DIOCESAN DIGEST

Mass of Ages quarterly round-up

Arundel & Brighton

Huw Davies aandb@lms.org.uk 07954 253284

As ever, there is no shortage of news for me to report on this quarter from the diocese. The Society was saddened to hear of the deaths of two long-standing supporters of the traditional form of the Mass in recent months. Jennifer Newton’s funeral rites were observed at St Pancras in Lewes, followed by burial at Ripe, in September. Her love of the Tridentine Rite, which she had known from her childhood, meant a great deal to her, as indeed it did to her husband, Christopher, and her family. Jennifer was raised at Bosworth Hall in Leicestershire, a place with many deep Catholic connections running back centuries, and was proud of her Recusant ancestry. She and Christopher also lived for a time at Everingham Park in Yorkshire, which has its own links to England’s rich Catholic history. May she rest in peace (my thanks to Christopher’s obituary from the Requiem order of service for its contribution to this report).

In November, the Requiem Mass of Lionel Gracey, another well-known and loved local devotee of the Tridentine liturgy, was celebrated at Sacred Heart in Sunningdale. Members will have to help in informing me of the last time the Traditional Form of the Mass was celebrated here, but it is thought to have been many years ago. May the Lord also grant him eternal rest.

November being the month of Holy Souls, there were multiple other Masses for the Dead, with additional All Souls Day Masses at Sacred Heart in Caterham, St Edward the Confessor near Guildford and at Lewes, plus the annual Remembrance Sunday Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation and St Francis in West Grinstead. The start of Advent was also marked here by a Sung Mass celebrated by Fr Bruno Witchalls; the next at West Grinstead will be at 3 o’clock on the first Sunday of Lent.

Christmas Day was celebrated with an additional Mass of the Dawn at St Barnabas in Molesey, plus the regular Sunday Mass at Lewes. The Christmas Octave brought additional joy at St Edward the Confessor’s with the Holy Baptism of baby Cecilia, whose parents were regular attendees at the Masses celebrated in Knaphill until it ceased in the autumn. The celebration was somewhat of a “St Hugh’s reunion”, with many former Knaphill attendees in attendance, and it was a joy to see Fr Gerard Hatton, who was visiting his home diocese on a short break from his new apostolate in Scotland.

Birmingham & Black Country

Louis Maciel 07392 232225 birmingham@lms.org.uk birmingham-lms-rep.blogspot.co.uk/

Rorate Masses took place during Advent at the Oratory on Saturdays at 7.30am, replacing the usual 9am Low Mass, and at 7am on Tuesdays at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Wolverhampton. For Christmas, the Oratory celebrated High Mass at Midnight and at 10.30am as usual on Sunday, with additional Masses at 8am at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and a Sung Mass at 9pm on Christmas Eve at St Mary-on-the-Hill in Wednesbury. (For more on St Mary-on-the-Hill see pages 14-15 of this issue.)

High Mass at the Oratory and Low Mass at St Mary-on-the-Hill were celebrated for the Immaculate Conception and Epiphany, with the usual first Friday Mass at Sacred Heart and All Souls in Acocks Green. Friday Mass at Wolverhampton was cancelled on the Epiphany so that Novus Ordo Masses could be celebrated for the restored Holy Day of Obligation. Some of the first Friday Masses in this quarter have also been celebrated in the New Rite at Acocks Green due to the unavailability of the priest, and at St Dunstan’s in November due to the unavailability of a server.

At the time of writing, the Oratory is planning to celebrate a Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict on a Saturday in January, and a High Mass for Candlemas.

Birmingham (North Staffs.)

Alan Frost north-staffs-lms.blogspot.com

In November two special Masses were celebrated by the PP, Fr Paul Chavasse, at Our Lady’s, Swynnerton. On All Saints Day there was a Missa Cantata, followed on 5 November by a Low Mass offered for the Holy Relics, a Feast Day held in only some of the dioceses of England and Wales. An expanded schola provided the singing for a second Missa Cantata that week for the Feast of the Holy Souls celebrated by Fr Stefek at St Augustine’s (Meir) Stoke-on-Trent.

A little later a rare event at Meir was witnessed with the celebration of a Solemn High Mass, courtesy of Fr Chavasse from Our Lady’s, Swynnerton, and Fr Goodman from Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Wolverhampton, joining Fr Stefak. Fr Chavasse also celebrated the end of the year (10 am on 31 December) with a very well attended Low Mass, a Saturday morning event celebrated fortnightly. Into the New year he celebrated an evening Mass for the Epiphany.

Birmingham: Oxford Joseph Shaw

oxford@lms.org.uk

We have been blessed to have two Midnight Masses last Christmas, one anticipated at 6pm (SS Gregory and Augustine's) and one at Midnight itself (Holy Rood in the Abingdon Road).

Sunday Masses continue in the Oratory and Holy Rood, as do feast day Masses. Important feast day Masses are often accompanied with polyphony thanks to our local singers Thomas Neal and Dominic Bevan, in SS Gregory & Augustine's; it is good to see these Masses increasingly well attended.

