The Archbishop of Liverpool celebrates Requiem Mass for the Order

Early in November members and friends of the Order gathered in the Chaplain General's church of St Catherine Labouré in Leyland, Lancashire to celebrate Requiem Mass for deceased members and friends of the Order and for parishioners of the parish.

We were delighted that the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Rev Malcolm McMahon, OP was with us to celebrate the Mass.

The church prepared for Mass

Members gather to process in.

The members process in 

accompanied by the pipes played by Chev. William Hackett KLJ MMLJ.

Servers from the parish  were marshalled by MC Mr Charles Bradshaw.

Chaplain General for Great Britain,Rev. Fr. Simon Henry ECLJ GOMLJ, 

reads out a letter of thanks sent by Cardinal Duka, 

welcoming his fellow Dominican, the Archbishop of Liverpool.

The Archbishop processed in to Sacerdos et Pontifex 

by Peter Smedley

(a previous Director of Music at St Barnabas Cathedral Nottingham

 - the Archbishop's former Diocese)

His Grace, the Archbishop 

is assisted by two Chaplains of the Order, 

Fr Aldo Tapparo and Fr William Charlton.

The music was chosen by Chev. Anthony Dickinson KLJ, 

who arranged a superb Schola to lift our hearts in prayer,

 including Missa pro defunctis by Giovanni Francesco Anerio (c. 1567 –1630)

as the Mass setting.

Fr Tapparo reads the Epistle.

Archbishop Malcolm preaching.

Absolutions over the catafalque.

.Libera me Domine by Colin Mawby b. 1936 

(written for the occasion of the Requiem Mass of H.E. William Cardinal Godfrey in 1963)

IN PARADISUM from the Requiem in D Minor by Gabriel Faure (1845 – 1924)

May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your arrival

The Grand Prior and members process out after Mass.

We gathered afterwards in the St John Paul Room for a convivial meal.

Prayers for France

The Chaplain General will offer Mass today for the repose of the souls of those murdered in Paris.

Requiescant in pace.

Meeting in Amsterdam

The Grand Priory of the Netherlands held a Vigil and Investiture ceremonies this weekend in Amsterdam, whilst also hosting the international meeting of the Governing Council of the Order.

The Vigil Service was held in the charming surroundings of the Church of Our Dear Lord in the Attic

(Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder), a 17th-century canal house, now a museum but with a still functioning chapel in the attic. The chapel was built on the top three floors of the canal house during the 1660s; an important example of a "schuilkerk", or "clandestine church," in which Catholics from the seventeenth century, unable to worship in public, held secret services. 

 The Grand Master and members gathering for the Vigil.

 Leaving the canal house for dinner at the Grand Hotel.

 Visiting members of the Order from the Grand Priory of Great Britain.

Members of the Grand Council spent the following day in meetings until the evening when we gathered for the Investiture of new members for the Grand Priory of the Netherlands at the English Reformed Church. 

 The Grand Master addresses the congregation.

Afterwards we went by canal boat to the Gala Dinner at the Hotel L'Europe

 

The Grand Master and some of the Heads of Jurisdiction at the Dinner.

 Members enjoying the excellent dinner!

Limbless Veterans Donation

Representing the Grand Prior and the Grand Priory of Great Britain, the Chaplin General, Fr Simon Henry, presented a cheque for £1,000 to the Elizabeth Frankland Moore Home in Blackpool. It is run by BLESMA - the British Limbless Veterans Association. The Home in Blackpool is comfortable and spacious, with expert care for 20 residents and space for another 20 visitors. Blesma bought the large house in 1949, and ever since it has provided exciting adventure breaks, quiet holidays, and first-class residential care,

 The Chaplain General presents a cheque for £1,000 to Jacqui Longden, the Manager of the Home.

Being able to support the work of BLESMA, with its association of veterans from the forces and care for their needs seemed particularly appropriate for the Order's military and hospitaller tradition.

Some of the residents in the bar - Note their own chosen name for the  bar!

BLESMA supports limbless veterans and their families up and down the country, with support, counselling, grants, employment and prosthetics.

Cardinal Paskai's Funeral

 

 

Some photographs of Cardinal Paskai's funeral on 22nd August at the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed Into Heaven and St Adalbert, Esztergom, Hungary.  It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest.  

Requiescat in pace.

Atavis et Armis!

 

 

The altarpiece (13.5 × 6.6 metres) depicting the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by Girolamo Michelangelo Grigoletti, is the largest painting in the world painted on a single piece of canvas.