Happy anniversary of Summorum Pontificum

It was 7th July 2007 when Pope Benedict XVI signed his motu proprio; freeing the Traditional Latin Mass from the restrictions it had placed upon it for the previous 37 years.

Since then, we have exceptionally more sung masses; including a weekly high mass at the Birmingham Oratory, a high mass at Birmingham's St Chad's Cathedral, and sung masses at the beautiful Spetchley Park Gardens, in Worcestershire.

Thank you Holy Father, for Summorum Pontificum: who will not now hear me, but will someday, when he passes to his eternal reward.

Sadly, since Benedict stepped down, there have been restrictions made upon the Mass again; long after any initial teething issues. For example, the Franciscans of the Immaculate have been subject to visitation and the widespread ban on the mass of ages.

But still, it's been an interesting seven years... On the seventh day of the seventh month.

The Motu Proprio came into effect on 14th September 2007,the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Oratory & Maryvale join forces for Liturgical Music

We've been interested in the Birmingham Oratory for some years, so it takes us great pleasure to announce the new Blessed John Henry Newman Institute for Liturgical Studies. Apparently it will get us all singing together, so I'm all for it!

Fr Guy Nicholls CO is director to the project. For more go to : http://www.oratorymusic.org.uk/

Birmingham in 3D on Google Earth

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Here is the Birmingham Oratory! I guess you may need the correct plug-in to see this, so I've done a freeze frame!

'Job Changes'

http://www.birmingham-oratory.org

CHANGES AT THE ORATORY
Job Changes at Home
February is often a time for job changes in the Oratory and there will be one or two changes this year. These will come into effect straight away.
Fr Anton will replace Fr. Guy as Parish Priest. Fr. Guy has been Parish Priest for the last ten years and done a tremendous job. He now has a new task, to set up a school of liturgical music at the Oratory. We hope to be able to do this in conjunction with Maryvale. Care for the music and worship of the Church is a strong element of the Oratory’s mission and an area in which Fr. Guy has a particular expertise. Fr. Guy will also be spending some time researching a book as a part of this project. We hope this book can be turned into a doctorate.
Although Fr. Anton is relatively new to the Oratory he has considerable expertise as a Parish Priest and Hospital Chaplain in the diocese. He will bring many great pastoral gifts to his new role.
Fr. Paul will resume his work on the Cause of Blessed John Henry as the Vice-Postulator but Fr. Richard remains the Actor (promoter) of the Cause since that job goes with being the Provost.

Fr. Philip Cleevely
Fr. Philip has been resident at the Toronto Oratory since last September, teaching philosophy and spirituality to the students in the seminary run by that community. He has found this work very satisfying. Full use has been made of his intellectual gifts in the tasks assigned to him. He has in consequence asked for a definitive transfer from the Birmingham Oratory to the Toronto Oratory. The Fathers in Canada, recognising the contribution he can make to their community’s life and work, have agreed to his request.
We would like to thank Fr. Philip for his contribution to the life of the Birmingham house over the last twenty years. We would also like to thank the Fathers of the Toronto Oratory, their Provost Fr. Jonathan Robinson, and Fr. Martin Hilbert and Fr. Daniel Utrecht who were such a support to us in the preparations for the Papal Visit. Our two houses retain close fraternal bonds and we look forward to continued close collaboration in the future.

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Welcome Holy Father!

The excitement about the Holy Father being in the United Kingdom is immense! Our family have been watching it on our home projector and following every movement and word of Pope Benedict XVI on his historic visit to our country. The last time a Pope came to this country was in 1982, when I was still a baby in South Africa, and Wendy was a baby only Louis' age with her big sister being shown the event by her mother on the television. This visit is of national importance, and not just for Catholics but for everyone.

Wendy Receiving
Confirmation

The top photo is from the Holy Father's first day as Pope, having been elected in 2005. I remember this time so vividly because we were closely following this on the television too. During that time, of the death of Pope John Paul II and his successor's election, it was only a week after Wendy had been received into the Catholic Faith from Anglicanism. A year later, in Easter 2006, Wendy's mother followed suit. It was therefore most interesting to have us all together this evening, watching the Holy Father meet Dr Rowan Williams, and take part in joint Evening Prayer at Westminster Abbey and pray before the tomb of St Edward the Confessor, the great King of England. The Holy Father chose to reinterate the fact that he is the successor of St Peter, and charged with the task keeping Christendom unified. I see this unity as flowing from full Catholic Doctrine and Apostolic Tradition. Unfortunately, having chosen to reject the authority of the Pope, the Church of England has progressively fallen deeper into confusion, to the point where their Primate, the 'Archbishop of Canterbury', has no hope of keeping in unity his own communion, let alone striving for deeper unity with the rest of Christendom.

We have tickets to wait outside the Birmingham Oratory when the Holy Father comes there on Sunday. This is particularly exciting for us since it will be immediately after the Beatification of John Henry Newman, who we have been devoted towards for the last five years since the same 'Kindly Light' led Wendy towards the Church. It is unfortunate that his example is now being distorted to present him as a Patron of Conscientious Objection from the Church's teaching, as well as Homosexuality, and even Ecumenism. None of these agendas accurately reflects Newman's legacy, but as long as it is in the full glare of media attention, this is an inevitable drawback. History will surely see him, and the English Oratory, in its proper light, despite the short-term silence and lack of voice for the Truth.



Serving Mass in the Chapel
now dedicated to Newman

 So this coming Sunday afternoon, unfortunately during a period of night-shifts for me (starting tonight), we will be showing our support for the Holy Father outside our beloved Oratory, and cheering his arrival. We will also have the opportunity of being some of the first pilgrims after the Pope to pray in the newly renovated Shrine to Blessed John Henry Newman; a chapel previously remembered by us with fondness when it was dedicated to St Philip Neri, and when Fr Philip Cleevely used to say private Mass there with our noisy family in attendence!

If everything happens as it has so far, the support for the Holy Father in Birmingham will be immense. We have a wonderful Catholic History in this Archdiocese, and a large Catholic Population which has swelled in recent years to include lots of Eastern Europeans. We are honoured to have the Vicar of Christ here to celebrate it with us! And perhaps he will stop his Popemobile to bless a few more babies!

Pope coming to Birmingham!

© Copyright Roger A Smith

The news channels are abuzz with the confirmation that the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman on Sunday September 19th 2010 will be held at Cofton Park near Rednall (the burial site of Newman at the Oratory Retreat House) just south of Birmingham. It seems like an obvious choice with clear historical links to the Oratory Community and Newman himself.

On the way to work this morning the local radio station BBC WM (West Midlands) had picked up on the story that Cofton Park was being considered (it turned out the Archdiocese was just waiting for the final decision to be made by Birmingham City Council before announcing it). Listeners were ringing in, with some complaining that the tax payers shouldn't have to foot the bill for such an event. I was able to ring in and point out that it is not part of the State Visit, and therefore funded entirely by the Catholic Church and the donations from the Faithful. I didn't expect to be asked a question involving the 'paedophile controversy' and tried to avoid it!

Gravesite at Rednal

Then on the way home from work BBC WM had Peter Jennings on the line, who is the spokesman for the Archdiocese, who explained that the venue is smaller than Coventry Airport, accommodating about 70,000 people rather than nearly 200,000. This point I think should not take precedence when we are considering the dignity of the Mass and the event itself of a Beatification ceremony, not a concert. According to Jennings the Vatican had a delegation who looked around Cofton Park yesterday afternoon, and promptly asked the council permission to have the Beatification here. I know that some will express horror that all the money and planning that went into the Coventry Airport venue was wasted, but Jennings expressed the hope that Coventry council will provide their planning framework to Birmingham so that things aren't starting from scratch.

Peter Jennings also went on to say that the Vatican will be officially announcing the Pope's Itinerary on July 5th. Anna Arco on her blog has even suggested the Pope wants to make a private visit to Birmingham Oratory to see Newman's rooms. What an exciting turn of events, and how nice to see the Oratory in a positive light after all the negative media attention in recent weeks.

Papal Visit Fundraising

Just now I tried to donate to papal visit online
but a run-time error. And I was feeling generous on this transferred feast of Corpus Christi. No wonder they're way off-target.

I hope that if the Pope won't go to Coventry Airport, then perhaps (flying there en route) to Birmingham or Oxford instead, closer to Newman's site of ministry.


I picture the Cathedral and Oratory filled with huge TV screens and services of Holy Communion. This would be an excellent service, if thought of, and reminicient of the installation of Archbishop Bernard Longley. I thought this a big success.

I would love to see the streets lined with Catholics and Non-Catholics, eager to catch a wave of the Holy Father.

Do continue to pray for the Oratory here in Birmingham.

May Procession

It was lovely to attend the Marian procession today, which includes crowning of a statue of our Lady of Fatima with a garland of flowers. For the first time Maddy took a very special interest, walking with the other girls in their pretty white dresses. At one point Maddy picked some wild flowers en route and added them to the ones decorating the statue!

Fr Richard Duffield, the new provost of the Birmingham Oratory, led the procession, and asked everyone to pray especially for the success of the Pope's visit and the beatification of our Cardinal, which is beset with opposition. I must admit to my own failings and cynicism about the beatification ceremony, and hope that our family can be there to support our Holy Father.

The afternoon ended with a consecration to our Lady of Fatima, in the hope that we may have God's grace active in our lives using the Blessed Virgin Mary as an example of docility to the divine will.

Statement from the Oratory

It has now been officially announced that our Holy Father will personally beatify Cardinal Newman during his visit to England in September. Great!

The downside is it will take place in the derilict concrete sprawl of Coventry Airport, familiar to those present at the JPII Mass in 1982! I find this a bit disappointing from a liturgical and aesthetic point of view, and the likely implication that the English Oratories are probably being sidelined. However, here is the official statement:

The Fathers and many friends of the English Oratories are delighted by the official announcement that our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI will beatify our founder, the Venerable John Henry Newman, in the Archdiocese of Birmingham during his visit to Britain in September. Newman made his home in the Archdiocese for all his adult life, first in Oxford, where he lived as an Anglican and was received into the Catholic Church, and later in Birmingham itself where he founded and worked in the Birmingham Oratory for over forty years.

The Holy Father’s life-long devotion to Newman has made a profound contribution to understanding the depth and significance of our founder’s legacy. His decision to beatify Newman in person confers a unique blessing upon the English Oratories and all who have drawn inspiration from Newman’s life and work.

We joyfully look forward to welcoming the Holy Father, as well as the many pilgrims and visitors who will come to the Beatification ceremony and visit Newman’s shrine at the Birmingham Oratory.

We also look forward to the challenging work of preparing for the Beatification in conjunction with Church and civil authorities. We pray that the Beatification will fittingly reflect both Newman’s significance for the Universal Church and the honour paid to our Archdiocese and our country by the Holy Father’s presence among us.

Very Rev. Richard Duffield
Provost of the Birmingham Oratory
and Actor of the Cause of John Henry Newman

Birmingham Oratory Young Adults Group

Here is the programme of talks/events for Spring 2010

Thursday talks at the Oratory House, 7.30pm

7 Jan - Understanding the Old Rite, Fr. Phillip
4 Feb - The Occult, Diocesan Exorcist
4 Mar - Experiences of Missionary Work in the Phillipines, Sr. Moira
8 Apr - What is Canon Law?, Fr. Gennaro, Canon Lawyer


Other Saturday Events, meet at the Oratory House

16 Jan - Tour of Cardinal Newman's Rooms, 12pm
13 Feb - Day at Rednal, 11am
27 Mar - Lenten Retreat, Time & venue TBC

Newman's Miracle comes to Birmingham

Rev Jack Sullivan, a married permanent Deacon from America, is currently on a trip to the UK to finally visit Newman's final home of the Oratory in Birmingham. It was by a miracle attributed to Cardinal Newman's intercession before God that Deacon Sullivan was healed of Spinal Stenosis, not only from the initial pain, but also from post-surgical recovery. From my experience of seeing people after spinal decompression and laminectomy, it is incredible that Deacon Jack was suddenly able to jump back to being a father and minister in his community.

I had the opportunity of expressing my gratitude for God's grace in this instance. I think it is no coincidence that God has chosen for this to happen and shed light on the restored ministry of the permanent diaconate, one which many have been sceptical about.

It makes me continually grateful to share a part in the community of the Birmingham Oratory when I hear Deacon Jack recount his experience, and that he now feels like he has "come home" to the place where Newman lived; the 'saint' responsible for utterly transforming and restoring his life. In recognition of this miraculous event, verified by the medical profession and vatican theologians, Cardinal Newman will be pronounced 'Blessed' by the Pope next year.

For more of Deacon Jack's visit, see the Cause Website:
1) Deacon Jack Sullivan, Newman's Oratory, and the 'hermeneutic of continuity.'
2) Jack Sullivan on Newman's Healing Message
3) Visit to Westminster Cathedral
4) Visit to Brompton Oratory
5) Visit to Birmingham Oratory

Deacon Jack coming to Birmingham

The Birmingham Oratory will next week host Deacon Jack Sullivan from the USA, who was miraculously healed through the intercession of Cardinal Newman which attributes the upcoming Beatification.



The Newman cause website has an introductory article, which is bound to be updated this week, so keep an eye on it. Of particular note is this little snippet:

When Jack Sullivan exercises his diaconate at Mass at the Birmingham Oratory at 12.45pm on Wednesday 11 November, he will do so at the Oratory’s ad orientem (east-facing) High altar. This traditional position for Catholic altars has, exceptionally, been preserved at the Birmingham Oratory. Pope Benedict XVI has often spoken of the deep theological and spiritual significance of celebrating Mass ad orientem, and of what has been lost through the current practice of celebrating Mass facing the people. Anticipating a Papal visit to England next year, Wednesday’s Mass links in a special way Newman’s Beatification to Benedict XVI’s own ‘hermeneutic of continuity’.

I think this is bound to be significant.

Te Deum

In thanksgiving for the coming beatification of Cardinal Newman:

Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur. Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur. Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates; Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.

O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!

Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae. Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus, Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus. Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
The glorious choir of the Apostles,
The wonderful company of Prophets,
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:

Patrem immensae maiestatis: Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium; Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum. Tu Rex gloriae, Christe. Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
The Father of infinite Majesty;
Thy adorable, true and only Son;
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum. Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum. Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris. Iudex crederis esse venturus.
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man,
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin's womb.
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sitest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou willst come to be our Judge.

Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti. Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.

V. Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
R. Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.
V. Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance! R. Govern them, and raise them up forever.

V. Per singulos dies benedicimus te.
R. Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.
V. Every day we thank Thee. R. And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.

V. Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
R. Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.
V. O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day. R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

V. Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
R. In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.
V. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee. R. O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.

Corpus Christi

Some photos of the latest High Mass at the Birmingham Oratory today can be found on my LMS blog. It was testament to the glory of Catholic liturgy for the greater glory of God, "then be the anthem clear and strong, thy fullest note, thy sweetest song, the very music of Thy breast" (St Thomas Aquinas, who wrote the Lauda Sion for this feast day, intended to more gloriously celebrate the institution of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, just after the end of Paschaltide)

The Oratory Fathers

In typical press style, I managed to capture a picture of all the Oratory fathers together with Cardinal John Foley after First Vespers of St Philip Neri on Monday night:

From left to right: Fr Sebastian Jones (novice, Priest), Fr Gregory Winterton, Br Lewis Berry (Acolyte), Fr Philip Cleeveley, (Cardinal Foley), Fr Guy Nicholls (Parish Priest), Fr Anton Guziel (novice, Priest), Fr Paul Chavasse (Provost), Fr Dermot Fenlon

Pontifical High Mass

Tuesday night was the closest I've got to a Pontifical High Mass. It was a beautiful opportunity to photograph the rich sanctuary of the Birmingham Oratory, which is notable in its noble simplicity, its simple form, and functional area. Like the whole church, it does not make one feel swamped by sheer splendour, but invites the soul to share the majestic heights which it aspires to in a more intimate way than the Roman basilicas it is modelled after.

There are so many photos, it is better to simply embed a slide show. You will notice, this Mass was celebrated by Cardinal John Foley in the new form of the Roman Rite, which customary to the Oratories incorporates traditional mass custom with the Novus Ordo missal. The musical setting was Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli which is divine. The result is something which closely resembles the old Rite, without losing the unique aspects of the new; such as offertory processions, special intercessions etc. I find the main drawback to this approach is the stop-start nature of the Rite when coupled with the long Mass scores. In the old Rite, it is more usual for the music to provide a backdrop to what is happening at the altar, rather than an interlude in the proceedings.

Flickr set here

Please go to the Cause Website for an official report of the Mass and the Cardinal's excellent homily.

Happy St Philip Neri

Have a Blessed Feast of St Philip Neri

"My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire shall flame out..."

Second Alleluia (Psalm 38:4)

"The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by His Spirit dwelling within us"

Introit (Romans 5:5)

We were lucky enough to begin the feast of St Philip Neri, the founder of the Oratorian congregation, last night with First Vespers presided over by Cardinal Foley, who is staying at the Birmingham Oratory during this special time. For more on his visit, see the Cause Website.

He celebrated Vespers beautifully, which consisted of traditional Gregorian chanting of five Latin Psalms intoned by the Cantors (four of the Oratory clergy, vested in copes and sitting on the red stools). This then lead to the Magnificat, the song of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was sung elaborately by the Oratory choir, during which the Altar was incensed by the celebrant (in this case Cardinal Foley).

A special part of last night's ceremony was the Blessing with St Philip's relic (right). There is actually an opportunity for anyone to receive this blessing every Monday at 8pm. Last night, it was of course, more elaborate and solemn. It included a procession to the reliquary (seen in the top picture) where Cardinal Foley blessed it with incense (an ancient act dating back to the Israelites to symbolise the rising up of our prayers to heaven).

After Vespers we also have Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, where the Celebrant blesses all the Faithful with the Blessed Sacrament held in a monstrance (left). This act of adoration seeks to extend the blessings encountered during the midst of the Mass, when the Host is elevated for brief veneration.

The Cardinal's American accent was no longer evident as he took up the sung Latin Collect with great care and prayerful attention:

Deus, qui beátum Philíppum Confessórem tuum, Sanctórum tuórum glória sublimásti: concéde propítius; ut cujus solemnitáte laetámur, ejus virtútem proficiámus exémplo. Per Dóminum...

O God, who hast exalted blessed Philip, Thy confessor, in the glory of Thy saints: grant in Thy mercy, that we who rejoice in his festival, may profit by the example of his virtues. Through Christ our Lord... Amen.

For more about the Saint, the holy and inspirational Philip Neri, see a previous post of mine. Vespers at the Oratory uses the traditional breviary pre-1969, but follows the revised calender depending on the feast and its corresponding Magnificat Antiphon and Collect.

May Procession

Flickr set here

St Philip Neri Celebrations

Obviously St Philip Neri is very close to the heart of everyone at the Birmingham Oratory. For his feast day this year, we will be visited by Cardinal John Foley (Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, previously President for the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Cardinal Deacon of San Sebastiano al Palatino, and whose titular See is Neopolis in Proconsulari).

He will be visiting Cardinal Newman's rooms in the Oratory house, and will be celebrant and preacher for the Solemn High Mass (Ordinary Form) on Tuesday evening.

Solemn First Vespers: 7:30pm, Monday 25th May 2009

Solemn High Mass: 7pm, Tuesday 26th May 2009

Invitation - Epiphany High Mass

Traditional Feast of the Epiphany
Solemn High Mass in the Classical Roman ('Tridentine') Rite
Birmingham Oratory
(at the High Altar)
8pm - Tuesday, January 6th 2009

Following the success of the Birmingham Oratory's Solemn High Mass for the feast of the Epiphany 2 years ago (excess of 200 in attendence), the Oratory Fathers will once again celebrate a traditional High Mass.

Most Catholics in England & Wales are forced now to celebrate the Epiphany on the nearest Sunday. Here is the perfect opportunity to observe this important feast of Our Lord on the day it is properly intended. Tailored Mass books and full translations are provided, which will make it perfect for newcomers to the Tridentine Rite.

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