Epiphany Missa Cantata...

...at St Mary Magdalen, Brighton on 6th January at 7.30pm.
Hope lots of people can get to it!

Also, fret not, the 3rd Sunday Mass at St MMs is running as normal for January.

Our Lady of Consolation

Yesterday afternoon Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith celebrated Mass at OLOC, and we listened to a pastoral letter from His Lordship the Bishop. I wished I'd taken my camera, because the crib was just beautiful.

I hadn't thought there would be many people at Mass, given the weather and seasonal family committments, but I was wrong! Following Mass we all enjoyed some very welcome and warming mulled wine and mince pies - and tea, of course, and lively conversation. It's very good to see Fr Goddard out and about again.

Happy Christmas

It's here at last, and what a speedy Advent
this has been, I don't know where the time's gone since we lit the first candle on the wreath.


A long while ago I was lucky enough to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, right at the beginning of Advent. It was one of the most memorable and fabulous things I've ever done (even if I found the soldiers patrolling with their -to me- ginormous rifles a tad disconcerting, at least it made me think of the Roman occupation). I don't know what I was expecting, but I was a bit surprised by it. So here's a picture, so I can re-live my surprise.




Wishing you a happy and holy Christmas!






PS: There is a Mass at Our Lady of Consolation on 27th December at 3.00pm (weather permitting??)

Gaudete

For Gaudete Sunday, a missa cantata was celebrated at Our Lady of Consolation by Fr Hurley. Fr Hurley's sermon focused on St John the Baptist, and the importance of not forgetting to keep Christ in Christmas. The Seaford Schola, though down in numbers (everyone I know seems to have one type of lurgy or other at the moment), sang out loud and clear, and there was plenty of lovely incense to make it a real celebration. And of course there were some lovely rose vestments, not entirely unlike those in the photo below pinched from the NLM site.

Ushaw College Training Conference, 2010

LMS Residential Training Conference for Priests Wishing to Learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at Ushaw College, Durham.

The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales (LMS) is organising a residential training conference for priests wishing to learn the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass) at Ushaw College, Durham, one of England’s most prestigious seminaries.

The conference will run from Monday 12 April to Friday 16 April 2010 (i.e. Low Week) and will feature Traditional liturgies in Ushaw’s magnificent neo-Gothic St Cuthbert’s Chapel together with a Gregorian Chant schola and polyphonic choir.

Expert tuition in the celebration of Mass in the Usus Antiquior will be provided on a small group basis. There will be tuition in Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Missa Solemnis and there will be streams for beginners and more advanced students. There will be a keynote lecture and 1962 Missals and altar cards will be available.

There will be opening and closing High Masses, daily Mass and Devotions, and Rosary. There will also be a closing Conference dinner with guest speaker.

The subsidised fee to participants is only £115.00 which includes all accommodation, meals and training materials. There are limited places and priests are asked to register as soon as possible.

Further details and registration forms can be obtained from the LMS office (Tel: 020 7404 7284, e mail: info@latin-mass-society.org) or from the conference organiser, Mr Paul Waddington (Tel: 01757 638027, e mail: paul@gooleboathouse.co.uk).

Paul Waddington said, “This is the second time the LMS has organised such a training conference at Ushaw College and we are delighted to be going back. I hope the laity will tell their priests about this wonderful opportunity to learn the Usus Antiquior in the setting of one of England’s finest Catholic seminaries.”

Latin Mass Society, 11-13 Macklin Street, London WC2B 5NH
Tel: 020 7404 7284
E mail: info@latin-mass-society.org
Website: latin-mass-society.org



For further information, please contact John Medlin, General Manager, or James Murphy, LMS Office Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284;
(F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) info@latin-mass-society.org

The Immaculate Conception

Prayer for Priests

Michael pointed me towards the FSSP website on which there is this prayer for priests:

“O Lord Jesus, born to give testimony to the Truth, Thou who lovest unto the end those whom Thou hadst chosen, kindly hear our prayers for our pastors.
Thou who knowest all things, knowest that they love Thee and can do all things in Thee who strengthen them.
Sanctify them in Truth. Pour into them, we beseech Thee, the Spirit whom Thou didst give to Thy apostles, who would make them, in all things, like unto Thee.
Receive the homage of love which they offer up to Thee, who hast graciously received the threefold confession of Peter.
And so that a pure oblation may everywhere be offered without ceasing unto the Most Holy Trinity, graciously enrich their number and keep them in Thy love, who art one with the Father and the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory and honour forever. Amen.”

Please do follow the link (there are partial indulgences ).

Missa Cantata...

...this Sunday at OLOC, West Grinstead at 3.00pm. I don't know about you, but I'm very much looking forward to it.

Ushaw

Due to technical difficulties, I wasn't able to open the LMS communique regarding the next EF conference, so here's a link to Fr Blake who could.

Advent

We've just finished putting out the crib and setting up the wreath. The calendar is up and waiting for the first, and here's my favourite Advent hymn.

On Fr Z's blog...

