Holywell - a step closer to heaven

    The Shrine of St Winefride - Virgin and Martyr

Last Sunday's pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Winefride in North Wales was, as well as being a spiritual journey in the manner of all good pilgrimages, a profound and uplifting experience.

Organised by the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales it attracted an estimated 400 people whom, as well as attending to their duties as pilgrims also wished to attend the Pontifical High Mass offered by 62 year old Bishop Fernando Areas Rifan, Apostolic Administrator of the Personal Apostolic Administration of St Jean Marie Vianney, from Campos, Brazil.                                                                                      
An interesting choice of celebrant as Bishop Rifan was, at one time, "separated" from Holy Mother Church and aligned with the SSPX. He and his Diocese returned to the fold (some might say that he had never left it) in or around the year 2004 and he was then subjected to cries of "traitor" from Bishop Fellay and others within the Society.
The Bishop remains a controversial figure as far as traditionalists are concerned but, after witnessing his devout manner and mellifluous voice and hearing his beautifully articulated sermon, there could be few who would doubt his loyalty to Rome and to tradition.

A great and holy man - Bishop Rifan

In a packed church and on a sanctuary jam packed with Canons, Monsignors, Priests and altar servers, the Mass began.
The Manchester Mozart Schola sang Wolfgang's Coronation Mass and it was rich and beautiful to the extreme; indeed, so much so that it actually became a distraction from the all important proceedings. But a magnificent distraction for all of that.

Mrs Linen and 3 of our group 

In his Sermon, the Bishop uttered the immortal words: "It is not our Mass it is the Lord's Mass" Another way of saying "Don't mess with this it is not within your remit". I am sure the LMS will be publishing the full text so I will not attempt to recall the full homily, suffice to say that it was brief and to the point; two essentials for a sermon that few observe.

The mini bus carrying the bulk (13 of us all told) of the Confraternity of the Holy Cross from Menevia Diocese made an arduous journey from the Shrine of Our Lady of the Taper in Cardigan to the Shrine of St Winefride in Holywell. From the West of Wales to the North.

To those unfamiliar with the geography of Wales let me say that it is not a great distance; maybe 130 or possibly, 140 miles. But the route or routes are winding and up hill and down dale and it took us the best part of 6 hours including a break for a most unhealthy intake of junk food.

Destined for greater glory - 2 deacons and 1 seminarian. Ranaldo
from Brazil and Francisco and Gustavo from Mexico

Some five or six other members of the Confraternity travelled independently so our numbers rose to just about 5% of the assembly.

After Mass we processed from the church down the hill towards the medieval holy well and the actual shrine. As we went we recited the Rosary and crammed (those of us in the forefront) into the well house where the shrine is located.

The Rosary procession to the Shrine

There, beneath the shrine we were able to sing a  hymn to St Winefride (a somewhat modern one I believe but none the worse for that) and individually venerate the relic of the holy saint.

And what pilgrimage would be
complete without  white doves?

Then, as we filed past after the veneration we were able to kneel and kiss His Lordship's ring, an act designed to cause any modernist to have an attack of the vapours.

Bishop Rifan chatting to Joe Shaw of the LMS

Some observations on the day: it was well organised by the LMS and full credit to them. It would have been good if the Mass pamphlet that was issued had carried details of the schola and some attention to proof reading would have been worthwhile, especially as "God" was misspelt. But these are niggles viewed within the full framework of the day.

All in all there cannot have been many (or any) who wound their weary way home without feeling that they had taken part in one of the Church's great events and were one step closer to heaven as a result.

I remembered all of you collectively in my prayers and intentions and, as many as my shrinking brain would allow, I remembered by name.

And thank you to Brian of Umblepie blog for the words and music to a slightly more traditional version of a hymn to St Winefride; it would be good to restore it to the hymn sheets for future pilgrimages. When I learn how to save and copy it I will reproduce it.

Afterwards, pilgrims flocked to the healing waters
of the holy well

A step closer to Holywell

And, on our way there, tomorrow,  in our medieval minibus, we shall sing hymns and say the Rosary and indulge in some good Catholic humour (in the manner of medieval pilgrims).
This is a beautiful piece although, I suspect, we shall be more in the 'Faith of Our Fathers' neck of the woods.

I found this hymn to St Winefride in an old Westminster Hymnal....no idea as to the music, but it tells her story rather well:


                                                            ST WINEFRIDE

More fair than all the vernal flowers

Embosom'd in the dales,

St Winefride in beauty bloom'd,

The rose of ancient Wales.

With every loveliest grace adorn'd,

The Lamb's unsullied bride,

Apart from all the world she dwelt

Upon this mountainside.

Caradoc then, with impious love,

Her fleeing steps pursued,

And in her sacred maiden blood

His cruel hands imbrued.

He straight the debt of vengeance paid,

Ingulf'd in yawning flame;

But God a deed of wonder work'd

To her immortal fame.

For where the grassy sward received

The martyr's sever'd head,

This holy fountain upward gush'd,

Of crystal vein'd with red.

Here miracles of might are wrought;

Here all diseases fly;

Here see the blind, and speak the dumb,

Who but in faith draw nigh.

Assist us, glorious Winefride,

Dear virgin, ever blest!

The passions of our hearts appease,

And lull each storm to rest.

Sacred and ancient - the Lourdes of Wales

Yup, the Confraternity of the Holy Cross (some 10 or 12 of us)  is off, on Sunday, to Holywell to join the LMS annual Pilgrimage.

This holy place is also called the Lourdes of Wales and I hope to be able to dip my toe in the water (no time for a full Lourdes type plunge, I'm afraid - Deo gratias).

I shall pray for you all here, especially Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma members and Charlie J.

The five minute pilgrimage

Today we visited Cardigan, a small town on the far West coast of Wales. Famous for......um.....er.... of course! The famous Cardiganshire Corgi, a dog trained to herd cattle.

But Cardigan is also famous as the home of the National Shrine of Wales, that of Our Lady of the Taper and it has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century, maybe longer.

So, on this bright and sunny day we set off to visit good Catholic friends in the vicinity but stopped off first to pay our respects to Our Blessed Mother and to leave a few of our troubles and woes at her feet (and to pray for all Catholic bloggers).

I am happy to report that the Shrine looks good despite the fact that it is located in a 1970s designed church that owes much to the NCP Car Park style of architecture rather than the baroque or gothic.

Most important of all, the statue of Our Lady, candle in hand and the infant Christ cradled in her other arm, looked good, we felt as though we had returned home.

And then, after our five minute pilgrimage we were off to meet our friends in a local hostelry and to engage in Catholic badinage - as has been the custom of Catholic pilgrims since the time of Chaucer.

Did we get that the right way round? Five minutes for Our Lady and her Divine Son and a couple of hours down the pub?

Maybe, maybe not but, as we are off to the LMS Pilgrimage to Holywell as part of The Confraternity of the Holy Cross on 1st July, I thought that Our Lady would be as understanding as all mothers are and bear with us in our weakness.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU HAVE A DEVOTION TO OUR LADY, PLEASE USE THIS PICTURE ON YOUR SIDEBAR TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS SHRINE WHICH IS SECOND ONLY TO WALSINGHAM IN ENGLAND AND WALES. 

 IT MATTERS NOT IF YOU LIVE IN ENGLAND, THE USA OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

                                  Shrine Prayer

                   My soul glorifies the Lord,

               Henceforth all ages will call me Blessed.

                The Almighty works marvels for me:

                           Holy His name.

                   Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

              Be it done unto me according to your word.

Father, Your Son Jesus born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit is the Light of the world. May the same Spirit lead us to imitate Mary’s faith love and humility, that, guided by her example, we may follow the light of her Son on our Journey through life and come at last to see you as you are, and praise you in the everlasting kingdom of heaven.

Amen

Holy Mary Mother of God, you offer your Son for our adoration

May we too treasure His word in our hearts and help bring His light.

              Our Lady of Cardigan         Pray for Wales

              Our Lady of Cardigan         Pray for us

A little begging is good for one's soul

On that premise, therefore, here goes.

The Confraternity of the Holy Cross is a group of circa 50 laymen and women and a few priests who strive to support the development of the traditional liturgy and the EF Mass here in wet and windy South & West Wales.

So how do we do that? Well, fairly informally it has to be said. We do not have a structure really other than a priest at the helm appointed by the Bishop to be Diocesan Co-ordinator for the EF.

But we do provide information as to Mass times and locations, we raise funds for Priest Training as organised by the Latin Mass Society and we are in the throes of launching our own blog in order to keep our members supplied with news of global Catholic events. Our members, or some of them, have independently formed a fine choir.

But...we do need a few things such as vestments, especially maniples, bourses and altar veils; in fact we can fruitfully use any materials used at a TLM.

If you can help, please contact me on r.collinsassoc@btinternet.com

Father, Father, wherefore art thou?

We are looking for a priest and, get this, he must be a modern priest, not one who celebrates the Tridentine Latin Mass.



Sorry Romeo, I was actually
looking for a Catholic priest!


The poor old boy has finally cracked I hear you say: He's a few beads short of a decade, but please hear me out.

Here in dry old Menevialand we only have two brace (or less) of priests who are able to celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Now, I don't know the square mileage of the Diocese but it must run into something like a modest 5,000 square miles...that means we only have .00001 of a Latin Mass priest per acre (don't try to check the maths!).

So, in the aftermath of our good Bishop Thomas Burns appointing Fr Jason Jones as EF Mass Coordinator for the Diocese, a most wise move, we now have a lay group called The Confraternity of the Holy Cross whose aim it is in life to support the few priests we have, pray on behalf of the Bishop and to aid the development of the Latin Mass in the Diocese.

Some in the CHC have been very busy and aided the recent and magnificent Corpus Christi Mass and procession, others support with the daily Fraternity prayer (We adore Thee O Christ and we praise Thee, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the World) and some, great souls have even chipped in a few pounds (quite a few in some instances) to a special fund to help priests in the Diocese learn how to celebrate the EF Mass. This does not cut across Latin Mass Society work, in fact, it complements it as we plan to assign priests on to the LMS Training Programme. In fact, LMS members might be more forthcoming with donations to the training fund if they knew that the money they raised would go towards supporting a priest from their own Diocese, but I digress.

So far we have raised the sum of £305 - Huzzah! That means we can send 1.24 priests for training, although we might wait until we have a round £500 and send two whole ones!

Now we hit the rockface - are there any priests out there who wish to put themselves forward? It would be especially good if we had one from the Western boundaries of the Diocese as this is Indian country (literally) as far as the old Mass is concerned. We have Mass in the Syro-Malabar rite and we have it in Polish, Tagalog and even Welsh (attended by 2 people and one sheepdog) - I jest - please don't burn me out! But we do not have, or at least only on a wobbly once a month basis, the Latin Mass.

It is a big problem......some priests just do not wish to go down that route and I respect their wishes but believe them to be wrong; some are too immersed in their Indian or Phillipino culture and some, I suspect, would like to do it but are a bit concerned about how they will be perceived by their fellow priests, Deans (especially the Deans) and, possibly, the Bish.

That leaves us up whatsit creek without a paddle - so please pray that we find a priest who will shoulder the cross and go forward to be trained.
Would you please offer a Rosary for this cause?

It will, as my mother used to say when one of us had to undertake some chore or other: "Put another jewel in your crown in Heaven"