Mass took place as usual at Christ the King on Sunday 5th June, with 52 attendees including many new faces.
Based on the success of the Corpus Christi Mass, we’re also planning another weekday Mass, as well as some more parish activities. Watch this space!
The sun shone over Christ the King Church, Bedford on the evening of Corpus Christi as we gathered to celebrate our first weekday Latin Mass. The congregation was similar in size to that of Sunday mornings at around 50 people. We were joined on this occasion by some of our confirmation candidates who normally meet on a Thursday evening and who had been invited to come as part of their Catholic education.
Fr Anton Webb of the Oxford Oratory, who was visiting us for the first time, was our celebrant and was in fine voice, as was our schola of two, who sounded as if there were a lot more of them as they sang the settings for Corpus Christi with devotion and skill. All our regular servers, and one or two extras, did well in the sanctuary, especially as it was the first Missa Cantata for some of them.
The day was drawing to a close as we processed out of the church and into the grounds. Christ the King is fortunate enough to be set amongst lawns and trees with a circular path and we walked round twice before going back inside for Benediction. Our recently refurbished monstrance gleamed between two seven-branched candlesticks, making a worthy setting for the precious Body of Christ.
It was a beautiful, prayerful Mass, a little piece of Heaven, and time seemed to stand still. I was amazed to glance at my watch and find that I had been there for almost two hours. Conversations as we went our separate ways confirmed that it had been a wonderful occasion. Fr Webb said in his homily that he hoped we would invite him again, and I hope we will; the feasts of St Peter and St Paul and the Assumption are on the horizon …
Barbara
Ten months after our first Mass in August 2015, our congregation on Sunday mornings is regularly around 50 which is most encouraging and we are grateful to our four visiting priests, Frs Aldritt, Crean, Diaz and Horgan. Another priest, Fr Webb, who is not able to come on Sundays, has kindly offered to celebrate a weekday Mass and we have arranged the first one, with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, on the evening of Corpus Christi, Thursday 26 May at 7.30 pm. We are hoping this will be a Sung Mass.
Christ the King Church is situated on the A600 between Bedford and Shefford, 2½ miles south of Bedford town centre (MK42 0SP for Sat Nav devices). There is plenty of parking. Do come and join us for this beautiful devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Barbara
A month certainly passes quickly! Mass in Bedford has continued to be very well attended – with plans for a Corpus Christi Mass and procession for 26th May. More details to follow!
With thanks to Barbara for the post!
An unusual set of circumstances led to the Latin Mass at Bedford being said in the church hall on Sunday 10 April. Our visiting celebrant, Fr Diaz, was delayed for an hour, which meant that the 8.30 am Latin Mass would have run into the 10 am Novus Ordo Mass in the church. So we moved to the church hall, bringing all the necessary Mass items possible from the church. It was not the first time the Latin Mass had been celebrated in the hall, as this had actually been the church up until 1960. However, we believe it was the first time the Latin Mass had been celebrated in the hall for nearly 56 years. As we knelt on the hard floor, used a hall table as an altar and improvised with crockery from the kitchen for the priest’s hand washing, it was a reminder of past, and perhaps future, times when the Mass would be said in difficult circumstances. We thank God for Fr Diaz and all the priests who persisted and gave us those Masses and this one.
Notwisthstanding the early start (830 am Mass ‘became’ 730am Mass due to the clocks going back), 50 of us were blessed to hear Fr. Crean’s Mass in the Dominican rite, as well as a wonderful sermon. Thankfully Nicholas managed to battle through the flu to serve!
The morning frost deterred a few people but 43 still made it to hear Fr. Diaz say Mass on the fourth Sunday of Advent – Laetare Sunday.
On another note, this was a very interesting article about education generally, and St. Joseph’s specifically: http://www.quadrapheme.com/st-josephs-the-answer-to-parents-prayers/
Not quite the same as the Latin Mass, but certainly related:
A group of parents and educators, including some parishioners who attend the Latin Mass in Bedford, intend to set up a new primary school in Bedford,with the first classes in September 2016.
Here’s the website: http://stjosepheducation.co.uk/
If you know anyone who is interested, please direct them to this site where they can get in touch with the group.
Fr. Crean came down from Leicester to say Mass on 28th February, the third Sunday of Lent. Word continues to spread and we had 58 people attend Mass – not far off a record!
Fr.Diaz said Mass for the first Sunday of Lent, and delivered a sermon on the history of Lent. The full piece by Abbot Gueranger is here.
![Fasting#]](https://latinmassbedford.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/fasting.jpg)