THE SOCIETY OF MARY - North-West Ward of Our Lady of Victories Newsletter

“The Gospels do not explain the Resurrection; the Resurrection explains the Gospels. Belief in the Resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian Faith, it is the Christian Faith.”

Once more this Easter we have proclaimed our new life in the power of the Risen Christ. At the Easter Vigil we have taken part in the solemn ceremonies in which we reaffirmed our new life in Christ through the waters of Baptism. We joined in the Church’s great hymn of praise the “Exultet”. We have played our part in symbolising Christ’s power and love spreading into the world through the New Light. The church building which had seemed so dark and bare throughout Lent was again filled with light and colour. But what does all of this mean to us? Is it simply moving ceremonial (simple or more elaborate) or does it actually convey some deeper mystery – perhaps a change in our hearts and in our lives?

At the very heart of our Christian faith is the belief that we share new life in the Risen Christ. A rebirth which is expressed sacramentally in Baptism as we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, dying and rising with Christ. Yet it is belief in the Resurrection which many people find the hardest part of the Christian Faith. We can accept the majority of the Gospel message, but we baulk at this final redeeming action. Resurrection goes far beyond the bounds of human rationality and reason. Others of us use our belief in the rest of the Gospel message to bolster the weakness of our faith in the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. “If Jesus could say and do those other things then the Resurrection must have taken place”.

What we need to do is turn our understanding upon its head, for it is the Resurrection which makes sense of the Gospel. First because it is in the light of the Cross and Resurrection that the Gospel events achieve there full significance. They become signs of God’s Kingdom and the power revealed in Christ for all people, as well as signs which seek to authenticate Christ himself. Secondly it is in the Resurrection that we come to new life. A new life which makes our relationship with God living and dynamic based in our present experience of him and in our future hope as much as in the historical events of the Gospels.

I believe that one of the dangers which we face as Anglo Catholics as we try to make sense of our membership of the Church of England today is a tendency to base our life solely on historical events. This is not entirely our fault because we constantly see the Scriptures which are central to our faith compromised. Traditional Anglicanism is constantly under siege from the contemporary liberal agenda because it clearly is at variance with where the current power base of our Church now lies. Our position is not a comfortable place to be in or our theology in the van of fashionable religious debate. To espouse or defend the historic traditions of the Catholic Faith today has its own price to pay. One risk is to take on a siege mentality and retreat into negativity and all its perils. Our belief in the God of history needs to be balanced by our own on-going relationship with God in the “here and now” and that is secured through, personal, spiritual development. God’s revelation of himself did not stop two thousand years ago. He has continually been shaping peoples’ lives in every age and throughout the world ever since he was revealed. We can unknowingly become disciples of history rather than of the Risen Christ – God who lives in his people today and who is celebrated in our glorious Catholic Faith. We who followed Jesus to the cross in Holy Week discovered him alive and risen on Easter Day and living amongst us in the diversities of our daily lives.

Our hearts and minds should always be full of praise, for every day is Easter Day for us, as we seek to follow the example of the Risen Christ in whose presence and power we live, at all times.

As S. Jerome said “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!”

On behalf of the Officers and Committee of the North West Ward of the Society of Mary I wish you a Blessed and Joyful Eastertide.

The Easter proclamation is more familiarly referred to as the Exultet, from the first word of the Proclamation in Latin, which means “Rejoice”. It has often been said that the whole of our Christian faith, all theology and everything to do with Christian spirituality can be found in this text. Scholars can trace the text back, more or less to the seventh century. In other words the Exultet was ancient when the last millennium was celebrated! In our devotions this Eastertide nothing can be more valuable than to ponder these ancient phrases which are still alive with meaning in this Year of Our Lord 2005.

If you were lucky enough to hear it sung to its own proper chant (usually by the Deacon) you would hear one of the most haunting, evocative melodies in the Western liturgy.

Father, your steadfast purpose is the completion of all things in your Son. May we who have received the pledges of your kingdom, live by faith, walk in hope and be renewed in love, until the world reflects your glory and you are all in all; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen

The solemn season of Lent began well with the Lenten Devotion at S. Catherine’s Burnley. We were given three excellent addresses during the course of the afternoon using the Five Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary:

Our speakers were three priests from South Yorkshire. We are most grateful to Fr. Thompson (Thurnscoe), Fr. Marshall (Athersley) and Fr. Nicholson (Cudworth) for sparing the time from their busy parishes to be with us.

