Chairman's Blog

13/09/2022 - 10:00

Two pieces on the Monarchy

Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953

I have written two pieces on the British Monarchy for US-based sites: Catholic Answers and 1Peter 5. I think a lot of Americans find it difficult to get their heads round the monarchy, even conservative Catholics.

The articles inevitably overlap a bit but they are complementary.

The Catholic Answers one talks more about the Prayer for the Sovereign which we have at the end of Sunday Mass (when it is a TLM, and the 'principal Mass' of the day).

The 1 Peter 5 article is longer and sets the monarchy in the wider context of the importance of human traditions in general, and constitutional conventions.

Read the Catholic Answers piece here.

Read the 1 Peter 5 piece here.

In the context of the Jubilee I wrote a piece for the European Conservative as well, on the nature of the sacred office, but it was in the print edition is not yet available to read online.

There is plenty more to say on the subject, but this is a start!

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12/09/2022 - 16:15

Latin Mass Society: new office!

After 28 years in Lupus House, 11-13 Macklin Street in Holborn, the Latin Mass Society has moved to a new office.

Our new address is:

9 Mallow Street,

London EC1Y 8RQ

Website, email, and phone number all remain the same.

This is not far from Old Street tube station, just north of the City, London's financial district.

As our General Manager noted in his 'Macklin Street' column in the most recent Mass of Ages:

Our archives reveal, the Society first rented an office on Blandford Street, Marylebone west London, above what is now a restaurant. Prior to that the postal address was 159 Montague Mansions, London W1. In 1981, the Society moved to Cork Street and, in 1991, to an office in Corpus Christi Church, Maiden Lane. Two years later, in 1993, we leased our first office in Lupus House, 11-13 Macklin Street before moving to our present, larger, office sometime later.

While we were at Macklin Street we moved, in 2009; the two offices were literally next door to each other, on the same floor, so the disruption was minimal. Nevertheless, it was an important move because the new office was significantly larger than the previous one.

We have been obliged to move this time because 11-13 Macklin Street is due to be redeveloped. However we have taken the opportunity to get a yet bigger office, and we look forward to offering our members a bigger selection of items in our shop, and having more space for all our office-based activities.

The LMS is very fortunate that we have a permanent office at all. In the early days the Society's address for correspondence was the Chairman's private address, and this is still the case for many Una Voce groups around the world. The Una Voce Federation had the same problem, until I suggested it be 'c/o The Latin Mass Society'.

The above is publicity shot of the new office, empty, when it was being advertised. The top photo is the view from the street; the LMS Office faces the back of the building.

We have posted this announcement on our website:

Our move to 9 Mallow Street, London EC1Y 8RQ has now taken place. As we have been closed for two weeks, it will take the staff sometime to catch up with adminstration, processing shop order etc. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

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09/09/2022 - 11:27

Prayer for King Charles, after Sunday Traditional Mass

In England and Wales, after the principle Mass on Sunday, we say a Prayer for the Sovereign. The prayer dates back to the 15th century and is used around the world for Catholic monarchs, and a version has even been used for republics where there has been a Concordat with the Pope. The Bishops of England and Wales must have sought and recieved permission to use it for the British sovereign, to emphasis their loyalty; it has been used here since 1850.

It is not used in the Novus Ordo, though it was brought out of retirement for the Jubilee. If you use the 1962 books, however, it is there.

It consists of a sung antiphon followed by a sung collect: the antiphon is begun by a cantor and taken up by everyone, and the celebrant sings the collect. Or it can all be said, if the Mass was a Low Mass.

I encourage all priests who celebrate the Traditional Mass to use this, particularly this Sunday. What Mass is the 'principle Mass on Sunday', once something quite clear-cut, has become rather subjective. But if it is the principle Mass, it should be preceded by another beautiful ceremony, the Asperges. (Again, it is perfectly possible to do this at Low Mass, without singing it.)

This is the text.

V. Dómine salvum fac Regem nostrum Carolus.

R. Et exáudi nos in die, qua invocavérimus te.

Oremus.

Quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus, ut fámulus tuus Carolus, Rex noster, quæ tua miseratióne suscépit regni gubernácula, virtútum étiam ómnium percípiat increméntum; quibus decénter ornátus et vitiórum monstra devitáre, [in time of war: hostes superáre,] et ad te qui via, véritas, et vita es, cum regina consorte et prole régia gratiósus valeat perveníre. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

R: Amen.

In English:

V. O Lord, save Charles our King

All: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon thee.

Let us pray.

We beseech thee, almighty God, that thy servant Charles our King, who through thy mercy has undertaken the government of this realm, may also receive an increase of all virtues. Fittingly adorned with these, may he be able to shun all evildoing, [in time of war: to vanquish his enemies,] and, together with the Queen consort and the royal family, to come by thy grace unto thee who art the way, the truth, and the life. Through Christ our Lord.

R: Amen.

