On Thursday there was a truly magnificent Mass in the Church of St Anthony of Padua, in Headington, Oxford. In what is one of Oxford's most modern church (surpassed in fact only by Holy Rood in south Oxford, which unlike most of the city is in Portsmouth diocese), we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Church with the immemorial Mass in its Solemn form, with deacon and subdeacon. The Schola Abelis accompanied the Mass with Gregorian Chant.
Fr Aldo Tapparo, the parish priest, was celebrant, Br Nicholas Edmonds-Smith deacon (he has in fact recently been ordained to the diaconate), and Fr Anton Webb subdeacon. Br Nicholas preached on St Anthony.
At the end of Mass we venerated a relic of St Anthony of Padua, and we enjoyed a meal together in the parish hall. (The splendid vestments belong to the Oxford Oratory.)
In the lead up to the anniversary Fr Tapparo has redecorated the church to great effect (this is what it used to look like). This was a wonderful way to mark the occasion.
On 11th July the Centenary of SS Edmund & Frideswide (Greyfriars), in the Ifley Road, Oxford, now looked after by the Capuchin Franciscans, will be marked by a traditional Missa Cantata also celebrated by Fr Tapparo, at 7pm. The Traditional Mass is a important part of the future for Oxford's churches.
More photos of the Mass at St Anthony's.
Those are splendid vestments, indeed!
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