Technology...

Unfortunately, computers aren't very tolerant of human frailty

I seem to have had some problems with the internet over the last few days.

First, I seem to have got something wrong with the scheduling on this blog, and managed to publish a post on Our Lady's Birthday several days in advance of when it was intended: I have now deleted it and will publish a new version tomorrow. Apologies if I confused anyone.

Also, I have been losing my internet connection quite a lot, sometimes at critical moments, but seems to be all right now.

Have run antivirus just in case, but I suspect there may be an element of 'human error' on my part, as I have been very tired due to a busy start of a new term at work, and probably pressed something by mistake when half-asleep.

Feast of St. Pius X

Happy Feast!

London Churches 8 - The London Oratory

Exterior of the Oratory

Having spent some time looking at the Catholic churches of the West End, Holborn and the City, I have decided to move to the other side of London, to Kensington, and consider what is perhaps the grandest of the London Catholic churches, the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, better known as the Brompton (or correctly, London) Oratory. This very large and imposing building is located in the heart of the 'museum district' of South Kensington, and is, arguably, their equal in terms of the artistic treasures it contains (I would say it is superior, as these treasures are still being used for their intended purpose of Divine Worship and Devotion, rather than the slightly melancholy spectacle of liturgical artifacts sealed up in glass cases, never to be used again, such as we see in the neighbouring V&A Museum).

 

The Interior

The London Oratory was founded in 1849 by a number of clergy who had initially joined the then recently-established Bimingham Oratory, founded by the Blessed John Henry Newman. Most notable among these was Fr. Frederick William Faber, noted hymn writer, preacher and spiritual writer, who became the first Provost of the London community. In keeping with the Oratorian principles laid down by St. Philip Neri which involved mission to urban areas, the first London Oratory was located in a former commercial premises near Charing Cross (its previous uses have been described as a whisky-store, gin shop an dance hall). In 1852, a new site was puchased on what was then the edge of the city, in a small village called Brompton, near Kensington. A house and temporary church were built, and an appeal was started to fund a permanent structure.

 



Fr. Faber

The present church was designed by Herbert Gribble, and was the largest Catholic church in London until the building of Westminster Cathedral in 1903. The cupola stands some 200 feet in height.

 

The Sanctuary, during celebrations for Newman's Beatification

Perhaps the greatest stroke of genius was to build in a Baroque style at the height of the Gothic Revival in architecture. At this time, many churches on the continent (particulary in Italy) were being rebuilt or re-ordered in the prevailing fashion, and many Baroque altars and other features were being ripped out and sold at knock-down prices. The Oratorians took advantage of this market in 'architectural salvage', and this has resulted in many of the fine elements installed in the church.

 

The Lady Altar
(former High Altar remove from an Italian church)

The new statue of St. Wilfred

 The tradtion of installing fine artwork in the Oratory contiues to this day, with recent developments being the new chapel of Blessed John Henry Newman, a new Calvary statue, and a new statue of St.Wilfred for the chapel dedicated to him.

The Calvary

The Newman Chapel

 

 

 

St. Wilfred's Chapel was, for many years, used by the late Monsignor Alfred Gilbey, the formidable fomer Chaplain of Cambridge Universiy, who celebrated Mass there in the Usus Antiquior each morning.

 

Monsignor Gilbey

The building to the left of the courtyard in front of the clergy house contains the Little Oratory, a chapel associated with a pious confraternity, the Brothers of the Little Oratory, laymen who work in association with the Fathers in a similar way to Oblates or Tertiaries.

Statue of Newman in his Cardinal's robes outside the Little Oratory

 

Interior of the Little Oratory

I tend to call in to the Oratory for a time of prayer and refection when I am in South Kensington, usually when I have been to one of the museums. One of the Oratorian Fathers, Fr. Patrick Doyle, is an old friend from university days, and I will also sometimes pay him a call, if he is in. Please pray for Fr. Doyle, as he is now suffering from severe problems with his eyesight, and is close to blindness.

 

Quarant'ore at the Oratory

Please visit the Oratory website, for lots more information than I can include in this, already quite long, post.

 

Altar of the English Martyrs in St.Wilfred's Chapel

There are a number of rather good restaurants in the area, and I would suggest seeking out one for lunch if you ever attend a Sunday morning Mass at the Oratory (the 9 a.m. Mass in celebrated in the Usus Antiquior, and the 11 am Mass is a Solemn Latin Novus Ordo Mass, done very well - all the Masses are said Ad Orientem, as the sanctuary has never been re-ordered). I am afraid I can't make any specifc recommendations, as the little Italian place I used to go to closed a number of years ago, but you are sure to find somewhere good.

 

Altar of St. Philip Neri

Our Lady, conceived without sin, pray for us.
St. Philip Neri, pray for us.
Blessed John Henry Newman, pray for us.

The Credo again

Rgarding the discussion about chant settings for the Credo, which has recently been taking place between myself and Zephyrinus, here are two further, less well-known settings given in the Liber Usualis.

You are probably unlikely to here these very often, unless you have a knowlegeable choir or schola in your parish. I think both these settings are rather beauiful.

Credo II

 

 

Credo IV

 

 

 

 

 



Catholic Hymn - Who is She that Stands Triumphant?

I was really pleased to find a video featuring this old hymn about the glories of the Catholic Church.

They don't write like this any more.

Credo I

I see that Zephyrinus has just put up a post about the Nicene Creed, and has included a Youtube video of the chant for Credo III (usually sung in conjunction with Mass VIII - the Missa de Angelis).

Not to be outdone, here is my reply - Credo I, as typically sung with most of the other Mass settings.

London Churches 7 - St. Mary Moorfields

Entrance to the church

St. Mary Moorfields is the only Catholic Church which actually lies within the boudaries of the Square Mile of the City of London. The modest entrance, set among a row of shops close to Liverpool Street Station, hides a most magnificent interior.

Church Interior

The following history is taken from the parish website:

The roots of the parish of St Mary Moorfields go back to several chapels that sprang up in the area in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Catholic worship in those days was illegal.
The chapels were known locally as ‘Penny Hotels’, as people had to pay a penny to a man behind a grill in the door before they were allowed in.
These were hard times for Catholics. In 1736, for example, the Gordon Rioters attacked the chapel in Ropemakers Alley, ripping out its altar, fittings and crucifixes. Following the Catholic Relief Act of 1791, Catholics were permitted to worship in public. And in 1820 the first church of St Mary Moorfields opened in Finsbury Circus. As the permanent seat of the Vicar Apostolic, it served as Cardinal Wiseman's pro-cathedral from 1850 to 1869.
The church was pulled down in 1899 and replaced by the present church in Eldon Street, which was opened on 25th March 1903. The architect was George Sherrin, who also designed the dome of the London Oratory as well as several Underground stations.

The Sanctuary

 Perhaps the most striking features of this beautiful church are the classical columns framing the Sanctuary, and the High Altar, modelled in the form of a sarcophagus to recall the ancient practice of celebrating Mass on the tombs of martyr-saints in the catacombs of Rome (the reason why Saints' relics are enclosed in, and sometimes also placed upon, the altars of Catholic Churches).

The High Altar on Good Friday

 

St. Mary Moorfields has, in recent years, become another church supportive of the Usus Antquior Mass, thanks largely to the help of the current Parish Priest, Canon Peter Newby.

Canon Newby

 For several years now, the church has hosted the Latin Mass Society's Holy Week liturgies, which were previously held at Maiden Lane.

Easter Vigil 2011, with some familiar faces


 

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis.