasslancaster.blogspot.com John Rogan 01524 858832 lancasterassistant@lms.org.uk

Attendance at St Walburge & English Martyrs in Preston has been good with people coming from quite a distance. We give thanks that following the recent ICKSP Chapter, Canons Cristofoli, Tanner and Post are remaining with us for another year. They continue to work hard to provide as “normal” a spiritual life as possible for the faithful.

We have been invited to prepare a history of St Walburge's church and research is underway. If any readers have material or photographs they think would be of interest please do contact us.

We are pleased to report that Canon Watson is resuming a monthly EF Mass at Our Lady & St Michael in Workington. The first one took place in October after this went to print, but dates have been booked for Friday 13 November (a Requiem for the Dead) and Friday 11 December, both at 7.00 pm. These Masses will be live-streamed: visit https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/ christ-the-good-shepherd Obviously these could be subject to change so please do contact the Presbytery on 01900 602114 before travelling any distance.

Fr Etienne reports that his weekly EF Mass at 9.15 am on Mondays at St John Vianney, Blackpool has steady but quiet support.

The swap between Canon Ruscillo and Fr Docherty took place just after the Feast of the Assumption. Canon Ruscillo has said that after 15 years at Hornby he was sad to leave but seems to be settling in well in Carlisle. He has been approached by some of the EF faithful there and is open to the idea of setting up a regular Mass for them. After he has discussed the provision of Masses generally with the other clergy in Carlisle, he will let us know what he can do. Because of the space/number restrictions of the three churches in his care, Fr Docherty has difficulty with accommodating people for the scheduled Masses so for the time being it is unlikely that there will be any EF Masses at Hornby.

Menevia Elaine Sharpling meneviastabatmater.blogspot.com/

Thanks to the steadfast determination of Canon Jason Jones and Father Paul Brophy, Masses have resumed over the past few weeks albeit with limited capacity in the churches.

Like others, our group has been delighted to return to the sacraments and we have welcomed some new families who are interested in finding out about the Traditional liturgy. This has been a very heartening answer to prayer and has presented some opportunities for servers to be trained – something very much needed after we lost Corey in 2018.

We also have good news concerning Father Liam Bradley from Haverfordwest who is well on his way to being able to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form. A priests’ training day took place on the 16 September and was a great opportunity to support Father Bradley in his endeavour. He hopes to say his first EF Mass in October so please remember him in his prayers. It will be a great addition to our provision and a significant help to those who live further west.

In our next post, we will send an update on the vestments purchased for Father Bradley and a very special label embroidered by Lucy Shaw.

We continue to post information on our blogspot so please check there before travelling.

Liverpool Jim Pennington and Neil Addison, liverpool@lms.org.uk

As in our last report, we continue to be grateful to the FSSP and ICKSP for providing regular Traditional Masses in Warrington, New Brighton and Preston. Congratulations are owed to Fr de Malleray for managing to raise the money to buy the entire Priory Court complex by St Mary’s in Warrington. Details of the appeal were given in the last issue of Mass of Ages and the news that it has been successful is very heartening. I am sure that the new premises will prove to be a great boon for the Church and for Traditionalism in the North West.

Currently there is only one Diocesan Latin Mass, which is said by Fr Simon Henry at St Catherine Labouré Leyland, on Tuesday and Saturday 12 noon. Father Simon did try to reinstate a Sunday Mass but the small numbers meant that it was impractical to continue. Unfortunately for all Parish Churches at present the need for full cleaning after a Mass does make it very difficult to organise special or extra Masses and that will probably continue for several months. It is worth remembering that we are not alone in this, many Churches have not reopened and the number of Ordinary Form Masses is lower than it was in part because of the need for volunteer cleaners after each Mass. We can only hope that Diocesan Latin Masses will resume in the future but it will certainly not be for some time. Until then we are fortunate in having the FSSP and ICKSP Churches which are open and continuing to say and to live-stream Mass on a daily basis.

Northampton North (Northamptonshire) Paul Beardsmore

In these difficult times it is encouraging to report the addition of a new Sunday Mass, which Fr Byrne is now offering at St Brendan's, Corby, at 8.00 am each week. The Saturday morning Mass, at 10.00 am, also continues. Despite the logistical difficulties posed by opening the church for a prolonged period under the current guidelines, Fr Byrne was also able to arrange to hold the 40 hours devotion over three consecutive days in September.

Northampton (South) Barbara Kay bedford@lms.org.uk 01234 340759

There’s a new face in the sanctuary at Bedford – that of Fr Seth Phipps, FSSP, who has taken the place of Fr Patrick O’Donohue, FSSP. Fr O’Donohue was based at Reading but travelled to Bedford most Sundays for the past two years to say Mass. On 28 September he returned to his native Ireland to be the first resident priest there in a new FSSP apostolate. We had a little farewell celebration for him and were able to give him a nice generous sum in Euros! He is replaced at Reading by Fr Neil Brett from the Diocese of Brentwood, who has recently joined the FSSP as a postulant.

Fr O’Donohue was not the only one starting a new chapter in his life recently. Fr Patrick Hutton, the Parish Priest of Christ the King, Bedford, retired on 4 October. We would like to express our warm thanks to him for his unfailing support of the Latin Mass at Bedford over the last five years, and to wish him and his wife Rita a very happy retirement.

Despite the restrictions, we have a steady stream of baptisms, First Holy Communions and weddings in the Traditional Rite at Christ the King. Mass on Sunday continues at 8.30 am and 1 pm at Bedford, and at 8 am and 4.30 pm at Chesham Bois. The Bedford Masses are very well attended, the two of them totalling 165 – 175 each week. It is interesting to note that some faithful who normally attend the Novus Ordo Mass are now coming to us in order to be able to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, and at the same time are learning to appreciate the Traditional Rite.

We have continued with our afternoons of Eucharistic Adoration and Confession on the First Saturday afternoon of each month, with a steady 50 or 60 people attending each time. As Confessions cannot be heard after Mass as they normally are, we are continuing to hold these afternoons on the First Saturdays in October, November and December from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm. We hope there will be two priests in attendance each time so that all who wish to confess can do so within the time frame.

Because of the interregnum, it is not possible at the time of writing to give the times of future Masses other than those on Sundays. I would strongly encourage you to look at our Bedford Latin Mass page, latinmassbedford.wordpress.com/, for the latest information about our activities, or contact me by phone or e-mail as above.

One event which is definitely happening barring restrictions is our third Annual Mass of Reparation for Abortion, which will take place on Saturday 14 November at 12 noon at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Church of the Holy Child and St Joseph, 2 Brereton Road, Bedford MK40 1HU. As seating is limited, you will need to book at bedford@lms.org.uk to be sure of a place.

Nottingham Jeremy Boot 07462 018386 nottingham@lms.org.uk

Any hopes we had of restarting Masses at Our Lady and St Patrick’s Church (3rd and 4th Sundays) were dashed when it became clear that what was required of us as a group, without parish help, would prove impossible to undertake to conform to especially stringent Diocesan requirements. For the time being the Cathedral Mass on 3rd Sundays 6.15 has also not yet resumed.

However, Canon Ziomek at the Good Shepherd, Thackeray’s Lane, Nottingham, a long-standing friend on the LMS and those who attend our Masses, welcomed us back in September. Masses will remain on the Saturday before the 2nd Sundays at 4.30pm (note earlier start). For the time being these will be Low Masses only. I do urge people to make the effort to attend them and they fulfil the Sunday obligation (although this is still not reimposed at the time of writing).

At St Mary of the Annunciation, Ashby Rd, Loughborough, there is Mass at 6.30pm on Wednesdays and we had the joy of a Missa Cantata both for the Feast of the Holy Rosary on 7 October and earlier, in August, for the Transfiguration. There will be occasional such Masses as circumstances allow, possibly on or around the Epiphany next year.

