Monday, August 15, 2011

London

Two weeks ago I travelled down to London. (I`m so glad I didn`t go last week!) This time I was going there to join the celebrations for Fr Charles Briggs` Silver Jubilee of ordination. Seeing that Mac has written a report and even mentioned me I finally stirred myself out my lethargy and have crawled to the computer to write it up.

On Monday night I was glad to be able to meet up with our former schola director and also with Rubricarius for a meal. While Rubricarius and I disagree about a number of things we were able to agree on our favourite pope of recent times: Benedict XIV. (Although in my own case Benedict XVI is a serious rival for the title.)

On Tuesday I made the trip to Chislehurst for Fr Briggs Extraordinary Form celebration. As you will have read elsewhere, there were about twenty priests in choir (and a few others in the congregation) : the sermon was given by the former archbishop of Southwark, archbishop Kevin MacDonald. Fortunately as he is the archbishop emeritus the sacred ministers did not have the additional task of the extra ceremonies that arise when the ordinary is in choir. However Fr Finigan did remark in his speech afterwards at the Golf Club that they were celebrating High Mass before one of the more knowledgeable group of priests in the country and who would be able to spot the mistakes. Fr Finigan put it more succinctly than that

So it was good to see some familiar faces again: Fr Martin Edwards of Wandsworth, Fr Andrew Southwell of Clapham with Fr Basden. Also it was good to met Fr Ray Blake at last as well as Fr Nicholas Schofield who used to have the Roman Miscellany blog. It was a pleasure to meet Mac, the Mulier Fortis and Kathleen from Catholicism Pure and Simple. Here is Fr Finigan making his speech at the Golf Club after the Mass.

I did think more pictures would emerge of the Mass itself but only a few have surfaced so far.

The next day I went to see the altarpieces exhibition at the National Gallery which was very enjoyable. In fact I enjoyed it more than the relics exhibition at the British Museum which is not what I expected. Well worth seeing if you get the chance. My next post will be on the progress of our own altarpiece here at St Marys!

5 comments:

Mulier Fortis said...

Just a few??!!!

I did take more than just a few, but it is difficult to put up a hundred photos of the Mass on the blog or on Flickr as there are very few (and subtle) differences between each one. I might turn the photos into a slideshow later...

In the meantime, the 20 photos I did put up on my Flickr Page can be seen here!

BTW, it was a real pleasure to meet you at long last!

Fr Michael Brown said...

Thanks Mac. I tend not to stray onto Flickr but I take your point.

Rubricarius said...

It was enjoyable to see you again FrMB and the honourable former choir director.

London life got rather exciting after you left...

Fr Michael Brown said...

That`s the story of my life...

1569 Rising said...

Apparently, after the initial Tottenham riot on the Saturday, caused when word spread that Fr Brown had escaped to the North, and there would be no EF Mass that evening;what got the bruvs really annoyed was the use of the word "Consubstantial" in the new translation of the Creed. The result was mayhem all over London, resolved only when the PM returned from Italy clutching a Papal Bull (by the horns). Innit?