...I found this, Saint Antoine Daniel Gregorian Chant Ordinaries. It's a simply brilliant site. Click on the 'Ordinaries' header and it takes you to a list of Masses, with a list of options, here's what you get if you click on YouTube, for the Mass I Gloria:



Guess what I'll be doing this evening?

Oh, double click on the video to bring it up in a full sized window :)

Benedictine nuns of Our Lady of the Annunciation at Le Barroux

A lovely YouTube video, enjoy.

Anti-Life Sex Education

John Smeaton has posted details of Spuc's campaign highlighting the government's desire to make anti-life sex ed compulsory. Details are on the blog roll, but to save you time, click here.

Oh I say...

...how could I have been so slow in seeing this?

If you know me a bit, you'll know I have a thing about polyester and nylon vestments, you know, the crackly kind that would probably give you a shock after you take them out of the tumble drier even if you have used industrial quantities of fabric softener? Well here is my kind of blog. Think Trinny and Susannah in What Not to Wear but with a liturgical vibe.

It's so groovy, you'll need shades, so rad, you'll need to join a protest group, so right on, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. And, glory, it's ecumenical.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, Bad Vestments.

Here's a sneak peek:





Really, I cannot encourage you enough to have a look at the entire blog.

I cried, honestly...

Everyone's talking about...

...the MANHATTAN DECLARATION. Find all about it here, and here and here and sign here.

Traditional Rite Confirmations and Annual Requiem 2009

Traditional confirmations took place on 12 November, and you can read all about them and see the pics here. Congratulations to everyone there.

On 23 November, the annual Requiem was celebrated at Westminster Cathedral, you can read about that and view the photos here.

Here's a lovely resource

As we all know, the propaganda/spin industry surrounding the 'pro-choice' - no, let's call a spade a spade - the baby killing industry, is a juggernaut.

So here's a lovely resource on the side of the foetus and mother, a no frills, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin website.

Please do have a look at Just the Facts. It's a very clear and easy to navigate website about life before birth, with lots of pictures, info, and it's beautifully presented.

Along with the work done by Jorge Lopes (below) they should be obligatory reading and viewing for every man, woman, and young person in the country.





Mantilla twitch to Mike for sending me the link.

Last Sunday after Pentecost

At Our Lady of Consolation this afternoon Mass was said by Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith. Father preached a sermon on the end times, highlighting Our Lord's words from the Gospel that we should be on our guard against following false prophets and false signs. He then went on to link an erroneous belief in the imminent end to a tendency to not be mindful of our stewardship of the planet; that the world will end is no excuse for squandering our God-given resources.


Thanks to Father for braving the awful weather. In fact, considering how atrocious the weather is (one might even say a bit 'end-time-ish'!), OLOC was pretty full, and lots of folk stayed behind after Mass to catch up and chat, which was great.
Of course, chatting wouldn't be half as much fun without the tea and coffee, and I haven't mentioned them before, so a big thank you to the ladies who make the tea and coffee, you know who you are..!

St Peter's Shoreham

There won't be an EF mass this coming Saturday, 21st November, as Fr.Sean will be at Worth Abbey with confirmation candidates for their retreat, I hope they have a memorable time!

Our Lady of Consolation

For Remembrance Sunday, a Requiem was said by Fr Agley, who also preached on the value of sacrifice. Thanks to Fr Agley.

I think The Dies Irae is just amazing, which is why you'll find it below!





There was tea and talk afterwards, which is always great, and I must say thanks to all who bought calendars

Check this out!

All Souls Day at St Mary Magdalen, Brighton:



Fabulous or what?

Remembrance Day

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine:
Domine, exaudi vocem meam:
Fiant aures tuae intendentes,
in vocem deprecationis meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine:
Domine, quis sustinebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est:
et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo eius:
speravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodia matutina usque ad noctem:
speret Israel in Domino.
Quia apud Dominum misericordia:
et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel,
ex omnibus iniquitatibus eius.
Gloria Patri, et Filio,
et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord
Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If Thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities,
Lord, who shall stand it?
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness
and by reason of thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word, my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy and with him plentiful redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Rant time...

...ok folks, so when did it become de rigueur to talk before Mass? Anyone else sometimes get the incredible urge to stand up and yell at people to shut the -I mean, ask them to be quiet please? I'm not talking about please-excuse-me-do-you-mind-if-I-sit-here, or keeping the babies appropriately entertained, I'm talking about full on conversations between adults that last til the bell rings. Even an EF isn't always immune.

So, an interesting anthropological question: at what point did reverence become optional?

Parkminster

For All Saints, we decided we'd do something a little different this year, and went to St Hugh's Charterhouse.

St Hugh's is a Carthusian monastery near Partridge Green in West Sussex, and as Parkminster had been recommended by several people we know as being a Mass to get to if you can, when we could, we went.

The chapel for the public is to the left of the main gate, and a wall sized grille separates the people from the sanctuary. The Mass is in Latin, it isn't overly long and gets to the point (if you get my drift) yet in no way does it feel rushed. Communion can be received kneeling (yay!) as there's a handy step by the part of the separating grille which opens and through which you receive. And I didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable that I had a scarf wrapped round my head (unfortunately, that's not how it feels at a *normal* parish church).

