Thursday 27 May 2021

Have you heard? Well, Did You Evah?!?


The video is just for a little light-hearted relief, of course...
 but have you heard that Arthur Roche has been appointed as Prefect of the
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

FROM TODAY'S VATICAN BOLLITIO:
The Holy Father has appointed as prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Archbishop Arthur Roche, bishop emeritus of Leeds, until now secretary of the same Congregation.

Saturday 22 May 2021

Pentecost Sunday

 


MASSES FOR THE COMING WEEK AT ST CATHERINE'S

Pentecost Sunday. Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  9.30am Mass. Our Lady, Mother of the Church


Tuesday of Eastertide  12 noon (EF) Mass. Whit Tuesday


Wednesday 9.30am Mass. St Bede the Venerable


Thursday of Eastertide 7pm: 

Novena of the Miraculous Medal & Benediction

Feast day of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest


Friday 9.30am Mass. Feria 


Saturday:   Confessions 11.30m - 11.50am

                   12 noon Mass (EF) Whit Saturday


Trinity Sunday. Mass at 8.30am & 10am

Saturday 15 May 2021

Seventh Sunday of Eastertide


This week (Wednesdy) sees the Feast of Saint Dunstan of Canterbury. Another reminder of the rich tapestry of our Catholic Faith that is embedded in England as our true heritage. 

Born of a noble family at Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, England, Dunstan was educated there by Irish monks and while still a youth, was sent to the court of King Athelstan. He became a Benedictine monk about 934 and was ordained by his uncle, St. Alphege, Bishop of Winchester, about 939. After a time as a hermit at Glastonbury, Dunstan was recalled to the royal court by King Edmund, who appointed him abbot of Glastonbury Abbey in 943.

He developed the Abbey into a great center of learning while revitalizing other monasteries in the area. He became advisor to King Edred on his accession to the throne when Edmund was murdered, and began a far-reaching reform of all the monasteries in Edred's realm. Dunstan also became deeply involved in secular politics and incurred the enmity of the West Saxon nobles for denouncing their immorality and for urging peace with the Danes.

 When Edwy succeeded his uncle Edred as king in 955, he became Dunstan's bitter enemy for the Abbot's strong censure of his scandalous lifestyle. Edwy confiscated his property and banished him from his kingdom. Dunstan went to Ghent in Flanders but soon returned when a rebellion replaced Edwy with his brother Edgar, who appointed Dunstan Bishop of Worcester and London in 957.

When Edwy died in 959, the civil strife ended and the country was reunited under Edgar, who appointed Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury. The king and archbishop then planned a thorough reform of Church and state. Dunstan was appointed legate by Pope John XII, and with St. Ethelwold and St. Oswald, restored ecclesiastical discipline, rebuilt many of the monasteries destroyed by the Danish invaders, replaced inept secular priests with monks, and enforced the widespread reforms they put into effect.

Dunstan served as Edgar's chief advisor for sixteen years and did not hesitate to reprimand him when he thought it deserved. When Edgar died, Dunstan helped elect Edward the martyr king and then his half brother Ethelred, when Edward died soon after his election. Under Ethelred, Dunstan's influence began to wane and he retired from politics to Canterbury to teach at the Cathedral school and died there. Dunstan has been called the reviver of monasticism in England. He was a noted musician, played the harp, composed several hymns, notably Kyrie Rex splendens, was a skilled metal worker, and illuminated manuscripts.

For over 200 years St Dunstan was England’s favourite saint, partly perhaps because he is said to have pulled the devil’s nose with his blacksmith’s pincers when he disguised himself as a beautiful girl in order to tempt the monk, as in this old rhyme:

St Dunstan, as the story goes,
Once pulled the devil by the nose
With red-hot tongs, which made him roar,
That he was heard three miles or more!

Another tradition says that the devil returned to pester Dunstan again when he was at his forge, this time Dunstan nailed a horseshoe onto one of the devil’s cloven feet and for this reason the devil can still never bear the sight or go near a horseshoe!

Before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 960, Dunstan worked as a blacksmith and goldsmith in his forge at Glastonbury Abbey, and he is still the patron saint of these trades – his feast day is May 19th and this is also the date from which annual hallmarks for precious metals change every year, not January 1st.

MASSES FOR THE COMING WEEK


Seventh Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Monday  9.30am Mass.  

Weekday of Easter

Tuesday of Eastertide  12 noon (EF) Mass. St Venantius

Wednesday 9.30am Mass. St Dunstan of Canterbury

Thursday of Eastertide 7pm Novena of the Miraculous Medal & Benediction

Friday 9.30am Mass. Weekday of Easter 

Saturday:   Confessions 11.30m - 11.50am

                    12 noon Mass (EF) Vigil of Pentecost 


Pentecost Sunday. Mass at 8.30am & 10am


 


Sunday 9 May 2021

Sixth Sunday of Eastertide

 

9th May 2021

Sixth Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Please note 
that there are no weekday Masses this week.


Seventh Sunday of Easter. 
Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Saturday 1 May 2021

Fifth Sunday of Eastertide.

The Feast of the Martyrs of England and Wales

falls on Tuesday of this week.
 

2nd May 2021

Fifth Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8.30am & 10am


Please note 
that there are no weekday Masses this week.


Sixth Sunday of Easter. Mass at 8.30am & 10am
                                                       



 Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary for England

O blessed Virgin Mary, 
Mother of God and our most gentle Queen and Mother, 
look down in mercy upon England thy "Dowry" 
and upon us all who greatly hope and trust in thee. 
By thee it was that Jesus our Saviour and our hope 
was given unto the world; 
and He has given thee to us that we might hope still more. 
Plead for us thy children, 
whom thou didst receive and accept at the foot of the Cross, 
O sorrowful Mother. 
Intercede for our separated brethren, 
that with us in the one true fold 
they may be united to the chief Shepherd, 
the Vicar of thy Son. 
Pray for us all, dear Mother, 
that by faith fruitful in good works 
we may all deserve to see and praise God, 
together with thee, in our heavenly home. 
Amen.