Please look out for all these in the Mass listings.

Birmingham (Worcestershire)

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

There is little news to report this quarter: the regular Masses across Worcestershire – Sung Masses at St Ambrose, Kidderminster on first Sundays, and Low Masses at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redditch on first Fridays and at Immaculate Conception & St Egwin, Evesham on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm continue largely as normal. The only significant change is that the Sunday afternoon Masses at St Ambrose, Kidderminster are now at the later time of 6pm.

Our thanks as ever to all our local priests – Fr Douglas Lamb, Fr Jason Mahoney, and Fr Christopher Draycott – who make the extra effort to celebrate these Masses for us and who support us in so many other ways; also to Archbishop Bernard Longley who generously grants permission for these Masses. Please remember them all in your prayers.

Brentwood (East)

Alan Gardner alanmdgardner@gmail.com

Laus Deo, we are seeing signs of recovery around the diocese! Following the departure of the Norbertines we had suffered a dearth of Masses in Chelmsford. However, following some very hard work from clergy and laity alike, the Chapel at St Philip’s Priory has had a facelift, with some very generous loans of material from various places. All TLM Masses at Chelmsford from now on will be at St Philip’s Priory Chapel, 178 New London Road, CM2 0AR, (normally First Fridays 7.30 pm, second Sundays 12.30 pm).

November saw a good number of Requiems in various places, including a Sung Requiem at Leigh, where we were blessed with the support of a number of young men who travelled considerable distances to support a nine-strong Schola, enabling a robust ‘Dies Irae’ and a beautifully-ethereal ‘In Paradisum’; thank you, Jack Reason, Robert Sławik, Niall and Rory Windass –your help was much appreciated!

Christmas also saw a number of Sung and Low Masses around the diocese, and the New Year was seen in by various Masses, including a Missa Cantata at Leigh.

Whilst just over the border, we are also blessed with the great work of Fr Henry at Withermarsh Green, with Low Masses every Sunday, plus a Missa Cantata on the last Sunday (whether 4th or 5th) of every month

Advance notice – please note that, as Saturday 6 May is Coronation Day, the Mass at Kelvedon will be transferred to the following Saturday: 13 May; thank you Monsignor Gordon. Indeed we remain grateful to all our priests: working hard to co-ordinate and encourage provision around the diocese, going the extra mile in saying TLM in their own and other parishes; allowing TLM in their own parish despite not being able to say the Latin Mass themselves.

As always, a reminder that this is a large region undergoing much fluctuation, so do please keep me informed about developments in your local area so that I can circulate details. If you are not currently on my local email (bcc!) circulation list (you should be receiving something from me at reasonably regular intervals), do please feel free to get in touch.

Cardiff (Ledbury)

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

Sunday Low Masses continued as previously throughout the latter half of 2022 at Most Holy Trinity, Ledbury. June last year however saw the installation of Mark O’Toole – formerly Bishop of Plymouth as the eighth Archbishop of Cardiff. Archbishop O’Toole visited Ledbury at the end of September as part of a schedule of visits to meet all his new parish priests and to acquaint himself with his many parishes. Following discussions with parish priest Fr Adrian Wiltshire, and with the full support of the Parish Advisory Group, Archbishop O’Toole kindly authorised returning the Sunday Low Masses to the earlier time of 11.30am beginning from the 1st Sunday of Advent. We are very grateful for this adjustment which is welcomed not just by families with young children; and we have since welcomed a few new adults and families who seem to have begun attending the Low Masses here regularly.

Please remember Archbishop Mark O’ Toole, Fr Adrian Wiltshire, and all those attending Most Holy Trinity in your prayers.

East Anglia (Walsingham)

Tom FitzPatrick 07803 166293

We continue to have our regular Low Mass at 9am every second Saturday of the month at the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady. Numbers average in the mid-fifties, with a good cross-section across all the age ranges. Many people living locally travel fair distances to attend Sunday Mass at Withermarsh Green, Sheringham and Norwich, as well as the mid-week Low Mass at Downham Market.

Bishop Peter was installed as our new Bishop of East Anglia in December to succeed Bishop Alan, who has our gratitude for instituting our monthly Mass. Mgr Moger, the current Rector at the Shrine will be leaving at the end of February as he has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Southwark and has both our prayers for his new role and thanks for facilitating our Traditional Masses.

The earnest hope for many of us continues to be that we may be blessed with a weekly Traditional Mass here in Walsingham which will fulfil the Sunday Obligation. We now await the appointment of the new Rector of the National Shrine and pray that he will be sympathetic to our spiritual needs.

East Anglia (West)

Alisa and Gregor Dick 01954 780912 cambridge@lms.org.uk

Sunday Masses at Blackfriars continue as normal. Fr Nicholas Crowe OP was elected Prior in November; we encourage readers to keep him and his brethren in their prayers.

