Tuesday 28 November 2017

Carol Concert


Carol 

Concert

Free Entry
Mince pies & mulled wine

St Catherine’s 

Church

Stanifield Lane      Farington    (Next to the park)

 Saturday 16th December

7.30pm 

A collection will take place for those
suffering from leprosy 
for Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith's Charity
 - SUROL - 
working in Sri Lanka

       https://surolsrilanka.com/        


The Octavius Choir 
with organist Mr David Scott-Thomas 
have provided us with a superb evening over the last few years with carols, Christmas songs and seasonal presentations, and we are enormously pleased to welcome them back this year, as once again they give their talents to the service of this wonderful charity.





Monday 20 November 2017

Walsingham: Confraternity of Catholic Clergy


The Confraternity of Catholic Clergy held it's annual Colloquium in Walsingham last week.
A very enjoyable couple of days. (Facebook page here.) Linked to the Confraternities in Australia, USA and Ireland. I would recommend any priest to join up and keep in touch with the Confraternity.

Bishop John Keenan, Bishop of Paisley, speaking on the importance of Familiaris Consortio and the teaching of Pope St John Paul II on marriage and human sexuality. It was a blessing to have a good bishop with us, celebrating the Mass in a dignified way and giving priests spiritual sustenance by his words on the Priesthood, proving it's possible to challenge us to be better priests without making us feel bad!


Mgr John Armitage, Rector of Walsingham. Calling us to a third spring for England, Our Lady’s Dowry. A "roving statue" of Our Lady of Walsingham is being created to travel the country in order to focus on the message of Walsingham. As Mgr Armitage points out, Nazareth is the place of the home of the Holy Family and so it is the family that is at the heart of the news that Walsingham announces. The basic building block of society and of the Faith so much under threat in our times. Surely, there could not be a time more auspicious for a renewed call to the Church and the world to focus on the beautiful and noble teaching of Jesus about family, personhood and sexuality.

The Mgr has a great vision for Walsingham. It was very encouraging to hear of a priest with a message of hope fro renewing the Faith in our times rather than giving in to the general decline.

Do keep him and Walsingham in your prayers and go and visit! Already - at a practical level - the facilities are much improved.

Tour de force presentation from theologian Fr John Saward on 
Mater Veritatis
the Mother of God and the beauty of Truth. 
Holding on to the Truths of the Gospel and the Church, rather than caving in to the hollow "truths" of the world.


 A few of the brethren.
 

Mass in the Basilica with Bishop John Keenan.







Friday 17 November 2017

Fauré Requiem Mass


I am looking forward to celebrating High Mass tomorrow in Preston with the Octavius Singers and organist Mr David Scott-Thomas providing the music of Fauré's Requiem for the occasion.

Do come along if you can.
Light lunch afterwards served in the church Hall.


Saturday 18th November at 11.30am

in the

  Church of St Thomas
 and the English Martyrs

Garstang Road, Preston.


There is a fine pipe organ at the  church and we are very pleased that 
Mr David Scott-Thomas will accompany the Octavius Choir in providing

 Faurés Requiem 

as the Mass setting.
It will be Solemn Mass in the Traditional Form.

Our thanks also to the Canons of the Institute of Christ the King 
for allowing welcoming us to their church.

Mass is offered for the souls of deceased members, benefactors and friends of the
Order of St Lazarus.

Thursday 9 November 2017

News


I heard on the grapevine some sad news reflecting more decline in the Church here in the UK. The retreat centre at Pentasaph Franciscan Friary in North Wales. It is a beautiful place with rather lovely Way of the of the Cross stationed up a hill with a Calvary at the summit.

Dear friends of Pantasaph 

Closure of Pantasaph Franciscan retreat centre. 

Following on from the decision of our recent Provincial Chapter, it is with regret and sadness that we have to announce the closure of our Retreat Centre on Friday 15th December 2017. 

This decision has not been taken lightly. It was made in the light of the continuing decrease in the number of brothers, and the ever increasing costs of complying with fire and health and safety requirements. 

Thank you for all your support and prayers over many years. Please pray for us as we continue to discern God’s will regarding our future life and ministries here in the UK. 

Br. Michael 
(Retreat Director)


On a happier note, Fr Michael Brown reports that Bishop Marcus Stock is to celebrate Pontifical Mass in the Traditional Form in Leeds Cathedral this Saturday. Quite how this will be accomplished on the miniscule altar installed after the last re-ordering, along with the plethora of steps introduced reducing much chance of liturgical movement, I would like to see. I salute the MC! Splendid news, nonetheless.

SOLEMN PONTIFICAL MASS OF
REQUIEM
 
offered by His Lordship the Bishop of Leeds
Bishop Marcus Stock
on

SATURDAY 11TH. NOVEMBER 2017
at
3.00 P.M.
ST. ANN’S CATHEDRAL COOKRIDGE STREET, LEEDS
for
the repose of the souls of his  predecessors
Bishops   Cornthwaite, Gordon, Poskitt,  Heenan,  Dwyer,  Wheeler &  Konstant