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Liturgical anarchy

Liturgical anarchy

Letters to the Editor

From Faith to Faith

Further to Paul Waddington's article on the Cathedral Church of the Holy Family (Summer 2022), Dr W.E.Orchard, the minister in charge from 1913-1932, is more interesting than might at first appear.

He was received into the Roman Catholic Church in Rome on 2 June 1932, followed by many of his congregation. He subsequently wrote an account of his conversion,From Faith to Faith, in 1933. He was ordained priest in 1935 and became an itinerant preacher, apologist for the Catholic faith, missioner and writer both in Britain and America.

Tired by his many travels, he became, in 1943, chaplain to a community of Cistercian nuns in Brownshill, Gloucestershire, where he died (of cancer) on 12 June 1955. He is buried in the cemetery of the Dominican priory in Woodchester.

A very interesting book about him was written by E. Kaye and R. Mackenzie and published in 1990.I read W. E. Orchard: A Study in Christian Exploration, not long after it came out, when it was acquired (at my suggestion) by the library I was working for at the time. There is also a useful Wikipedia page on Dr Orchard.

The work you do producing your superb periodical is very much appreciated.

Andrew Witcombe-Small, Aylesbury

Catholic winemakers

Sebastian Morello’s excellent articles on wine (and most recently beer!) reminded me of the central role the Catholic Church has played over the centuries in the creation of a wonderful drink.

With the collapse of the Roman Empire, it was monks who helped preserve the arts of viniculture across Europe. Benedictines and Jesuits especially became highly skilled winemakers and it was, of course, Catholic missionaries who took their knowledge of winemaking to the New World.

Wine making grapes were introduced to California in the late 1770s by St Junipero Serra and his Franciscan brothers. In short, the Franciscans laid the foundations for the whole of the Californian wine industry. Wine growing spread across the Americas - to Chilli, Argentina and elsewhere – thanks to these early Catholic brothers.

Sean Tynan, Via email

Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Mass of Ages, 9 Mallow Street, London EC1Y 8RQ, email editor@lms.org.uk Letters may be edited for reasons of space

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