FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OUR BLESSED PATRON SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

It was an especial joy this year that, exceptionally, the Holy Mass of Saint John's Day, the Feast of our heavenly Patron, was celebrated by a young priest, Father Gary Dench, ordained last Saturday, who was for several years an altar server in our Conventual Church, and who assisted with the Easter Triduum retreats there for a few years. Thus we are privilege to glimpse the flowering of the fruits of our sacred charism of Tuition Fidei.

Father Dench is a priest of Brentwood Diocese, and was ordained by Bishop Alan Williams. He was assisted at the altar by our Chaplain Fr Richard Biggerstaff and Fr Christian de Lisle, and the Assistant Priest (a privilege of First Masses) was Fr Luke Melcher, a colleague in Washington our former confrere Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth. The Mass was served by Father Dench's successors at our altars, Companions of our beloved Order, and it was impressive to see that, with only one exception (just), all on the altar were under 40 years old! Fr Biggerstaff preached a kindly and fraternal homily for his new brother priest.  It was a joy to see all these old friends of the Order with us on our Feast Day.

It was particularly delighted that we were joined by some of the new Dames and Knights who entered the Order at the Investiture Mass at the London Oratory last Friday, as well as by some of Fr Dench's priest friends.

The Mass was celebrated in the Forma Ordinaria of the Roman Rite, the music being Palestrina's Missa Brevis, and Descendit Angelus by Victoria. We are extremely grateful to the Choir and Director of Music, Mr Edward Tambling.

Mass was preceded by Veneration and Benediction of the Relic of St John the Baptist, given by Monsignor Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. Father Dench gave First Blessings after the Mass.

The Mass was followed by a reception in the Challoner Room, with the obligatory delicious cake! 

We are very grateful to Fr Dench for the honour he pays us in bringing us the graces of his First Mass. Ad multos annos!