This is a jpeg of three different Chant settings of the antiphon: there are also polyponic settings. The first given here is the most commonly used one.

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08/09/2022 - 15:25

No, the answer is not 1965, Fr Somerville-Knapman

Fr Hugh Somerville-Knapman, a monk of Douai Abbey and a former student, with me, of St Benet's Hall, has an interesting article in The Catholic Herald. Among its highlights, he notes:

Cardinal Roche seems to require that the Church deny herself, and to employ her authority today to negate her authority in former days. Many will echo Benedict XVI in asking how what was holy yesterday—and indeed for preceding centuries—can suddenly be a danger to faith and the Church today. Rome is making a serious mistake in its programme to shore up the practical reception of the reformed liturgy, and in so doing is backing itself into a corner.

The liturgical reforms were expressly pastoral, intended to increase congregational participation. The severe decline in the numbers in congregations since the promulgation of the reformed liturgy over 50 years ago suggests that the reforms have not achieved their purpose. Equating the reformed liturgy—which I celebrate, but which for all its virtues has failed in its purpose—with the will of Vatican II leads logically to the conclusion that the failure is the Council’s when in fact it is the Consilium’s.

However, at the end of the article he makes an odd claim.

... in restricting the legitimate expression of the Roman rite to “the liturgical books promulgated by Paul VI and John Paul II” Rome has allowed some room for manoeuvre, and for saving face. The Ordo Missae of 1965 is a post-conciliar reform promulgated by Paul VI which correlates very closely to the conciliar decrees in adapting the old rite more organically to their expanded liturgical vision. It offers a basis for revisiting the reforms that have so patently failed in their purpose, a failure that restrictive legislation will not hide, but only further expose.

There are several problems with this proposal, which Fr Hugh has made before, that the books as reformed in 1965 should be revived or serve as the basis for a new consideration of the liturgical reform. The first problem is the tension between the two options just expressed. Another is that the mutilated mess created in 1965 is unacceptable to nearly all those attached to the Church's liturgical tradition.

But more fundamentally for Fr Hugh's argument, the 1965 changes do not represent a set of reforms closer to the Council's intentions than what came later. Indeed, this is demonstrably the case. As the 1965 books themselves insist, they simply include 'those measures that are practicable before revision of the liturgical books' so these can 'go into effect immediately.'

As we would expect, this is all about snipping out bits they don't like, changing rubrics, and adding in a few little bits and pieces which can (literally) be pasted into old Missal. It does not include the one major reform explicitly called for by the Council--a multiyear Lectionary--and the Council certainly did not call for the excision of the Last Gospel, saying the Canon out loud, and the other things found in 1965.

I have written on this at more length here. As for this provision as a face-saving measure, readers can judge for themselves what Cardinal Roche and others would think of an entirely new project of revision and the creation of new books for the sake of traditionally-minded priests and laity who would in any case reject them.

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07/09/2022 - 12:53

Fr Gwilym Evans FSSP: Mass in Cardiff 17th Sept

Fr Evans will celebrate a 'first Mass' in his native Wales, the Cardiff Oratory (Swinton Street, Splott, Cardiff CF24 2NT ), on Saturday 17th September at 10:15am.

The organisers have set up an Eventbrite page so people can add themselves to the list for the catering: there is lunch afterwards.

First Mass of Father Gwilym Evans FSSP in Wales – Latin Mass Society in the Archdiocese of Cardiff (lmscardiff.org.uk)

Fr Evans FSSP (centre) at the conclusion of the LMS Walsingham Pilgrimage

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01/09/2022 - 20:32

LMS Walsingham Pilgrimage: photos

Approaching the Priory grounds at the end of the Holy Mile.

Last weekend was the biggest ever LMS walking pilgrimage to Walsingham, exceeding even the big turnout last year. We had about 90 in 2019; in 2021, after missing a year from Covid, it was 120, this year is was 160.

Mass in Cambridge on Thursday morning for the three
pilgrims trying out an extra leg of the walk: another 18.4 miles, to Ely

We almost filled the Church of St Ethelreda in Ely, packed the chapel at Oxborough even after getting 20 pilgrims to an earlier, Low Mass, and with day pilgrims we completely filled the Reconciliation Chapel at the Catholic Shrine.

Mass in St Ethelreda's Ely on Friday morning.

We were very blessed to have four priests with us: Fr Serafino Lanzetta, his confrere Fr Timpe, Fr Henry Whisenant and the newly ordained Fr Gwilym Evans FSSP.

Pilgrims' blessing from Fr Serafino Lanzetta.

As last year we had four chapters, but these were significantly larger than before. The weather was kind for the main part of the pilgrimage: it rained heavily on Thursday and a bit on Monday as well, and it was not too hot. This made it easier to keep to the schedule.

On the road by the Great Ouse.

The chapel at Oxborough is undergoing repairs and the lovely reredos is covering in a dust sheet.

In Oxburgh Chapel on Saturday.

