Visitation

Well here are some photos of our parishes visitation on Passion Sunday (aka as the Sunday before Palm Sunday (OF) or vice versa). All went well. Bishop Seamus celebrated the vigil at St Wilfrid`s and the two morning Masses at St Joseph`s and the 12 noon was coram episcopo. Before anyone says anything I know here is a lack of veils. I can assure you everything was veiled by Palm Sunday. New veils had to be made for St Wilfrid`s and a very thorough job was done. St Joseph`s had almost enough except for Our Lady and St Joseph on the reredos but veils were made and in place a fe days after this. 

Fortescue does not tell us how to celebrate a Missa Cantata coram episcopo, only High Mass. I wasn`t sure how keen bishop Seamus would be to do all the bits a bishop is meant to do so we kept t simple and limited it to his sprinkling at the Asperges and blessing the incense. He gave the final blessing too. He told me he quite enjjoyed it and was impressed with our young and enthusiastic altar team most of whom are seeking to pursue vocations to the clerical state. Music was by the Paul Dewhurst choir and the Kyrie and Agnus Dei settings by Lotti live on in my memory. 

The bishop did tell people at the end of the 10.30 Mass that we should consider merging the 9am and 10.30 as neither is even half full and most parishes are now going down to one Mass. We are in the process of looking into this. Sunday mornings can be rather heavy with three Masses and two different sermons as well as baptism and afternoon devotions twice a month.

St Wilfrid`s: Picture courtesy of Stephen Scullion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9am Mass at St Joseph`s: photo courtesy of G Debreczeni

12 noon: photo courtesy of L. Darroch

Photo courtesy of P Macgregror