Latin Carols banned

Welcome to West Wales

Ho hum, the silly season is upon us once more and good Welsh and English (and those north of the border) Catholics, will be flabbergasted to learn that a West Wales parish priest has banned all Latin Carols during the Christmas period.

The parish is none other than Our Lady Queen of Peace at Newcastle Emlyn, served from the parish of the National Shrine of Wales, Our Lady of the Taper at Cardigan.

Good friends in Menevia (who shall remain anonymous) have passed this information to me, many thanks.

Apparently, the choir master (who is faultless in this account and has not contacted me or made any comment in my direction), has been told to lay off the Latin, Latin is off the Carol list, no Latin Carols, Latin Carols are verboten!

So, no Adeste Fidelis, no In Dulce Jubilo and no Quem Pastoris.

I am speechless (and, probably just as well).

What sort of a priest would demand that Latin Carols be omitted?

Well, admittedly, the priest hails from a different part of the world, I mention this because we need to determine if this ban has been imposed out of innocent ignorance or malice.

And I also would not like anyone to mention the race card; it matters not to me if a priest is English, Polish, Inuit or Lakota.

But, given my knowledge of the fact that the choirmaster is a most charitable and kind sort of a chap, I have no doubt that he would have enlightened the PP as to the fact that such Carols are an essential part of our Christmas worship.

All to no avail.

So, just to be helpful, I have produced an all English version of "Angels we have heard in Heaven" - just for Father P at Newcastle Emlyn....

Angels we have heard in Heaven,

Sweetly singing o’er our plains,

And the mountaintops in answer

Echoing their joyous strains..

Bleep bleep bleep,

Bleep bleep bleep.

Shepherds, why the exultation?

Why this rapturous strain prolong?

Tell us of the gladsome tidings,

Which inspire your joyous song?

Bleep bleep bleep,

Bleep bleep bleep.

Come to Bethlehem, and see him

O’er whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore, devoutly kneeling,

Christ the Lord, the new born King

Bleep bleep bleep,

Bleep bleep bleep.

See him in a manger lying,

Whom the choir of angels praise!

Mary, Joseph, come to aid us,

While our hearts in love we raise.

Bleep bleep bleep,

Bleep bleep bleep.

Utter nonsense, of course.

But, should you wish to write to the Bishop, or Fr P, and register your charitable concern regarding the Carol Service, here are the contact details....

Bishop Thomas Burns - pa@menevia.org

Fr P - mair@tapyr.orangehome.co.uk     

And, of course, it would be most helpful if you could please dedicate just one Rosary this week (or more if you wish) on behalf of the Bishop and his priest.                        

Aberystwyth - the Bishop speaks

I am genuinely pleased to be able to post the pastoral letter from the Bishop of Menevia, Thomas Burns, on the topic of the Church of St Winefride's.

Quick recall - the Bish wants to sell the old church which is in need of major remedial works, and with the cash defray some rather eye watering Diocesan debts and build a new (nu?) Church but some way out of town.

I think that is a pretty even handed analysis of the situation although some might disagree.

And lest I am accused of hypocrisy, let me say that my sympathies are with those who wish to keep the Church in the town and, I believe that to be the majority of parishioners.

But I do believe in fair play and so I am pleased to feature the Bishop's letter (or, whoever it was who wrote it), here.................given to be read at the three Aberystwyth 'parishes' at Masses on 12th and 13th October.....and my thanks to my Menevian friends who alerted me to the letter......

OK, a good letter, whichever side of the fence you sit on.

But, it lacks one most important element; there is no mention of the Parish Priest, surely a lynch pin in all discussions and debates.

It would have been the decent thing to do for the Bishop to pay tribute to Fr Neil Evans without, in any way, favouring either party.

But, of course, I am never satisfied!

"Monumental arrogance by (the) Vatican"

Yes, it's another round in the Battle of Aberystwyth where the Bishop wants to sell off the old church and build a new one some way out of town - there's an analogy lurking there somewhere.

As I seem to come under sniping fire from some who uphold the Bishop's plans I am posting this extract from The Cambrian News verbatim, sans comments from me:-

This is monumental arrogance by Vatican

"HAVE A GUESS. A set of historic buildings in the Aberystwyth conservation area. A long-running row over whether they should be preserved or demolished. The claimed final decision - to pull them down – revealed to have been taken by someone who neither owns them, nor has ever seen them, nor is ever likely to. A decision taken by one Raymond Leo Burke, a 65-year-old American resident in Rome. True or false?
False, you hope? Sorry. It’s true. Add to that an unsettling irony. That the decision to smash up a piece of Aberystwyth’s history was taken, of all places, within the walls of a World Heritage Site.
I refer to the Palazzo della Cancelleria, a Medieval palace, part of the Vatican. And our Raymond Burke, who works for the Vatican, from his office within this well-conserved edifice, never for a moment, we may conclude, considering Aberystwyth’s heritage - before striking from his map the church of Our Lady of the Angels and St Winefride and its presbytery annexe.
This the 1870s complex in Queen’s Road - the first Catholic church to be built in Ceredigion since the Reformation – which should be preserved not only as a venerated place of worship and because of its place in history, but because its pleasing unpretentiousness, its green setting, and as it is an important part of Aberystwyth’s Victorian and Edwardian heritage. The diocesan bishop, Tom Burns, wants the site sold to developers because, he claims, it would cost too much to renovate the church, while parishioners insist restoration is entirely affordable.
That Raymond Burke has got involved may seem odd. But not when you remember that the Vatican always knows best. Even when it doesn’t. A wisdom previously thought to be confined to matters religious. Now revealed to extend beyond telling people where they should go to Mass – in a proposed new church in Penparcau – to approving the destruction of a historic Catholic church integral to the Aberystwyth conservation area. This is monumental arrogance.
Such weighty decision-making must of course be easier if you’ve got a weighty title. Like Raymond’s, which the Vatican thinks entitles him to make decisions affecting people and places he doesn’t know and never will. Burke is Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Note all those capital letters. Formerly Archbishop of St Louis, Missouri, before that a bishop in Wisconsin. Having shinned further up the ecclesiastical ladder, he is now a cardinal and the most senior official of the highest judicial authority of the Roman Catholic Church. One quakes.
No wonder Tom Burns, embracing the authoritarianism (sorry, solemnity) of Cardinal Burke’s edict, thought he’d include a bit of Latin in his letter telling parishioners of Rome’s sanctioning of demolition. “Roma locuta est. Causa finita est”, he thundered. Adding, sotto voce: “Rome has spoken. The case is finished”.
Burns is wrong. The case is not closed. He must agree to the reasonable request by opponents of demolition for their surveyors, and his, to discuss the condition of the buildings and restoration costs.
He must tell us why Aberystwyth’s parish priest, Neil Evans, wasn’t informed about a meeting between Burns and pro-demolition parishioners. Evans has now quit the diocesan board of trustees, saying he does not believe that “secret meetings (are) the best way forward.” He’s right.
Why is Tom Burns afraid of an open debate?"

My thanks to a Swansea friend for forwarding the extract.

Remember the one about the Bishop who wanted to sell off the old church?.....

....and build a new one well out of town, far from the hub of humanity?

I have posted on it before under the heading, The Battle Of Aberystwyth but, just to refresh memories in a few words:-

Bishop Thomas Burns of Menevia tried to move quickly to clinch a property deal that would net him some capital with which he would, presumably, aim to reduce the considerable debts of the Diocese as well as build a new church.

Some say, allegedly, that he moved a shade...um....er....snakily?
Is that the right word?
At any rate, those parishioners who are opposed to the move do say that (allegedly) not all was revealed when it should have been - I cannot verify that...my stance is one of being a reporter (not a journalist) and I am trying to present things as evenly as possible.

Some months ago the affair was placed before the Town Council who, also, came out unanimously, in favour of rejuvenating the old church and keeping the in town community together.

And now......the good parish priest, Fr Neil Evans, who was thrust into this row just as it was erupting, has written an open letter to the Bishop.

Here it is.

I leave you to draw your own conclusions:-

                                                                      3 September 2013

Dear Bishop Tom,

Thank you for visiting us at the weekend, for celebrating Mass, and for speaking to the congregation after each Mass about the future of the parish. Strong views were expressed on all sides but I feel that (in the meeting after the 11 o'clock Mass) a consensus began to form around the idea of setting up a forum of experts and interested parties to establish the facts (with the help of a newly commissioned independent structural survey) as the way forward to reconciliation and healing in the parish which clearly, and thankfully, is what everyone seems earnestly to desire. Let us pray that such an agreed course of action will indeed take place and that it will have the happy result of bringing us all closer together.

On a less happy note, I'm sorry to say that I was dismayed to learn that you recently arranged a meeting in Carmarthen with a small group of ("eight or nine") parishioners to discuss with them the way forward as a parish, without informing me of the meeting or inviting me to participate. If consulted, I would have pointed out the importance (pastorally) of avoiding the impression that the future (demolition) of St. Winefride's is being discussed (mainly or exclusively) only with members of Penparcau Church / Aberaeron Church, because (if true) this in itself would seem to confirm the lack of support from St. Winefride's.