A thin report for thin times, alas. Let us hope 2021 will be less of a trial for all of us than this year.

Nottingham South (Leicestershire & Rutland) Paul Beardsmore

We have suffered a severe blow in Leicestershire with the loss of the daily and Sunday Dominican Rite Masses at Holy Cross Priory. Unfortunately, during the extended Leicester lockdown all three celebrants of the Traditional Mass were moved to duties elsewhere; only two have been replaced, and there are now no clergy resident at Holy Cross who are able and willing to celebrate in their Traditional Rite. So comes to an end, at least for the time being, a relationship between traditional Catholics and Holy Cross Priory dating back to 2003.

In mourning the loss of this Mass, it is only right that I should thank the successive priors who permitted, and in several cases fostered, the traditional rite, and the various celebrants - no less than eight, I think - who have offered the Mass there on a regular basis.

The current coronavirus crisis makes life difficult for everyone, but I am hopeful that in due course it will be possible to provide an alternative public Sunday Mass in Leicester.

Fr Gillham at Loughborough celebrates Mass every Wednesday - see report from Jeremy Boot.

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

The Institute of Christ the King has taken over the Chaplaincy at the Convent at Lanherne which is great news, having worked with them on the Wirral at the Dome of Home and Birkenhead Carmel I know what a blessing they are to the local Church. Canon Scott Smith is to be resident Chaplin after doing sterling work in Shrewsbury. Masses at Lanherne are at 10 am on a Sunday and at 8 am during the week.

The two Fr Patricks: Fr Hutton (left), and Fr O'Donohue

Cornwall of course has always had a strong connection with the Latin Mass right from the age of the Celtic Saints and Romano British times, for although they spoke a Brythonic Celtic language, they always had the Mass in Latin. And when Cranmer imposed the English Book of Common Prayer on the country the Cornish rebelled in what became known as the Prayer Book Rebellion or Western Rising.

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

Although it is a sad fact that our Latin Mass celebrations at both Blessed Sacrament, Exeter, and at St Cyprian’s, Ugbrooke House, Chudleigh, have been put on hold for the foreseeable future due to Covid-19 restrictions (this could change at a moment’s notice), we still have a thriving Latin Mass group at St Edward the Confessor at Peverell, Plymouth. On 13th Sunday after Pentecost, regretfully, we said goodbye to Fr Xavier Champagne-Dueve (Institute of the Good Shepherd) after working for us for the last eight months from his base at Lanherne in Cornwall (photograph shows Fr Xavier with servers Alajandro and Oliver Proctor). After Holy Mass, the people present gathered in the sunshine of St Edward’s courtyard (social distancing being observed) in order to say goodbye to Fr Xavier and show him their appreciation in a convivial atmosphere over a glass of wine and a shared buffet.

Fr Xavier was replaced at St Edward’s by Canon Scott Smith, an American priest of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, who – we hope – now has a firm and permanent foothold in the Plymouth Diocese. Just prior to Canon Smith taking up his position at Lanherne (and by extension at St Edward the Confessor), the parish was pleased to have Canon Montjean ICKSP and Fr Anselm Gribbin supply for a couple of Sundays. Do take note that the new Mass time at St Edward the Confessor is now set for 3pm Sunday afternoons, with Confessions prior to this at 2.30pm.

As the shifting sands of Covid-19 restrictive measures could change in our favour at a moment’s notice, please keep your eye on the LMS website for updates or contact me via phone or email for the latest information before travelling any distance.

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

It is pleasing to report that it is business as usual on the Dorset Latin Mass scene with no nasty Covid-19 disruptions like we have in neighbouring Devon. However, Fr Martin Budge (Our Lady’s, Marnhull) did have to take the unprecedented step of cancelling the August Mass celebration due to a sudden funeral, which meant that I was unable to contact everybody in good time, for which I heartily apologise. I might just add that I do get in touch with people beforehand if I have contact details, so please do consider letting me know if you would like to be included, especially as this would help avoid being disappointed.

At Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia, Blandford Forum, I would like to remind everybody that Mgr Francis Jamieson has a regular Saturday morning (9.30am) usus antiquior. This is particularly useful for those who would like to avail themselves of Confessions or indeed as an aid to their First Saturday devotions of Our Lady of Fatima. I was present at the 8 September Mass celebration (Nativity of the B.V.M), which culminated in a very pleasant (social distancing being observed) lunch in the beautiful and extensive church garden.

I look forward to seeing old friends and new at our usus antiquiorMass celebrations in the coming months, but if you have any questions before then regarding the above, I shall be more than happy to help you.

Fr Xavier celebrating Mass, served by brothers Alajandro and Oliver Proctor

Shrewsbury Victoria E Keens

For the foreseeable future all Traditional Masses in Shrewsbury will be at Shrewsbury Cathedral. There will no longer be any at St Winefride’s Church, though our clergy will remain resident at the presbytery there.

On 25 September we said goodbye to Canon Scott Smith, who had been our priest for nearly two years, having worked hard to build our community and providing for us so well during the recent difficult months. He has been transferred to Cornwall, where he is Chaplain to the Carmelite nuns at Lanherne Convent near Newquay and will also serve a congregation in Plymouth. Canon Michael Wiener has come to Shrewsbury from Oakland, California and Father Anselm Gribbin also remains with us.

There have been changes in Mass times. Sunday 9.30am and Monday through Saturday at 10.00am. Traditional Masses in Shrewsbury have increasingly attracted people from outside our immediate area. Even in this difficult period, we offer a warm welcome to all.

Shrewsbury (Chester) Andrew Nielson

Traditional Latin Masses have resumed at St Clare's Chester with third Sunday Masses being celebrated in August and September. Both Masses were Low Mass which looks to be the norm for the immediate future.

Both Masses were celebrated by Canon Montjean of the ICKSP in spite of a very busy schedule, for which I am very grateful. Thanks are also due to Fr Emelka the Parish Priest for his continued support and to Rebecca Irvine and Heather Hesketh for kindly taking on the role of stewards.

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

Life at the Dome has continued reasonably well in the combined situation of the Coronavirus emergency and major structural work to the church. The main altar is curtained off and we continue to use the side altar dedicated to St Philomena. The fact that it is a side altar has not however reduced the quality of our services. Every Sunday we have Missa Cantata, though with one Cantor rather than a full Choir, and when we had three Priests present we had a memorable High Mass. We also welcomed a visit from the Sister Adorers based in Preston who added their beautiful voices to our Sunday Missa Cantata.

The work on the High Altar will not be completed until February 2021 at the earliest and at the moment the main work is taking place on the Dome itself. Tours are being arranged for those with a head for heights and these even include a visit to the walkway on the Dome - not somewhere visitors are normally allowed to go. The Canons have opened an Appeal for money to have the interior of the Church painted. At present the colour scheme is a rather dull combination of browns which lets down the dramatic Scouse Baroque of the Main Altar. The new proposed colour scheme will be variations on ‘Duck Egg Blue’ which will be much more colourful and fit in with the Marian devotion so beloved of the ICKSP. It’s a tall order to raise the funds but if it can be done then the Latin Mass community will have one of the most dramatic and beautiful churches in the Merseyside region and the present moment is the best time to have the work done because the necessary (and expensive) scaffolding is already on site.

We welcomed a new Abbe (seminarian) Juan Gabriel Mercado who will be based with us for a year. He is in his 4th year in the Seminary so I’m sure he will learn a great deal from being part of the team in an active Church. That doesn’t mean that he stops his Seminary studies, those continue via correspondence, videos and instruction from the Canons at the Dome so it’s going to be a demanding but hopefully a fruitful year for him. In addition, he will learn to speak English with a Scouse accent.

Part of the reason that the ICKSP send out Seminarians to work in their churches is apparently because the Seminary in Griciliano now has more seminarians than it has accommodation for, with 22 new Seminarians entering this year. That is some good news and hope for the future in a year that has been short on both.