During the afternoon Fr. Croft led us through the Stations of the Cross. It was a moving sight to see the large numbers who shared in this great act of devotion. Special thanks to Fr. Parker for putting the church at our disposal and to Tina Wolstenholme for organising the Children’s Workshop. To all who contributed to the success of this event – our best thanks.

The ceremonies of Holy Week follow a very demanding schedule. So much is happening that it is almost overwhelming as the multifaceted drama unfolds before us. Holy Week is literally so busy that a focus on one aspect of the Passion can easily distract us from recognising another very profound event. We can, for example understand the reasoning surrounding the Church’s decision to focus on the Commemoration of the Lord’s Supper by introducing the celebration of Corpus Christi outside Holy Week. That Feast allows us time and space to dwell upon that great mystery of the institution of the Eucharist. In the tightly packed liturgies two very simple and moving ceremonies are often eclipsed or omitted by the demands of the season. I will describe them for they have become as rare as they are powerful in their message.

The devotion of the Stations of the Cross or the Via Crucis is well known in our parishes. There are many texts available which are suitable for a variety of age groups and different occasions. The Way of the Cross is regularly made in Lent and is particularly poignant before the Liturgy on Good Friday. However, once the Liturgy of Good Friday has taken place, the traditional Stations of the Cross seem inappropriate: “It is finished”.

The devotion of the “Maria Desolata” is particularly suitable for the late afternoon or evening of Good Friday. In this, the Way of the Cross is followed in reverse order. It is as if the Mother of Jesus is returning from Calvary, where she has seen her Son die and is returning home. On her way back she revisits the places of the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrows) as she goes. It can make a very poignant devotion and can be helpful to that increasing number of people who have not choice but to work on Good Friday and who cannot attend the Liturgy during the day.

It should be remembered by those attending this devotion that our chief thoughts will be that Jesus has recently died on the Cross.

Jesus was divine, but he did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself and became as we are and accepted death on the cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and that every tongue should proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let us pray: let your blessing, O Lord, come down on us who have commemorated the death of your son in the hope of rising again with him. May we be aided by the prayers of the sorrowful Virgin Mary and grow in faith and in certainty of eternal redemption. We ask this through Christ the Lord. Amen.

Maria Consolata can take place on Easter Day, either after the main mass of the day or as a conclusion to an evening service.

It consists of the singing of the Regina Coeli with its traditional versicle, response and collect: this ceremony may be solemnly performed with lights and the offering of incense at the shrine of Our Lady in church. In some places (for example S. Paul’s Brighton and S. Silas Kentish Town) where I have been present for these devotions, individual flowers are also blessed and sprinkled with Holy Water. The flowers are then distributed to each person present, as a reminder of Our Lord’s Resurrection appearances in the garden. At the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on Easter Day this devotion is concluded with the Coronation of the image of Our Lady, with the beautiful silver “Oxford Crown” in the Holy House.

The AGM of our Ward will take place before the summer social event on Sunday 24th July starting at 3.00pm. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the various reports of our Ward and the accounts. It is also the time to elect officers for the year. We would like to receive nominations in writing (proposed and seconded) for the following posts:

Only members of the Society (paid up by the end of May 2005) may vote at this meeting.

Please note that a decision was taken in 1998 to replace the Ward Superior with three Ward Chaplains. This has enabled the pastoral care of Ward Members to be met more fully as our membership covers a wide area including five Anglican Diocese. This decision recognised that the role was expecting too much of one busy parish priest. This shared arrangement will continue unless there is a proposal to revert to previous practice. All nominations and any items for the AGM Agenda to the Ward Secretary in writing by July 1st.

It is intended to conclude the business by 3.30 when our summer party begins. The party has always been a popular event. We were going to do something different this year – but it remains in its usual format and venue by popular request!

S. Hilda’s Prestwich – 6.00pm. The preacher is Fr. David Wolstenholme parish priest of S. Margaret’s Hollinwood

C of E when I hold such ‘traditionalist’ opinions? The answer is that I operate as far as is possible whilst not doing anything which conscience dictates I should not do. I know that this does not always meet with the approval of everyone in the ‘traditionalist’ constituency but until the situation changes to the degree that I find it impossible to engage with the present structures or until seriously workable alternatives are in place, then I will continue to try and do my bit. At the very least I am occasionally able to offer a lone voice which gives an opinion that otherwise might not be considered on the bodies of which I am a member. I also try to approach the Deanery and its clergy and people with a pastoral view and not necessarily a political one!

It is very clear that the coming reductions in numbers of Stipendiary clergy – the result of more retirements than ordinations – is going to challenge the church in all sorts of ways and we cannot be immune from that. Pastoral re-organisation, presently a very patchy beast in the Diocese of Manchester, will become a task of major significance in all parts as we wrestle with the issues of buildings and changing population trends. Who would have thought that the fastest growing population would now be found in Manchester City Centre just a few years ago? Where is the infrastructure, the churches, schools etc. that are necessary for civilised society and community in that city? The churches have all but disappeared in the last 50 years as the city de-populated and there are no schools available. If the present collections of city dwellers are to be sustained and actually become communities (not simply short lived dormitories) then resources are going to have to be provided from all sorts of organisations. What will the churches response be? We shall probably set up a committee, preferably ecumenical, to discuss the matter – that’s the usual response of the Christian church.

The late Alderman Agnes Hopkins of Swinton & Pendlebury was fond of a number of phrases, among them : “Where’er a wealth of words abound then little worth shall there be found” How right she was! We may find ourselves the victim of much ‘management speak’ in the church with targets and the pursuit of sustainable units etc. much spoken about. In truth, we are not called to be successful, just faithful and that means faithful in our attendance at mass and our partaking of the sacraments of the church – God’s wonderful gift to his faithful people. Boards, Councils and Synods come and go, they deliberate, report and report again but the real work of the church is done by the faithful – those who week by week turn up to support the church and who day by day uphold the world in all it’s diversity in their prayers.

May I commend to all SOM members and readers of this humble newsletter a renewed commitment to prayer and sacrament, in short, the pursuit of faithfulness and leave the rest to God.

We are busy improving our communications within our Ward of SOM. We now have a data base which helps us to keep in touch with Headquarters and all members much more efficiently. Gone are the days when Wards kept their subscriptions and details in a biscuit tin under the secretary’s bed!

I need to ask all members of Our Ward permission to store names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses etc. I can assure you that none of the information held on our data base will be available to any other organisation. The sole purpose of our data base will be our communication with you re the work of the NW Ward of Our Lady of Victories.

Thank you to all those people who have paid their subscriptions for 2005 so promptly. You know that the Ward subscription is now £10.00 which is sensible and reasonable. If anyone thinks that this new rate is a little bit steep then it may be that they do not want an active Society. Most of our members and officers are very generous and realise that we need to share our commitment and not leave it to some remarkably kind individuals.

In 1931 the League of Our Lady and the Confraternity of Mary combined forces to become the Society of Mary. The image of Our Lady of Walsingham was also translated from the Parish Church to the newly built Holy House in that year.

Fr Hope Patten who revived the Shrine and Sir William Milner who gave the land and was a generous benefactor, were both members of SOM.

Celebrations are being planned in Norfolk and in London. Please let members of the Ward Committee have your ideas about our NW Celebrations in 2006.

Society of Mary

Forward in Faith

JOINT PILGRIMAGE

TO LADYEWELL

Fulwood, Preston

Principal Celebrant & Preacher

The Rt Rev’d Martyn Jarrett SSC

Bishop of Beverley

Saturday, 4^th June 2005

12 Noon – 3.30pm

Rosary Procession starts at 12:00

noon at the RC Parish Church

Solemn Mass, Address Sprinkling & Benediction

Bring your own packed lunch

For a number of years now Forward in Faith in the Diocese of Blackburn has held an Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady at Fernyhalgh, Fulwood, near Preston. This year, for the first time, the Society of Mary and Forward in Faith are to share a joint Pilgrimage. It is fitting that our Chief Celebrant and Preacher will be the Rt Rev’d Martyn Jarrett, Bishop of Beverley, because Bishop Martyn inaugurated this Pilgrimage when he served as Bishop of Burnley. Therefore, we look forward to welcoming Bishop Martyn and other Priests who will be concelebrating.

The Pilgrimage on Saturday, 4^th June 2005, will be truly ecumenical event. We begin at 12noon with a Rosary Procession from the Roman Catholic Parish Church to the Shrine where Mass will start upon arrival (approx 12:15pm). Following the Mass there will be a lunch break (please bring a packed-lunch – refreshments are available) and an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful grounds. There is a beautiful set of Stations of the Cross in the grounds, a new and second-hand bookshop and a gift shop, so there should be something to suite everyone’s taste!

In the afternoon there will be Sprinkling at the Well and we will end the Pilgrimage with Benediction given by one or the RC Priests of the Shrine. We look forward to welcoming many pilgrims to this beautiful gem in the heart of Lancashire. Please encourage friends to come along for the day. We also hope pilgrims will bring along parish and cell banners to carry in the Rosary Procession. Lots of banners will bring a real splash of colour and life to the day. All are welcome and we hope to see a good turnout for this special Marian Festival.

