Yesterday Archbishop Malcolm McMahon of Liverpool entrusted the fine E. W. Pugin church of St Mary in Warrington town centre to the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP) for the celebration of the Sacraments according tot he Traditional Form. This now becomes the third church in the Northwest of England to be entrusted by the local bishop to the new and thriving societies of priests celebrating the Traditional Mass in three adjoining diocese - Lancaster, Liverpool and Shrewsbury. Who could have predicted not so very long ago that the new societies set up in St John Paul II's reign and bolstered by the reinvigoration of the Church's traditions under Pope Benedict, would have brought about such fruit. God be praised!
Archbishop Malcolm is greeted at the door and sprinkles holy water.
He entered to Parry's "I was glad".
Archbishop Malcolm
prays in front of the Blessed Sacrament before Mass starts.
Some of the clergy in choir.
Abbot of Ampleforth Cuthbert Madden, OSB.
From its foundation in 1877 until 2012
St Mary's Priory was served by the monks of Ampleforth.
Prayers at the foot of the altar
for Mass of the
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Mass was celebrated by the new Rector,
Fr Armand de Malleray,
assisted by Deacon James Mawdsley
and Fr Ian Verrier as sub deacon.
Deacon James Mawdsley sings the Gospel.
The new Rector makes his Profession of Faith
and takes the oath of Fidelity before the Archbishop.
At the altar.
"My Lord and my God."
The Archbishop
and deacons at throne Throne,
Fr John Emerson for the FSSP
and Fr Sean Kirwin or the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
Clergy from near and far.
All photographs courtesy of Mr Martin Gardner.
There was some fine music from up in the rather splendid choir loft.
The parish is blest to have intact a strong musical tradition under the care of Michael Wynne.
Lord enthroned in heavenly spendour!
4 comments:
What wonderful pictures & how blessed is the NW of England. God grant that more bishops may follow the lead of Archbishop Malcolm & the other bishops of Lancaster & Shrewsbury. Surely this should be a lesson to all northern bishops when their archbishop gives them such a lead.
Deo Gratias. I hope we see much more of this.
I was there. I thought that the short address given by Archbishop McMahon contained an interesting statement. He stated very publicly that there were many of the faithful who had been "uncomfortable" with the liturgy during the past 50 years. In fact he said this twice. He went on to say that he hoped that the presence of the FSSP in Warrington would encourage those Catholics who had given up attending Mass due to their discomfort with the newer liturgy to return.
I thought that these words of Archbishop McMahon were very significant.
Wonderful Day
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