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February 6, 2018
It can truly be said that a window into heaven was opened at Christ the King, Bedford, on Sexagesima Sunday, 4 February. After several rehearsals, this was the day when our own schola sang its first Mass. Although we have had two Sung Masses at Bedford previously in the last two years or so, thanks to the Bedford Choral Society, the arrival of the priests from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter last October has given us the continuity we needed to form our own schola. Five men and four ladies gathered in the choir loft and we sang the complete Mass under the direction of Katherine Smith. No, it wasn’t perfect, but members of the congregation were kind enough to tell us that our efforts had been uplifting. We also had a team of five altar servers led by MC Nick Ross, some of them serving for the first time, and for them, like the schola, each Sung Mass will be progressively better.
As our celebrant, Fr James Mawdsley, said “Heaven is surely pleased by our efforts to do what ‘all generations’ have done!”.
We are looking forward to our next Sung Mass at Christ the King, which will be at 8.30 am on Sunday 4 March. We will be rehearsing in church on Saturday 17 February from 2.30 pm – approximately 4.30 pm, and at the same time on Saturday 3 March. We are always looking for more singers; please contact the Schola Secretary, Barbara Kay, on mbky3@outlook.com if you are interested.
by fsspuk
February 2, 2018
FSSP England has launched its new website today. Many hours of work have gone into creating this. Each Apostolate has its own page, including ours at Bedford!
The introduction looks like this:
Welcome to FSSP England’s new website. While the site was born on the Commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord, it is going public today, Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. Remembering also the Purification of Our Lady today, the Church sings the Ave Regina Caelorum at the end of Compline from tonight until Wednesday of Holy Week. Of your charity, please say a prayer for the good fruit of this website, asking Our Lady’s patronage, so that it serve the mission of her divine Son.
Here is the link:
http://fssp.co.uk/fssp-englands-new-website/
by fsspuk
January 31, 2018
A reminder that the first of our Family Catechism Days with Fatima Devotions takes place this Saturday 3 February at Christ the King, starting with Rosary at 10 am and Mass at 11 am. Fr James Mawdsley, FSSP, will say the Mass and lead catechism sessions for children, teenagers and adults in the afternoon. All you need to bring is a packed lunch; tea and coffee will be provided.
Then on Sunday 4 February, the 8.30 am Mass will be sung for the first time. We hope this will become a regular event on the first Sunday of each month. Practices for this will be held as part of the First Saturdays and also on the third Saturday of each month in church at 2.30 pm.
Looking forward to seeing you at Christ the King this weekend!
by fsspuk
January 28, 2018
Fr James Mawdsley, who is one of our regular FSSP priests from Reading, came to say Mass at Bedford for the first time on 31 December 2017. He has a fascinating and moving story to tell, which is recorded in an interview he gave while he was at Warrington. Fr Ray Blake has written a useful introduction to the interview. Here is the link:
http://marymagdalen.blogspot.co.uk/
by fsspuk
January 11, 2018
We are delighted to announce the following exciting new initiative at Christ the King, Bedford:
FAMILY CATECHISM DAYS WITH
FATIMA DEVOTIONS
Led by the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP)
Christ the King Roman Catholic Church, Harrowden Road,
Bedford MK42 OSP
First Saturdays:
3 February, 3 March, 7 April, 5 May, 2 June 2018
All welcome
PROGRAMME (timings may vary):
10 am Fatima Devotions (Rosary & meditation, Confessions)
11 am Holy Mass
12 noon Lunch (bring packed lunch)
12.30 pm Catechism (for under-8s)
1 pm Catechism (for under-16s)
1.45 pm Catholicism in 2018 (for adults)
2.30 pm Altar server training/Gregorian Chant practice
We also offer on 3rd Saturdays :
17 February, 17 March, 21 April, 19 May, 16 June 2018
2.30pm Altar server training/Gregorian Chant practice
5 pm Young Adults Group, 18-35s (talk/discussion/dinner)
For more information, please contact: james.mawdsley(at)fssp.org
by fsspuk
January 10, 2018
Due to interest from local families, founders of the Regina Caeli academy will be coming to give a talk on 21st April in Bedford, with a view to opening a satellite programme in one or more UK locations, if there is sufficient demand.