If you're ever in West Sussex on a Sunday in need of Mass, it's a lovely, quiet, prayerful experience. Wear warm clothes though, it's a bit nippy in the chapel!

La Grande Chartreuse in the French Alps is the most famous Carthusian monastery, and was the subject of the DVD Into Great Silence a couple of years ago (highly recommend seeing it if you haven't already).
I'm not a tremendous fan of Chartreuse liqueur, I think it's like drinking a soggy medicinal hay field, but the DH likes it very much, so it's all the more for him. We both agree though that Into Great Silence is one of the best adverts for monastic life we've ever seen. So here's a clip, because I like it:

All Souls

Just a reminder that this evening at 7.30 there is Mass at St Mary Magdalen's Brighton, details of which can be found here.

Christ the King

The missa cantata yesterday afternoon was celebrated by Fr Hurley at Our Lady of Consolation West Grinstead for the feast of Christ the King. It was one of the most wonderful Masses I think I've ever assisted at.
It managed all at once to be profoundly intimate and mindblowingly cosmic.

The consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the end of Mass was moving, but the Christus vincit at the end of Mass had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck! The Seaford schola, led by Tom Haggar, provided the music, many thanks to them, and of course the exceedingly competent servers made everything go smoothly - well, you know they've done a great job when you don't notice them - no offence, boys!

Here's a taster of Christus vincit on youtube if you've not heard it before:




It was good to catch up after Mass over tea and flapjack, and to see Fr Goddard back on his feet.

All in all a pretty much perfect afternoon!

Masses for All Saints and All Souls

Countrywide Masses for these feasts can be found on pdf here and here.



Please don't forget that St Mary Magdalen, Brighton, has a Mass for the feast of All Souls, details here.

I love these two feasts (is there one she doesn't like?!)

Missa Cantata

Hi folks, there will be a Missa Cantata next Sunday, Feast of Christ the King, 25th October at 3.00pm, Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead.

High Mass

It occurred to me when I was at Arundel on Sunday, that it was only the fourth (or is it fifth?) High Mass I've ever been to. If you think Low Masses are a bit thin on the ground, High Masses are even thinner.

So when I opened an email from Mike this morning, it was a bit of a godsend, because he'd sent me this link to a youtube video of High Mass. So for any of you out there who haven't yet experienced the wonder and solemnity and joy of a High Mass here's one to watch. Thanks Mike!

Arundel Cathedral

On Sunday afternoon, still buzzing from the visit to Aylesford, we drove all the way to Arundel for High Mass celebrated by Fr Sean Finnegan, Deacon Revd Alcuin Reid, and Subdeacon Revd Richard Edwards. Dominic Scarborough was the MC.

There was a good turn out. As there was no Mass at West Grinstead because of the cathedral Mass, a few of the regulars from Our Lady of Consolation were there, as well as spouses and families of the servers and choir which came from St Thomas More, Seaford, led by Tom Haggar.

It was also great fun to put some faces to very familiar names afterwards, and then have a really good chat in the pub!

Thanks to everyone who came!

At Aylesford

I'd been looking forward very much to making our trip to venerate the relics of St Thérèse, and we got to Aylesford just after three, and saw this the queue snaking across the grass from the car park, so we joined it...



...and it went on...




...and on...



...and on...



...until we got to the queue which began at the Rosary walk...



...and on it went, past a booth where you could reflect on the childhood of St Thérèse...



...and on...



...to another booth, with photos of the Saint as a Carmelite...



...and on...



...to the last booth,with more photographs of St Thérèse...



...and the last leg...



...almost there!



And here we are.



I never know what to say when I'm put on the spot, and in spite of thinking long and hard before hand, I found being in the chapel a bit overwhelming. So I didn't manage to say all the things I wanted to, although I did get these two wobbly photos.




What's wonderful is that there were so many people there, so many families, so many nationalities, everybody was having such a brilliant time! Over two and a half hours in a queue? So what? I only wish I could do it again.

What a weekend!

Saturday was Aylesford and St Thérèse, today was High Mass at Arundel Cathedral. Wow, what a weekend! I'll put up pics and comments tomorrow, but right now I'm slightly fatigued.

Just in from Clare

St Mary Magdalen's, Brighton has a Missa Solemnis at 7.30pm for the Feast of All Souls. It will feature music from Faure' s Requiem, Stanford, Victoria and lots of wonderful chant.

Please try and make it!


Clare: Are you going to Arundel this weekend?

Rights and Dignity

There is a petition from C-Fam, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute calling for the UN to support the Rights and Dignity
of the Human Person and the Family, specifically these points:

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person (Article 3)

Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family (Article 16).

The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State (Article 16).

Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance (Article 25).

Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children (Article 26).

So, please click here and add your name to the half a million already there, all these rights are being eroded. Thanks to Mike Telford for letting me know about the petition.