It was good news that the FSSP have been given charge of their own church at St Mary`s, Warrington. From what can be read it appears the initiative came from the parishioners themselves who are proud of their musical tradition and thought that this was the best way to preserve it.
Could it happen in Hexham and Newcastle where we`ve not been at the cutting edge since the death of St Bede in 735? We have some beautiful churches with uncertain futures such as St Michael`s, Newcastle and St Mary`s, Hartlepool. At the minute the needs of those attached to the Extraordinary Form on Tyneside are catered for by two Masses a week here at St Joseph`s. If an Ecclesia Dei institute were to come and run St Michael`s, St Joseph`s Gateshead would cease to have that role. Thus I`m in two minds. While it would be great to have the priestly support of the FSSP or ICKSP, I`d be the Northern Chaplain to the LMS without a LM. Not that being a LMS chaplain is a pressured role but that would make it a very laid back occupation. 
Thank you for celebrating the Extraordinary Form for us every Saturday and Sunday. My spiritual life would suffer without those Masses! I'd love the FSSP to come here, but not if it jeopardises the Masses we already have. I'm sure the FSSP will come when the priest shortage makes their presence necessary. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the Masses we have.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that this situation exists. In my opinion, every parish should have at least one EF Mass per week. The Extraordinary Form should be part of the mainstream; it should be celebrated regularly in our parishes, in the cathedral, at Youth Village, and in our schools.
The OF and the EF should be treated equally. Those who prefer the Ordinary Form have daily Mass, while those who prefer the Extraordinary Form are lucky to have one Mass per week! This doesn't come close to being fair. And I'm sure that our traditional-minded priests would love the opportunity to celebrate EF Masses more often.
Well we did have 2 Sunday EF Masses on Tyneside for many years - St Dominic's & St Joseph's. Whilst some transferred from Newcastle to Gateshead it was not all of them. Whilst I agree with Fr Michael to a great extent what we should be doing (not quite as Philip would like it) is to extend the provision of EF Masses as far as possible. We have a beautiful unspoiled church there which is now to be used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church who are not, I believe, even in communion with Rome so I'd rather have an Ecclesia Dei institute than that.
ReplyDeleteAs it was I who originally approached the ICKSP (as LMS joint rep), after Fr de Malleray had unsuccesfully interviewd the bishop, it took about a year for Canon Montjean to respond & for approaches to be made to the diocese. The suggestion has been made to the Canon that St Mary's in Hartlepool is also suitable especially as that town has recently had a number of church closures.
The matter is to be discussed by Canon Montjean with Fr Lerche who is the Diocesan Chancellor with responsibility as PP for St Michael's.
News of my death has been greatly exaggerated!
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