They're moving in a week or so down to Chelmsford, but will be keeping someone at St. Chads to keep things going.
Got to go to Mass, and was very kindly invited to a nice lunch and a very pleasant chin-wag after. I do so miss shop-talk.
St. Chads is a lovely church, in one of the nastiest neighbourhoods of Manchester. Fr. Hugh told me that it had been a Catholic neighbourhood back in the day. The same day when the mills were still open and the labourers were Irish.
I was told that there had once been a very beautiful Gothic rood screen, but that it had been the first to go in the '60s. It is indicative of the quality of education given to priests of the previous generation that the reason it was destroyed was that a rood screen was "too Protestant", because, of course, all the old English parishes churches retained them after the Anglicans stole our churches and started murdering our priests.
Fortunately, the parish was too poor for very much more VaticanII-mandated vandalism and they satisfied themselves with mere liturgical terrorism and bullying after that. But it is in lovely shape and the Norbies have used it to good purpose.
The real treat though is the side chapel where statues of Norbertine saints keep watch with Our Lady of Walsingham.
Br. Rupert serving
...and tidying up after
At least some people don't mind having their picture taken.
Good to know that your "Norbies" are actually Catholic--as opposed to those who run St. Norbert's college in Green Bay Wisconsin USA.
ReplyDeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteYour photos always have more human interest than mine.
That's because, Mark, I am not a photographer and don't know what I'm doing.
ReplyDeleteBut Hilary, you have the photographer's eye. You capture those things that are of the most importance.
ReplyDeletewell, thanks.
ReplyDeleteFor your information - apologies if you have already heard from elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteKeep them and the Parishioners of St. Chad's in your prayers
>
> God bless
xxx
>
> *Extract from St. Chad's, Cheetham - Newsletter for Sunday 16th November 2008
> *
> Notice from Fr. J. Wisdom,O'Praem.
>
> I am sorry to announce that the Norbertines will be leaving St. Chad's
> and returning the parish to the care of the diocese at the end of this month.
> The Vicar General wishes to assure you that appropriate pastoral provision
> will be made for St. Chad's,
> but no firm decision has yet been made.
> Fr Glover from St. Anne's, Crumpsall will be offering the Sunday Masses
> on the 7th December 2008