18-35 group tomorrow!
A reminder that the monthly young adults group takes place tomorrow evening at Christ the King, Harrowden Road, MK42 0SP.
More details here:
Https://fssp.co.uk/young-adults-group-5pm-saturday-21-april-bedford/
Bedford
Young Adults Group–5pm, Saturday 21 April, Bedford
Young Adults (18 to 35 years-old) are invited to join us for a social evening this Saturday. We will meet at 5pm in the parish room at the eastern end of the Church of Christ the King in Bedford (MK42 0SP). After a 10-minute video and discussion about the Book of Esther, we will head to a local venue for dinner and drinks. Please email james.mawdsley@fssp.org if you plan to join us, or else simply turn up.
The short video linked in the image above is superb quality but it seems the guts are missing. A Protestant team (The Bible Project) has worked hard to produce technically excellent videos explaining the various books of the Bible. It is all done with impressive learning and expertise, but as non-Catholics they have missed the best part.
The image above illustrates a wonderful symmetry in the Book of Esther, and the Bible Project identifies as the pivot of the whole story the stake (or gallows) upon which Mordecai is to hang. But being Protestant, they are unable to interpret the hidden, salvific meaning of the Book: that Mordecai & Queen Esther stand for Jesus & the Virgin Mary; that the giant gallows foreshadows the Cross of Calvary; that we share in their temporal victory for eternity through Holy Mass. Positively the video succeeds in emphasising that plot to murder the innocent Jew upon the gallows resulted, by God’s design, not only in the defeat of evil (which fell into the very pit it had dug) but also the glorification of the holy victim and the salvation of all God’s People. And elsewhere, in another excellent video, the Bible Project does point to Jesus as the key to all the Scriptures. But as they reject the authority of the Church, and reject the full canon, then they miss both the full significance of the whole and also crucial parts, for example the enduring centrality of sacrifice and Mary as Co-redemptrix.
What Mordecai & Esther did for the Jews at one point in history, Jesus & Mary do for the whole world for all generations. Before we die, the closest we can get to Mordecai & Esther, and to sharing in their achievement, is by assisting at Holy Mass. Inspiring everlasting praise and love of God, this is the ultimate reason why the Book of Esther was written and still exists. The command to perpetually keep the Feast of Purim is an admonishment for Christians to attend the living memorial of Calvary–namely, Holy Mass.
Protestants are welcome to join us on Saturday for the discussion, dinner & drinks.
A new opportunity for Catholic Education–Saturday 21 April
If you are interested in exploring a new opportunity for solid Catholic education, please join us for a talk by representatives of Regina Caeli who will be giving presentations at the hall of Bedford’s Christ the King Church (MK42 0SP) from 10:30 – 14:30 on Saturday 21st April. More details about tickets here and a video below.
22nd April – Men’s retreat at Walsingham
On 22nd April there’s a pilgrimage for men to Walsingham – more details and a registration form are here:
LMS Triduum Information
(Mass times for Bedford/Reading here)
The Latin Mass Society will be celebrating the Sacred Triduum in St Mary Moorfields Church, Eldon Street, London EC2M 7LS, by kind invitation of Fr Christopher Vipers, the Parish Priest. Music will be supplied by Cantus Magnus, directed by Matthew Schellhorn.
WEDNESDAY 28 MARCH – Spy Wednesday
21:00 Tenebrae
Hieremiæ prophetæ lamentationes a 5, Lassus
Responsoria pro Triduo Sacro in
Nocturno II et III a 4, Lassus
THURSDAY 29 MARCH – Maundy Thursday
18:00 High Mass
Missa super l’Homme Armé Anerio
Christus factus est Pitoni
Pater noster Lassus
21:00 Tenebrae
Hieremiæ prophetæ lamentationes a 5, Lassus
Responsoria pro Triduo Sacro in
Nocturno II et III a 4, Lassus
FRIDAY 30 MARCH – Good Friday
18:00 Solemn Liturgy
Passio secundum Joannem, Byrd
Popule meus, Richardson
Caligaverunt oculi mei, Lassus
21:00 Tenebrae
Hieremiæ prophetæ lamentationes a 5, Lassus
Responsoria pro Triduo Sacro in
Nocturno II et III a 4, Lassus
SATURDAY 31 MARCH – Holy Saturday
18:00 Solemn Vigil
Petite messe solennelle, Battmann
Tantum ergo O salutaris hostia, Dubois
The cost to the LMS of celebrating the full Triduum is quite considerable, if you would like to make a donation towards the cost, please do by visiting www.lms.org.uk
Great Servers’ Weekend
FSSP Servers’ Training a Great Success
See article in The Universe below.