Priests wishing to concelebrate please contact Fr Roger Parker (Tel: 01282 424587 or Mob: 07977291166)

(1) Leave M6 at junction 32, signs Preston, Garstang. (Careful not to continue on to M55 to Blackpool). (2) At the roundabout follow A6 in the direction of Preston, Immediately going into the left hand lane, signposted Longridge, Ribbleton (a Ladyewell sign is on the right). (3) At the next roundabout turn right. (A Ladyewell sign is on the roundabout). (4) Continue until a large roundabout - turn left signposted “Ladyewell” (5) Continue over the motorway bridge, until another sign “Ladyewell” – turn right, Continue down the country lane to Ladyewell Shrine.

(1) Leave M6 junction 31a – straight across the first two roundabouts (with very small signs “Ladyewell”) (2) At the third roundabout turn right straight across next two roundabouts. (3) Third roundabout turn right signposted “Ladyewell” (4) Continue over the motorway bridge, until another sign “Ladyewell” – turn right, Continue down the country lane to Ladyewell Shrine.

“Stand Up For Jesus” 150 years of SSC

Priests of the Society of the Holy Cross (SSC) spent the second week of Easter celebrating the 150th anniversary of their foundation. An International Synod and two-day Conference in London were followed by a Pilgrimage to Walsingham and a great Mass of Thanksgiving in the Albert Hall, the scene of the historic series of Anglo-Catholic Congresses begun in 1920.

SSC priests have always been active in encouraging devotion to Our Lady. Fr Hope Patten was a member, as most of the priest-Guardians of Walsingham have been. One of his close allies in the development of the Shrine was Fr Alban Baverstock, twice elected Master of SSC, who played a prominent role in SOM when it was formed in 1931 from two older confraternities. He compiled the Mary Hymn Book, was an early Chaplain-General of SOM, and editor of Ave. Today, Bishop Ladds, Fr Rowlands and most of our priests are also members of SSC.

With Mary at the Cross

On the Friday, over three hundred priests concelebrated the Mass in S. Mary’s Parish Church Walsingham, then walked in procession up the High Street as the Image of Our Lady was carried to the Shrine. The next day, in the Albert Hall, the Master of SSC, Fr David Houlding, recalled that when Fr Hope Patten had been given a rousing reception there at one of the Congresses, he had replied diffidently that the praise was due not to him but to Our Lady. It was our opportunity now, Fr Houlding continued, to honour her. And as a glorious fanfare sounded, the vast congregation (over 5,000) with a thousand priests and two dozen bishops rose to applaud as the Image was borne in, accompanied by the Guardians, and placed by the Altar near the enormous SSC Cross.

The presence of the Image of Our Lady of Walsingham there was a reminder that Jesus on the Cross gave her to us as our Mother. When we stand up for Jesus in our daily life and witness, when we stand up for the truth of the Catholic Faith inspired by her courageous devotion and obedience, we are supported by her powerful prayers, and enfolded in her wonderful love.

Our Lady’s Well and Shrine at Fernyhalgh in Lancashire was ancient even in Anglo Saxon times. Its hidden and secluded location has helped in maintaining the veneration to the Mother of Christ that was roughly interrupted elsewhere. The story of Ladyewell is told here by Rita Crossley following he first visit.

It was several years ago on a summer’s day that Father David and I first visited Ladyewell which is tucked away in the countryside just north of Preston. At each turn there was something new and interesting to discover. Not wanting to take away from you what we experienced on that first visit I am not going to write about the present day Shrine but tell you some of its history.

“Ladyewell” which means Our Lady of the Well is more familiarly known in the area as Fernyhalgh, pronounced Ferny – uff which is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “ancient shrine”. It was probably a pagan shrine in its original foundation and became “Christianised” in the 7th century.

Fergus Maguire, a son of the Chief of Fermanagh, lived in Ireland during the 12th century. He was a merchant and owned a galley. One autumn day he was returning to Ireland with a heavily laden ship with good from his trading. The weather was very stormy and he was making little progress against the giant waves which lashed against the side of his vessel. His crew were so discouraged with their lack of progress that they laid down their oars and waited for their inevitable death at sea.

