FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OUR BLESSED PATRON SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

It was an especial joy this year that, exceptionally, the Holy Mass of Saint John's Day, the Feast of our heavenly Patron, was celebrated by a young priest, Father Gary Dench, ordained last Saturday, who was for several years an altar server in our Conventual Church, and who assisted with the Easter Triduum retreats there for a few years. Thus we are privilege to glimpse the flowering of the fruits of our sacred charism of Tuition Fidei.

Father Dench is a priest of Brentwood Diocese, and was ordained by Bishop Alan Williams. He was assisted at the altar by our Chaplain Fr Richard Biggerstaff and Fr Christian de Lisle, and the Assistant Priest (a privilege of First Masses) was Fr Luke Melcher, a colleague in Washington our former confrere Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth. The Mass was served by Father Dench's successors at our altars, Companions of our beloved Order, and it was impressive to see that, with only one exception (just), all on the altar were under 40 years old! Fr Biggerstaff preached a kindly and fraternal homily for his new brother priest.  It was a joy to see all these old friends of the Order with us on our Feast Day.

It was particularly delighted that we were joined by some of the new Dames and Knights who entered the Order at the Investiture Mass at the London Oratory last Friday, as well as by some of Fr Dench's priest friends.

The Mass was celebrated in the Forma Ordinaria of the Roman Rite, the music being Palestrina's Missa Brevis, and Descendit Angelus by Victoria. We are extremely grateful to the Choir and Director of Music, Mr Edward Tambling.

Mass was preceded by Veneration and Benediction of the Relic of St John the Baptist, given by Monsignor Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Father Dench gave First Blessings after the Mass.

The Mass was followed by a reception in the Challoner Room, with the obligatory delicious cake! 

We are very grateful to Fr Dench for the honour he pays us in bringing us the graces of his First Mass. Ad multos annos!

EWTN VIDEO OF CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION

Click HERE for the excellent video, with good interviews, which is on the EWTN Facebook page.

CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION

Once again members of the Grand Priory and British Association assisted with the 5th Annual Corpus Christi Procession between our two friendly parishes of St James Spanish Place and Our Lady of the Assumption Warwick Street, in which churches most of our Masses are offered during the year.

About 20 Knights and Dames processed – helping carry the canopy alongside the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, carrying banners and other duties. As in previous years, we were pleased to be joined by some knights from other Associations visiting London. Countless Companions helped the Parishes with serving, singing, marshalling and the organisation. This really is a wonderful outreach of our noble Order of which we can be truly proud. As one of our confreres has written to the organisers afterwards: "I was immensely grateful for the privilege of taking part, an experience which occasionally brought me close to tears." About 1,500 faithful processed in lovely sunshine, and the closing Benediction at Spanish Place was given by Monsignor Newton, following the rousing tones of Mendelssohn's Lauda Sion. The lovely video below captures this sublime moment. This procession responds directly to Cardinal Nichols' desire to promote Eucharistic Devotion in the Diocese, to which end he has also established the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament at Corpus Christi Maiden Lane, where Cardinal Arinze celebrated Pontifical Mass at the Throne last Thursday, in the Extraordinary Form. The Bishops conference website has photographs HERE.   Several members of the Order were present in the congregation.

EWTN were filming the Procession, so look out for their report.

PARIS - CHARTRES PILGRIMAGE

This Pentecost a group of 18 young (well, 80% so) Knights, Dames and Companions, together with our chaplain Fr Edmund Montgomery, set off at Pentecost on the annual Pilgrimage between Our Lady's ancient shrines.  We joined our French brethren in the chapter of Notre-Dame de Philerme.

Due to the devastation at Notre-Dame in Paris, the opening Mass, celebrated by Fr Julian Large of the London Oratory, was held in the renaissance and baroque splendour of Saint Sulpice.

fresh and keen in Paris...

a long road of prayer...

pious feet of a professed knight!

Holy Mass for the pilgrims in the crypt at Chartres on the day of departure.

As some readers will know, one of our pilgrims has a stoke during the pilgrimage, wonderfully looked after by the French Order of Malta hospitaller teams. Holy Mass was offered at his hospital bedside by Fr Montgomery.  Please pray for his recovery.

Those who have not come with us should seriously think of doing so next year, and we look forward to seeing again many old friends.

Notre-Dame de Philerme, priez pour nous!