By Józef Łopuszyński
A very successful Altar Servers Training Weekend was held at St Mary’s Shrine Church, Warrington from March 2nd to March 4th.
The course was attended by people from across the country wishing to learn to serve the Traditional Roman Mass, especially the Low Mass.
The weekend was packed with information as students worked hard practising how to assist the Priest at the Altar during Holy Mass and Benediction.
An added bonus was the meals which were beautifully cooked by Choir Member Kirsty.
One of the younger trainee severs said, “I thought the training I received from the F.S.S.P. at Warrington was first class. Superior Father de Malleray was very clear on what he wanted the trainee altar servers to do, i.e. what to carry, directions to walk around the altar, etc.. It was very enjoyable and I consistently prayed to St Stephen to make a success of the training.”
“Sancte Stephane, ora pro nobis!”
Men and youg men interested are invited to contact Fr Loewenstein, FSSP (email: padrek@libero.it) to book for a lesson.
Goodbye and thank you, Alex and Maria!
After the Latin Mass at Christ the King on the snowy morning of Sunday 4 March 2018, it was with sadness that we said goodbye to Alex Kovacsics, his wife Maria and his children Emilia, Alexander, Adam and Albert. It was their last Sunday with us, as they are moving back to their native Croatia. Alex has been running a very popular and successful restaurant in Bedford town centre, but is swapping this for the more family-friendly life of setting up a vineyard.
The congregation had signed two cards for Alex and family – one of them showing an English country lane complete with red telephone box and pillar box! – and had contributed towards some flowers, chocolates and good English beer, with which Alex was presented amidst the enjoyment of tasty food.
Alex was instrumental in bringing the Latin Mass to Christ the King, Bedford 2½ years ago and more recently in enabling the FSSP Apostolate to be founded. He has been responsible for setting up the altar for Mass and for serving on the altar. For all this we are truly grateful.
Alex promises that he will be back in Bedford from time to time and we look forward to that. Meanwhile, he and Maria are expecting their fifth child and have already invited Fr Matthew Goddard to Croatia to baptise the baby!
We wish Alex, Maria, Emilia, Alexander, Adam and Albert all the best and Godspeed as they start their new life and will miss them.
Young Adults Group, 5pm, Saturday 17 March
Catholic young adults, aged 18 – 35, are invited to a social evening this Saturday 17 March in Bedford. Please arrive for 5pm at the parish room at the eastern end of Christ the King Church, Harrowden Road, Bedford, MK42 0SP. There is parking available in the church car park. After introductions, we will likely go to a nearby place to eat in Bedford town centre.
This is the FSSP’s second such social evening in Bedford. Do contact Fr Mawdsley if you have questions or suggestions or just to let him know you hope to attend.
Altar Server Training, 2:30pm, Saturday 17 March
Want to re-build the walls of Jerusalem? If you would like to learn to serve the traditional Mass, or to join our team at Christ the King Church, please contact Fr Mawdsley to ask about attending the altar server training from 2:30 – 4:30pm on Saturday 17 March at the church.
For practising the responses, there is a useful video here (also works well at 1.25 speed):
Join us for 36th Chartres Pilgrimage!
Plans are afoot for a delegation from the FSSP communities in Reading and Warrington to participate in the Chartres pilgrimage on Pentecost weekend. The theme of this year’s pilgrimage is “St Joseph, Pilgrim and Servant”.
We will be going with the Latin Mass Society. Departure is from London on Friday, 18 May 2018 at 7:30am. Arrival back in London about 8pm on the following Tuesday, 22 May 2018.
The pilgrimage consists of a walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, to Notre-Dame Cathedral, Chartres, covering 70 miles in three days. This involves long hours of walking, early morning starts, arriving at the campsite late in the evenings and requires a reasonable level of fitness.
Payment in full by 25 March (Palm Sunday this year). Bursary may be available for young people to reduce costs.
Contact Fr O’Donohue for more information: fatherodonohue@gmail.com