A new choir for children is starting at our Bedford apostolate. The first practice was very encouraging, and it will continue every Sunday for about 20 minutes after the 8.30am Mass in the Patrick Donegan Room. The choir will sing at Mass for the first time on the First Sunday of Advent and then potentially on the first Sunday of each month. If you have children aged seven upwards that you would like to take part, please encourage them to come along, they will be made very welcome. For further information, please contact Katherine on 07985214854.
“They really were excellent” said Katherine Smith of the five children who came along to the first meeting of the children’s choir at Christ the King yesterday. They started learning the hymn ‘Rorate Coeli’ which hopefully they will be able to sing at Communion on Advent Sunday. They looked at the English translation of the hymn and discussed words such as ‘iniquity, ‘desolation’ and ‘sanctification’, thus getting some incidental catechesis! It is hoped that more children will join them next Sunday after Mass in the Patrick Donegan room to build on this great start; boys and girls of 7 upwards will be most welcome and the practice will last about 20 minutes.
This Catholic group meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month in the Patrick Donegan Room at 7pm. This month’s meeting is on 9th November and the topic is “Are we all equal in Catholicism?” There will be two short talks, open floor discussion, prayer and refreshments. Open to all Catholics aged 18+. Come and learn more about ‘hot topics’ of the Faith so you can increase your own faith and explain key issues to others.
We are very fortunate at Christ the King to have been joined recently by Neville McNally. Neville has recently moved into the area and is making Christ the King his spiritual home. He is experienced in Gregorian Chant and has joined the adult schola, for which he has been recruiting!
However, he has also suggested that we start a children’s choir. We would begin gently and the choir would sing a short piece at the Offertory or during Communion. Katherine Smith, who directs the adult schola, has kindly agreed to take on this additional venture. There will be an initial meeting this coming Sunday 10 November in the Patrick Donegan room after the 8.30 am Mass. We think that the choir would be suited to boys and girls of 7 upwards. Parents are welcome to stay. You don’t need to be able to read music or Latin, as this will all be explained. Hope to see you there!
Is God calling ME? Matrimony, celibacy, monastery, seminary, Fraternity?
If you are a single Catholic man between 18 and 29 years of age, come and discern with us at St Mary’s Priory & Church. Shrine Rector Fr de Malleray, FSSP will lead the Weekend, assisted by Fr Ian Verrier, FSSP and Deacon Roger Gilbride, FSSP. There will be talks, prayers (Divine Office in our beautiful church), Holy Mass and informal chatting with fellow guests. Possibility of private meetings with a priest, and of confession.
[No sign up sheet for the FSSP at the end of the Weekend!] Feel welcome confidentially to call, email or write for any questions. Residential, at St Mary’s Priory: 2 nights and 2 days. FREE for unwaged and students. Others: £60 per person in total.
COME & SEE. Please share the information with your friends!
BOOKINGS & CONTACT: [not via Facebook] malleray@fssp.org (read by Fr de Malleray only); 01925 635664 (Priory’s Landline).
—————————- VOCATION NEWS: 11 FSSP UK PRIESTS IN 16 YEARS
We have currently six young men from England & Wales in formation at our two international seminaries. Three of our deacons from England were ordained priests at St Mary’s Warrington in the past two years by Archbishop McMahon, OP of Liverpool. Those were the first EF priestly ordinations by a diocesan bishop in England in fifty years.
In total, 45 young men were admitted into our two seminaries this autumn including 3 from England and Ireland.
We give thanks for 1 new priest from the UK ordained every year over the past 4 years, and more generally for 11 of them ordained over the past 16 years: Fr Konrad Loewenstein in 2002; Fr Brendan Gerard in 2006; Frs Matthew Goddard and William Barker in 2009; Fr Simon Harkins in 2010; Fr Matthew McCarthy in 2011; Fr Ian Verrier in 2015; Fr James Mawdsley in 2016; Frs Alex Stewart and Krzysztof Sanetra in 2017; Fr Seth Phipps last year.
We have two special days in the Church calendar this week:
All Saints on Friday 1 November: Mass at 7.30 pm – this is a Holyday of Obligation.
All Souls on Saturday 2 November – trinated Masses at 10.00 am, 10.45 am and 11.30 am. These ‘back to back’ Masses are being said for the first time at Christ the King.
By kind invitation of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bedford, on Saturday, 23rd November at 12 noon, there will be a High Mass offered in reparation for abortion.
We have two special days in the Church calendar this week:
All Saints on Friday 1 November: Mass at 7.30 pm – this is a Holyday of Obligation.
All Souls on Saturday 2 November – trinated Masses at 10.00 am, 10.45 am and 11.30 am. These ‘back to back’ Masses are being said for the first time at Christ the King.
Hainvg enjoyed your coffee and biscuits, listen out for the bell being rung in the hall at Christ the King on Sunday 27 October at 10.30. It marks the start of the catechism session for the under 8s. About 30 minutes later it will ring again, this time for the under 16s, and finally there’s a session for adults starting at 11.30. Come along and hear some really good Catholic teaching from Fr Patrick O’Donohue – in these confused times we need to be clear in our minds about what we believe.