With the return of students to Cambridge after Christmas, more frequent Sung Masses will resume, and the schedule for these will be posted on the noticeboard at the entrance to the Priory. New singers and servers are always welcome.

East Anglia (Withermarsh Green)

Sarah Ward 07522 289449 withermarshgreen@lms.org.uk

Since the last edition, Bishop Alan Hopes has retired and been succeeded by Bishop Peter Collins. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Bishop Hopes for his generosity in establishing the Chaplaincy at Withermarsh Green and for his pastoral support. We would also like to welcome Bishop Collins and look forward to meeting him in the future.

Daily Masses in the old rite continue, with two Masses on Sundays and a monthly Sung Mass on the last Sunday of the month. The “Friends of Withermarsh Green Latin Mass Chaplaincy” charity continues to offer teas and coffees after the 11am Sunday Mass.

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 to the chapel.

Hexham & Newcastle

Keith McAllister 01325 308968/07966 235329 k_c@ymail.com

We have enjoyed an active season of Ancient Rite liturgies as on scheduled listings, with additional Masses for All Saints and All Souls at Gateshead, Coxhoe and Thornley. Weekday Advent Low Masses were celebrated at Thornley, as a new feature, thanks to Fr Paul Tully.

Clergy and lay Catholics were dismayed, even shocked, to hear of the resignation of our Bishop, Robert Byrne in December after less than 4 years tenure; the exit having already been agreed by the Vatican. Bishop Byrne had supported Traditional Latin practice in the diocese from his arrival and we are grateful for this, including his direct involvement in such liturgies. We now await the appointment of a successor, hoping and praying for a Bishop who will be at least equally encouraging to true Catholic Tradition.

On 12 December the Nuptial Mass of Miss Katie Ross in marriage to Mr Leon Reimers was celebrated by Canon Michael Brown in St Cuthbert’s Church, Durham City, with Mass settings and music by Mozart, Schubert and Lotti.

A Missa Cantata was offered by Canon Brown at St Joseph’s in Gateshead on the Epiphany Feast. On that date Low Masses were celebrated at both Coxhoe (Fr Shaun Swales), where the sanctuary decoration was remarkably beautiful, plus by Fr Paul Tully at Thornley – both well attended. A Sung Requiem for our beloved Pope Benedict XVI was celebrated by Canon Brown on 11 January. We look forward to Latin Masses at both Gateshead and Coxhoe on Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. With our uplift in the number and frequency of Ancient Rite liturgies, we really do need more servers - please!

Lancaster (North)

Nicholas Steven 07715 539395 pilgrimways@gmail.com

As trailed last quarter, a Sung Requiem Mass in the Old Rite was offered in the historic recusant chapel at Naworth Castle, near Brampton, Cumbria on Tuesday 25 October, by kind permission of the Hon. Philip Howard. This was the first time that a Catholic Mass had been offered in the castle since about 1645. Requiem Mass was offered by Fr Daniel Etienne for all deceased members of the Howard Family and all souls enrolled in the Cumbria Purgatorial Society www.prayforsouls.uk. After Mass, Philip Howard showed us the priest 's hiding hole, leading by secret passages to other pa rts of the castle, which in penal times enabled escape from pursuers. Andrew Plasom-Scott led the Schola in singing the propers. Justin and Emma Hoskins kindly provided tea afterwards at their home in Brampton.

On 2 November, the Feast of the Holy Souls, we processed by candlelight from Our Lady and St Wilfrid, Warwick Bridge, to the "lost cemetery" of the Benedictine Nuns of the former Holme Eden Abbey. Our planned route had to be changed at the last minute due to a locked gate but at least the forecast rain did not materialise. Votive lights were placed on each of the 31 graves and Fr Etienne led us in singing the Litany of the Holy Souls before the grievously poignant life-sized crucifix. One of our n umber later remarked, "I got goose bumps while the prayers were read there. The ambiance was holy and uplifting". We then returned to Our Lady and St Wilfrid for a Sung Requiem Mass for the Holy Souls.

This was our Schola's final preparation for the Cumbrian Purgatorial Society's annual Sung Requiem at St Margaret Mary’s on Saturday 5 November. This was a Solemn High Mass celebrated by Canon Luiz Ruscillo with Fr Serafino Lanzetta of the Marian Francisans as Deacon and Fr Daniel Etienne as Subdeacon. Sean Beh, on loan from Canon Brown's parish in Gateshead, acted as MC. After Mass Fr Lanzetta gave a talk on The Four Last Things and the Purgatorial Society held its AGM. This grace-filled occasion was fittingly crowned with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Fr Philomeno James of the Marian Franciscans brought further blessings down on us by choosing Warwick Bridge for his personal five-day silent retreat. In addition to his daily private Masses in the early hours, he completed 40 hours of Eucharistic Adoration in Our Lady and St Wilfrid’s church. Several of us were able to watch and adore the Lord with him from time to time.

