Monday, August 16, 2010

Extraordinary Form in England's Newcastle

Following on from this report about Extraordinary Form Masses starting up in Australia's Newcastle, NLM readers may be interested in a long-standing arrangement in another Newcastle.

St Dominic's priory church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the North East of England has for a few decades been home to a stable community who choose to celebrate the Mass according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII. Each Sunday at 11:30am, a Missa Cantata in the usus antiquior is sung, with a small choir who sing Gregorian chant, and some polyphony.

The Mass is principally said by the Prior of the Dominican community, who is also parish priest, although he is assisted on certain Sundays by two other priests of the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle. As such, the Mass is part of the parish's liturgical life. In addition to this Mass there are three Masses in the Ordinary Form said in this church every Sunday.

Mass at the High Altar

Singing the Gospel

Elevation of the Host

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass


The photos above were taken on the feast of Our Lady's Assumption, with Fr Sean Swales celebrating. More photos of the church can be seen here, and information about the Priory and St Dominic's church may be found here.

More recent articles:

For more articles, see the NLM archives: