Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday, 11 July 2010

Extraordinary Form Mass at SS Gregory and Augustine

A slightly different routine this morning as I was off to north Oxford - that fabled place - to serve the Extraordinary Form Mass at SS Gregory and Augustine. Periodically the parish priest, Fr John Saward, celebrates the main Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and for that he needed extra servers. I volunteered, and so, cassock in hand, I traveled up the Woodstock Road. The Mass was well attended, not just by afficionados, but mainly by the regular congregation as far as I could tell. This augers well for the widening use of the usus antiquior. There was Gregorian chant provided by Dr Shaw and his musician friends.

By a happy coincidence in this week's Catholic Herald there is an article about the work of the Gillick family in the new scheme of decoration of the altar in SS Gregory and Augustine, which has been in the process of installation over the last eighteen months. This can be found here.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am pleased to read about the ever improving SS Gregory & Augustine, and have even mentioned it on my own blog.

15 July 2010 at 12:22

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