Friday, 20 December 2013

Masses for 5 Jan. and Epiphany at Swnnerton

With the situation at St. Joseph's, Burslem uncertain now, the first Sunday Mass (Jan. 5th.)in the Old Rite in the New Year will be at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Swynnerton ,
near Stone, at 6 p.m.

The day after, the Epiphany (6 Jan.), Mass will also be at Our Lady's, Swynnerton, at 7 p.m.

Our thanks to Fr. Chevasse who is willing to celebrate the Old Rite each Sunday (evening) while the situation is resolved, but as yet this is only a suggestion.  Should this happen Masses would most likely be in the Missa Cantata form.

ALSO: there is a current press release with photos of a record number of Confirmations in the Old Rite in Spanish Place recently on the main LMS website:   www.lms.org.uk

Friday, 13 December 2013

UPDATE:  FRIARS LEAVING BURSLEM 3rd Jan. 2014
 
Apologies for this website not being updated for a while.
 
This is to give you the dates of Masses around Christmastime; also to let you know I have written again to Archbishop Longley regarding Sunday Traditional Latin Masses from January onwards, and will let you know his reply when I receive it.  We have been given a date for the friars leaving Burslem: 3 January 2014. 
 
Recently (Nov. 30) the LMS reps met at their AGM with some of the Committee at London Blackfriars.  Before the Meeting we had Mass in the Dominican Rite celebrated by Fr. Gregory Pearson OP, who was only ordained in July.  He was formally a very active contributor to Godzdogz, the blog of the Dominican seminarians!  This was in the OP Church off Haverstock Hill, St. Dominic’s, a grand and impressive neo-Gothic work with a lovely Lady Chapel (with altar rails) where we had Mass.

The national picture from the reps is quite mixed: some areas like ourselves have few priests, some have more priests than servers, some do pretty well, depending upon the area.  Quite a number of members have died over the years and LMS membership is down.  Might I encourage those who are lovers of the Trad. Mass who are not members to become members: a good New Year’s resolution.  It’s only £25 a year and there are concessions, and it’s no longer the ‘LMS for  the Preservation of the Traditional Rite’, but the Promotion of the Traditional Rite.  This is important.  Membership includes free issues of the quarterly Mass of Ages which currently (Winter Issue) carries an excellent article by Fr. Edgar from St. Alban’s who received a request from the Westminster archdiocese last March (Bp Alan Hopes) to include the EF Mass in his Sunday schedule.  Though in his fifties, he learned the Mass from scratch (began March 2013, first Mass Aug.), and is amazed at the spiritual benefits he has received.  I recommended the article to Abp Longley.

MASSES:  Sat.,14 Dec. SWYNNERTON Our Lady’s, Low, 10 a.m.  Tues, Dec 24, BURSLEM, St. Joseph’s MIDNIGHT MASS, Sung;  Sat. 28 Dec. SWYNNERTON, Low, 10 a.m.; Mon. 30 Dec. WOLSTANTON, St. Wulstan’s (St. Thomas of Canterbury) 11 a.m. Low/Sung; Fri., 3 Jan. WOLSTANTON, Low 7 p.m.  

There is also a Sung Vespers Christmas Service in Latin & English on 24 Dec., at 4 p.m. at St. Wulstan’s, Wolstanton (some organ they have there now!)