York LMS pilgrimage: March 24th

Last year saw the first LMS pilgrimage to York in honour of St Margaret Clitherow. It was a huge success with about seven hundred people attending a Missa Cantata in York Minster. This year the LMS are repeating the event but with some differences. This year the bishop of Middlesboough, will be present and the Mass will be a solemn High Mass in the presence of bishop Drainey who will take his part in the ceremonies for such a Mass. However I think it is a pity that the Mass will not be in the Minster again as that was quite an attraction but instead in the nearby Catholc church of St Wilfrid.  The same day sees the formal opening of the apostolate of the Institute of Christ the Kng at New Brighton which will certainly be a splendid event and mean that we probably won`t be joined by the Catholics from Merseyside who joined us last year. 

Still it is marvellous that bishop Drainey is taking part as many bishops still shy away from attending special celebrations of the Extraordinary Form. I hope it all goes well. I`ll bear some responsibility for this as I am the celebrant of the Mass (as LMS Chaplain for the North of England) and have been sudying the rubrics to check I manage to leave out the parts normally done by the celebrant but in a Mass like this are done by the bishop.

So this should be a splendid occasion and I hope as many as can will make the effort to attend to show there is a desire for the Extraordinary Form in the normal life of the Church. It does seem to be taking some time for this to happen. I do wonder when some of those who profess deep loyalty to the Holy See never seem to be heard of celebrating the EF. I hope the York Mass this year will be another small step forward along the way to breaking down fears and prejudice. Mass starts at 1.30pm and is followed by a procession to the church of the English Martyrs for veneration of the relic of St Margaret Clitherow and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.