Translation of St Chad

Following on from my previous post: St Chad, Bishop of the Mercians, fixed his Episcopal See at Lichfield. He was for some time a disciple of St. Aidan at Lindisfarne, and afterwards joined to St Egbert in Ireland. Returning to England, he was made abbot of Lestingham, near Whitby. He travelled about in his diocese on foot, seeking out and instructing the poorest of his flock. He died in 672.

Today's local feast (Tuesday of the 4th week in Easter) celebrates the translation of the relics of St. Chad from St. Peter’s church in Lichfield to that built by Roger de Clinton, in 1148, and dedicated to God in honour of the blessed Virgin and St. Chad. It is now the cathedral of Lichfield.

The final translation of the Relics, to St. Chad’s Cathedral, followed their preservation by Catholic hands during the reformation, their loss in the early nineteenth century, and their rediscovery in 1839.

Here follows the Proper of the Mass used today by the Brothers of the Little Oratory, in St. Edward's Chapel, which as described previously, illustrates the final journey of these relics to where they reside now above the high altar in the Cathedral.

INTROIT: Ps. 131. 9-10
Let Thy priests, O Lord, be clothed with justice, and let Thy saints rejoice: for Thy servant David’s sake, turn not away the face of Thy anointed. Alleluia, alleluia. Ps. O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. V/. Glory be the the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.	Sacerdotes tui, Dómine, índucant justítiam, et sancti tui exúltent: propter David servum tuum, non avértas fáciem Christi tui. Allelúia, allelúia. Ps. 131.1. Meménto, Dómine, David: et omnis mansuetúdinis ejus. V/. Glória Patri et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. Sicut erat in Princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God, who givest us joy by this day’s solemnity of blessed Chad, Thy confessor and bishop: we humbly entreat of Thy mercy that we, who with devout celebration venerate his festival, may, by his loving help, obtain the remedies of eternal life. Through our Lord...		Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui nos beáti Ceáddæ Confessóris tui atque Pontifícis hodiérna festiviáte lætíficas: tuam súpplices exorámus cleméntiam, ut, cujus solémnia devótis offíciis venerámur, ejus piis suffréagiis vitæ æternæ remédia consequámur. Per Dóminum nostrum...
EPISTLE: Hebrews 7. 23-27
Brethren, there were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue: But Jesus, for that He continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood. Whereby He is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as the other priests, to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, in offering himself, Jesus Christ our Lord
FIRST AND SECOND ALLELUIA: Ps. 109. 4; Ecclus. 45. 9
Alleluia, alleluia. V/. The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia. V/. The Lord loved him and adorned him, He clothed him with a robe of glory. Alleluia.		Allelúia, allelúia. V/. Jurávit Dóminus, et non pœnitébit eum: Tu es sacérdos in ætérnum, secúndum órdinem Melchísedech. Allelúia. V/. Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum: stolam glóriæ induit eum. Allelúia.
GOSPEL: Matthew 24. 42-47
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Watch ye, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready: because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.
OFFERTORY: Ps 88. 25
My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in My name shall his horn be exalted. Alleluia.		Véritas mea, at misericórdia mea cum ipso:et in nómine meo exaltábitur cornu ejus. Allelúia.
SECRET
Favourably regard our supplications, we beseech Thee, O Lord: and by the intercession of blessed Chad, Thy confessor and bishop, grant us to be free from all sin in the ministry of Thy heavenly sacraments; that by Thy purifying grace, we may be made clean by the very mysteries which we serve. Through our Lord...		Propitáre, quǽsumus, Dómine, supplicatiónibus nostris, et intercedénte pro nobis beáto Céadda Confessóre tuo atque Pontíface, tuis sacraméntis cæléstibus serviéntes ab omni culpa líberos esse concéde; ut, purificánte nos tua grátia, eísdem quibus famulámur mystériis emundémur. Per Dóminum nostrum...
COMMUNION: Matt. 24. 46-47
Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord cometh he shall find watching: Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods. Alleluia.		Beátus servus, quem, cum vénerit dóminus, invénerit vigilántem: amen dico vobis, super ómnia bona sua constítuet eum. Allelúia.
POSTCOMMUNION
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that being purified by the divine mysteries, we may, by the intercession of blessed Chad, Thy confessor and bishop, go forward to the fullness of that heavenly sacrament of which we have partaken. Through our Lord...			Præsta, quǽsumus, Dómine Deus noster; ut, divínus mystériis expiáti, intercedénte beáto Ceádda Confessóre tuo atque Pontífice, ad supérni plenitúdinem sacraménti, cujus libávimus sancta, tendámus. Per Dóminum nostrum...

Although I wasn't able to take any photos of this wonderful celebration of the Eucharist (I was serving for Fr Philip Cleevely), I hope this image above, from one of the stained glass windows of the Cathedral, will capture the beauty of the event, and the heritage upon which our Catholic Faith in this country resides. I judge it a wonderful thing that we were able to retrieve altar cards from the crypt and say the Traditional Mass for our Mother Church's Patron. Many thanks to Fr. Brian Doolan for his kind help, and an inspiring tour of the Cathedral's crypt!

Let us pray:

Eternal and everlasting God, deign to glorify our hearts and minds, that by the glorious intercession of St. Chad, our Holy Church in this diocese, and country, may be protected by the shepherds which God has appointed us.

We pray for the current Archbishop of our diocese, Vincent Nichols, and all the Bishops of England and Wales; that through their guidance we may come to know, love, and defend the Faith which the blood of the English Martyrs was shed for. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.