This solemnity was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 in an effort to slow down the rapid decline of religion and morality in the world, particularly Western Europe and the United States. The Pope analysed the problems as related to the rejection of Christ as King and Centre of our hearts and the rule and guide of the Catholic Religion by the formerly Christian peoples living in those areas.
 
Following the First World War, Europe and the US suffered a breakdown as nations. Behaviour was non-Christian, atheism flourished. Thus, the Feast was established on the last Sunday of October to turn things around. An encyclical accompanied the new feast day which was to be read after Mass on this day: The Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The beautiful Introit takes us into the very realm of Heaven where our King reigns. He is the Lamb that was slain.
 
The Collect carries forth the sentiment that the Eternal Son is King of the whole world. St. Paul’s powerful Epistle tells us plainly that He is the head of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things, He may hold the primacy. He will rule from sea to sea (Gradual), and His Kingdom a kingdom that shall not decay (Alleluia).
 
Jesus Himself told Pilate Thou sayest that I am a King. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world (Gospel). Our King is immolated on the altar that He may Himself give to all nations the gifts of unity and peace (Secret). The Communion and Postcommunion tell us that our King will bless His people through the Food of immortality which was just received.

Above is a trailer for the last episode of EWTN's the Message of Fatima.

This final episode focuses on the life of Lucia after she left Fatima and became a nun and went about carrying out the instructions of Our Lady to bring the message of Fatima to the world. She would have further apparitions from both Our Lady and Our Lord.

I have enjoyed the series and Stefano Mazzeo should be pleased with his effort to tell the story of Fatima in this special centenary year. The programme is broadcast on the 4th November with a time to be confirmed.

In the absence of Joseph Shaw, who was doing good work in Oxford last Saturday, it fell to me to chair the annual Committee/Local Representatives meeting.

The venue was the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption & Saint Gregory, Warwick Street in central London. This is a church assigned to the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and it is a peaceful haven amidst the metropolis.

I would like to thank my fellow committee members and local reps for making the journey to London, some from a good distance. I hope that like me you found inspiration and encouragement by listening to the many developments around England and Wales in our evidently very active Society.

We witness a wonderful miracle in today’s gospel, but perhaps there is something just as important, that is quite often overlooked as just a side note. The ending of today’s gospel tells us that the man and his entire household believed.

Not only did this man believe but, all those who were of his family followed his belief. Not one but many found the faith and salvation and this is a greater blessing than the physical life of the one child.

There is a saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree. I think it is wise that we consider the effects of the example that we give to children. There are many who would preach to their children: “Do what I say and not what I do.” These are not the words of a good teacher, much less of a good parent; they are words more befitting an actor.

Children are natural followers and imitators. The greatest and most natural example for them is their own parents. When parents have and live the true faith, their children will be much more inclined to naturally follow them. When parents are good their children are much more inclined to be good. But, when parents are bad their children are almost certainly to be bad. There are exceptions but these are rare. Because of our fallen nature we are more inclined to follow evil rather than good. Evil is the path of least resistance and our inherently lazy fallen nature tends to take that path. If parents live and strive to discipline and deny their self-wills they will be much more successful in their admonitions to their children to do likewise.

We have countless examples throughout history to show this. If we just consider Cain who killed his brother, we see that the evil of this man corrupted all his descendants. On the other hand Adam’s good son Seth gave rise to a good and pleasing race of men. We see the young Tobias who was virtuous and good even in the midst of evil people because he had a virtuous father. We see the step daughter of Herod acting in the most, cruel inhumanly and unwomanly manner as she demands the head of one of the greatest men ever – St. John the Baptist. What brought this child to such evil if not the evil of her mother Herodias, who was living in sin with Herod?

Perhaps one of the most telling examples is that of King David. As David lived rightly and justly his children were good. But, then he sinned committing adultery and murder. Even though he quickly repented we find that the damage had already been done to his children. Amon ravished his own sister Thamar, for which crime his brother Absalom caused him to be slain; Absalom in turn rebelled against his father, and was slain by the hand of Joab. Adonis, another son of David, also conspired against his father and intended to deprive him of the government, when he was captured as a rebel and put to death.

These examples are principally with parents but we must all take responsibility for the example that we provide for others. The younger generation looks to the older one and seeks to expand or take further what they have seen others do. Just as parents wish that their children will do better in this world than they have done, so do children wish to go further than their parents. The tragedy is that when children see the evils of the previous generation they do not wish to only follow but to surpass them.

Thus it was not enough for the children of the sixties to become rebellious like the children of the fifties were, they had to take it further. And where the children of the sixties would draw a line the children of the seventies were even more eager to cross over that line. And where the children of the seventies would not go the children of the eighties went eagerly. On and on this continues; each generation becoming worse than the previous one. Each sin builds on the previous one.

Now the older generations stand with their mouths agape in astonishment at the evils of the present day. Surely things cannot get worse, but as each year passes by, society pushes the boundaries a little bit further. As Christians, as Catholics we ought to set live the Gospel and set the standard and encourage others to follow Him, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

St Richard Gwyn is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. He is a co-patron of the Latin Mass Society (along with St Margaret Clitherow) and his martyrdom took place in the Welsh town of Wrexham, very close to the Cathedral church of the Diocese.

