Supporting Traditional Latin Masses in and around Malvern

Local Traditional Latin Masses, formerly celebrated at St Wulstan's, Little Malvern, have relocated to Most Holy Trinity, New Street, Ledbury.   Those Latin Masses provide for Catholics across a wide area, being the only public weekly Sunday Traditional Latin Masses anywhere in the three counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire.   See below for full details.

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Traditional Latin Masses nearest Malvern

Most Holy Trinity
Ledbury  HR8 2EE

Adoration:        10:45 - Sunday
Low Mass:      11:30 - Sunday
Rosary:             After Mass

The Oratory-in-Formation
Birmingham B16 8UE

Low Mass:     07:30 - Sunday
High Mass
:    10:30 - Sunday

Vespers:        16:30 - Sunday
Low Mass:     17:45 - Mon-Fri
Low Mass:     09:00 - Saturday

The Oratory
Splott, Cardiff CF24 2NT

High Mass:    11:15 - Sunday

Vespers:        16:00 - Sunday
Low Mass:     07:30 - Mon-Fri
                      08:00 - Saturday

Sacred Heart
Morriston, Swansea SA6 6HZ

Low Mass:   13:30 - Sunday



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St Ambrose
Kidderminster DY10 2BY

Missa Cantata
                  18:00 - 1st Sunday




Immaculate Conception
& St Egwin

Evesham WR11 4EJ

Low Mass:  18:30 - Tuesday



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Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Redditch B98 8LT

Low Mass:  18:00 - 1st Friday




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Passiontide

Passiontide comprises the two weeks between Passion Sunday and Easter.   The second week is Holy Week, while the first is called by the Latins “Hebdomas Passionis”, by the Greeks “Week of the palms” (from the Sunday following).   During this time the monks of the East, who had chosen the desert for a severer mode of life, returned to their monasteries.

The rubrical prescriptions of the Roman Missal, Breviary, and Caeremoniale Episcoporum for this time are:  before Vespers of Saturday preceding Passion Sunday the crosses, statues, and pictures of Our Lord and of the saints on the altar and throughout the church, with the sole exception of the crosses and pictures of the Way of the Cross, are to be covered with a violet veil, not translucent, nor in any way ornamented.   The crosses remain covered until after the solemn denudation of the principal crucifix on Good Friday.   The statues and pictures retain their covering, no matter what feast may occur, until the Gloria in Excelsis of Holy Saturday.   According to an answer of the SRC of May 14, 1878, the practice may be tolerated of keeping the statue of St. Joseph, if outside the sanctuary, uncovered during the month of March, which is dedicated to his honour, even during Passiontide.   In the Masses de tempore the Psalm Judica is not said;  the Gloria Patri is omitted at the Asperges, the Introit, and the Lavabo;  only two orations are recited and the Preface is of the Holy Cross.   In the Dominical and ferial offices of the Breviary the doxology is omitted in the Invitatorium and in the responses, whether long or short.   

The crosses are veiled because Christ during this time no longer walked openly among the people, but hid himself.   Hence in the papal chapel the veiling formerly took place at the words of the Gospel: “Jesus autem abscondebat se”.   Another reason is added by Durandus, namely that Christ’s divinity was hidden when he arrived at the time of His suffering and death.   The images of the saints also are covered because it would seem improper for the servants to appear when the Master himself is hidden.   

In some places the crosses were covered on Ash Wednesday;  in others on the first Sunday of Lent.   In England it was customary on the first Monday of Lent to cover up all the crucifixes, images of every kind, the reliquaries, and even the cup with the Blessed Sacrament.   The cloths used were of white linen or silk and marked with a red cross.   

The two beautiful hymns of the season, “Vexilla Regis” and “Pange lingua gloriosi”, are the work of Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers.   On the Friday of Passion Week the Church very appropriately honours the Seven Dolours of Our Lady.   On Saturday the Greeks commemorate the resuscitation of Lazarus.

Source:  Catholic Answers