This decision (not to inform me of the meeting) seems to me to indicate a certain lack of respect for me both as parish priest and as a Trustee of the Diocese, and I feel therefore that I have no choice but to press you to accept my resignation from the Board of Trustees which previously you declined to accept. I don't believe that having secret meetings with parishioners without informing the parish priest is the best way forward.

From the beginning of our discussions, Bishop Tom, on the future of the parish, I have consistently argued for openness, transparency and inclusivity — the importance of dialogue and of listening to, respecting and responding to all points of view.

Therefore, as you and the Vicar General know, for a long time I have been uncomfortable with the restrictions of so many confidential meetings, confidential letters and confidential conversations regarding the future of the church in Aberystwyth. I feel there is something unhealthy about so much secrecy. It creates suspicion and a lack of trust – as in the present case, as parishioners learn about this secret meeting in Carmarthen and want to know who was invited, how they were chosen and for what purpose.

As I have stated on several occasions, I feel that our situation in Aberystwyth would have been resolved much earlier, and more amicably, if as Trustees we had agreed to commission an independent structural survey to be carried out on St. Winefride's, and committed everyone to accepting the conclusions of such a survey as a basis for discussion.

As you know, I am also unhappy, indeed I was quite shocked, that Peter Lindsay arranged for the locks on the presbytery door in Aberystwyth to be changed (twice) without asking my permission as parish priest. Peter says he did this on his own authority. As I mentioned in my letter to Peter, although not an expert in Canon Law, I feel sure that such an (unauthorised) action is contrary to Canon Law.

As a Trustee, -have also been concerned that„. as Trustees we have-not been kept fully ______  informed of developments – for instance, it has recently come to my attention that, as Trustees, we have instructed a new firm (Asbri) to represent us in our dealings with Ceredigion County Council. This happened before the last Trustees' Meeting but we were not informed of this significant development, nor were we informed that a few days prior to our last meeting Aberystwyth. Town Council (unanimously) rejected the Diocesan plan to demolish St. Winefride's, and (unanimously) accepted the parishioners' plan to renovate and extend St. Winefride's. I do not understand this reluctance or failure (of our advisors) to keep the Board of Trustees fully informed, nor do I think that it is acceptable. Of course, the Council of Clergy is even less enlightened about the situation in Aberystwyth.

I realise that on the subject of Aberystwyth my voice has often been a lone, discordant, voice on the Board of Trustees, and I think therefore that it would be more congenial to replace me on the Trustees with someone who would be more sympathetic to Diocesan plans and procedures and so I resign from the Board of Trustees with immediate effect.

Once again, I thank my fellow Trustees for their confidence in me when inviting you to appoint me to the Board of Trustees in June 2010.

What do you call men who are disloyal to their leader?

Men who stab their general in the back; men who do not wait for the stage to be cleared before they put the boot in by talking of needing a change, of moving away from a 'conservative Church'

Would you place these men in that category? -



Cardinal Emeritus Cormac Murphy O'Connor    



                         
                                              Bishop Kieran Conry, Arundel & Brighton


Bishop Thomas Burns, Menevia             


Would you use these words to describe the character of any of the above?

Integrity/Faithful/Loyal/Obedient/Visionary/Decent/True

St Winefride's closure - the fight goes on

It's not often that you will see me featuring extracts from reportage in The T****t on this blog but they have commented on the struggle between Bishop Burns of Menevia and parishioners of St Winefride's Church in Aberystwyth.

In short, Bishop wishes to sell off this rather traditional church to property developers and build a new one some 1.5 miles out of town. I am told that only 8 or so parishioners are in favour of this plan, the rest, are firmly opposed.

Here is The Tablet's take on things:-

The Bishop of Menevia has hit back at complaints that a diocesan decision to demolish a parish church in Aberystwyth will injure the town's Catholic population.

Parishioners have lobbied Aberystwyth Town Council to oppose the demolition of Our Lady of the Angels and St Winefride's Church and have written to the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols.

But Bishop Tom Burns has told The Tablet that the building, which is still in use, is in such a state of disrepair that it is a danger to churchgoers and that the estimated cost of repair work would leave the parish with a debt in excess of £1m. The bishop said that the sale of the existing site would completely finance the construction of a new church, presbytery and hall on a different site in a neighbouring town.

Pithy, wouldn't you say?