Also known as Richard White, St. Richard was born in the former county of Montgomeryshire, Wales in 1547.

St Richard went to Oxford to study when he was 20 years old. However, he did not complete his degree and soon moved to Cambridge where was inspired by the Catholic master of St John's College, Dr George Bullock.

When Queen Elizabeth I ascended the throne in 1558, Bullock was pressured into resignation and St Ricahrd decided to leave Cambridge. After some time at the University of Douai, he returned to Wales and became a teacher in the Wrexham area. St Richard Gwyn has two schools dedicated to his name, one in nearby Flint and the other in South Wales at Barry.

He and his wife had six children but only three of them outlived him.

Arrested in 1579, he spent four years in prison before his execution by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Wrexham on the 15th October for being a Catholic.

We decided that the LMS would hold a pilgrimage Mass on the closest Saturday to the actual feast day and this is the second year we have held a sung Mass. It was reasonably attended, with a few more present than last year. I didn't manage to speak to everyone, but five individuals went out of their way to praise the liturgy and expressed a desire to see it celebrated more often!

I am grateful to the Rt. Rev. Peter Brignall, the Bishop of Wrexham and Canon Simon Treloar for use of the Cathedral. My great thanks are also due to Canon Amaury Montjean of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest who was celebrant. The servers were led by Mr. Phillip Russell and cantors by Mr Christian Spence.

Under the symbol of a wedding feast, the Mass in all its parts declares that all men, Jews and Gentiles, are called to share in the peace of God here, and in the fullness of God hereafter.

First of all comes the truth that God alone "is the salvation of the people" from their self-begotten misery. Secondly, comes our response to this call by "inclining our ears to His words" (Introit), which are "to be kept most diligently" (Communion).

The banquet hall is the Church militant here, triumphant hereafter. Of those first invited, such as the Jews, some refuse the invitation onmere pretexts, while others maltreat and even slay God's messengers.

Finally, comes the call to the Gentiles in home and foreign missions. But to receive Jesus worthily at the altar rail of time or eternity, a wedding garment is necessary (Gospel). St. Paul describes this garment in the Epistle as a putting on of Christ through lively faith and putting off the spirit of anti-Christ both in our soul and in dealings with our neighbor.

Sunday is also the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila Virg., a Carmelite, who worked with St. John of the Cross to reform the Order. She gave the following advice concerning prayer: “the best prayer, that most pleasing to God, is that which produces the best results in good works, not that which we enjoy with no other effect but our own satisfaction.” Although not commemorated in 1962 Missal, we ought to ask for St Teresa's intercession.

Incidentally, a Low Mass celebrated by a Canon of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, will be celebrated on Sunday 15th October 2017 at 123opm at St Clare of Assisi, Downsfield Road, CHESTER CH4 8HH

The Mass of this week was originally one of the dedication of a church which explains the allusions in the Introit and Gradual to the happiness we as Catholics should have when we enter the house of the Lord for Holy Mass, realising that our churches are God’s Dwelling Place as was the heavenly city, Jerusalem.

We look back at the previous year and thank God for all the riches He has given us (Epistle). As the Lord Jesus healed the man with palsy (Gospel), and forgave his sins, we are reminded that in Baptism we were cripples spiritually who were cured by God’s medicine.

The Holy Eucharist gives us strength after Baptism. Prefigured by Moses in Old Testament times, as he built an altar upon which sacrifices of animals were offered, the Sacrifice of the Cross is our method of atoning for sins (Offertory).

The Secret continues the message that through the Communion in this venerable Sacrifice, we may follow worthy lives. The Communion encourages us to receive the Holy Bread of the altar of sacrifice while the Postcommunion thanks God for His Holy Gift of Communion.

Today is Feast of St. Bridget Widow of the Swedish Royal Family of the XVI Century, one of the greatest mystics of the Church. Although not commemorated in the 1962 rubrics of the Mass,we ought to pray to this Saint to bring us closer to Our Lord, to love Him as He deserves.

More good news from the Institute of Christ the King as they establish themselves further in the Diocese of Lancaster. The below is a press release just announced from Bishop Campbell, the Bishop of Lancaster.

Tim Fawcett was a predecessor of mine as Local Representative and has sadly passed away.

Of your charity, please pray for him, and his family.

I only met Tim on the one occasion. It was in Shrewsbury after a Traditional Mass in the Cathedral celebrated by Father Gerard McGuiness a number of years ago. Only recently was I saying to someone that these days those who promote the Latin Mass have a relatively easier time than those before us, people just like Tim, who campaigned in the days when obstacles were a plenty.

His funeral will take place on Saturday 7th October at 11am in Saint Winefride's Church, Monkmoor, 187 Crowmere Road, Shrewsbury SY2 5LA. If you would like to attend, please let the LMS Office know by phone 020 7404 7284 or email

Photo courtesy of Dr. Joseph Shaw