Great Conversion Story in London
This entire family became Catholic during lockdown. Now they are actively committed. Another great conversion story by our friends at OneOfNine:
Chesham Bois
Upcoming Events in Reading
Saturday 4 December
Solemn candlelit Rorate Mass – 7am
Advent Recollection, 10.15am-1pm, led by Deacon Gwilym Evans, FSSP.
Tuesday 7 December
Solemn First Vespers for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – 6pm
DOWRY Mag No51 online
Autumn 2021
In this issue,
Editorial: The Heenan Indult Turns Fifty
Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP looks back at the petition in favour of the traditional Latin Mass by scores of British men and women of the world of culture and the arts, some non Catholic and some non Christian. Pope Paul VI was convinced to grant permission for the traditional Latin missal to be used further in England, and asked Mgr Bugnini to express his permission to Cardinal Heenan of Westminster.
Your Young, Loyal, and Traditional Catholics
The bureau of the Juventutem federation issued a communiqué following Pope Francis’ motu proprio Traditionis Custodes. Juventutem has worked for 17 years to make use of the Roman traditions of the Church for the sanctification of young people, with the blessing of the Holy See and the active support of many cardinals and bishops.
Chant for the Nativity
Chant expert Deacon Gwilym Evans, FSSP, on pastoral placement in England, presents the CD on Christmas chant made with his confreres at the international seminary of St Peter in Wigratzbad, Bavaria. For six consecutive weeks, Sancta Nox: Christmas Matins from Bavaria, on the De Montfort Music label, has been Number 1 on the US Billboard charts for classical music.
The God Rush
Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP shares his happy surprise at the number of young people in the UK who became nuns, friars or seminarians over the past couple of years. Could there have been a worse moment than the Covid outburst? And yet, a dozen of them heard God’s call and are now answering it. A new spring?
Year of St Joseph: A Carpenter’s Son & A Carpenter Today?
Young and mature people alike in our modern world are trapped into virtual reality. In these two articles Richard Kornicki presents woodwork as a welcome antidote for all, even if only by way of meditation in this Year of St Joseph. The profession chosen by Jesus Christ (first article) can safely be embraced by modern apprentices (second article).
Click on the Cover below to open the magazine.
Dowry is the quarterly magazine of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in the UK & Ireland. Since its inception in 2008, the magazine has published dozens of articles on topics as diverse as theology, family life, education, the sacraments, Church Magisterium, art, politics, literature, cinema, spirituality, liturgy and more.
- Articles can be accessed as sorted by authors and topics here:
https://fssp.org.uk/dowry-articles/. - All issues of Dowry are accessible online for free here:
https://fssp.org.uk/category/dowry/. - You can also subscribe to Dowry online for free and have each
new issue posted or emailed to you here:
https://fssp.org.uk/manageprofile/index.php.
We welcome submissions of articles, poetry, pictures and drawings if deemed compatible with our traditional Catholic scope. Any submission must be by email to malleray@fssp.org with (small) attachments in digital format. We cannot guarantee to answer, let alone publish, each and all submission. Thank you for your interest.
Contact us to be sent bulk quantities of Dowry for dispatching among your friends and acquaintances, especially if you are part of a parish, or a community or some other institution.
Dowry belongs to FSSP England, a registered charity no.1129964
(Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri Ltd).
All Saints and All Souls Masses
All Saints’ Day (1 Nov: Holy Day of Obligation)
St William of York, Reading: 10am (Low Mass) & 7pm (Sung Mass)
Our Lady’s, Chesham Bois: 11am (Low Mass)
Christ the King, Bedford: 7.30pm (Low Mass)
All Souls’ Day (2 Nov)
St William of York, Reading: two consecutive Low Masses, starting 10am; Sung Mass with Absolutions at the Catafalque, 7pm
Christ the King, Bedford: three consecutive Low Masses (Communion only at the first two), starting at 10am.
FSSP Vocation News
Pray for our Second Year seminarian David, from Warrington, who will receive First Tonsure and the cassock on 23rd October, together with 32 more fellow seminarians (16 in Bavaria and 17 in Nebraska).
Please also pray for our 49 First Year seminarians who started formation last month, including Federico from Wales.
Watch our short video Called to become a priest…
Re-read earlier articles and homilies on Vocations:
Light the Beacons! (2015)
Are You the Fiftieth? (2010)
Vocation Discernment Weekend in Warrington 26-28 November 2021. Contact malleray@fssp.org.
Day of reflection on Consecrated Life in London on Saturday 13th November 2021, for single men and women 18-35.
The “GOD Rush”
Why on earth already 12 young adults from Juventutem UK have embraced consecrated celibacy!
- Find out at a day of reflection, prayer and friendship in London organised by Juventutem London.
- For single Catholic men and women 18-35.
- Preacher: Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP
Cf https://www.facebook.com/londonjuventutem/
Reflections on the relevance of religious life for young adults in Covid 2020s. Why not a few young people are attracted to it? How do they discern? Are they not afraid? Where is safe to apply? What if they fail or if their community is suppressed? And what about marriage? What if I still don’t know what to choose (the “Don’t-leave-me-behind-Syndrome”)?
SCHEDULE Sat. 13th Nov 2021, St Mary Magdalen Church, 96 North Side Wandsworth Common, London SW18 2QU (10 mins walk from Clapham Junction or 2 mins by bus)
· 11am-12noon Conference 1 (40 mins + Q&As)
· 12noon-1pm Holy Mass (Mass of St Didacus, Confessor).
