New article on liturgical hygiene

Cross-posted from the FIUV.

Sergey Budaev, "Safety and Reverence: How Roman Catholic Liturgy Can Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic" Journal of Religion and Health (2021), published 24th May 2021.

Among many interesting observations of this article, which cites a great many studies, is that while reception on the tongue does not appear to be more dangerous than reception in the hand, reception kneeling is clearly preferable to reception standing. We reproduce a key passage below; the whole article can be read here (or download the pdf here).

The Holy Species used in the Latin Rite is nearly dry and therefore is likely to have low adhesion of outside particles, further reducing the infectious risk. While receiving the Holy Bread, the communicant normally extends the tongue forward, requiring to hold breath for a while. This reduces possible respiratory output. The traditional manner of receiving Communion on the tongue is therefore unlikely to incur a high risk of infection transmission.

Traditional reverent practice of the Catholic Church incorporates additional elements making it even less risky in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The kneeling position of the faithful while receiving the Host would provide spatial distancing about 50 cm (Fig. 1a): the communicant’s face is located at the level of the chest of the Eucharistic Minister. Provided the communicant stays silent, uses nasal breathing, and the duration of the interaction is short (very few seconds), this would not incur a high risk to the Eucharistic Minister (usually the priest whose safety is prioritized, see above). Furthermore, reduced verbal response of the communicant directs the droplets and aerosol towards the chest of the Minister, which is by far a lower risk than in the face.

Appeal for St Walburghe's, Preston, from the ICKSP

The church of St Walburgh in Preston is an important part of the heritage of Catholics, not just of the immediate area but of the country. Now under the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, it inevitably needs restoration to re-roof it and re-order - or un-re-order - the sanctuary. I recommend this appeal.

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Canon Cristofoli of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest has launched an appeal to restore the beautiful, Grade 1 listed, St. Walburge’s Shine church in Preston, Lancashire to its former glory.

            St. Walburge’s was built in the mid 19th century by the Catholic, Gothic revival architect Joseph Hansom, and is famous for having the tallest spire of any parish church in Great Britain. Howell and Sutton describe it as ‘one of the most extraordinary churches in Britain’. Bryan Little described it enthusiastically as ‘a building which ranks among Joseph Hansom’s best, and whose roof is perhaps the most masterly ever put on any Victorian Church’.

Ramsgate to Aylesford walking pilgrimage: photos

(The photos in this post were taken by Raja Wolstenholme)

ChartresUK, which usually organises English chapters of the great French walking pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres, responded to the travel restrictions which made this impossible for the second year by organising a walking pilgrimage from Ramsgate to Aylesford via Canterbury: a distance of about 46 miles. Here are a few photographs.

Mass in the Shrine of St Augustine, Ramsgate, celebrated by Fr Christopher Basden.

More Online Latin (and Greek) Courses

I'm delighted to announce more opportunities to learn Latin in a Catholic context, online.

Just to inspire you, that's the Codex Amiatinus, the Vulgate Bible copied at Wearmouth-Jarrow in the 8th century.

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Matthew Spencer

Matthew offers a range of courses, including introductory and intermediate Latin, classical and koine (New Testament) Greek, entirely online.

The Introductory New Testament Greek course is the ideal preparation for the Latin Mass Society’s residential course above, at which Mr Spencer will be the Greek tutor.

Seminarians and clergy can claim half the cost of Latin courses with Mr Spencer back from the Latin Mass Society.

For his current offerings, see this pdf.

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Sr Tamsin Geach, ‘Latin in 50 Lessons’

This is also highly recommended, though not associated with the Latin Mass Society. See her website here

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Traditional Confirmations in London, 10th July: book now

Update: the date has now been cast into doubt. We hope to confirm it soon.

Bishop John Sherrington (Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster) will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Traditional Rite on Saturday, 10 July 2021 at St James's Spanish Place, London W1U 3QY, at 11.30am. This will be followed by Pontifical Benediction.

To register your child or yourself for Confirmation, please complete the registration form below.

The deadline for registering and submitting the required documentation is FRIDAY 18 JUNE 2021. 

More details, and online booking form, here.

St Benedict's Academy, Preston

In association with the apostolate of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Preston, Lancashire, St Benedict's Academy is calling for expressions of interest in enrolling children in their programme from this September. The Academy acts as a supplement to home-schooling, teaching two and a half days a week. They have produced this video; contact details below.



Saint Benedict’s Catholic Academy, in the city of Preston (Priest Town) provides a classically taught curriculum for your children in a Catholic environment.