The Victorian Society (I imagine gents in spats and toppers with heavy beards) is a little more wordy and it is interesting that they see something in this consecrated building that many others have overlooked:-

"The Victorian Society is concerned to hear that an application has been made for planning permission to demolish the Roman Catholic church of Our Lady of the Angels and St Winefride in Aberystwyth.

The church of Our Lady and St Winefride is handsome without ostentation, solidly built in local stone with a polychromatic slate roof. It is picturesquely matched to the next-door church house, the two buildings together making a dignified and high-quality contribution to the streetscape. Inside, the church features fine fixtures: a carved stone reredos by Boulton of Cheltenham, a stone pulpit and a drum font, in addition to stained glass.

Quite apart from its aesthetic merits, this church is of historical significance as (we understand) the first Catholic church built in Ceredigion since the Reformation. It also represents an important phase in the development of Aberystwyth, built as part of the town’s expansion as a seaside resort in the late nineteenth century. Its demolition would be a sad blow to Aberystwyth’s Victorian heritage.

That the church has not been accepted for listing by CADW is not an argument for its demolition. The criteria for listing are rigorous, intended to sift the very best examples of particular building types, and applied especially strictly to buildings erected after 1840. We would not try to claim that this church is one of the very finest in Wales; nevertheless, we have no hesitation in declaring it to be one of the finer buildings in Aberystwyth. It was built with a craftsmanship, and of materials, that one would be unlikely to meet with today; we find it difficult to believe that the housing development proposed to replace it will be of comparable quality. A new use can and should be found for this fine building. The application to demolish it should be refused".

I think that the Victorians put it rather well, don't you? As to the bit about "a new use" well, it could become a match for New Brighton in neighbouring Shrewsbury Diocese....but, I wouldn't count on it.

Would you destroy this church?

                  Not a bad looking church, some remedial work needed

Photo: The Laitytude Blog

Bishop Burns of Menevia is at the centre of yet another controversy (see links at end of post).

He wishes to sell off an old church in the seaside town of Aberystwyth and build a sparkly new one.

So what? Good for Bishop Burns you might say, others....well.

You see, the new church will be built (if the good Bishop has his way) at a place called Penparcau and that, my dear friends is further than you can throw a druid, from the town centre. Quite a bit further, some 1.5 miles further in fact.

So what, one might ask, will happen to the old and the infirm, the elderly and the lame?

The Bishop says they can get a bus as he will organise services around the bus timetables but, as anyone with any knowledge of Wales knows only too well, rural buses on a Sunday are as rare as an EF Mass - and that means, pretty rare!

Again, Bishop Burns flags up the Health and Safety aspect of continuing to use the old church, plus the fact that it will cost £2.6 million to do it up.

Really?.......run that past me again my Lord.......2.6 million pounds? my builder Mike would do the job for a couple of thousand and, (I state this with no knowledge of the building other than reports received from those who should know and from observing the pics plus a little knowledge of renovation costs) a larger building company would, I am pretty certain, do a complete renovation for circa 200k.

What is it? A new roof, yes, a bit of structural reinforcing? yes, re-wiring and a new heating system? OK and then a coat of paint - job done!

Of course, there is the issue of the site of the present church, St Winefride's, being a high value bit of real estate....but don't let's go there....yet.

An overriding sadness regarding this issue is that there seems to be a split between those who want to stay and those who wish to go. I have no knowledge of how many there are in either faction; in a way, it doesn't matter.
The main issue is, to ensure that the old and the infirm etc., are still able to attend Sunday Mass as normal.

But the Bishop is reported by the BBC as stating that those who are for the move should get the others to pack it in. That would seem to be more than a tad divisive.

Here is how the Beeb reported on the matter - it's transcript so please bear with the format:


In a pastoral message, Bishop Burns, who is based in Swansea, said the church was not fit for purpose and could be closed on health and safety grounds.
Plans are to demolish St Winefride's and sell the land for housing.

"Tell the protesters politely to back off. Speak to them, or write to them”

 Quoted Bishop Thomas Burns.

In a message to parishioners Bishop Burns said a small number of objectors had already contributed to the project's heavy costs of £100,000.

He said: "My dear people, the above tactics that the protesters have used, including petitions and submissions to their local councillors, have brought us to a serious moment.
"Throughout these last few years, the structure of St Winefride's church has continued to weaken. It is in such a bad state that our insurers can no longer provide suitable cover for the deteriorating walls and roof if they should collapse.
"I am increasingly concerned about health and safety matters. Masonry and other bits and pieces have been coming down. I may soon have to make a decision about closing the church, to prevent risks to life and limb."
The church site in Queen's Road, which includes a dilapidated parish hall and presbytery, would cost the diocese more than £2.6m renovate, added the bishop.