· 1pm-2pm Shared Lunch
· 2pm-3pm Conference 2 (40 mins + Q&As)
· 3pm-4pm Eucharistic Adoration: Exposition of the Bl. Sacrament and silent adoration (while confessions are heard), Benediction
· 4pm Tea and departure.
Pizza and drinks will be provided for lunch. Suggested participation £10/person
Vocation Weekend Warrington 26-28 Nov 2021
At St Mary’s Priory, Smith Street, Warrington WA1 2NS, England: Starts 5:00pm; ends 2:00pm
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 Frs Ian Verrier, FSSP and Alex Stewart, 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.Feel welcome confidentially to call, email or write for any questions.
Location: St Mary’s Priory.
FREE for unwaged and students.
Others: £60 per person in total.
COME & SEE
Please share the information with your friends! Facebook page: https://fb.me/e/1MFdTHT7I
BOOKINGS & CONTACT: [not via Facebook] malleray@fssp.org (read by Fr de Malleray only); 01925 635664 (Priory’s Landline).
VOCATION RESOURCES:
- General page: https://fssp.org.uk/vocations-to-the-priesthood/
- Book on the Sacred Priesthood: https://aroucapress.com/x-ray-of-the-priest
- Stories about priestly ministry: http://aroucapress.com/near-missed-masses
- Audio conferences on the priest 1) and Our Lady; 2) and Martyrdom : http://www.radioimmaculata.org/…/father-armand-de-malleray
- Book on the holy Eucharist here: https://lms.org.uk › product › ego-eimi-it-i
- Seminary blog: http://fsspwigratzbad.blogspot.com/
- Know us better through browsing online our quarterly magazine Dowry here: https://fssp.org.uk/category/dowry/
- International Vocation Prayer Network: www.fssp.org/en/help-us/confraternity-of-saint-peter/
- Great pictures about our ministry here https://www.flickr.com/photos/138056205@N08/albums
VOCATION NEWS: 11 FSSP UK PRIESTS IN 19 YEARS
We have currently six young men from the UK & Ireland in formation at our two international seminaries. Three of our deacons from England were ordained priests at St Mary’s Warrington by Archbishop McMahon, OP of Liverpool. Those were the first EF priestly ordinations by a diocesan bishop in England in fifty years.Please pray for them (www.fssp.org/en/help-us/confraternity-of-saint-peter/) and for many more to enter the lists!We give thanks for 11 of priests ordained over the past 19 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 in 2018; Deacon Gwilym Evans in 2022 (planned).
Please pray for us. We assure you of our prayer.
O Lord, grant us many holy priests!
Dowry #50
Summer 2021
London Rosary Crusade Sat 9th Oct
All welcome! Click here to open the flyer.
Prevent suicide
Forthcoming Assisted Dying Bill – Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has written an open letter inviting Catholics to pray for the defeat of the Assisted Dying Bill to be debated in the House of Lords in October.
It encourages them to write to peers at the House of Lords stating the reasons why they oppose this legislation and particularly explain from personal experience the reasons why this change in the law should be opposed. It urges discussion and communication about this important matter.
Bishop John’s Letter
In the next weeks, we face an unprecedented attack on the sanctity of life with Baroness Meacher’s ‘Assisted Dying Bill 2021’ is due its 2nd Reading in the House of Lords with full debate on Friday, 22 October.
The term ‘Assisted Dying’ is euphemistic, the truth is that this bill seeks to introduce Assisted Suicide. If legalised, this Bill would allow a terminally ill adult with less than 6 months to live to be assisted in committing suicide. Catholic teaching opposes assisting suicide, since life is a gift to be cared for and preserved until its natural death. The Church is clear that we cannot directly choose to take the life of another, even if they request it. The solidarity of praying and caring for the most vulnerable at this fragile time of their lives is a profoundly Christian act which imitates Our Lady’s prayer at the cross and Christ’s service to the weakest.
Those in favour of the bill are making good use of language to confuse the issue and call it a compassionate and caring approach to redefine the question and obscure the actual reality and consequences of such legislation. As Pope Francis has said, “Physician-assisted suicide is part of a ‘throwaway culture’ that offers a ‘false compassion’ and treats a human person as a problem… True compassion does not marginalise anyone, nor does it humiliate and exclude – much less considers the disappearance of a person as a good thing.” He criticised “those who hide behind an alleged compassion to justify and approve the death of a patient.”
Dangers of the introduction of Assisted Suicide
Importantly, at this stage we need to argue the dangers of the introduction of Assisted Suicide, which include the safety of people who are vulnerable due to external pressures, and the later liberalisation of the law which is evidenced by other countries which have introduced Assisted Suicide. Many voices from the world of disability-rights and other allies are also very fearful and fighting this bill. Whilst there are clear arguments to support Catholic teachings, it is important to remember that this position is not only a matter of faith but also human reason.
Later this month, the BMA will be debating whether to change their stance to support or neutrality on this matter. I hope that healthcare professionals will enter this debate and highlight the dangers of this Bill to change and skew the meaning of medicine.
Take action
There are three important actions in the next weeks: praying, writing and sharing.
First, I ask you to pray that the Bill will be defeated.
Second, I ask you to write to the Peers from your personal experience and share stories which will argue the reasons for opposing the Bill as well as narrate the importance of precious time during the final stages of life.
The testimony of healthcare and legal professionals will also be important. This needs to be done before the Second Reading on 22 October.
Third, I ask you to engage and share stories and reasons against the Bill on social media.
Briefing papers will be available on the bishops’ conference website to assist you as this work develops.
Be assured of my prayers,
+John
Bishop John Sherrington
Lead Bishop for Life Issues
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales