Friday 3rd June

 

There will be a Low Mass at 7pm on Friday 3rd June at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Petworth.
Fr Jonathan Martin will be the celebrant.

Pilgrimage News

Saturday's pilgrimage, photos courtesy of Clare Bowskill as I had acute camera failure.

Here are a couple of 'before' pictures in the Sacristy:

At High Mass there is so much to watch, think, and pray about. A couple of 'during' shots:

And here is an 'after', with Choir and (most) servers, Fr Ray and Deacon Seamus at the end of the Mass:

As you can probably tell, it was a very grey, windy, and chilly day, but at least it didn't rain.

Many thanks to Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith who celebrated, to Fr Ray Blake who was deacon and preached, and to Deacon Seamus Mahon, subdeacon.

Thanks also to the two choirs that came, Schola Scholastica, pictured above, and to the Seaford Schola, who did the honours in the afternoon for Benediction.

And thank you to everyone else who gave up their Saturday and travelled to honour Our Lady in her special month.

I hope everyone had a good time. I know I did!


P.S. While catching up with other blogs, I found this on the Transalpine Redemptorists at home. Amazing.

That Statue. What a waste of metal.

I think it's, quite frankly, hideous. Go and vote at Fr Z's. He would also like your comments.

(Be quick though, allegedly the world is due to end tomorrow)

Saturday, 28th May, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Consolation in West Grinstead!

Mass begins at Noon, followed by bring-your-own picnic lunch, a talk, Rosary, and Benediction. There will also be the opportunity for Confessions. The day will end about 4.30.

A slight niggle

And it's a small one, but I really hope that article 15 isn't used as a loophole to ghettoise the more Traditionally minded. I would hate to think that there would, for example, only be one traddie hot zone in an entire Diocese to which everyone attached to the Old Form would be expected to go to, effectively keeping us out of our own parishes. It would inevitably limit the numbers of people who might like to attend, again because of the distance, and possibly the time of day. It would limit exposure of the EF, and is incredibly divisive in the very 'them and us' way that's so off putting and unhelpful - well, I think it is. We're all Catholics, as the new Instruction points out so clearly.

Just a thought.

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

LATIN MASS SOCIETY WELCOMES THE ‘INSTRUCTION’ FROM THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION ‘ECCLESIA DEI’ ON THE APPLICATION OF THE MOTU PROPRIO ‘SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM’

The Latin Mass Society has welcomed unequivocally the publication by the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ of its Instruction on the application of the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio, ‘Summorum Pontificum’.

The Instruction is a resounding justification for the work of the LMS and other adherents of the Extraordinary Form in insisting on their right to the Traditional Liturgy and Sacraments of the Church. There are many bishops and priests who should feel chastened for the way they have treated those attached to the Extraordinary Form over the years – as the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger once wrote, they were treated as “lepers”.

However, ‘Summorum Pontificum’ establishes a new and authoritative basis for the reintroduction of the Extraordinary Form into the heart of the Church and the LMS is determined to look forward rather than back.

Just as with ‘Summorum Pontificum’ there is a great deal in the new Instruction which will be teased out with time. And here the LMS notes that the authoritative Latin text of the Instruction is, in crucial areas, more strongly worded than the unofficial English translation.

The LMS draws attention to these selected points:

*The Instruction stresses that ‘Summorum Pontificum’ is the universal law of the Church and cannot be ignored (Art. 2).

*The Instruction confirms that the Extraordinary Form is not a poor relation of the Ordinary Form but is an “expression of the same lex orandi of the Church” “alongside” the ordinary form (Art. 6).

*’Summorum Pontificum’ is “an important expression of the Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff and of his munus for regulating...the Church’s Sacred Liturgy” and offers “to all the faithful” [LMS emphasis] the use of the Extraordinary Form, “effectively guaranteeing...the use of the forma extraordinaria for all who ask for it” (Art. 8), i.e. this is not just for the elderly or those previously attached to the Society of St Pius X.
 
*The Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ now exercises the power “as hierarchical superior” to decide upon complaints referred to it regarding any “administrative provision of an Ordinary which Pontificum’” (Art. 14).

*A stable group of the faithful who request use of the Extraordinary Form is simply constituted by “some people” who come together and can “be composed of persons coming from different parishes or dioceses” (Art. 15).

*Priests are to be considered “qualified” to offer the Traditional Mass if they have a “basic knowledge” of Latin “and have celebrated it previously”. Among others this would refer to priests who have taught themselves the Old Rite and celebrated it privately or, for example, have learned it at an LMS training course (Art. 20).