Perhaps next year we'll have to use the outside option at the Reconciliation chapel: the glass doors open out and there are benches outside, while the altar can be used from both sides.

In the Reconciliation Chapel at the Catholic Shrine on Sunday.

The Holy Mile from the shrine to the site of the Holy House in the Priory ruins

In the Priory grounds

Mass on Monday for those who had stayed overnight.

An expanded cooking and support driving team rose magnificently to the occasion!

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23/08/2022 - 19:05

Latin Motto from Mass of Ages

In the current and recent edition of Mass of Ages I challenge readers to provide a pithy translation of a the motto of the medieval Cluniac Benedictine Priory of St Pancras (yes, like the railway station), in Lewes.

Unfortunately the Latin was afflicted by a typo -- probably introduced by an autocorrection function at some stage of the process.

It should read

Dulcis agonista tibi convertit domus ista Pancrati memorum precibus memor esto tuorum

It was the 'r' on 'memor' which got lost.

I heartily recommend the book in which this motto is quoted: The King's Acheivent by Monsignor Benson, made available in a new printing from Silverstream Priory. You can read my review in the Autumn Mass of Ages and buy it from the LMS shop.

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12/08/2022 - 20:10

What does pastoral care look like?

The Traditional Mass behind bars: so to speak. The Oxford Oratory.

It has become clear that the Dicastery of Divine Worship, which alone has the authority to permit priests ordained after Traditionis custodes to celebrate the Traditional Mass, is systematically refusing to do so, even though requests are coming not from individual priests, but their bishops.

What reasons are being given? I have been given sight of a letter of refusal, and I suspect the others are substantially identical.

…this Dicastery is of the opinion that this [permission] would not be an opportune decision. Therefore, we deny the request. The path established by the Holy Father in Traditionis custodes is quite clear and this has been underscored both in the “Letter to Bishops of the Whole World” which accompanied the Motu proprio and in the Responsa ad dubia of this Dicastery, which were personally approved by the Holy Father. In this latter document, with regard to this very point, it was highlighted that the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council “has enhanced every element of the Roman Rite and has fostered – as hoped for by the Council Fathers – the full, conscious and active participation of the entire people of God in the liturgy (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium no. 14), the primary source of authentic Christian spirituality”. Most recently the Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter of 29 June, Desiderio Desideravi, on the liturgical formation of the people of God, expands on the above mentioned letter to the bishops and reaffirms Pope Francis’ desire that unity around the celebration of the liturgy be re-established in the whole Church of the Roman Rite (n. 61).

There is of course no difficulty for Fr [] to celebrate Mass according to the editio typica tertia (2008) of the Missale Romanum.

I wonder about that last sentence. I can't help but think that in some previous version it said at the end 'in Latin', and that this has been removed, without anyone noticing that the whole sentence is no pointless. The letter is about a priest; of course he can say the Novus Ordo!

It is noteworthy that although the letter begins by saying that the documents supporting the request have been studied carefully, the reasons for refusing the request is entirely general, not specific to the situation of the diocese.

Given that Pope Francis explicitly made provision for permissions to be given, and given that bishops requesting them presumably have good reason to do so, the attitude of the Dicastery does not seem like a straightforward application of the rules. There is something more here: something hostile to the provision which Pope Francis expected to be made 'to provide for the good of those who are rooted in the previous form of celebration.'

Is this what pastoral care looks like?

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10/08/2022 - 12:00

The Morning After Pill: abortion or contraception?

Annual Mass of reparation for abortion at England's
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe organised by the Latin Mass Society.
The next one will be on 12 noon, Saturday 12th November;
St Joseph's, Bedford MK40 1HU

My latest on Catholic Answers wades into some of the complexities about the 'Morning After Pill', aka 'Emergency Contraception'.

It begins:

Recently, a spokesman for the bishops of Louisiana suggested that the use of so-called “emergency contraception” is compatible with Catholic teaching in cases of rape. The news article reporting this connected it with the explicit exception made for “emergency contraception” in the restriction of abortion by new Louisiana abortion laws, made possible by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. There are, however, a tangle of issues here that I will try to separate.

The Catholic Church teaches that human life is worthy of protection from the moment of conception—the moment when the genetic material of an ovum and of a sperm are united to form a new human (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2270 and following). The Church, further, demands that this life be protected by law (2273).

Read the whole thing there.

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09/08/2022 - 11:00

SCT Summer School: Classes and activities

The St Catherine's Trust Summer School has always been concerned not only to give the children a pleasant time, but with education: to convey something to them, not just a bit of catechism but a range of lessons on Catholic history, art, philosophy, Latin and Greek, and so on. There is a limit to what we can do in a week, but we want to give the children at least a taste of a range of things connected with our beautiful Faith.

To this end we have five 40-minute lessons most days, as well as Sung Mass, Rosary, Compline, and activities. Most of one day was dedicated to a trip to Oxford, where we had Mass in the Oratory and a tour of some sites of particular Catholic interest.