The Latin Mass Society was warmly welcomed to St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, London, on Saturday July 2 by the cathedral dean, Canon John O’Toole and the administrator, Alex Scott, for its annual general meeting and AGM Mass.
The day began at 11am with High Mass of the Visitation of Our Lady celebrated by Fr Andrew Southwell, the LMS national chaplain, assisted by Fr Michael Cullinan as deacon and Fr Gregory Kilaja as subdeacon.
The men of the Cathedral Choir sang Victoria’s Missa Quam Pulcri Sunt. The Gloria was taken from the Missa de Angelis, the Creed was Credo I and the Offertory motet was Victoria’s Ave Maris Stella.
After lunch, the LMS AGM convened in the cathedral’s Amigo Hall to hear reports from the secretary, David Forster, the treasurer, Paul Waddington and the chairman, Dr Joseph Shaw.
Fr Southwell had opened the proceedings with a prayer and after the reports gave an address in which he discussed Pope Benedict XVI’s admirable work in the fields of doctrine and the liturgy. The meeting then sang “God Bless Our Pope” to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s ordination to the sacred priesthood and closed with the singing of the Credo.
This year’s AGM was relatively low-key and in a new venue. But Dr Shaw, in particular, was able to update those present on the increasing level of work being carried out throughout England and Wales by the LMS and its local representatives.
The LMS is now more focused on providing support to those many priests and faithful throughout the country who are gradually reintroducing the Extraordinary Form into their parish life. Its aim is to publicise the liturgical initiatives of Pope Benedict XVI and to support and encourage those who are discovering the Old Rite.
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