Southwark (Kent) Marygold Turner

Since the laity were abandoned during the recent lockdown, with all our churches closed and the Sacraments withdrawn, when I was able I started a weekly Holy Mass in my garden. In all we had 12, plus the Feast of the Assumption. I felt that my faithful friends should be able to at last go to Mass and receive Holy Communion! We were very well supported by the clergy, and one of our priests gave me a perfect little awning to protect the altar. Andrew Czaykowski served all the Masses, and, at great expense and trouble, provided boxes of delicious sandwiches, wine and champagne; so, each time we finished with a little party! Our Lady saw that we weren’t ever rained off (it rained only once after the Mass!). Rather miraculous.

I am now back to my weekly rota, which has changed. Fr Liam Gallagher at Maidstone doesn’t want Tridentine Mass (and us!) on the 1st Sunday of the month, so that is transferred to Tenterden, where we have been very kindly welcomed by the new parish priest at St Andrews, Fr Behr. Ben Bevan brought a small choir one Sunday and Fr Diaz celebrated. He has a superb voice and the Bevans, of course, are very fine professional musicians. It was a lovely start to the next “chapter” of our Masses! So, the 1st and 3rd Sundays will be at Tenterden at 12 o’clock, and the 2nd at St Simon’s, Ashford, also at 12. The 4th Sunday remains a Parish Mass at St Thomas of Canterbury, Headcorn at 12.

I feel that many souls could have been lost to the Church during the complete shut-down – never known before since King John and the Interdict, even during the plague, and many wars. How disgraceful!

Southwark (St Bede’s Clapham Park) Thomas Windsor

It was quite a trial for us to be unjustly and unnecessary deprived of our Liturgy just as we were preparing for Holy Week and Easter. We did have time to organise one last sung Mass, at 6.15pm on Friday 20 March, this possibly being the last public Mass before lockdown. I am pleased to say that St Bede’s was also one of the first churches to open after the lockdown, firstly for private prayer on the 15 June and a couple of weeks later at 9.30 am for what must have been the first public Mass after lockdown. Our first Sung Mass with Cantor and organist was a week later on Sunday at 11am. I would like to thank all of the members of our TLM community that have kindly volunteered to be stewards.

We now have some new Mass times, an extra Mass on Sunday at 12.15pm, a new Mass every weekday at 12.15pm, and the Saturday Mass at the later time of 9.30am. I am pleased to say that the lockdown has had a good influence on our Mass attendance, our combined Sunday Mass attendance increasing by an average of 10, Saturday Mass with an average of 40, and the weekday 12.15 averaging 27. If you are thinking of visiting, the Sunday 11am Mass is usually full, but we have plenty of room in all our other Masses.

While most choirs have had an extended break, members of our choir at the first available opportunity formed a social bubble and started to meet up to sing Vespers and Compline on Sunday in a private house, full choir practices have followed with the full choir returning to sing for us in September. They have also been able to sing at a wedding and a reception of a convert. I write this on Rosary Sunday where our choir sang Hasler’s Dixit Maria Mass and motet, and the Arcadelt Ave Maria.

IwouldliketothankFrHoldenourparishpriestfororganising online activities for adults and children during lockdown and his continued support for the Latin Mass. Thanks are also due to Fr Diaz, who has supported us for a number of years, he has now moved to Kent.

Southwark (St Mary’s Chislehurst) Christopher Richardson

We lost our much-loved parish priest, Fr Charles Briggs, on 25 August. An outstanding priest, Fr Briggs had for many years been a most dedicated supporter of the Traditional Rite. We do not know what is planned as regards the longer-term succession, but for now we are blessed in having Fr Linus Clovis among us. He is a retired priest from St Lucia, who has relatives in the parish, and he has been kind enough to celebrate the Traditional Rite Mass for us on Sunday mornings at 11am (Sung – although limited to one member of the Schola at a time, unfortunately) and Friday evenings at 7pm (Low). He will also be celebrating Mass on Sunday evenings at 6pm in the month of October to honour Our Lady, together with Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary (from 5pm). Despite Covid, the numbers attending the Extraordinary Form Masses continue to grow. We cannot confirm yet, but very much hope that we will be able to have Masses celebrated in the Traditional Rite on Holy Days of Obligation and some other major feasts, as was the case with Fr Briggs.

