REPORTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
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/ Fr Paul Lester retired at the beginning of October, ending the celebration of the 1962 Missal at St Mary on the Hill which has taken place for the past six years. A gathering took place after this Mass to celebrate his ministry, which formed one vocation and two discerning vocations, ironically the kind of tsunami predicted by the Second Vatican Council. Masses were celebrated at 10am on Saturday, and 11.30am on Sunday, with an extra Mass for the Assumption this quarter. We will keep him in our prayers, and I am sure he will keep us in his. The beginning of September saw both priests leave St Dunstan’s, ending the third Friday Mass in this parish and the first Friday Mass at Sacred Heart and All Souls in Acocks Green. The last 1962 Missal Mass took place on 1 September, which was coincidently the anniversary of my parents wedding at St Dunstan’s church fifty years ago. The first replacement English Mass took place on 15 September, the memoria of Our Lady of Sorrows in the new calendar. The Oratory celebrated High Masses for the Feasts of the Assumption, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Feast Day of St John Henry Cardinal Newman, and All Saints and All Souls in addition to its usual daily Mass schedule. The Friday Masses at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour continue. Birmingham (North Staffs) Alan Frost north-staffs-lms.blogspot.com The dominating and sad recent news is that of the passing away of Fr Paul Chavasse, Cong Orat, parish priest of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Swynnerton, near Stone. The poor man had been ill for a long time and had suffered over several years. We shall always be grateful to him for establishing, some ten years ago, the TLM as part of the weekly parish schedule, as well as offering the Old Rite on Feast Days and a Low Mass on fortnightly Saturday mornings. He was a quite remarkable and much appreciated priest, giving lectures to his fellow Oratorians. He was also related to Captain Chavasse, a chaplain in the First World War and one of only three men ever to be awarded the VC twice. During his illness Fr Goodman and Fr Stefek stood in for him, coming from Wolverhampton to celebrate the Mass. Fr Paul would have wanted the Mass to continue at Swynnerton and currently it is continuing, through the priests of the ICKSP with the approval of Archbishop Longley.
14
Birmingham Oxford Joseph Shaw oxford@lms.org.uk Regular Masses continue thanks to our dedicated local priests, with many Sung Masses. Readers can contact me if you would like to serve or sing; there is also a local chapter of the Guild of St Clare for making and repairing liturgical vestments. Birmingham (Worcestershire) Alastair J Tocher 01684 893332 malvern@lms.org.uk extraordinarymalvern.uk Facebook: Extraordinary Malvern There have been no recent changes to Masses across Worcestershire – Sung Masses at St Ambrose, Kidderminster on first Sundays at 6 p.m., and Low Masses at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redditch on first Fridays and at Immaculate Conception & St Egwin, Evesham on Tuesday evenings at 6.30 continue as before. In last quarter’s report it was noted that some rumoured clergy moves might impact some Masses in the county but that does not seem to have happened. Nevertheless, do remember to check for the latest information if planning to attend any of these Masses. Our thanks as always to all our local priests – Fr Douglas Lamb, Fr Jason Mahoney, and Fr Christopher Draycott – who celebrate these Masses for us and who support us in many other ways; also, to Archbishop Bernard Longley who has generously granted permission for these Masses to continue, albeit pending confirmation from Rome. Please remember them all in your prayers. Brentwood (East) Alan Gardner alanmdgardner@gmail.com It is good to see some fine work continuing in various parts of the diocese, although there are some pockets here and there which are thirsting in vain for the EF Mass; please pray for those who are suffering in this way, and for priests and laity who are working hard to ensure that the Mass continues to flourish; do please support them where you can! Sadly, sung Masses are few and far between in the rural part of the diocese, so that a number of us find it easier to nip over the border to Withermarsh Green (see report) where much good work also continues. As always, a reminder that this is a large region with changes being made regularly, so do please keep me informed about developments in your own area so that I can circulate details. 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 contact me.
WINTER 2023