Sadly, for the beautiful Feast of The Immaculate Conception on 8 December, the Old Rite was not available anywhere in Cumbria, although a n umber of us travelled afar to participate – either at Preston or Gateshead. We continue to pray for the Traditional Mass to be celebrated locally on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. As dauntless Fr James Mawdesley recently asserted, " The Traditional Mass will return".

Saturday 17 December was a great day for Rorate Caeli Masses in Cumbria, with Canon Watson celebrating one in Workington at 7am and Fr Etienne celebrating another in Carlisle at 8am. Canon Watson’s regular 7pm second Friday Masses at Our Lady & St Michael’s in Workington con tinue as usual.

With the Vigil of Christmas falling on a Saturday this year, and St Margaret Mary’s needing to be prepared for the first Mass of Christmas, the Traditional Vigil Mass was celebrated at Our Lady and St Wilfrid, Warwick Bridge. It is such a pleasure to celebrate and to serve the Mass there! Pugin certainly knew what he was doing when he laid out the sanctuary and nave in this gem of a church.

Peter Sylvester, who taught my brother and me to serve the Latin Mass when we were boys, visited Our Lady and St Wilfrid on 30 December with his wife Eileen to renew their marriage vows. They were married there 50 years ago to the day. Please pray for Eileen who has just been diagnosed with Motor Neurone disease. (Speaking of illness, a bug picked up in Armenia prevented me from attending the annual LMS Reps meeting in London. I really hope I shall get there next year).

Immediately following our Saturday Mass on 31 December, having learned of the death of Benedict XVI just 90 minutes earlier, Fr Etienne celebrated a Traditional Requiem Mass for the repose of the former Pontiff’s soul. The Mass was served by seminarian James Knight, on leave from Oscott. Several of us were able to stay on for this unexpected double-dip and opportunity to pray immediately for the soul of our dear departed German shepherd.

Lancaster

John Rogan lancaster@lms.org.uk

For the past year, Fr Docherty at Hornby has been offering Mass weekly on a Saturday, but with numbers remaining low, a change is being made.

Mass at Hornby will still take place but will become monthly, on the first Saturday. On the first Friday, Mass will be offered in the Chaplaincy Centre at Lancaster University at 6pm, during term time, and these are open to anyone wishing to attend.

The usual Mass at Hornby on 31 December was replaced by a Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI.

This year, we hope to be able to arrange Mass in the chapel at Sizergh Castle, with dates to follow.

Editor’s note: The Society is extremely grateful to Bob and Jane Latin for their many years of service as Local Representatives for the Diocese of Lancaster. They have now handed over the reins to John.

Fr Etienne offers Mass in the recusant chapel at Naworth Castle

Fr Etienne with the Hon. Philip Howard and the portrait of his martyr ancestor, St Philip Howard

LIVERPOOL (Warrington)

Alan Frost

St Mary’s Shrine continues to be a remarkably, indeed intensively, busy place. Considering it has relatively few priests for the activities, a look at a typical weekly schedule is quite breath-taking (go to www.fssp.org.uk/warrington). It means a lot of regulars and visitors offer help and Fr de Malleray, on behalf of St Mary’s community, recently thanked the lay staff for their hard work behind the scenes To help cope with the day-to-day running of things, a new Secretarial Assistant has been appointed, working with the Shrine Administrator.

A particularly notable recent event was the Advent Marian Saturday on 3 December, when a sung Rorate Mass for Our Lady was followed by the sale of Christmas goods in the bookshop, a picnic lunch and a seasonal play by some of the children. This followed the previous week’s greatly successful annual Vocation Discernment Weekend, with eighteen young men considering a future as a priest. The Shrine priests advising these young men were themselves, for the first time since pre-Covid, granted a visit by FSSP Superior General Fr Andrzej Komorowski, as part of a customary triennial visitation of the houses in Reading, Warrington and Edinburgh. The Superior General spent time with every priest to hear how they are doing in community life and in their ministry. There was also in November at St Mary’s, a gathering of the 10 FSSP priests from England, Scotland and Ireland for three days of fraternal talks and prayer.

There were many regulars and visitors for the beautifully sung Christmas Midnight Mass, and many people praying by the large, impressive crib scene after the Mass. Among visitors from earlier in the year, one lady from the USA.

Online are some very impressive pictures of FSSP seminarians at their German base They enjoyed a Christmas break back home, among them David from Warrington along with others from the UK & Ireland: go to fsspwigratzbad. blogspot.com

A special Requiem Mass was held on 7 January for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI, following the Solemn High Mass for the Epiphany and (5 January) the annual Blessing of the Epiphany Water.

