Tuesday 29 August 2017

High Mass for 2017

Chaplains leading the Vigil Service. 



Not all the members were sitting in the congregation!

Conf. and Cons. David and Teresa O'Neill.



We offered Mass in the Traditional Form. 
A Votive Mass of Our Lady of Ransom,
a wonderful title,
also known as Our Lady of Mercy.
The Blessed Virgin appeared in 1218 in separate visions to St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymond of Penafort and James, king of Aragon, asking them to found a religious order dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the barbarous Saracens or Moors, who at the time held a great part of Spain. On August 10, 1218, King James established the royal, military and religious Order of our Lady of Ransom (first known as the Order of St. Eulalia, now known as the Mercedarian Order), with the members granted the privilege of wearing his own arms on their breast. Most of the members were knights, and while the clerics recited the divine office in the commanderies, they guarded the coasts and delivered prisoners. This pious work spread everywhere and produced heroes of charity who collected alms for the ransom of Christians, and often gave themselves up in exchange for Christian prisoners. This feast, kept only by the Order, was extended to the whole Church by Innocent XII in the 17th century.

There exists in England today a Guild of Our Lady of Ransom. Its mission is three-fold:

1. The Conversion of England and Wales.
    “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”, Matthew 28:19.
2. The restoration of the lapsed.
      “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, 
        and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” Ezekiel 18:23
3. Prayer for the forgotten dead.
    “It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, 
that they may be loosed from sins.” 


The Grand Prior and the Priory were very pleased to be able to welcome to Mass 
the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Col. Alan Jolley and his wife, Mary.

Introibo ad altare Dei.

Confiteor.

Oremus.

Mass was celebrated by Chaplain, Fr Willaim Charlton
assisted by Chaplain Fr Mark Lawler 
and Canon Gwenaël Cristofoli, ICKSP, 
from the Shrine of St Walburge's in Preston.

Fr Lawler chants the Epistle.
Thanks to MC Mr Louis Sanzey, 
and also to the other altar servers who assisted so ably.


 
The Chaplain General Preaches the homily.


 
members in their mantles and the ladies in mantillas as well.

 Exuent omnes at the conclusion of the Mass.


 Conf. Brian Williamson is promoted to Chevalier.

Fr William Charlton is promoted to Senior Chaplain.

 Fr Mark Lawler is made a Commander of Merit.

Conf. Andrew McDermott is promoted to Serving Brother.

 Thanks to Chev. Anthony Dickinson for arranging the wonderful music
and to Mr David-Scott Thomas at the organ.
The Mass setting was a striking one,
Missa Secunda in B flat ‘In honorem Sancta Caeciliae' 
- Fr Joseph Egbert Turner 1853 - 97.



Luncheon was served in the splendid setting of Farington Lodge,
conveniently just next door to the church.

 Vice Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Col. Alan Jolley proposes the Loyal Toast.




 
Some of the members in church after Mass

 
And finally, no event would be complete without our Hospitaller, 
Chev. William Hackett,
who was also made a Commander of Merit this year.