URGENT REMINDER!!!

Please don't forget the Solemn High Mass to be celebrated at Brinkburn Priory (between Morpeth & Rothbury) in the beautiful Northumbrian countryside.

Mass begins at 12noon on Saturday 8th September 2012 - the Feast of the Nativity of the BVM - with music for the Ordinary of the Mass by the Rudgate Singers of York and the Proper of the Mass by the Schola Sancti Baedae.

A most wonderful setting for "the most beautiful thing this side of heaven."

Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Theresa & I are joining the LMS Pilgrimage to Lourdes from 17th-21st September 2012 and will be pleased to take petitions to Our Blessed Lady for anyone wishing us to. Please send you petitions to us via email to: david-oneill3@sky.com or (preferably) post in a sealed envelope to our home address:

34 Morston Drive
Dumpling Hall Estate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 7RZ

We promise to pray for the intentions of LMS members living and dead and for the rapid spread of the Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. We also especially pray that our bishops and priests be more welcoming to this form of Mass which the Holy Father endorses and which has rightly been called "the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven."

Thornley

It is with sadness that the proposed Mass at Sacred Heart & English Martyrs Church in Thornley, Co Durham for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14th September) has been cancelled as no singers are available.  

Hexham

Many of you will recall that we approached the dean of Hexham Abbey (founded 1127) to request permission to celebrate an EF Mass at the high altar. The dean conferred with the then parish priest of St Mary's Catholic Church (Fr Deegan RIP) who asked him to refuse permission. Bear in mind that students of Ushaw College had celebrated the OF Mass here months earlier.

With the demise of Fr Deegan a new parish priest was appointed who had previously been a curate at our cathedral where we are always welcomed. Again the dean was approached and we were invited to approach our diocesan chancellor.  This was not pursued as it seemed the dean had made his decision.

We are delighted to say that Fr Chris Warren has agreed to a celebration of the EF in St Mary's, Hexham on Friday 12th October 2012.  The celebrant will be Fr Michael Brown.  It has not yet been decided on the form of the Mass but please watch this space for more information.

All Souls at St Mary's, Forest Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne

We are planning a Solemn Requiem Mass at St Mary's, Great Lime Road, Forest Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 2nd November for the Feast of All Souls.

The hoped for music for the Mass will be Missa pro Defunctis by Gabriel Faure with the Proper sung to Gregorian chant.

More information will be sent out as it becomes available but we ask that you put the date into your diary NOW.

The Assumption of the BVM

Just a reminder that Missa Solemnis will be celebrated at SS Peter and Paul Church, Benton Lane, Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 8PB at 7.30pm on Wednesday 15th August 2012. The music will be Plainchant sung by the Schola Sancti Baedae.

Low Mass will also be celebrated at St Mary's in Barnard Castle at 7.30pm and Low Mass and Benediction at SS Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert in Coxhoe at 12 noon.

Missa Cantata will be celebrated at 7.30pm at St Patrick's in Ryhope.

Back from Rome

Together with Fr Michael Brown & 6 parishioners we stayed for 7 nights at Villa Palazzola - the English College summer villa on Lake Albano just opposite Castelgandolfo. We were fortunate in having one EF Mass in the villa chapel celebrated by Fr Brown.

On the final Friday Theresa & I visited Rome in absolutely scorching temperatures (40 degrees at noon) and heard Mass in St Peter's. It was an Italian OF Mass which goes to show that the loss of Latin in the Mass is greatly watering down the universality of the Church.

Whilst in Rome (and through the good offices of HE David Smith the Lieutenant for England & Wales) we were given a guided tour of the HQ of my Order - the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem - which was most interesting.

Sadly for us our Holy Father was (sensibly) taking it easy at Castelgandolfo so we were unable to attend his Angelus which only occurs on Sundays.