Last but not least, by the time you read this, conversion work should have begun in Priory Court, the large building acquired by St Mary’s Shrine during the Priory Campaign (2019-2020). Construction costs soared following the Covid crisis, making it necessary to focus for now on the main Shrine hall (middle floor) rather than convert the entire building (three floors) all at once. The hall will be one large room all across the first floor of the three adjacent units, seating 218 guests. Please God, it should be ready before the summer. Movable partitions will allow flexible use for smaller groups simultaneously. A lift will enable parishioners with impaired mobility and mothers with pushchairs to access the hall safely. A well-equipped kitchen will be added. This vast hall will make St Mary’s Shrine an attractive venue for various events, not only liturgical but prolife, doctrinal, musical, academic, and cultural in general. You are welcome to contact Shrine Rector Fr de Malleray (malleray@ fssp.org) if you wish for more information.

Menevia

Tom and Elaine Sharpling meneviastabatmater.blogspot.com/

All is well in Menevia – thanks to Canon Jason Jones and Father Liam Bradley. We are now delighted to have two servers in ‘post’ and two who are learning the rubrics – a real answer to prayer, as we were struggling to find people to help.

Attendance remains steady with one or two new people coming along but mostly we are a pretty stable and loyal group.

It was lovely to have the Traditional Mass on New Year’s Day in Morriston, but not possible to find anywhere for Christmas this time round.

Please pray for Mrs Barbara Phillips, a longstanding member of our congregation, who is in hospital at the moment.

If you are ever in South Wales, then be sure to come along as a warm welcome awaits.

We continue to post information on our blogspot so please check here before travelling: meneviastabatmater.blogspot. com/

Or give us a call/text on 07702 230983.

Middlesbrough

Paul Waddington waddadux@gmail.com

There is a new venue for Latin Masses in the Diocese of Middlesbrough. It is the Church of St Andrew in Teesville, which is a suburb on the eastern fringe of Middlesbrough. The Parish Priest, Fr Sellers, will be offering a Latin Mass at this church at 3pm each Sunday, as well as on major feast days. This replaces the Mass that has been offered by Fr Charlton at Stokesley in the last couple of years. Fr Charlton has now retired, but I understand that from time to time he will be seen at Teesville, helping Fr Sellers by offering Latin Masses there. We thank both Fr Charlton and Fr Sellers for their continuing efforts to promote the Latin Mass. We also thank Bishop Drainey for ensuring the continuation of Latin Masses in the northern part of the diocese.

Meanwhile, daily Latin Masses continue to be offered at the York Oratory. On most Sundays, there is a polyphonic setting, but this is usually replaced by a plainsong setting during the university vacation periods On Friday 13 January, we were treated to a Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI. The musical setting was Tomas Luis de Victoria’s Requiem Mass for four voices. A parishioner had built a very tall and very impressive catafalque specially for the occasion.

In Hull, Fr Massie continues to offer a Low Mass on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm. I understand that the congregation at this Mass is growing.

Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict at the York Oratory

Northampton North (Northamptonshire)

Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 northampton@lms.org.uk

The regular Masses at St Brendan, Corby, continue. A number of additional Masses have been celebrated for significant feasts, with Mass every day during the Christmas octave. The first Mass of Christmas was sung at 10.30pm on Christmas Eve.

Northampton (South)

Barbara Kay 01234 340759 mbky3@outlook.com

We were blessed on the Sunday before Christmas by a visit to Christ the King, Bedford by the Bishop of Northampton, the Rt Revd Dr David Oakley. Bishop Oakley was visiting Christ the King on the occasion of our parish priest’s 15th anniversary of ordination, and as well as celebrating the parish Masses, he preached at our 8.30am Latin Mass and joined us for refreshments afterwards. He also took the opportunity to speak to and bless our Scouts of Europe troop.

The following weekend we had Sung Midnight Mass for Christmas at Bedford, as well as Christmas Morning Low Masses at Chesham and at Bedford. All were well attended, as were the Masses for Epiphany at Chesham and at Bedford. The latter resembled a Sunday morning in that many young families were in the congregation despite the evening hour.

Fr Gwilym Evans FSSP, celebrated the Epiphany Mass at Bedford and stayed overnight to celebrate a First Saturday Mass at 8am, preceded and followed by Confession. There was a schola practice in the morning and server training in the afternoon, and then, in the evening, Fr Evans gave the first in a monthly series of adult catechism with the opportunity to ask questions, followed by socialising and pizza! On the Sunday morning Fr Evans celebrated his first Sung Mass at Bedford. Going forward, he will be training the schola monthly, normally on the first Saturday afternoon of the month. Any singers within reach of Bedford who can attend both the practice and the Sunday Mass are invited to contact Barbara Kay as above. We are a small and friendly group and you will be made most welcome.

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

Nottingham

Jeremy Boot 0115 849 1556 / 07462 018386

All our Masses continue as usual. Attendance varies. We could do with more servers, especially in Nottingham. See the published schedule for times and places at our usual venues in Nottingham and Derby.

We were pleased to have a Sung Mass for All Souls, Dedication of the Archbasilica of Our Saviour and the Holy Innocents, as well as the usual weekly Masses as advertised at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Loughborough. We anticipate Mass for Ash Wednesday and others to be announced.

Our sincere thanks to our priests, church helpers and all who assist us in any way.

