TCFA dates for the New Year

The Traditional Catholic Family Alliance meets in Reading and at St Edmunds College Ware (and sometimes elsewhere). I've just had an email about the latter: their dates for the New Year are (all Saturdays):

17th January
7th February
7th March

The days begin with Traditional Sung Mass at 11am in the splendid Pugin chapel at the school, and continue with talks and catechesis for adults and children of all ages. All are welcome; there is no fee. If anyone would like to know more, please contact me.

Sung Mass at SS Gregory & Augustine

Friday 12th December saw the first Missa Cantata in SS Gregory & Augustine to be served by parishoners and accompanied by the Parish Choir. Fr John Saward preached on his recent visit to Lourdes.

The church is undergoing restoration. The floor has been sanded, and the wooden pannelling on the East wall has been prepared for painting. The curtain behind the altar is new; eventually it will be used for the church's 'Lenten array', but for the time being it hides the unfinished work on that part of the wall.

Press release from the LMS on Merton

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY

 For Immediate Release

 15 December 2008

 * LMS Training Conference at Merton College, Oxford for Priests Wishing to Learn the Extraordinary Form of Mass (Traditional Latin Rite), August 2009

 

The following is a statement from Mr Paul Beardsmore, Secretary of the Latin Mass Society:

 1.      The LMS Committee has not cancelled the Oxford Training Conference, and Merton College has not indicated to the Society that permission to hold the Conference has been withdrawn.

 2.      Mr David Lloyd’s views concerning the Oxford Conference held in July 2008 were considered by the LMS Committee three months ago and did not receive the support of the majority of its members.

 3.      The LMS Committee – including Mr Lloyd – is unanimous in its commitment to the implementation of the Motu Proprio, ‘Summorum Pontificum’, and consequently to the training of clergy to celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

 4.      The leaking to the press of Mr Lloyd’s confidential e mail, and the attempt to link this e mail with the LMS Committee’s recent decision concerning the administrative arrangements for the Conference are mischievous.

 Statement ends.

Pro-Life Witness

This took place as usual last Saturday and was well attended despite the cold weather. We prayed the Rosary by the entrance to the John Radcliffe Hospital, the only place in Oxford where abortions take place.

Join us at the next ones! They take place on the last Saturday of each month - not December, but from 3pm to 4pm

January 31st
and
February 28th

The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in St Anthony of Padua and the witness ends with a short Benediction. The Rosary is led by Fr John Saward.

Traditional Pilgrimage to Lourdes

This was joined by a number of Oxford traditionalists, and was led by Fr Andrew Southwell. A full report can be found here.

Formerly obligatory feasts can be celebrated on their original days - official

But only if they are Traditional Masses. See the New Liturgical Movement for the LMS press release on the official response of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, which contradicts the suggestion of the Liturgy Office of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales that the actual feast days have been transferred. On the contrary, when these feasts are celebrated on the Sunday - as requested by the bishops - they are celebrated as 'external solemnities', something possible and in fact quite common under the 1962 rules. (I.e., for the benefit of the faithful unable to make an important feast during the week, it can be repeated, a bit like a votive Mass, on the Sunday.) The actual day is the traditional day - as will be reflected in the breviary, by vigils, octaves and so forth.

All Souls at the Oratory

The Oxford Oratory is undergoing major redecoration at the moment, but that did not prevent us from having a Missa Cantata for All Souls today. Fr Anton Webb sang the Mass surrounded by scaffolding. The blessed sacrament has been moved to the chapel of the Sacred Heart (which is next to the sancturary, on the Gospel side).

The workmen had to suspend their operations for the duration of the Mass; they could be seen slinking back once it was over.

The singing was done by the Schola Beati Thomae Abelis of the OU Gregorian Chant Society.