Fergus though, continued to man the helm until a mighty surge took it from his hands. Being a man of prayer he fell on his knees and asked for God’s help. After more time battling the storm the ship at last came to rest in a sheltered estuary. Exhausted Fergus fell asleep and whilst he slept he heard a heavenly voice saying, “Go to Fernyhalgh, and there thou shalt find a crab tree having coreless fruit hanging over a shrine, build me a church there.”

When he awoke he left his ship and went to find Fernyhalgh but had great difficulty in discovering where it was. Initially, his searching was in vain, but whilst staying in Preston he heard a servant complain that her cow had strayed as far as Fernyhalgh.

On hearing this Fergus ran outside to the maid asking where Fernyhalgh was actually situated. In her hands the maid held a broken branch from a tree near a spring. The branch was leafless and the apples it bore were coreless. Fergus recalled his vision and the maid agreed to return to Fernyhalgh with Fergus the following day.

When he reached the there he found the well and fell on his knees in thanksgiving. As he arose from prayer he picked up a large stone on which was traced a likeness of Our Lady and the Child Jesus. He then realised that Our Lady had been honoured here in the past and wished to reclaim this place again for herself.

A chapel was built but the first documentary evidence did not appear until 1348 when a licence was granted by Archbishop Zouch to “have divine service by a fit chaplain within the manors of Broughton, Fernyhalgh and Farmholes for three years.”

It was in the first year of Edward VI’ reign that an act of Parliament assigned to the Crown all the properties of the churches and free chapels together with all the monies destined for priests to say requiem masses for departed benefactors, anniversaries and to burn candles on specific anniversaries. The chapel believed to be the one built by Fergus Maguire was destroyed and its revenues, furniture and bell were dually confiscated.

The devotion of the Catholics who lived in the vicinity of the Chapel was never extinguished and continued during the days of the severest persecutions. The ruined chapel and its holy well became something of a refuge for priests and people who came to pray, celebrate the occasional mass and to ask Our Lady’s intercession for comfort and hope through those dark penal days.

When James II came to the English throne in 1685 a renewed opportunity came for Roman Catholics to practise their religion. A second chapel was built, carefully constructed to look like an ordinary dwelling but with the upper storey used as a chapel. Ladyewell House was built as a Mass centre at a cost of £225 7s 2d. Half an acre of the old chapel tenement was purchased from a yeoman farmer named Hugh Charnley who granted a lease of a thousand years.

The house consisted of a ground floor level where the priest would live and an upper level that held a discreet chapel. To give accommodation to the Lancashire clergy, a new wing was later built on the west side of the building.

On September 8th 1687 Bishop Leyburne confirmed 1,099 faithful in Ladyewell House. This is indeed a very large number but it needs to be remembered that there had not been a Roman Catholic bishop in England for over 30 years. Continued pressure saw the chapel plundered and the tree hacked down; the priest hunted and the people scattered.

From that day to the present there have been many personal stories which could be told about the cruel persecutions and also the great blessings surrounding this shrine. I hope that during your pilgrimage you will be able to discover this for yourself. The shrine is rich in holy relics and they are a testimony to the joys and sorrows of this lovely sanctuary and each one has its own story to tell. They are a powerful link for us with those who have witnessed to the Faith in a most remarkable way and to all those through the centuries who have honoured Our Lady in this place.

Rita Crossley is a member of our Ward and was for many years a member of the Ward Committee. We look forward to meeting Rita and Fr. David Crossley when we go on Pilgrimage to Ladyewell on Saturday 4th June.

Our Ward is actively seeking a new processional statue of Our Lady and Holy Child. It would preferably be made of resin so that it could be transported to the churches and festivals where we hold our events without fear of damage. It has to be large enough to make an impact in an indoor or outdoor procession and needs to be no smaller than four feet in height. Donations toward the cost of a new statue would be welcome. If anyone knows of a disused statue which may be available please speak to Fr. McEvitt or the secretary.

Beverley Davies has given to the Ward a lovely statue of Our Lady Immaculate. It is beautifully painted and is made of plaster. It will be lovely focal point for our meetings, especially when we go to churches that have not got a shrine. It will reside with Fr. McEvitt at Holy Family Failsworth and can be borrowed by members of our Ward. Because of its fragile construction it would be risky to use it as a processional image. We thank Beverley for her kindness and for all that she does for SOM.

Fr. Roger Parker - Blackburn Diocese 01282 424 587 / Mob:07977291166 Email: frrogerparker@aol.com

All subscriptions should be paid to the Membership Secretary as soon as possible after 1^st January. Failure to receive “Ave” or the Ward Newsletter should also be addressed to the Membership Secretary