But objectors claimed they had been shown no evidence the church was structurally unsound.
Appealing to his parishioners, Bishop Burns added: "Tell the protesters politely to back off. Speak to them, or write to them.
"You know who they are, and you also know that they do not represent your parish. They have contributed to the heavy costs that have already been incurred, amounting to over £100,000.
"Please tell them that enough is enough. They risk leaving Aberystwyth with no Catholic parish church at all."

Objectors said moving the church out of the town centre to Penparcau would make it difficult for older members of the congregation to attend services.

But the bishop said church services would be tailored to bus schedules, where possible.
An objector to plans for St Winefride's, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "The old church (St Winefride's), which has been there since the 1870s, is planned to be demolished because they say it's not fit for purpose. Some parishioners go along with this and others do not.
"We don't want the church to move out of the town centre."
The objector also questioned whether the church was structurally unsound although agreed it was in need of repair.


I don't think that saying "Tell them to politely back off, is a very good thing to say in the circumstances.

And to follow it through with a threat to the effect that the whole issue might end in no parish church whatsoever for Aberystwyth is just plain nonsense.

Aberystwyth is a fine seaside town with a resident population of c. 13,500 souls, a number that dramatically swells with the University students that live in the town, to around 21,500.

If you estimate the Catholic population (based very roughly on the information available online) as being a 5% average for England and Wales, that leaves Aberystwyth with some 1075 Catholics, not a bad sized parish for a Welsh rural town.

So, to talk of leaving them stranded without a church.....well, what do you think?

And, as far as arranging Mass times around the bus schedules I leave you with an extract from an online guide to the town:


Buses in Aberystwyth are a shambles: local operators change routes and times every few months with little or no notice. Even basic passenger information is lacking at bus stops. Taxi, walking or private car is usually less troublesome.

So, the best of British with that one, Bishop.



Links of interest:

* Traditionalists linked to paedophilia HERE
* British Government fails to provide for the troops HERE

The first Ordinariate for Wales

Father Brian Gill, former Vicar General of the Traditional Anglican Church will be ordained by the Bishop of Menevia, Thomas Burns, on Saturday 21st July in the cluster parish of Presteigne, Rhayader and Knighton.

A small number of community members forming what is believed to be the first Welsh Ordinariate will join with Fr Gill on the day.

Remember Fr Gill and the Welsh Ordinariate in your prayers please, especially on this feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel - the following prayer may be said as a novena on behalf of the Ordinariate:

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succour me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (3 times)
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3 times)

Of course, this will be the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham but.......dare I suggest.....

.......that it should really be the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Cardigan as this shrine has equal standing to Walsingham and is, of course, the National Shrine of Wales.......but then, it is a long way from major cities, fast trains and motorways (!) 

The 'forgotten' shrine of Wales, Our Lady
of Cardigan - National Shrine

How we celebrated the great feast in Wales!

The mother church of the Diocese of Menevia is St Joseph's Cathedral, Swansea where, on the feast of Corpus Christi sung Mass was celebrated with great reverence and piety.

The celebrant was Diocesan Co-ordinator for the EF Mass, Fr Jason Jones and the choir was The Newcastle Emlyn Schola.

Among the altar servers was one seminarian and one prospective candidate for the FSSP - all served beautifully.

Here are some extracts from the Mass; at present in still form, once I discover how to download the videos I will post those.

The Mass itself lived up to Fr Faber's description of the Tridentine Latin Mass as being "the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven".

291 and still counting!

A massive 'thank you' to all those who have responded to my request for a rosary (or Memorare) to be said for the intercession of Our Lady of the Taper at Cardigan, for the return of the Tridentine Latin Mass to this part of West Wales.

291 rosaries or equivalent have been pledged and these will be laid at the feet of Our Blessed Mother at Cardigan on Sunday 4th December at 3pm - the last Mass to be celebrated here at the National Shrine of Wales - stunning isn't it?

Surely the National Shrine should
have a regular Latin Mass?

Furthermore - the rosaries offered will form a spiritual bouquet that will be presented to the Bishop of Menevia, Bishop Thomas Burns for both his personal intentions and for the return of the Mass.

Brick by brick, rosary by rosary, the Mass will return - but, a few more rosaries would be much appreciated - please email 1 or whatever number you wish to donate (1 is good) to: r.collinsassoc@btinternet.com or, leave a note in my comment box.

We, the members of The Confraternity of the Holy Cross, will have a Mass said for the intentions of all donors - thank you!