PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

Father Z Heads Line-up of Speakers at LMS One-Day Conference

When we throw a pebble into a pond, it sends out ripples in all directions. When we celebrate Mass it is just the same – whether celebrated well or badly, it will affect the whole Church for either good or ill. This was the stark view that Fr John Zuhlsdorf, better known as the blogger ‘Fr Z’, shared with his audience at the Latin Mass Society’s One-Day Conference in London on Saturday, 9 June.

This was the first ever conference that the LMS had organised and it was greeted with widespread and enthusiastic praise from the conference floor. As headline speaker, Fr Z delivered a punchy and inspirational talk centred on his own slogan 'Save the Liturgy; Save the World'.

Other speakers included Dr John Rao of St John’s University, New York, who touched on the topics of faith and history raised in his latest book 'Black Legends and the Light of the World’.

Stuart McCullogh's talk about the work of the Good Counsel Network, who provide counselling for women who are facing crisis pregnancies, held the audience spellbound. Of those women who come to the Network, around 95 per cent are intending to go ahead with an abortion when they first meet, but, as a result of the Network’s efforts, around 70 per cent change their minds and keep their babies. Stuart emphasised that the Network places traditional Catholic devotions at the heart of their work – especially Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary and the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Priest-blogger Fr Tim Finigan spoke about his experience of introducing the Traditional Mass into his parish, looking back at the problems he'd faced and also the improvements to parish life that it had brought about.

The final speaker was Rev John Hunwicke of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. By turns erudite and witty, he brought much learning and humour to the conference hall as he looked at the Anglican patrimony that he anticipated the Ordinariate would bring to the Catholic Church. For many attending the conference, Rev Hunwicke was the 'discovery' of the day. Many had not heard of him before and were won over by his knowledge of his subject and by his schoolmasterly charm.

The day ended with a very successful panel discussion in which the speakers gathered together to answer questions submitted by the audience.

Photo: Father John Zuhlsdorf addresses the LMS Conference

Photo credit: LMS

For further information, please contact Mike Lord, General Manager, on (T) 020 7404 7284; (F) 020 7831 5585; (E mail) michael@lms.org.uk

More photos can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55776120@N08/sets/72157630032523751/