For more information please  contact: saintbenedicts@icksp.org.uk

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Something about the New Feminism Blogger doesn't want you to see

This post, from February, was deleted last night by Blogger. The explanation was that it violated their terms of service in relation to 'malware and viruses'. Hmm. 

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Most people are blissfully unaware of the vast extent of intellectual fakery which inhabits universities around the world. The fact that a great deal of it is paid for by taxpayers is bad enough, but sometimes it rises to levels which raise a different kind of question. This is the case with this article by Alison Phipps, Professor of Gender Studies at Sussex University. She shares this institution with the ‘Gender Critical’ feminist Kathleen Stock whom I wrote about here, but describes her colleague’s views, such as that women should not have share refuges with biological males, as beneath debate (“‘Reasonable debate’ cannot counter unreasonable ideas.”). In the article, Phipps writes that women expressing trauma about sexual violation, a phenomenon she describes as “white tears”, is a tool of oppression.

It is difficult to find words to do justice to the outrageous nature of this claim, and it calamitous consequences if taken seriously. But these are not the ravings of a lone madwoman. Phipps is a professor at a serious university, these reflections of hers are published in a mainstream journal, and she has also published a book on the same theme, with Manchester University Press. More significantly, she is one of many radical feminists of the new school. Put “white tears” (with quotation marks) into Twitter’s search bar, and say hello to a truly grim new world.

Summer Mass of Ages is here!

The new issue should be on members' doormats and in churches this weekend.

I have myself a feature article of the late Fr Reggie Foster and his teaching system and book, Ossa Latinitatis Sola: verdict, not all that great.


In this issue: • John Henry Newman Appeal: Help save the Cardinal Saint’s unique collection of books as well as the room where he worked, studied, and latterly said Mass • Sisters of the Cross: Alan Frost looks at the remarkable life of the Venerable Elizabeth Prout CP • Fr Reggie Foster and his book: Joseph Shaw bids farewell to the King of Catholic Latin • Our Lady of Glastonbury: Dom Bede Rowe on a living Benedictine tradition in the West Country • The scholar priest: Charles A. Coulombe remembers linguist and adventurer Adrian Fortescue • Communist infiltration? Kevin J. Symonds looks at the curious history of Dr Bella Dodd and the Catholic Church.

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Requiem for HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

The Latin Mass Society organised a 'month's mind' requiem Mass for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince Consort.

The celebrant was our National Chaplain, Mgr Gordon Reid; Fr Mark Elliot-Smith was deacon, Fr Michael Cullinan subdeacon. It took place in St Mary Moorfields with a drastically restricted congregation: I look forward to these restrictions being eased, but at least we were able to have the Mass!

It was accompanied by Mathew Schellhorn and Cantus Magnus who sang, beautifully, Victoria's Requiem.

Sponsorship for Embroidery Course at the Royal School of Needlework 2022

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In 2019 the Guild of St Clare made the first award under its Sponsorship Scheme to help a student through the Certificate Course at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN), and in 2020 we made a second. Our two sponsored students are, despite the epidemic, progressing through the course, and we are now inviting new candidates to apply for the scheme.

The deadline for applications this year is 24th June.

The RSN Certificate Course takes between one and four years, depending on how intensively students wish to do it. Its great flexibility makes it ideal for those who can only spare limited time, or whose availability fluctuates over the year. The Certificate gives its graduates a thorough grounding in a range of traditional hand-embroidery skills, skills for which the RSN is renowned, and which its experts apply to historic restoration projects and important commissions.

Sponsored students will be able to reclaim half the cost of their tuition days, up to a maximum of £2,000 a year, subject to satisfactory progress in the Certificate course, and their attendance (for free) at least one of the Guild’s two annual Sewing Retreats. Students at the RSN have to pay for tuition days when they book them; they would be reimbursed at that point. Progress will be monitored by reference to the successful completion of each module, and the reports which are provided by RSN tutors on each piece of work.

More information, and how to apply, can be found here.

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Walking Pilgrimage in Northern Spain, 24-26th July

Although the Chartes Pilgrimage will not be taking place as normal in 2021, a victim in part of its taking place relatively early in the year as we emerge from epidemic restrictions, I'm delighted to bring to a wider public information about a traditional walking pilgrimage in northern Spain, 24th to 26th July, 2021, which everyone should be able to join.

I should also mention that the the Latin Mass Society's annual walking pilgrimage to Walsingham is also open for booking. The dates for this are 26th to 30th August. See here for information and registration.

Nothing will make you feel like a human being and a Catholic again quite like participation in a three-day walking pilgrimage!

Here is more information about the Spanish pilgrimage, which has the support of Una Voce Seville.