Two Solemn High Masses this week.

On Tuesday night at 7.30 there willl be a Solemn High Mass for the Feast of the Annunciation at St Joseph`s with music provided by the Westland Singers from Sunderland. Then on Saturday I`ll be going to York for the annual LMS pilgrimage in honour of St Margaret Clitherown and the martyrs of York with music provided by the Rudgates. Mass starts at 1.30 at St Wlfrid`s, York.

Happy St Joseph`s Day!

Some pictures of St Joseph`s, Gateshead from the centenary booklet of 1959.

The pulpit: on the Epistle side. A gift of Alderman Costello. Destroyed in the re-ordering although some of the statues remain.

The Baptistry: now the entrance.

A surprising find

A parishioner from St Wilfrid`s was at a jumble sale at a local Anglican church and was looking through the LP`s when she found two photos. She brought them to me. Here I am in my young days at the Synod of bishops on Europe in 1991. I didn`t realise I`d even lost them. I can remember my surprise when my mother, many years ago, decided to give a lot of my LP`s to charity. Strange to think they are still doing the rounds and these photos were among them. Spot the bishops!

Happy St Gertrude`s Day

Today, March 17th, as well as being the feast of that famous Briton, St Patrick, is also the feast of St Gertrude of Nivelles. Many thanks to Francisco de Morande for the splendid art work. St Gertrude is the patron of cats. The story mainly seems to be about the expulsion of mice from the convent. Offerings of mice made of gold and silver were left at her shrine Wikipedia has nothing to say about her connection with cats or mice but then the Gospels don`t say much about St Jude and hopeless cases nor does the life of St Anthony of Padua deal much with his now amazing ability to find things. More cat-centred is this link.

I mention this as my cat Dizzy who was a feature of parish life wherever I went although he did not make that many appearances here at St Joseph`s on my return died two days before his 18th birthday in February. His colleague Arcady is still doing well but is as nervous as ever and not one for making appearances in church like Dizzy who when I was in Forest Hall tried almost every day to get into Mass.

Here`s Dizzy at the Tuesday coffee morning which he rarely missed

An Extraordinary Day in Leicester

As mentioned in the post before last I travelled to Leicester for Saturday`s day of introduction to the Extraordinary Form. I knew what the format of the day was going to be but had no idea how many people would come. I needn`t have worried: the turnout was amazing. Here is a view of participants in the parish hall. 

It was encouraging to see so many young people. Apart from being subdeacon at the morning`s High Mass (where we had an expert MC in Stephen) my task was to offer an introduction to the pronunciation of the server`s responses at Low Mass. Thus I met Daniel, an undergraduate from Liverpool Hope university who had only been to one Extraordinary Form Mass before and that just the previous week. Also George, a student in Leicester who was likewise most keen to learn. The enthusiasm of Fr John Cahill whose idea the day was is clearly infectious. A wonderful day and maybe something we should consider organising here in Gateshead.

Thanks to John Aron for the photos.

Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Thanks to Ches of The Sensible Bond for this response to Pope Francis observation that young people who like the Extraordinary Form are just following fashion!

An Introduction to the Extraordinary Form Liturgy Saturday 22nd February 2014

Saturday 22nd February 2014
The Feast of the Chair of St Peter

11am Solemn Mass
12.30 pm Lunch (Tea and Coffee provided, bring your own food)
1.00 pm – 2.30 pm Instruction Sessions running simultaneously:
The History of the Roman Rite
Responses for Low Mass
Serving Low Mass
Chants for Benediction
Chants for Mass Responses & Ordinary
2.30 pm Break (Tea and Coffee available in the Parish Hall)
2.45 pm – 4.15 pm Instruction Sessions (as above)
4.15 pm Break (Tea and Coffee available in the Parish Hall)
4.30 pm Solemn Benediction

St Peters Church, Hinckley Road
Leicester, LE3 0TA
tel. 0116 251 9802
e-mail wleicscatholic@btinternet.com

I`m helping out with this day and am looking forward to it. I hope we have a good response.

Bishop Davies at Gricigliano

Thanks to Acción Litúrgica I came across these pictures of Bishop Mark Davies recent visit to the headquarters of the Institute of Christ the King at Gricigliano, near Florence. I can`t say how encouraging I found these pictures and thank God for bishop Davies. I hope all is going well in New Brighton at the Institute`s shrine church. If only there were more bishops with the humility and imagination of Bishop Davies!

Even more awards and honours

I was interested to read last week that Fr Michael Sharratt has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Durham University. Fr Sharatt has spent most of his priestly life at Ushaw and his award is for the work he has done in the library. Congratulations to Dr Sharratt.

I have reason to be grateful to Fr Sharratt as when I was a seminarian at Ushaw he used to have a room of surplus books fror sale. I acquired some very useful books in this way. I first got a copy of Fortescue from there as well as liturgical books such as a small Pontifical from 1937 a full Roman Ritual from 1895, O`Connell`s three volume Celebration of the Mass, a nicely bound set of Newman`s Lives of the English Saints and many more which have stood me in good stead.

