Latin Mass Society Faith and Culture Conference in London, June 14

The Latin Mass Society, an association dedicated to the traditional Latin liturgy of the Catholic Church, has announced details of their upcoming Faith and Culture Conference. The conference, which forms part of the celebrations to mark The Society’s 60th anniversary, will bring together leading figures from the Church, the arts, and public life to explore how the timeless truths of Catholic tradition can shape and elevate the cultural landscape of our time.

The event will be taking place at the London Oratory on Saturday, June 14, and will feature the following speakers:

His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke, Cardinal Priest of Saint’Agata de’Goti. Cardinal Raymond Burke will join the conference via video link. His Eminence is known for his strong defense of Catholic tradition, canon law, and pro-life issues. He served as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura between 2008 and 2014 and has been a vocal critic of modern doctrinal developments. He is a prominent advocate of the traditional Latin Mass and Catholic moral teaching.

The Rt Rev Dr Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan. Bishop Athanasius Schneider is a Kazakhstani auxiliary bishop known for his staunch defense of traditional Catholic liturgy and doctrine. A member of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross, he has written extensively on the Eucharist and Church tradition. He frequently speaks on the need for continuity in Catholic teaching and practice.

Dr Tim Stanley, Author and journalist. Tim Stanley is a British journalist, historian, and columnist for The Daily Telegraph. A Catholic convert, he frequently writes on politics, culture, and religion from a conservative perspective. He is known for his engaging commentary on faith and modern society.

Fr Christopher Basden, Priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark. Fr Christopher Basden is a Roman Catholic priest known for his dedication to the traditional Latin Mass. He has served in various parishes, promoting traditional Catholic catechesis and reverent liturgy. He is a well-known advocate of fidelity to Catholic teaching.

James Gillick, Painter. James Gillick is a British painter known for his classical realist style, specializing in religious, still life, and portrait painting. Deeply influenced by historical techniques, he uses traditional methods and materials in his work. His art is widely appreciated for its craftsmanship and connection to Catholic themes.

Dr Joseph Shaw, Academic and Chairman of the Latin Mass Society Joseph Shaw is a British academic and chairman of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales. A philosophy lecturer at Oxford, he is a leading advocate for the traditional Latin Mass and Catholic tradition. He writes and speaks extensively on liturgical and philosophical matters.

Richard Pickett, General Manager of the Latin Mass Society, commented: “As the Catholic Church looks forward to a new chapter in its history with the election of Pope Leo XIV, we will bring together prominent clergymen, thinkers and public figures to explore the enduring relationship between faith and culture, and the continuing role of both in shaping contemporary society.”

Bookings for the conference are now open and can be made through The Latin Mass Society’s website.

Photos of the Latin Mass Society Walsingham Pilgrimage

We are very grateful to Mr Charles Bradshaw for sharing this account of the recent pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in England, organized by the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, and likewise to Dr Joseph Shaw for sharing his pictures of the event. Links are given below to two flickr albums where you can see many more.

We’re on the road again!” The past few years have seen a sharp increase in off-grid living, and with it a deep desire to give the modern world the heave ho. Off-grid traditional Catholicism is certainly what it feels like as you pack the car for the annual Walsingham Pilgrimage, not just with your backpack and tent but an entire sacristy, from vestments right down to grains of incense. Blessed with Solemn High Mass on each of its three days, the pilgrimage offers a chance to shed the cares of this world for a brief moment and connect with the essential: God; carefully lifting every second of the liturgy from suitcase to sanctuary.

But beyond the complex infrastructure of organization, there’s a sense in which each Mass stops to speak to the pilgrim on the way. As dawn rises on the first day around the relic of St Eltheldreda, there’s a palpable sense of expectant hope as the bleary-eyed pilgrims confide their joys, cares and intentions to the once great Queen and Abbess of Ely.

Yet as the 56 mile walk advances, it’s like a monastery on the move, 130 pilgrims strong, a power house of prayer and fellowship on the march, determined to keep going for God, where the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic” of the Creed meaningfully sung, seems to sink into the walls of the chapel at Oxborough Hall the following day breathing a deep sigh of relief, united as it were with the martyrs whose blood has shaped the unshakeable Faith of the recusant families of our land.

And from that persecuted Church of yesteryear and now, emerges on the final leg a yet stronger band of pilgrims, restored now by Grace and Sacraments, unstoppable on their quest to reach England’s beating heart. Mid-afternoon on Sunday, it is the Church triumphant at the feet of Her Mother at Walsingham, as She walks singing and praying along the Holy Mile after Mass. As the High Street opens out, there’s not a pilgrim who isn’t moved as they glimpse the sight of the Abbey where once that Holy House stood.

Continue Reading this Article. . .

Solemn Mass of the Vigil of the Assumption in London

This past weekend was marked by two particularly important liturgical events in honor of Our Lady’s Assumption, a solemn Mass on Saturday for the vigil, celebrated at Westminster Cathedral in London, and a pontifical Mass on the feast itself at the cathedral of Philadelphia. We are very grateful to photographer John Aron, and to the Latin Mass Society, for their kind permission to share these beautiful images of the London Mass with our readers. We also thank His Eminence Vincent Cardinal Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster, for his pastoral charity in granting the use of his magnificent cathedral, which, as you can see, was very full indeed for the occasion.

Allison Girone was present for the Mass in Philadelphia, and will be sharing her pictures of that event with us fairly soon. In the meantime, we have already received quite a number of submissions for our upcoming Assumption photopost, and there is still plenty of time to send in more to photopost@newliturgicalmovement.org.

Tradition will always be for the young!

Continue Reading this Article. . .

Guest Review of Joseph Shaw’s How to Attend the Extraordinary Form

NLM is grateful to the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales for giving us permission to reprint the following review from their magazine Mass of Ages. I would like to add that I have read this booklet carefully and agree completely with Fr Finigan’s positive assessment. In fact, this is the first and only such booklet I could genuinely recommend for the public “pamphlet rack” at the back of the church. It it compact enough not to frighten a prospective reader, yet never superficial in its treatment of questions.

A Valuable Booklet on the Traditional Mass from the Catholic Truth Society

Fr Timothy Finigan

Long-standing members of the Latin Mass Society have had to change and adapt considerably over the decades as the Church has given greater freedom to the celebration of the traditional Mass, and most notably since Summorum Pontificum and the gradual establishment of the “Extraordinary Form” as a part of the mainstream life of the Church.

We are now fortunate to have an increasing number of parishes including it in their ordinary schedule, traditional societies being given responsibility for parishes, and several Bishops, who not only no longer need to give permission for the Mass, but now celebrate it themselves.

As I write this review, young priests all over the country are celebrating Mass privately during the lockdown. My telephone conversations lead me to suspect that more than one or two are taking the opportunity to become familiar with the old rite without the risk of any controversy.

The new booklet How to Attend the Extraordinary Form, intended for the general Catholic public and providing an explanatory introduction to the usus antiquior, is a helpful addition to the CTS list at this time. Dr Shaw has distinguished himself by writing copiously on questions related to the liturgical tradition, theology, law and practice. As an Oxford don, he is well used to dealing with controversial points without needing to start a row, and his reputation depends on accurate appraisal and intelligent comment. It would be hard to think of a better author for such an introductory treatment. The chapter on the organic development of the liturgy is a fine description of a complex subject which shows that mastery of material which is necessary in order to simplify it for a wide audience.

Traditionalists will not be disappointed by this measured and balanced account which deals gently but firmly with all the old objections about the priest “having his back to the people”, the barrier of supposedly incomprehensible language, the accusation of divisiveness and the subject on which we all have to tread on eggshells, the “reform of the reform.”

The pamphlet concisely explains the way the form of the liturgy “marks off the holiness of holy things” and has much in common with the ethos of the Eastern rites. The newcomer will learn how the personality of the priest is minimised, why the canon is said in silence, and what is gained in the traditional lectionary and calendar.

The treatment of the controversial topics of the reception of Holy Communion, head covering, and male altar servers will probably not convert a hardened liberal, but then who could? What it might well do is remove some of the obstacles for those who are genuinely enquiring but sceptical.

Many of Dr Shaw’s supporting quotations will be familiar to seasoned apologists for the Extraordinary Form and it is good to have a well-chosen selection for ready reference. The references to Pope Paul VI and even Pope Francis may raise a wry smile among some traditionalists, but they are so apposite that they simply cannot be dismissed as whataboutery.

It is no longer a newsworthy headline to proclaim that the traditional Latin Mass is attended by a high proportion of young people. Anyone not living under a stone since 2007 will have noticed by now, and during those 13 years new young people have been coming to the old Mass persistently year by year. Many of them will want a primer on the basics for themselves and, in the modern ecclesiastical zoomer vs. boomer phenomenon, so that they can answer the objections of the old folks.

How to Attend the Extraordinary Form is an excellent vademecum which is surprisingly comprehensive for its pamphlet format. Members of the Latin Mass Society would do well to get in a few copies to have on hand for interested enquirers. I would suggest having a good read yourself first: all but the most comprehensively informed are sure to find some nuggets they had not come across before.

How to Attend the Extraordinary Form is available from the LMS shop, £3.50 + £1.06 p&p., or directly from CTS.

The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, founded in 1965, is an association of Catholic faithful dedicated to the promotion of the traditional Latin liturgy of the Catholic Church, the teachings and practices integral to it, the musical tradition which serves it, and the Latin language in which it is celebrated. Catholics anywhere in the world may become members and receive the quarterly magazine Mass of Ages. Visit the website for more information.

“Catholicism in a Covid-19 World”: Latin Mass Society Online Conference, Saturday, July 18th

An online conference “Catholicism in a Covid-19 World” will be hosted by the Latin Mass Society this Saturday, 18th July, from 12 noon (GMT +1) until 4.45 pm (GMT +1), featuring speakers Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Fr Tim Finigan, Fr John Zuhlsdorf, Dr Joseph Shaw, Archbishop Thomas Gullickson and Mgr Gordon Read. The event will be hosted by Dr Shaw and Sebastian Morello and will begin with High Mass in the Traditional Rite from St Mary’s Warrington.

Joseph Shaw writes “I am delighted to be taking part in the Latin Mass Society’s first online conference with a wonderful selection of speakers. I hope that many people will be able to join us on the day.”

This event is being held online for free and can be viewed on the Latin Mass Society’s new YouTube channel. To bookmark the LMS YouTube channel go HERE.

The direct link for the Conference is HERE.

No registration is necessary, although to sign up for updates before and during the event, go to HERE.

A recording of the day will remain on our YouTube channel.

Programme (Subject to change)

12 noon Introduction from Dr Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the Latin Mass Society and Sebastian Morello, Formation Adviser for the Archdiocese of Southwark.

12.10pm High Mass Live from St Mary’s Warrington. Celebrant Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP

13.25 Archbishop Gullickson, Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan

13.45 Fr Tim Finigan, Priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark

14.15 Mgr Gordon Read, National Chaplain to the LMS

14.45 Fr John Zuhlsdorf, President of the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison and Blogger: Covid-19: What are the implications for Tradition?

