Regular traditional mass at Lancaster cathedral

I am delighted to pass on the news that a traditional Latin mass will be celebrated on the fourth Sunday of each month at Lancaster cathedral, at 12.15 p.m.   The celebrant will be the cathedral dean, Canon Stephen Shield.  Canon Shield has been a great friend to the traditional movement in Lancaster diocese.  We are very fortunate to have him.  Thank you father! Some of these masses may be sung.   This regular schedule will begin in February; the first monthly mass will be on Sunday 24 February, followed by Sunday 23 March, etc. Please see the Google Calendar, to the right of this blog below the map, for details.

Forthcoming LMS masses near Preston

The following masses have been organised by the Latin Mass Society and will take place in the Preston area during January:

Tuesday 1 January, Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, at St. Thomas, Apostle, Claughton on Brock, at 12 o'clock.

Sunday 6 January, Epiphany of the Lord, at Our Lady Star of the Sea, St. Annes, at 3 o'clock.

Sunday 20 January, Septuagesima Sunday, at St. Andrew & Bl. George Haydock, Cottam, at 12 o'clock.

Information about other traditional masses in Lancaster diocese is listed on the Lancaster LMS website.

The future for St. Walburge's?

Many readers will know of the diocese of Lancaster's Fit for Mission? review, which is proposing to close several churches in Preston. One of these is St. Walburge's, which the review's draft plan has recommended should cease to be a place of worship "at an early date". St. Walburge's church is architecturally outstanding and has benefited from substantial subsidies from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund; its prospective closure has led to a great deal of discussion in the local and national press. Most of this discussion has focussed on the potential loss of this superb building. Important though that is, it seems to me that worse still would be the failure of mission which the closure of the church would represent. The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest has offered to take financial and spiritual responsibility for St. Walburge's; the traditional Latin masses celebrated there this year by their Fr. William Hudson were a great success. Bishop O'Donoghue has not yet accepted their offer, but many of Preston's catholics are praying that he will do so. I for one am greatly encouraged about the news of the success of the ICKSP in Chicago and Kansas City, as reported in Fr. Z's blog.  Please pray for a similar success story in Preston.

Traditional requiem mass at Lancaster cathedral

Canon Stephen Shield celebrated a traditional requiem for the war dead at Lancaster cathedral last Remembrance Sunday, 11 November. There is an excellent illustrated report at the cathedral blogspot. This was the first traditional Latin mass for many years at the cathedral; the next will be on Christmas day at 12.15.

Christmas masses at St. Mary Magdalen

Sunday mass will be celebrated as normal at St. Mary Magdalen over the Christmas period, but there will be no traditional mass on Christmas day. A traditional Latin mass will be celebrated at Lancaster cathedral at 12.15 p.m on Christmas day. The celebrant will be the cathedral dean, Canon Stephen Shield.

Mass schedule update

Thanks to Christine Ackers, Latin Mass Society representative for the Diocese of Lancaster, for the following update to mass listings. Sunday 9 December: Mass will be celebrated at St. Andrew and Blessed George Haydock, Cottam, instead of at St. Mary's, Great Eccleston which is temporarily closed for repairs. Tuesday 1 January: Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas, Claughton on Brock, at 12 o'clock instead of 7.30. Sunday 6 January: Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Star of the Sea, St. Annes, at 3 o'clock, instead of at Claughton.  This will be the first regular monthly traditional mass to be celebrated by Fr. Michael Docherty at St. Annes. Sunday 13 January: There will be no traditional mass at St. Mary's, Hornby. The next traditional mass at Hornby will be on Sunday 10 February. Also see:

• Lancaster Diocesan Latin Mass Society web site
• Latin Mass Society of England and Wales mass listings

New venue for the traditional Latin mass in Preston

Mass will be celebrated in the  traditional form of the Roman rite by Fr. Adrian Towers at the church of St. Andrew and Blessed George Haydock, Cottam on Sunday 9 December 2007 at 12 o'clock.  Fr. Towers, the parish priest at Cottam, has recently celebrated the traditional Latin mass privately under the provisions of Summorum Pontificum; the mass on 9 December replaces that scheduled at St. Mary's, Great Eccleston, as St. Mary's church is temporarily closed for repairs.