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.                        

Our Lady of Cardigan

Tomorrow, Sunday 2nd September, is the occasion of the LMS Pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Taper in Cardigan, come one come all.

Devotions begin at 2pm and Mass in the Extraordinary Form at 3pm.

It is the orthodox Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Wales....yet.....how many people will attend?

Should pilgrimages be judged on the numbers of the Faithful that attend?

Perhaps not, but they should be judged on the amount of effort put in place to ensure that all are informed as to the event.

If you are within one or two hundred miles of Cardigan tomorrow, join us in giving homage to Our Lady and her Blessed Son - and bring a packet of biscuits or a swiss roll!

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

National Shrine to Our Lady closed!

 I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SHRINE IS NOW OPEN DAILY!

What Lourdes? No!

Fatima then? No again!

Walsingham? No, of course not.......it's WALES!

Sad but true. The National Shrine of Wales, Our Lady of the Taper, open to receive pilgrims daily since the 14th century has now locked its doors except at weekends and when a Mass is celebrated.

That means that, if you happen to be passing through the peaceful rural town of Cardigan and wish to pray your respects to Our Lady of the Taper - tough luck!

The reasons for locking the doors to the church and shrine are not clear.
Cardigan has always been a quiet non violent sort of place and the shrine is a short step out of the town centre, away from any pubs and bars.

So why close the shrine?

  



The Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord:
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour
Because He hath regarded the lowliness of His handmaid: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation until generations, to them that fear Him.
He hath showed might with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the lowly.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy:
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

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!

A tragedy unfolds.....join with us if you are able

If you cannot be physically present at the National Shrine of Wales on Sunday 4th December at 3pm, then please remember us in your prayers....we few, we unhappy few, we band of brothers and sisters.

What is the occasion?

Why so pale and grim?

It will be the last EF Mass to be celebrated in West Wales - the end of a brief era that came in like a lion after Summorum Pontificum and now, goes out like a....well it goes out with its head held high at least.



RIP in West Wales!



There will be a Missa Cantata sung by the excellent schola that grew in voice and stature after 14th September 2007 and I have no doubt that the faithful band of brothers and sisters, the lay members of the Confraternity of the Holy Cross and members of the LMS will turn out in honour of Our Lady of the Taper.

After that date the nearest Mass will be around 70 miles distant, that may not sound too much, I am sure for those souls in Middlesborough, Portsmouth and elsewhere who have similar or even further distances to travel.
But it is a massive loss for those of us residing in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

How you can help us

Please pledge a rosary for the cause of the Tridentine Latin Mass returning to West Wales and, in particular, for the Mass to return to the shrine of Our Lady of the Taper - we do not need money, just a pledge of your prayers
Please send me an email just stating 1, 2 or however many rosaries you can afford.....send it to r.collinsassoc@btinternet.com

The pledges will be placed at the feet of Our Lady of the Taper at the National Shrine of Wales, Cardigan on Sunday 4th December and then sent to our Bishop, Bishop Thomas Burns in the form of a spiritual bouquet and petition.

Wherever you are in the world, please add your rosaries to our list, thank you.