15.45 Dr Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the LMS: After the Plague

16.15 Live Q & A with Dr Shaw, Fr Tim Finigan and Sebastian Morello

16.45 End

Reminder: Dr Kwasniewski’s Lectures in England, October 26–30

Friday, October 26th – SS Gregory & Augustine, Oxford
6:00 pm – Votive High Mass for St Gregory the Great
7:30 pm – Refreshments
8:00 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “Pillar and Ground of the Roman Rite: The Roman Canon as Doctrinal and Moral Norm”
9:00 pm – Signing of Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile (Angelico, 2018)

Saturday, October 27th – Annual LMS Aylesford Pilgrimage: Relic Chapel, Aylesford Priory
12:45 pm – Confessions (Fr Neil Brett)
1:30 pm – Missa Cantata (Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary) Fr Matthew Goddard FSSP
de Rivera, Missa a cuatro voces
Kwasniewski, “Benedicta et venerabilis” UK PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Ego mater” WORLD PREMIERE
 (All sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
3:00 pm – Talk by Dr Kwasniewski: “The Spirit and Spirituality of Gregorian Chant”
3:45 pm – Enrolment in the Brown Scapular
4:15 pm – Vespers (Little Office of Our Lady) and Benediction

Sunday, October 28th – Shrine of St Augustine, Ramsgate, Kent
12:00 pm – High Mass for the Feast of Christ the King
Kwasniewski, Missa Rex in Æternum  WORLD PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Christus vincit” UK PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Jesu dulcis memoria” UK PREMIERE
 (All sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
2:30 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “On Living Tradition: The Basic Good of Catholic Culture and the Spiritual Discipline of Fine Art” 

Sunday, October 28th – Church of St Anne Line, South Woodford, London
6:00 pm – High Mass for the Feast of Christ the King
7:30 pm – Talk by Dr Kwasniewski in Parish Hall (7 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London, E18 2JR): “Tradition as Ultimate Norm: Clearing up Confusion about Essentials and Incidentals”

Tuesday, October 30th – Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, London
6:00 pm – Vespers with Palestrina’s Magnificat quinti toni
 (Sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
6:30 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “Liturgical Reform, Ars Celebrandi, and the Crisis on Marriage and Family”
7:30 pm – Signing of Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile (Angelico, 2018)

Dr Kwasniewski’s Upcoming Lectures in England

On this first day of October, I am happy to be able to publish the schedule of my upcoming lecture tour in England, kindly sponsored by the Latin Mass Society of England & Wales. The tour serves in part as a launch for my new book from Angelico Press, coming out in mid-October: Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile.

I shall be giving five lectures from October 26th to October 30th at five different locations: Oxford, Aylesford Priory, Ramsgate, and two in London. All details are listed below, as well as in the attached posters from the LMS.

In addition, two new choral compositions will receive their world premieres by the ensemble Cantus Magnus, under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn: a motet “Ego Mater Pulchrae Dilectionis” (SATB) on October 27th and the Missa Rex in Æternum (ATB) on October 28th; these will be joined by three UK premieres of other motets.

My thanks in a special way to the Latin Mass Society of England & Wales and to Cantus Magnus for the invitation and preparations. I certainly look forward to meeting the attendees at each of the events.

SS Gregory & Augustine, Oxford

Friday, October 26th – SS Gregory & Augustine, Oxford

6:00 pm – Votive High Mass for St Gregory the Great
7:30 pm – Refreshments
8:00 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “Pillar and Ground of the Roman Rite: The Roman Canon as Doctrinal and Moral Norm”
8:30 pm – Signing of Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile (Angelico, 2018)

Aylesford Priory

Saturday, October 27th – Annual LMS Aylesford Pilgrimage: Relic Chapel, Aylesford Priory

12:45 pm – Confessions (Fr Neil Brett)
1:30 pm – Missa Cantata (Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary) Fr Matthew Goddard FSSP
de Rivera, Missa a cuatro voces
Kwasniewski, “Benedicta et venerabilis” UK PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Ego mater” WORLD PREMIERE
 (All sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
3:00 pm – Talk by Dr Kwasniewski: “The Spirit and Spirituality of Gregorian Chant”
3:45 pm – Enrolment in the Brown Scapular
4:15 pm – Vespers (Little Office of Our Lady) and Benediction

Shrine of St Augustine (designed by Pugin)

Sunday, October 28th – Shrine of St Augustine, Ramsgate, Kent

12:00 pm – High Mass for the Feast of Christ the King
Kwasniewski, Missa Rex in Æternum  WORLD PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Christus vincit” UK PREMIERE
Kwasniewski, “Jesu dulcis memoria” UK PREMIERE
 (All sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
2:30 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “On Living Tradition: The Basic Good of Catholic Culture and the Spiritual Discipline of Fine Art” 

Sunday, October 28th – Church of St Anne Line, South Woodford, London

6:00 pm – High Mass for the Feast of Christ the King
7:30 pm – Talk by Dr Kwasniewski in Parish Hall (7 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London, E18 2JR): “Tradition as Ultimate Norm: Clearing up Confusion about Essentials and Incidentals”

Our Lady of the Assumption & St Gregory

Tuesday, October 30th – Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, London

6:00 pm – Vespers with Palestrina’s Magnificat quinti toni
 (Sung by Cantus Magnus under the direction of Matthew Schellhorn)
6:30 pm – Lecture by Dr Kwasniewski: “Liturgical Reform, Ars Celebrandi, and the Crisis on Marriage and Family”
7:30 pm – Signing of Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile (Angelico, 2018)

For Oxford:

For all events:

Pilgrimage in Honor of the English Martyrs, May 5th

The Latin Mass Society, in conjunction with the Institute of Christ the King, is organising a pilgrimage in honour of the Martyrs of England in the city of Preston, England, on Saturday, May 5th, the original date of the feast of St Pius V. The pilgrimage will start from the church of St Walburge, and go to that of St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, which has been entrusted to the Institute’s care by the Rt Rev. Michael Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster. This very fine church, designed by Edward Pugin, is not only dedicated to the English Martyrs, but is built on the site of the execution of several of the leaders of the Jacobite Rising of 1715.

The program is as follows:
Assemble 11.45 am at the Church of St Walburge for devotions
Noon: Procession to the Church of the English Martyrs
12.30 pm: Solemn Mass.
Participants are encouraged to bring banners.

Priest and Server Training for the EF in England This April

The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales will be holding a residential training conference for priests, deacons, seminarians and laymen wishing to learn to celebrate or serve Mass in the Extraordinary Form. It will be held at Prior Park College near Bath, England, from Monday, April 9th to Thursday, April 12th.

Requiem Mass during 2016 Training Conference

Training will be in small groups. For clergy and seminarians, this will be provided by priests experienced in the Extraordinary Form; for servers this will be provided by laymen with years of experience in the Extraordinary Form.

Training group at the high altar.

Training group at a side-altar

Low Mass, Missa Cantata and Solemn Mass will be covered, although participants will be expected to be proficient at Low Mass before progressing to the more complicated forms. No previous experience is necessary, and participants will be divided into groups, according to their abilities. There will be daily Mass and other liturgies intended to be an example of best practice.

FEES
The fee for attending is: £120.00
Full-time students: £60
Seminarians: FREE OF CHARGE

The conference will start after lunch on the Monday and conclude before lunch on the Thursday. Lunch on the Monday and the Thursday can be booked at extra cost, £5 per lunch for all participants. A booking form and payment facility can be found on the Latin Mass Society’s website: www.lms.org.uk

The main liturgies, all of which will take place in the school chapel, will be open for anyone to attend:

Monday, April 9th (Annunciation):
5pm High Mass
9pm Compline

Tuesday, April 10th:
11am High Mass
5pm Vespers and Benediction

Wednesday, April 11th (St Leo):
11am High Mass

Thursday, April 12th: 11am High Mass

ABOUT PRIOR PARK

Prior Park, which currently houses an independent Catholic school, is set in 28 acres of parkland, and was built in the 1730s as a country mansion for a local quarry owner named Ralph Allen. Its architect, John Wood, used Bath stone from Allen’s quarries to create a building in the Paladian style on a hillside site that overlooks the city. The grounds contain several impressive features, including an ornamental bridge, also in the Paladian style, over an artificial lake.

