Sunday, October 28, 2007

Reading videos

These videos are of the first Sung Mass said by the FSSP in their new location in Reading, the church of St William of York, on the feast of Christ the King. I posted on the New Liturgical Movement blog about them.



Saturday, October 27, 2007

Abortion Act 1967: 40 years on

The Abortion Act came into force forty years ago today. The monthly witness
outside the entrance to the John Radcliffe Hospital marked the occasion. The Blessed Sacrament was exposed inside the Church of St Anthony of Padua during the hour-long witness, while we said the fifteen decades of the Rosary, led by Fr John Saward. We then returned to the church, where Fr Saward said Benediction.

Earlier in the day the Oxford University Pro Life Society marked the anniversary with a specially large version of their regular Saturday stall in Cornmarket.

The abortionists have killed millions of unborn children, but they haven't won a complete victory while there are still people willing to protest.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Goodbye St Francis; hullo, Muhammad

The Provincial Superior of the Capuchin Fransiscans, Br James Boner, has announced that the Greyfriars Permanent Private Hall, effectively a small college of the University, will close at the end of the current academic year. It's students will be transfered to the Baptist Permanent Private Hall, Regent's Park College. The reason given is the drop in the number of friars in the province.

Greyfriars has just celebrated its 60th Anniversary as a PPH of the University. It was the refoundation of the medieval Franciscan presence in the University, founded by Bl. Agnellus of Pisa (d.1213), who was sent to Oxford by St Francis himself. The medieval Greyfriars was home to Robert Grosseteste, Roger Bacon and Bl. John Duns Scotus, and the Reformation martyr Bl. John Forest. After the great efforts by the Friars of two generations ago to reestablish a presence in the University, that presence will once more disappear. This is a very sad day.

Not everything in Oxford is declining and disappearing. One religious group intent on expanding its presence in the University with splendid new buildings and facilities is the Muslims. Here is a picture of the unfinished new buildings of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Requiem Mass for Damian Coughlan

took place in SS Gregory and Augustine, on Saturday 13th October. The Oxford Gregorian Chant Society sang at this Mass; see their blog for pictures and commentary.

Damian Coughlan, requiescat in pace.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Oxford Gregorian Chant Society


This new society of Oxford University is now recruiting members at its first 'Freshers' Fair'. It aims to train both students and non-students in Gregorian Chant for both the monastic office and the Traditional Mass.

It has a Facebook Group, a Website, and an email address.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Solemn High Mass in Portsmouth Cathedral

The Annual Solemn High Mass is taking place this Sunday, 7th October. As usual there will be music of the highest standards from the Cantores Missae, directed by Charles Finch: this year they will sing Palestrina'a Missa Brevis.

Mass is at 3.30pm; there is parking close to the Cathedral. There will be refreshments afterwards.

See here for directions; see here for a map.

Reading Masses to move

Yesterday, 31th September, was the last of the regular Traditional Masses at Christ the King, Northumberland Avenue, in Reading. From this Sunday, 7th October, Mass will be said in St William of York, Redlands Road, which is not far away. It is close to the University.

Fr Nicholas du Chaxel and Fr Benjamin Durham will continue to say the Masses. They will be at the same time, 12 noon.

The monthly TCFA meetings will also take place at St William of York. The next of these is this Saturday, 6th October, with Sung Mass at 11.30.

For the location of St William of York see here.