Sung Mass for Holy Innocents at Our Lady of the Annuncaiation, Loughborough

Nottingham South (Leicestershire and Rutland)

Paul Beardsmore 01858 434037 northampton@lms.org.uk

Sung Masses were celebrated for the feasts of All Saints and the Immaculate Conception at Blessed Sacrament, Leicester, and at the same church in the new year for the Epiphany. Otherwise, Masses continue as usual at St Peter's and Blessed Sacrament in Leicester, at Oakham when Fr Dye is available, and at Loughborough (see report Nottingham North).

Plymouth (Cornwall)

Stefano Mazzeo cornwall@lms.org.uk

Renovations to the chapel and hall continue at Lanherne Convent. The hall will soon have a new floor! The quote to upgrade the electrical service is around £2800. If anyone is willing to contribute to the hall or to the chapel, please contact Canon Smith canon.smith@institute-christ-king.org or by phone to the Chaplain's house 01637 861752.

Christendom Rising, our video magazine based at Lanherne, was delayed due to last minute work on EWTN's The Message of Lourdes film. It was broadcast on the 8 of December and has proven to be a great success; thank you to all who took part. Christendom Rising Episode 5 has a main theme of Catholic dating and marriage, and we have a wonderful discussion between Sophie O'Shaughnessy and Michelle Buscombe on traditional Catholic moral values during dating.

Plymouth (Devon)

Maurice Quinn 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk

With Canon Tanner’s long-awaited move from living at Buckfast Abbey to rented accommodation just around the corner from Holy Angels in Torquay, a more permanent Mass and services schedule has been put in place – a schedule that more closely reflects the distinctive spirituality of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest that includes regular Lauds, Vespers, Compline, Adoration and Benediction.

As Mass times only are included in the Mass Listings, I recommend that if you wish to attend one of these other services do contact me beforehand for more information. I would just like to add that there are now two opportunities at Holy Angels for attending a weekday 12 noon Mass, the first being a Low Mass on Wednesdays, and the second one being a full Sung Mass on Fridays. For details about Ash Wednesday and Holy Week services at St Edward the Confessor and at Holy Angels, please contact me nearer the time, or check the regularly updated Mass Listings on the LMS Website.

We thank Fr Berry (Cong. Orat.) for helping out Canon Tanner at both St Edward the Confessor, Plymouth, and at Holy Angels, Torquay, during the weeks that he was in the area before returning to his home oratory in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Fr Berry became a welcome and familiar figure in the confessional and on the sanctuary at both Devon Mass venues, and was given a hearty send off when he left us just before Christmas.

Since Fr Berry’s departure, we have welcomed two more Institute seminarians, Abbe Michel Waveoke from Benin, and Abbe Charles Morris, both of whom – along with Abbe Aaron Zielinski – assist Canon Tanner in the Institute’s unique apostolate here in the heart of the English Riviera.

Plymouth (Dorset)

Maurice Quinn 07555 536579 devon@lms.org.uk

There is little change in Latin Mass activity in Dorset where, at Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia in Blandford Forum, Mgr Francis Jamieson still continues with a monthly 12 noon Low Mass, followed by a social lunch. Also continuing is the regular Saturday morning 9.30am Mass, all of which can be checked in the Mass Listings. This year, I hope that improved circumstances allow me to travel to Blandford to attend a Latin Mass and to meet up with old friends as used to be the case, especially as Our Lady of Lourdes & St Cecilia is a beautiful church situated in this quaint Dorset town noted for its Georgian architecture.

Portsmouth (Isle of Wight)

Peter Clarke 01983 566740 or 07790 892592

EF Masses continue on the Isle of Wight at St Thomas’s, Cowes most Thursdays. Built in 1797, it is one of the earliest Catholic churches in England where the EF Mass is offered. There is usually Exposition and Confessions beforehand from 11.15am, and a packed lunch (we bring our own) in the church hall afterwards.

We were delighted to have Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In his sermon, Fr Jonathan Redvers Harris reminded the faithful that although this dogma w as promulgated b y Pope Pius IX in 1854, it has been a widely held belief in the Church since the days of the Early Fathers.

Just one week after this Marian feast, on 15 December, the congregation remembered the anniversary of the Beatification of the two Isle of Wight martyrs, Blessed Robert Anderton and Blessed William Marsden, who gave their lives for the One True Faith when they were captured and martyred at Cowes in 1586. They were beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929. After the EF Mass, Father led an Act of Remembrance at the Martyrs’ memorial outside the church. He reminded those gathered there that, “the heroic sacrifice of the martyrs encourages us to maintain our devotion to the Mass and the Sacraments and Fidelity to the Holy Catholic Church and all that it teaches. We thank God for these two brave young priests and we ask Our Blessed Lord to inspire us with the same zeal that they so honourably portrayed as they suffered death and attained the martyr's crown.”

