St Joseph's, Gateshead

Fr Michael Brown has completed his move to St Joseph's in Gateshead and the first Saturday Mass will be at 10am on 31st August. This will be a regular slot apart from Saturday 7th September 2013, when Fr will be away, and Saturday 14th September 2013 when Missa Solemnis will be celebrated at Brinkburn Priory in Northumberland at 12noon. The sacred ministers will be Fr Brown as celebrant, Fr David Phillips (now at Berwick) as deacon and transitional deacon, Rev Andrew Bunce, as sub deacon. The Ordinary of the Mass will be sung by the Rudgate Singers of York and the Proper by the Schola Sancti Baedae. Please attend this wonderful day in large numbers. Fr Brown's first Sunday Mass will be Missa Cantata on Sunday 1st September 2013 at 12noon.

Recanting

I have until very recently supported civil partnerships, not as an alternative to same sex marriage but to give civil rights to ANY 2 persons wishing to legalise a relationship. I meant that a brother & sister should be able to enter a civil partnership as should 2 brothers or 2 sisters but ONLY as a means of protecting joint assets or to cover an unexpected death or something similar. Having now been made clearly aware of the thoughts of Pope Benedict, some of my priest friends and now the writings of Professor Roberto de Mattei, I totally change my position and no longer support such partnerships. The question answered was whether the 'partners' meant the partnership to protect themselves legally or to circumvent the situation whereby such partnerships were simply a cover for illicit same sex relationships of a sexual nature. I am now persuaded that this is generally the case and that there are other means of legally protecting their rights. I RECANT!!

Change to Missa Cantata at St Joseph's, Gateshead

Due to the movement of priests it has been decided to defer the monthly 3rd Sunday Missa Cantata to Sunday 25th August to mark Fr Adrian Dixon's final EF Mass there before he begins his 1-year sabbatical. We urge all who are able to attend this Mass to bid Fr Adrian 'fare well' and to thank him for his years of faithful service to us.

No EF Mass at St Mary's, Forest Hall on 17th August 2013

Due to holidays of Fr Brown the weekly Saturday Mass at St Mary's, Forest Hall on 17th August is cancelled. The final Saturday Mass here will be celebrated at 10am on Saturday 24th August 2013 prior to Fr Brown moving to St Joseph's, Gateshead on 29th.

Masses for the Assumption of BVM in Hexham & Newcastle

There will be 3 EF Masses celebrated in the diocese for the Feast of the Assumption of BVM. St Mary's, Forest Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne will have Low Mass celebrated at 12 noon as will SS Joseph, Patrick & Cuthbert at Coxhoe, Co Durham. The 3rd Mass will be celebrated at St Mary's in Barnard Castle, Co Durham at 7.30pm.