Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Mass


Expectation of Our Lady has few pictures of the Mass at Westminster. Mulier Fortis had Fr. Timothy Finigan's camera (he was deacon at the throne) so check them out for pictures later.

It really was breathtakingly beautiful, it was good to see a number of parishioners who attend the TLM here, including Michael who is three and his little baby brother who I baptised earlier this year. I was on the sanctuary assisting in choro, looking down the cathedral it was glorious to see a huge number of people standing at the back and in the side aisles, there was a good mix of ages but the under 40s seemed to dominate.

One of the clergy complained that although the Throne Room had been used by Mgr Marini for his book launch, this privelege hadn't been extended to Cardinal Castrillon de Hoyos. John Medlin, the Secretary of the LMS, was fullsome in his praise of the help given by the Cathedral Administrator and his staff when I dined with him afterwards.
I must say I was very impressed, the choir sang the chant as only the boys and men of Westminster can, and I loved their exquisite rendering of Palestrina's Missa Sacerdos et Pontifex. I just wished some of the bishops of England and Wales could have been able to attend.
See also NLM where there are a couple of interesting acounts by "Justin" and Fr Symondson SJ

6 comments:

Mulier Fortis said...

It was great to see you, Fr Ray... such a shame you didn't make it to the Buckingham Arms!

epsilon said...

Many thanks for letting us know about this - I've put up a few pics as well

PeterHWright said...

Yes, I wondered about Cardinal Castrillon not being offered the use of the throne room. I'm sure that won't have gone unnoticed.

But I don't think it matters. The Latin Mass Society has extended its hospitality to the cardinal. And, apparently, the Cathedral Administrator and the men and boys of the choir excelled themselves for this great occasion.

This Mass, celebrated by a curial cardinal, at which a great gathering of people of all ages assisted, proves the point, if proof were necessary, that it is the will of the Pope and the fervent wish of the people to see the "old" Mass restored.

Already, the landscape has changed since the publication of Summorum Pontificum. This is not a step backward. It is the way forward for the Church.

Ches said...

So that's where Fr Finegan was! No wonder I couldn't spot him in the procession. I never even thought to look at the ministers.

My thoughts on the event here:
http://thesensiblebond.blogspot.com/2008/06/another-westminster-waltz.html

leutgeb said...

Very pleased to meet you Fr Blake, having enjoyed reading your blog so much.

Vernon said...

A very wide selection of photos of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos's visit are now on the usual web site at http://www.traditionalcatholic.org.uk

A colleague and I were the LMS's official photographers and thus had access to places that the general pubic do not - hence some very different views of the ceremonies.

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