*Ordinaries are to offer their clergy training in the Extraordinary Form and are also urged to provide training in the seminaries (Art. 21).appears to be contrary to the Motu Proprio” subject to final appeal to the Apostolic Signatura (Art. 10. 1)

*“It is the task of the Diocesan Bishop to undertake all necessary measures to ensure respect for the forma extraordinaria of the Roman Rite, according to the Motu Proprio, ‘Summorum

*Dioceses without qualified priests should ask the Traditional Orders such as the Fraternity of St Peter to provide priests or training for diocesan priests (Art. 22).

*The particular law and customs of the 1962 books are protected from subsequent law and therefore such practices as Communion in the hand, Communion under both kinds and female altar servers are not permissible in the Extraordinary Form [LMS emphasis] (Art. 28).

*The Sacred Triduum can be celebrated in the Extraordinary Form and where necessary these celebrations can take place in churches where the Sacred Triduum in the ordinary form is also celebrated (Art. 33).

*Individuals of the religious Orders may use the Order’s liturgical books in effect in 1962 (Art. 34).

 Doctor Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the LMS, said “This is a wonderful day for the Church. With this Instruction, the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ has confirmed what we all knew – that ‘Summorum Pontificum’ is a gift to the whole Church designed to end the ‘liturgy wars’ and establish the full membership of the Extraordinary Form in the family of rites. The LMS will be urging its diocesan representatives to liaise with the diocesan bishops to maximise the reintroduction of the Old Rite in their dioceses. We will also keep records of any problems so that recourse may be made to the disciplinary function of Ecclesia Dei if necessary. There is a tremendous task to be carried out to improve the standard of liturgy in England and Wales and the LMS pledges its full cooperation in this cause so close to Pope Benedict’s heart”.

The new Instruction and other things

It's been out a few days now, and I've read it through more than a couple of times, along with the great analyses which can be found all over the blogosphere. Try here and here and here  (these sites also link to other sites/pages and commentaries).

While a lot of people still might consider us fans of the EF to be fruit loops that will eventually, given enough time and stonewalling, go away, the Instruction effectively says otherwise. For an interesting take on recent Tridentine events, read this, but you might need tissues for the tears of laughter.






One of my favourite parts of the document was point 33, which allows the Triduum. The Triduum has in the past been a source of great anxiety for me, because at this most special time of the liturgical year, you can bet you'll be faced with some of the most tooth-grindingly awful faux liturgy and very often abuses too.

This year, luckily, we experienced a much more reverent and prayerful Triduum in the NO, celebrated by a priest who also says the EF. Now to me, that was enrichment in action! There was also the opportunity for Confessions in Holy Week, even on Good Friday, which was fantastic.


I thank God for the blessing of our Holy Father, and, I'll be honest, I just love him to bits.


Other things...

Fr Bruno Witchalls preached an amazing sermon on Our Lady on Sunday at St Thomas More in Seaford. It's not often you hear a homily on Our Lady of Fatima and praying the Rosary, on sin and how easy it is to gain and to lose heaven, but we did yesterday. It was optimistic, and encouraging and marvellous. It was much the same in tone as Fr Ray Blake's sermon the week before when he preached on the subject of the Cross: it's never going to be comfortable being at odds with the world, because the world does not understand the Cross. Stirring stuff. I know it's not fashionable to talk about sin, but I always find sermons that call a spade a spade infinitely more helpful than ones that talk about 'tendencies' and try to make you feel better, because they invariably don't.

Which brings me onto...

Fish Fridays. Hurrah! Let's hear it for abstinence on Fridays. I know most of us in trad land kept this going or discovered it when we were led to trad land, but this is the greatest news I think. Let's hope it's closely followed by the return of our Holy Days of Obligation to their proper days!

Silly Blogger...

...was down and has deleted some comments and replies from the latest posts. Apparently normal service is now resumed, fingers crossed.

28th May, Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead

Pilgrimage in Honour of Our Lady

See here for details.

As I've had some catching up to do...

...the news that there was a female serving Mass at the EF took me rather by surprise. I might be a right old reactionary, but if faced with a serviette at an EF I'd vote with my feet. At an OF you have to put up with it along with all the extraneous ministers, even though I'm even more sensitive to the wrongness of it since I've been assisting at the EF. That's where a long mantilla comes in very handy, acts like blinkers. Come to think of it, perhaps that's why some people think women who wear them are doormatty: you have to have your head down and practice serious custody of the eyes to avoid looking at abuses that could be occasions of sin (have you never left an occasional OF Mass slightly peeved?).

What is it that makes people misunderstand so painfully, deliberately or not, what's going on at the EF Mass? The main attraction for me with the EF from the point of view of being a pew sitter is the simplicity of it. The silence, the time to pray, the total lack of distraction in the Sanctuary except for what the Priest is doing, the specialness of the Sanctuary, and the inclusivity (yeah, I can do lovey jargon). The entire congregation is included in what's going on at the altar. You don't need to be up there and doing, you can relax NOT having to do anything but be and pray. You are at Calvary, isn't that enough?

That time of year again, yes it's the school trip.

I've just got back from a trip to France, no, not a holiday, a school trip. Anyone who has ever done one of these knows it's an indescribable experience, and not in a good way. Sleep deprivation and making sure the little darlings don't injure themselves or others, plus the dangers of acute deodorant asphyxiation when doing room checks, make for an interesting if asthmatic few days.

But on the plus side, I did get to go to Bayeux again. Yes, I saw the remarkable embroidery, which is spectacular, but I love the cathedral. Last time I was there I didn't get a chance to take any photos in the crypt, but this time I did. Apologies if they're a bit dark, but there's no flash allowed down there, and I've not photoshopped them yet.

The glass is also lovely, and so are the paintings in the side chapels.

We also visited Arromanche and a British War Cemetery. It's not only moving to see the footage of the D Day landings and the construction of the harbour, and the graves, but the great crucifix and statue of Our Lady that watch over the town.

One of the graves bears the inscription Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.

It's amazing what you can find on a trip to a farm. How many orchards can boast a Thirteenth Century chapel?

So it wasn't all Lynx and can-we-go-to-the-shops/market/supermarket. It was good to be somewhere where there are so many images and reminders of the faith.

THE LMS’s Seventh Training Conference for Priests and Servers Successfully Concluded

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY
Over thirty clerics and laymen attended the Latin Mass Society’s seventh residential training conference for the training of priests in the Traditional or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. This conference took place from Tuesday 3 May to Friday 6 May at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, courtesy of Abbot David Charlesworth and the Benedictine community.

The programme, as in recent conferences, also provided for the training of altar servers.  Fifteen servers were trained. This included a number of young men, three of whom are discerning vocations to the priesthood.

The twelve priests came from across the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were all represented. Two of the priests were Polish and one was an Army chaplain who has recently seen active service in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Training was given at various levels under the leadership of Fr Andrew Southwell, National Chaplain to the LMS. There was basic instruction (including Latin pronunciation where required), through to intermediate training culminating in instruction in the celebration of High Mass.

The servers followed a similar progression, learning to assist at celebrations up to High Mass.

Each day sung Mass was celebrated in the abbey church and the quality of the polyphonic singing and Latin plain chant was outstanding. The choir and schola were led by Michael Vian Clark. Abbot David Charlesworth presided in choir at the closing Votive Mass of the Holy Cross on the Friday and led the veneration of the Relic of the True Cross.

 As usual at LMS conferences, the food and accommodation were appreciated for their high quality throughout.

 The LMS would like to express its profound gratitude for the welcome and ready assistance given by the monks at Buckfast Abbey.

Pictures of the Buckfast conference are available from the LMS website here:

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/55776120@N08/sets/72157626681449594/

The next training programme, the eighth, will be a one-day event on Tuesday 23 August at Holy Cross Priory, Leicester. This will be for priests and servers wishing to study the rubrics of the Mass in its Solemn Form and who are already familiar with Low Mass. The day will start at 9.30 am and finishing around 5.00 pm. The fee for attending will be £5.00. For further details or to register, contact the LMS office on 020 7404 7284 or email info@lms.org.uk

For further information, please contact John Medlin, Publicist, or Michael Lord, General Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284; (F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) info@lms.org.uk

The Pilgrimage Saturday, 28th May



Yes, it's time to remind you that the LMS Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead in honour of Our Lady is almost upon us! It should be a lovely day, whether the the weather be fine or whether the weather be not, because you just can't not have a good day if there is sung Mass, Rosary and Benediction, Fr Lucie-Smith, Fr Blake, and a picnic.

Everyone is welcome. Mass starts at noon, and the day ends after Benediction at about 5-ish. Hope to see you there.

Sacred Heart, Petworth

There will be a Low Mass at 7pm on Friday 3rdJune at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Petworth. Fr Jonathan Martin will be the celebrant.