Fr Sharratt is a regular speaker at the North East Catholic History Society

Midnight Mass at St Wilfrid`s, Gateshead

When the Extraordinary Form Sunday Mass started in the 90`s in Gateshead it was at St Wilfrid`s. At Christmas it was decided to have midnight Mass there again rather than the normal venue of St Joseph`s because it was less likely to attract passing drunks-not being in the town centre-and  the heating is very efficient, unlike at St Joseph`s. In the event 65 people came and many said they enjoyed being back at St Wilfrid`s. It was a pleasure to be joined by local FSSP seminarian James Mawdsley. Many thanks to Pat for the photo.

Awards and Honours again

OK I may have misunderstood but I thought the situation was as follows. The conclave gathered after the unfortunate resignation of pope Benedict XVI. He was the greatest Supreme Pontiff since his namesake Benedict XIV but was overwhelmed by the corruption he saw in the Church and so decided to throw his hat in. The conclave are of the opinion that one of the Great Problems is the Roman Curia. It is full of self-obsessed Promethean Neo-Pelagians only concerned with how they can make further progress up the greasy pole and is a scandal. So step forward Cardinal Bergoglio who has what it takes to do the job and is elected on the understanding that he will reform the Curia.

So what happens? To overcome the great evil of clergy careerism it is decreed that the title of Monsignor will be abolished for all below the age of 65 to prevent clergy working to procure a handful of purple buttons. Hurrah, they say this man means business. But wait: this applies to the whole Catholic world except the Roman Curia where it will be business as usual and priests over the age of 35 who have completed five years service will automatically become Monsignors. Well that shows the Curia they`d better change their ways.

Looking forward to the next reforms!

UPDATE 13.01.14: I was surprised to see Rorate picked up on this!. My visitor statistics have gone through the roof.... Thanks New Catholic!

Awards and Honours

Once again I am being showered with awards. A while ago I was given the Liebster award which I did nothing about. This time Mulier Fortis and Ben Trovato have given me a Sunshine Award. It pains me to have to say what should be obvious but following the example of Pope Francis and the long-standing policy of the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, which was renewed by the Council of Priests last year, it is clear that I cannot accept any awards. For a long time now the policy of the diocese has been not to grant Bene Merentis, Pro Ecclesias, papal knighthoods, the title of Canon or Monsignor etc. There was one award which was given and that was the Northern Cross Spirituality Award but this seems to have fallen by the wayside too of late. A strange exception to the rule is the OBE or MBE or such like which it is OK to have. Congratulations to Elaine and Patrick.

Another problem is that part of the condition for receiving the award is that you have to nominate ten other blogs for the award and I can`t think of ten who have not been named already. 

Another feature is that you are asked to reveal ten things about yourself. This I am happy to do.

1) I prefer carrots al dente

2) I quite like them cut into little batons but can rarely be bothered to do it.

3) I often wonder why the fashion of wearing different coloured trouser legs fell out of fashion at the start of the sixteenth century and has never been revived.

4) I think Brutal Youth is the best Elvis Costello album but seem to be alone in this.

5) I cannot fry onions for toffee.

6) I play the clarinet (I`m somewhat rusty but having lessons again).

7) I played the clarinet in the German College orchestra in Rome c.1991.

8) I once played the clarinet in the presence of the bishops of the Northern Province of England at the English College, Rome and was accompanied by the present rector on the piano.

9) I often seem to find a tape measure in my jacket pocket.

10) I can`t read my own writing.

So I hope that is ok. Without accepting an award I hope I have satisfied the curiosity of those who were kind enough to bestow it.

Happy Christmas

On Christmas Eve, we will place ourselves once again before the Crib to contemplate, astonished, the "Word made flesh." Sentiments of joy and gratitude, like in every year, are renewed in our hearts as we hear the melodies of Christmas carols, which sing of, in so many languages, the same, extraordinary miracle. The Creator of the universe, out of love, came to make his dwelling among men. In the Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul affirms that Christ, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (2:6). He appeared in human form, adds the Apostle, humbling himself. At holy Christmas we will relive the realization of this sublime mystery of grace and mercy.

Pope Benedict XVI 21.12.06

Christmas Mass Times

St Joseph`s Gateshead

Christmas Eve: 5pm (with carols from 4.30pm).
Christmas Day: 10.30am

St Wilfrid`s Gateshead

Christmas Eve: 7.30pm (with carols from 7pm)
                          Midnight (with carols from 11.30pm) Extraordinary Form.

Are your kids experimenting with traditional Catholicism? Know the warning signs...

From the ever inventive Catholic Memes.