Southwark (Wandsworth) Julia Ashenden

Canon Martin Edwards resumed public worship at St Mary Magdalen, Wandsworth on Sunday 5 July. With social distancing measures in place, the Church can accommodate 90 worshippers comfortably.

The 11am Mass is now a Missa Cantata every Sunday. Once a month a (small) professional choir comes to sing; on the other Sundays a (small) band of parishioners ably and beautifully sing the Gregorian settings. The parish is also fortunate to have the services of a very skilled organist and music director as well as a spacious choir loft set well away from the congregation.

On Sunday 6 September we were delighted to hear Schubert’s Mass in G. On Sunday 4 October, the choir will sing the Spatzenmesse (Mozart’s K220) and, on 8 November we will have Mozart’s Requiem in D minor K626. Mozart again on Gaudete Sunday (13 December) - this time his Missa Brevis in G major K140. 22

Christmas Midnight Mass will be at the correct time (midnight!) with motets beforehand (if carols are not permitted). The Mass setting will be Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit Pour Noel.

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

Bishop John Sherrington paid us a visit this January and determined that our celebration of the Latin Mass fulfilled a need having witnessed the large gathering who came out to support it. At that time our average attendance was around 20 - 30.

In these trying times, Father Stephen had to cancel all EF Masses in the first stages of lockdown. Since opening it up again this September, the numbers of attendees have been understandably lower because of Covid-19, with 10 to 14 attending. Indeed, my husband and I have been shielding all this time as we are in the higher risk category. Father will keep the 5:30pm Sunday weekly EF Mass until 1 Nov, government regulations permitting, but he has indicated that if there is no uplift in numbers, he will take the decision to cut the Masses to monthly or fortnightly until the Dispensation from the Obligation is lifted, and then return to weekly celebrations.

Being in lockdown has created more, not less work for our priests. Making sure all safety guidelines are followed, preparing for the daily Novus Ordo live-streamed Masses and the technical challenges that has brought, the preparation of virtual events such as the May liturgy for Our Lady in place of the annual Procession, in addition to coping with the normal parish workload, has been a tiring and often lonely business. We are incredibly grateful for all the hard work Father Stephen has had to undertake preparing the church for each liturgy.

Like everywhere else, a worry for the parish is that the offerings during lockdown have gone down dramatically. At the beginning it was a 90% drop. The numbers have since gone up, but not enough. The church guttering is leaking and the cost of repair is putting further pressure on our finances.

On a happier note, we were pleased to welcome Father Mark Elliott Smith to our Shrine, who offered the opening Mass for the LMS Willesden to Walsingham Virtual Pilgrimage this August.

Sadly, I report that Ellen Kelly, a dear friend of Willesden Parish, has passed away. Ellen was often mistaken for Father Stephen’s mother as, for the past 17 years, she and her late husband Terry were weekly visitors, helping with some of the domestic and repair tasks in both the church and the Presbytery and taking the priests shopping. All this was done voluntarily and out of love for the Church. Please keep her in your prayers.

On a personal note I lost my brother Dr Wilson Gasewicz this June and was unable to fly to Canada for his funeral or be with my family. He led an extraordinary life starting his medical vocation as a GP flying doctor in the Canadian Artic serving the Inuit people. Later he turned his talents to psychiatry. Wilson believed strongly in serving his community and was a thoughtful, kind, patient, gentle, compassionate, and dedicated psychiatrist who gave back to the community as a volunteer and doctor for 46 years. He was a loving husband and father of five. Any prayers you can offer for the repose of his soul would be much appreciated.