Please ring for confirmation of EF Masses if you are coming from the mainland: 01983 566740 or 07790 892592

Portsmouth (Reading and Portsmouth North)

Adrian Dulston

The St John Fisher Parish, residing at St William of York Church in Reading, had the Parish pilgrimage to West Grinstead before Advent at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation. Prior to this, the March for Life was well attended this year by the parishioners.

On 1 October we hosted the Catholic home education forum which was well attended.

In November the newly ordained Father Evans offered a Requiem Mass for all the faithful departed. It makes a difference to have a third priest with all the travelling to the Bedford Parish and Hospital ministry.

On 8 December we celebrated Solemn Vespers for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

We have an altar serving team that is growing, probably due to the growing numbers at the Parish. Fr Phipps highlighted that the FSSP is pleased with the efforts of the serving team. We also had 17 candidates Confirmed by Bishop Egan in the Parish. Bishop Egan has also instituted a Year of the Holy Ghost within the Diocese, which I’m sure the Parish will take this on board.

Once again, we say thank you to the FSSP priests for providing so many Masses during Advent and the Christmas Octave. The energy and quiet enthusiasm of these priests is a boost in these tumultuous times Also, the putting on of various groups for the youth, ladies, and men keeps a certain interest in the parish outside of the Sunday Mass. Blessed Epiphanytide!

Salford

Alison F. Kudlowski salford@lms.org.uk

The Traditional Latin Mass at 4.45pm on Sundays continues to be celebrated by the Oratorian Community at St Chad, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester.

For additional events please check the website of the Manchester Oratorian Community, www.manchesteroratory.org

Southwark (Kent)

Marygold Turner

We have continued with our Sunday Masses and Holydays of Obligation. The Parish Priest, Fr Behruz, celebrates the Tridentine Mass now, for which we are grateful. He has done so much to make the little church of St Andrew such a pleasure, with new carpets and kneelers, and seats all matching in a good shade of green. Our artists in residence, Ben Bevan and his group, who sings twice a month, are professional, of course, and greatly appreciated by us. Financed by Dr Andrew Czaykowski, we appreciate so much his beautiful chant and polyphony.

I am personally very sad indeed that our General Manager, Stephen Moseling, is retiring in March. I shall lose a valued friend who has supported me/us in all we have tried to do. I especially mention the initiative at Snave, on the Marsh, which has been a great success, largely helped by him. Have a very good, much earned retirement, Stephen!

Southwark (St Bede’s, Clapham Park)

Thomas Windsor claphampark@lms.org.uk

Our Guild of St Clare is regularly meeting and for the third Sunday of Advent completed a new tabernacle veil to match the Rose High Mass set that was formerly used at Blackfen.

Our first major event this quarter was the Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral, we almost had a full set of Polyphonic Propers, the Introit and Communion by Isaac, Gradual by Bruckner and the Offertory by Palestrina. We also sang a set ting of the Domine Salvum fac by John Francis Wade from a manuscript c.1740, that also contains the earliest edition of the Adeste Fideles.

Our choir has once again been busy, for the Feast of St Raphael they sang Missa super Dixit Maria, by Hassler. On Christ the King we had the Worcester Antiphonal setting of the Christus Vincit, and the set ting of Psalm 92 Dominus regnavit by Josquin des Prez. We also sang for the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls.

On the following Sunday the choir sang Missa O quam Gloriosum est regnum, and motet by Victoria. This was followed by our All Saints party, with our ever growing numbers of children dressing up and giving short talks about their saint.

In November we had a Solemn High Requiem Anniversary Mass for Fr Briggs, and on Remembrance Sunday the choir sang Missa Pro defunctis a 4 by Victoria. On the last Sunday after Pentecost and the 2nd Sunday of Advent we once again had Polyphonic Propers, the Introit, Alleluia and Comm union by Isaac, and the Offertory by Palestrina. We had another Sung Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and more Polyphony for the 3rd Sunday of Advent.

Christmas was once again very busy, Christmas Midnight Mass we had the Missa super Dixit Maria, by Hassler and the Alma Redemptoris, Guerrero, Christmas day the Introit Puer Natus, Issac, Byrd 3 part Mass and Alma Redemptoris Guerrero, St Stephen’s Day chant followed by our usual servers party Masses for St John and the Holy Innocents, our string of Sung Masses ended with a Solemn High Mass for the Feast of St Thomas, with Palestrina's Missa O Quam Gloriosum and motet, Ave Verum, Byrd a nd the Alma Redemptoris Palestrina.

I would like to thank Fr Southwell for spending Christmas with us and celebrating many of the Masses, including our usual New Year’s Mass at midnight and blessing large amounts of Epiphany water, chalk and salt on the Vigil of the Epiphany. This quarter ended with New Year’s Day Mass, where the choir sang the Byrd four-part and Veni redemptor gentium, by Jacob Handl, and Sung Masses for the Feast of the Holy Name, Vigil of the Epiphany and Feast of the Epiphany.