Foreign Practices

There`s something that has been on my mind for a while. In November I offer to bless graves of parishioners` family members and friends. When I returned to Gateshead this was not an issue as my predecessor, Fr Dixon (the diocesan liturgist) had been following the same practice. Not a lot of parishioners come but those who do are very grateful to have their deceased remembered and prayed for in this way. However this year I heard of a priest who was asked to do this and declined. There may be many reasons for this some of them even legitimate, but what fascinated me was the reason actually given. He said he wouldn`t do it as it was a foreign practice. This struck me as a strange response given that Christianity itself was an import to this country. Does he participate in the Eucharist? Is it not a foreign practice? How abut using the Bible: was it not originally written in funny foreign languages? If we adopt this criterion for what we will and won`t do the only option is to paint ourselves blue and go to greet the summer solstice at the nearest stone circle while sacrificing a few humans occasionally.

Rubrical Questions

Here at St Joseph`s we have a keen young couple, Andrew and Jayne, who have been coming to the EF Mass for about six months now. Andrew has learnt to serve Low Mass and often has questions which I do my best to answer. One of the recent ones was why is there a double ablution at the EF Mass and only a single one at the OF? I didn`t have an answer to hand so consulted Jungmann. I was interested to read that the first ablution is to purify the mouth lest any fragments of the host remain in the mouth which may even be expelled. The second is for the fingers and the sacred vessels. However I was even more intrigued to read that there was a long neglected rubric in the Ritus Servandus which requires that when the faithful communicate they should then be offered wine mixed with water and a linen towel to purify the mouth. The reference given is Rit. serv.10.6 but I haven`t been able to track it down. I wondered whether the practice should be re-introduced as clearly this was the mind of the Church (although it didn`t make it to the 1962 rubrics). It would at least make less offensive that expression `taking the wine` often heard among Catholics which makes me wonder why we bother at all.

This set me thinking. There is a section of traditionalists who demand absolute adherence to the rubrics of 62. I must admit I`m not one. I bow my head to the cross for the Holy Name and expect there to be a Confiteor before Communion. I do go along with sitting down for the Epistle at a High Mass but after the Una Voce conference liturgies where at every High Mass the pre-62 arrangement was observed I`m begin to wonder about this too. And I`d like a few more collects etc but stick to 62 to avoid confusion. After all the 1962 missal was in force for only a few years before the next revised rubrics came along. I wonder whether the equivalent of the present 62 police were fuming for centuries because the faithful weren`t offered wine, water and a linen cloth after Communion.

Which brings me to another thing. The 62 rubrics do talk about the consecration candle for Low Mass. They say that where the custom exists it should be preserved. (It had previously been mandatory but largely ignored.) My good friend, Fr Briggs of Chislehurst, is a great devotee of the consecration candle and to such an extent he has introduced it into the OF as a praeter legem custom. I have yet to hear any calls from the 62 enthusiasts for its reinstatement, presumably because 62 does not make it mandatory. So I`ve decided to restore it. (To his credit a 62 enthusiast here greeted this with approval.)

I know we have to have order and discipline but I think there is room for local variations which are sanctioned by long-standing custom. Eventually a consensus will emerge. I`ve never been that keen on positive law for its own sake. Maybe I`m a terrible liberal!

I`ve just noticed Fr Z blogged about this a couple of weeks ago. I borrowed the picture from him. As for rules about the numer of candles at Mass I have no idea what is going on in the picture. it must be Mass coram Sanctissimo during the 40 Hours I presume although it`s not too clear.

St Joseph`s, Gateshead 1954

Here is another picture from the archives. This one is clearly dated to 1954 as it was framed and given to Fr Landreth to celebrate his Silver Jubilee of ordination that year. This is a photograph of the original which I couldn`t remove from it`s holder to get onto the scanner. I think we should have a Spot the Difference competition! I said last time I think this one is later than the other as the stencilling is simplified. Our Lady has acquired a set of electric lights and two door-type structures have replaced the curtains at the sides of the high altar. For those who believe the last one was printed in reverse, it seems very odd that yet another should be and once again the wording on the high altar is not in reverse so it does seem the pulpit was on the epistle side. I`ll post a picture soon of the Sacred Heart chapel in it`s pre-wreckovation state to show the original altar from Mirk Lane from 1852 which was smashed and disposed of during the re-ordering.

Infant King

I had an email from Jacqueline Stein, outreach officer for the ICKSP, regarding their novena to the Infant King. There is an interview with the Canons from the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago, IL in regards to the monthly Infant King novena. You can find it here.

The interview is extremely informative and interesting. It's broken into 3 parts for readers: 

1) About the Infant King Statue

2) About the Devotion to the Infant King

3) About the practice of the Novena to the Infant King at the Shrine in Chicago, IL

Maybe one day we might see an ICKSP shrine on the banks of the Tyne. Stranger things have happened!

St Joseph`s, Gateshead, as it was.

I am interested to find out more about the history of St Joseph`s. In the room off the sacristy, with the title, the Ingram Hall, (originally the sacristy proper), there are a number of old photos of the church. There are two of the sanctuary. Here is one. I`ll scan the other eventually. I suspect this is the older of the two as the other lacks the stencilling, the candelabra and replaces the curtains on either side of the high altar with doors.

I`d be interested to knnow if any photos exist of the church as it was in 1859 when new. I find it hard to believe that the pinnacle above the tabernacle was original as it blocks out the stained glass behind. I wonder where it went?