Regina Caeli is a private, independent tutoring centre operating in the Catholic tradition. They offer classes that meet twice a week to boys and girls aged 4-18, and have grown rapidly since their launch in 2003, now operating in 14 locations in the United States. Regina Caeli is a response to the need for affordable, authentic, classical education taught in light of the Catholic tradition.
Kari Beckman, one of the founders of Regina Caeli, and Erika Ahern, the Director of Education, will give a talk in Bedford on Saturday 21st April about the hybrid academy and answer any questions that families might have. Please spread the word and, if you have children of school age and live within reach of Bedford, do come along and hear what they have to say!
You can book tickets here. The ticket costs serve as a contribution to cover the costs of Kari’s travel and accommodation. There’s an early bird rate of £25 until 10th February, when the price goes up to £35.
More information on them is here and an introductory video is here
by fsspuk
January 6, 2018
Ladies – come and learn more about the Miraculous Relic Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, this country’s replica of which lives in the Shrine in Bedford. A talk about Our Lady, which had been scheduled for 12 December last year, unfortunately had to be postponed. It has now been rearranged for Tuesday 16 January, the next meeting of the Ladies’ Group which has arisen from the Latin Mass at Christ the King. This meeting is open to all ladies and will take place at the group’s usual venue in Ampthill at 10.30 am. Tea and coffee will be available before the talk. Please contact the host, Grace Bozzino, on grace.escargot@gmail.com or Barbara Kay on mbky3@outlook.com for directions. Do come and bring a friend; you will be made most welcome.
by fsspuk
Epiphanytide House Blessing was a new experience for us and we were not quite sure what to expect. Fr Mawdsley arrived with a crate containing a thurible, charcoal, incense, a lighter, a bottle of holy water, a sprinkler and blessed chalk. He gave us a sheet containing the words of the blessing so we could follow and join in where appropriate. Most of this was in Latin. Having vested in surplice and stole and after an antiphon and the Magnificat, Fr Mawdsley asked me to led him round each room (including the bathrooms) with Martin, my husband, following him with the thurible. Each room, and the garden, was sprinkled three times with holy water, and incensed three times. The Pater Noster, some responses and the Collect for the day were said. The lintel of the front door was marked with blessed chalk: 20 + C + M + B + 18, standing for the century, the initials of the Three Magi, and the year, with the words: “I place the marks of their holy names over the door of this home to remain there as a constant reminder to us and to all who enter here that this house is truly a house of the Lord”.
It is lovely that our house has been blessed this Epiphanytide and I would thoroughly recommend it – further home blessings are taking place on Fr Mawdsley’s next visit to Bedford on 20/21 January and there is still time to sign the sheet.
by fsspuk
January 3, 2018
Fr. James Mawdsley FSSP said the first of what we hope will be many Masses here in Bedford. He gave a very powerful homily on the Ten Commandments.
This Saturday, 6th January, Fr. Mawdsley will say Mass at 11a.m. for the Epiphany, as well as confessions as part of the First Saturday devotions; 100 years after Fatima is a good time to start carrying out Our Lady’s requests! Fr. Mawdsley will also say Mass on Sunday morning at 8:30am, as usual.
At both these Masses there will be a sheet where people can sign up to house blessings and chalking of the doors.
by fsspuk
December 31, 2017
Following our first practice a few weeks ago, we have scheduled a further one for Saturday 20 January, 2 pm – 3.30 pm in the Patrick Donegan room at Christ the King (the green building alongside the church hall). All are welcome and we are all learning together, therefore please don’t be put off if you have never sung Gregorian Chant before. We are aiming to offer our first Sung Mass on Sunday 4 February at 8.30 am.
Please feel free to contact me on mbky3@outlook.com if you have any questions. Looking forward to seeing you on the 20th!
Barbara
by fsspuk
It can truly be said that a window into heaven was opened at Christ the King, Bedford, on Sexagesima Sunday, 4 February. After several rehearsals, this was the day when our own schola sang its first Mass. Although we have had two Sung Masses at Bedford previously in the last two years or so, thanks to the Bedford Choral Society, the arrival of the priests from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter last October has given us the continuity we needed to form our own schola. Five men and four ladies gathered in the choir loft and we sang the complete Mass under the direction of Katherine Smith. No, it wasn’t perfect, but members of the congregation were kind enough to tell us that our efforts had been uplifting. We also had a team of five altar servers led by MC Nick Ross, some of them serving for the first time, and for them, like the schola, each Sung Mass will be progressively better.