The original mansion

After Allen’s death, the property passed through a number of owners, and in 1828 was purchased by Bishop Baines, the Vicar Apostolic for the Western District. His intention was to establish a seminary on the site, which he eventually did, along with a school. It was also his intention to build a cathedral at Prior Park, but this never happened, due to the ever-present shortage of money. However, he did manage to build a very fine chapel.

The chapel

The seminary closed in 1856, when the students transferred to Oscott College. The school continued until the buildings were occupied by troops during the First World War. A fresh attempt was made to establish a boy’s boarding school at Prior Park in 1925, which is the fore-runner of the present school.

Prior Park College is very suitable for the needs of the LMS training conference. There is plenty of sleeping accommodation in single rooms (not ensuite), and common rooms will be available for relaxation at the end of each day. Also, Prior Park has a reputation for serving excellent food. The chapel is particularly beautiful, and retains its original High Altar and reredos in a spacious sanctuary very suitable for the traditional liturgy. It also has four side altars, which will be used for the training by the smaller groups.

Prior Park is located on a hill about a mile from the centre of the City of Bath, which has many Roman remains. Bath is about 100 miles to the west of London, and there has a good train service connecting Bath with London and other parts of England.

EF Pontifical Mass in London for the Exaltation of the Cross

The Rev. Mark Jabalé OSB, Emeritus Bishop of Menevia, will celebrate a Pontifical High Mass in St Mary Moorfields Church, Eldon St, London, on Thursday September 14th, starting at 7pm. This day is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and the 10th anniversary of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum coming into effect. Music will be proved by Cantus Magnus, directed by Matthew Schellhorn, and will include Thomas Tallis’ Mass for Four Voices, Nos autem gloriari oportet by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, and Super omnia by Luca Marenzio.

Triduum Schedule for St Mary Moorfield, London

The Latin Mass Society will be celebrating Holy Week with a wealth of traditional liturgy and exquisite sacred music at St Mary Moorfields in the heart of the City of London. Beginning on Spy Wednesday with Tenebrae, one of the oldest offices in the Catholic Church, this year’s Triduum celebration will feature the rarely heard complete set of Responsories by Spanish Renaissance composer Carlo Gesualdo (1566 – 1613), directed by renowned professional musician and classical pianist, Matthew Schellhorn.

The Responsories were composed just two years before Gesualdo’s death in 1611. Written for six voices these extraordinary settings perfectly capture the intensity of the unfolding of the Holy Week narrative.

Other highlights performed by the professional group ‘Cantus Magnus’ include the Mass for Four Voices by Thomas Tallis on Maundy Thursday, Byrd’s Passio secundum Joannem on Good Friday and the Messe à deux voix égales on Holy Saturday. There is also an incredible array of religious music spanning hundreds of years including composers such as Garcia, Isaac, Byrd, Palestrina, Anerio and Gounod.

The Holy Week services commence with Tenebrae at 9 pm on Wednesday 12th April and continue until the great celebration of the Easter Vigil at 18:00 on Saturday 15th April. As well as the services at St Mary Moorfields, Traditional Triduum liturgies will be celebrated at churches throughout the country. Details of Holy Week Mass listings are: www.lms.org.uk/sacredtriduum

All Saints and All Souls Photopost 2016

As always, we wish to thank all of our readers who sent in these photos of liturgies celebrated on the Feast of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. There are a number of submissions from churches we have never featured before, a Pontifical Mass, and also, (for the first time, I believe,) images of Vespers of the Dead.

St Monica Catholic Church - Mishawaka, Indiana

This photo only looks like it came from a copy of Life magazine ca. 1955. The magic of filters!

Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini - Rome (F.S.S.P.)

Church of St Agnes - St Paul, Minnesota

Every year, the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale sings the full Requiem Mass of Mozart on All Souls’ Day at the famous church of St Agnes. (I normally put photos in order, but this shot from the choir loft, with the score in the foreground, is, I think, particularly well done, and deserves to be highlighted.)

Continue Reading this Article. . .

Good News from Juventutem London - A Weekly Sung Mass Starting Tomorrow

The London Chapter of Juventutem has recently announced a new, regularly scheduled weekly sung Mass on their blog. The first of these will be celebrated tomorrow.

“By kind permission of the Rector, we are delighted to announce that as of the 21st October, we will be having a weekly Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form at Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, just off Piccadilly.

Mass begins at 7, with confessions beforehand, from 6.30, and we’ll even have a stab at saying the Rosary beforehand too, since it’s October. We will then retire to some nearby hostelry to partake of some small libation. Do come along and bring your friends. All are most welcome, both the young and the young at heart. Obviously we encourage those aged 18-35 to partake in the conviviality, but we wouldn’t dream of excluding people from the Mass! Please note that this does not replace our monthly High Masses, but is a welcome addition! Further details may be found on our Facebook.”

On October 31st will be held the third annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of  Our Lady of Willesden, which Juventutem London is organizing for the first time, together with the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales. Details of the events in the poster below. Click here for more information about the shrine.

Winner of the Schellhorn Prize for Sacred Music Composition Announced

Congrats to the winner of of the new Schellhorn Prize for Sacred Music. The post is reproduced below from here:

Young composer Marco Galvani wins a £500 prize and a world premiere during the Holy Week services at St Mary Moorfields Catholic Church in the City of London.

Marco, 20, from Prenton on the Wirral, is a second-year Music student at The Queen’s College, Oxford. His piece Ecce Quam Bonum, a short setting of the first verses of Psalm 133, will be performed on Holy Saturday.

Marco said: ‘Winning this prize means an awful lot to me. I put a lot into the piece, I pushed myself more than I had before and tried out more complex ideas.

‘I have been singing choral music for as long as I can remember, and it’s an amazing feeling to win a prize for a choral piece that I have composed myself. I’m very excited about having my piece performed in London.’

Classical pianist Matthew Schellhorn founded the prize in 2014 to foster artistic endeavor and encourage excellence in the Sacred Liturgy. Matthew said: ‘The competition is aimed at 18 to 26 year olds, which is the age when musicians need financial help and encouragement and some kind of infrastructure. It is hoped the prize will provide an incentive and build up a working relationship.’

‘I was delighted to work with four leading practicing musicians in order to recommend a winner. Judging was a tough call because many of the entries displayed a high degree of compositional merit and sensitivity. Marco’s piece was outstanding, and further it is performable by a small group making it adaptable in the real world.

In addition, the Trustees have given an honourable mention to the following: Robert Busiakiewitz for Kyrie, Barnaby Martin for Gloria, Thomas Neal for Pange lingua.

Matthew added: ‘Encouraging people to write liturgical music helps to raise the standard of contemporary music in Catholic churches. Currently lots of brilliant liturgical music is commissioned but is performed in concert and not in the Sacred Liturgy. This prize helps re-establish the link between liturgical music and the Church.’

The Schellhorn Prize for Sacred Music Composition is supported by the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales. Chairman Joseph Shaw said: ‘I am delighted that the Latin Mass Society has taken part in this important initiative of the Schellhorn Trust to encourage young composers to tackle liturgical music. I congratulate Marco for his winning piece, which will be a worthy part of our Holy Week services in St Mary Moorfields, London, this year.’

Latin Mass Society Day of Recollection at St Edmund's College, Ware, England

Joseph Shaw of the Latin Mass Society has posted to his flickr account some great photographs from a day of Eucharistic Recollection held at St Edmund’s College in Ware, Hertfordshire, England, led by Fr. Armand de Malleray, FSSP, assisted by Mgr. Gordon Read and Fr. Patrick Hayward, with the schola led by Mr. Christopher Hodkinson. Fr de Malleray gave spiritual conferences, and the day concluded with Solemn Vespers, veneration of a relic of St. Edmund of Abingdon, and Benediction, officiated by Mgr Read.