Our catechetical programmes continue on Friday nights, beginning with Low Mass at 7pm, we also have First Holy Communion and Confirmation classes for children and a programme for adults. Please check our website/newsletter stbedesclaphampark.blogspot.com for all our Mass times, catechetical programmes, talks and activities.

Southwark (St Mary’s Chislehurst)

Christopher Richardson chislehurst@lms.org.uk

Our regular Sunday and weekday Masses continue and are well attended. We have also had Masses for the feast of the Immaculate Conception and a Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI. We also recently held a Requiem Mass for our most celebrated parishioner (including deceased ones), the French Emperor Napoleon III who had originally been laid to rest in our church. This was to mark the 150th anniversary of his death.

Southwark (Thanet)

Chris Serpell thanet@lms.org.uk

Our Sung Masses continued through Advent, and we were blessed to celebrate three Missa Cantatas for Christmas itself - Midnight Mass, the Dawn Mass and the Mass of the Day. Attendance at the Shrine has been growing over this time, with pilgrimages from various locations picking up gradually post- covid, and this has included those at tending our weekly Sunday Masses in the older form. We were of course saddened by the passing of Pope Benedict, and we will be organising a suitable Mass to be said for his soul.

Southwark (Wandsworth)

Julia Ashenden

The approach to Advent and the Feast of The Nativity of Our Lord was filled with special Masses. Beginning with the celebration of All Saints Day, followed by All Souls we had a Missa Cantata on both these weekday Feast Days at 7pm and then on Remembrance Sunday, 12 November. David Guest’s Choir sang Vittoria’s Requiem Mass.

As readers of this column will know, we are fortunate to be able to welcome this choir once a month, so on Gaudete Sunday they sang Mozart’s Missa Brevis and for our Christmas Midnight Mass they sang Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit pour Noël.

Apart from these musical gems, our own excellent choir provides us with our Sunday Missa Cantatas, as well as any weekday extras. One of these was a Rorate Mass very early on 17 December, followed by breakfast in the Hall.

And then again, for the Feast of Epiphany they sang at the 7pm Mass.

On the Sunday following Epiphany, David Guest’s Choir sang again Mozart’s Missa Brevis (a favourite) in addition to which were two Motets: ‘The Three Kings’ by Peter Cornelius and ‘Lo! Star-led Chiefs’ by William Crotch, an English composer from the turn of the 19th Century.

St Mary Magdalen’s continues to thrive and has a faithful and ever-growing congregation, for which we must thank the very dedicated Canon Edwards.

Westminster (St James, Spanish Place)

Roger Wemyss Brooks

Opening this year's copy of the Westminster Year Book it was a shock to find almost all references to the Old Rite had been deleted. Shocking but not altogether a surprise.

There is a rich and varied choice of other rites on offer - Gheez, Polish, Iraqi, Chaldean, Portuguese, Syriac, Sri Lankan ... Family, Children's, even Latin - but barely a mention of the venerable Mass of Ages, from which all other rites derive their form and authority. The beginning of the end? It certainly looks like it - a bleak prospect.

Of course, we should not despair. We have a Chaplain at Spanish Place with a faculty from the Cardinal, and we have a number of priests within the Archdiocese we can call upon to supply Masses when needed. We have recently been given the possibility of refreshments after Sunday Mass to welcome visitors, and we have just celebrated our annual New Year High Mass - this year as a Requiem for the late Pope Benedict XVI.

Tucked in my missal is the prayer to Pope St Pius V, received years ago from the Latin Mass Society. We need the prayers of this holy pontiff now more than ever. "St Pius, pray for us, protect the Roman Liturgy."

Gregorian Chant Network

Alastair J Tocher 01684 893332 chantnetwork@gmail.com gregorianchantnetwork.blogspot.com

The Gregorian Chant Network’s aim is both to support the development of existing Scholas and to encourage the founding of new Scholas.

Chant tuition, led by John Rowlands-Pritchard and supported by the Latin Mass Society, continues at the ICKSP apostolate at Lanherne Convent in Cornwall. However, the former chant tuition in Bedford, led by tutor Dominic Bevan, has recently come to a close since the FSSP apostolate there is now in a position to provide tuition themselves. We thank Dominic for his past support.

If you would be interested in chant tuition for your schola or parish please get in touch.

Society of St Tarcisius

Joseph Shaw tarcisius@lms.org.uk tarcisius.org

Our London server-training days continue to attract good numbers of people and I am delighted to announce dates for the new year. The following have been confirmed:

Saturday 18th February in St Mary Moorfields;

Saturday 22nd April in St Dominic’s Haverstock Hill;

Saturday 17th June in St Mary Moorfields.

These events are free to attend; please see the LMS website to book.

There will be vestment-mending in parallel with these events organised by the Guild of St Clare; please email guildofstclare@ lms.org.uk or see the Guild website for more details.

As always I'll be delighted to cooperate with server training days and/or enrolments into the Society of St Tarcisius elsewhere in the country: please get in touch if you want to organise one.