Yesterday I attended the Traditional Mass in St Joseph's, Basingstoke; I took some singers down to make a Missa Cantata possible.
It is a nice example of the spirit of Summorum Pontificum in action. A group of parishioners, including some very keen young men you can see serving in the photos, asked for the Traditional Mass, and they've got it, at least as an occasional thing. It is now established at St Joseph's as something which happens a few times a year.
Two things to notice which contrast with the Bad Old Days: it takes place on a Sunday, and it takes place at a time when people might actually want to go to Mass, 6pm, and not some weird time like 4.30 in the afternoon.
The reason it isn't happening more frequently is partly that this is not a bad way to start, to introduce it to the Parish and gauge support, and partly because of the difficulty of finding celebrants. As time goes on I am sure this will change.
The celebrant yesterday was Fr Philip Harris, currently at the Cathedral in Portsmouth, ordained three years ago.
Splendid!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it odd how well the EF works against a modern backdrop? I got the same impression at Headington (last year?).
ReplyDeleteYes it is interesting: you're thinking of St Anthony of Padua in Headington. For the most super-modern church with the EF see my post about Our Lady of Light, Long Crendon:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lmschairman.org/2010/02/mass-in-long-crendon.html
As long as ad orientem is not too awkward, the Mass creates its own sense of focus, even when the architecture doesn't.