Writer, conference speaker, teacher, Chair English Catholic History Association https://teapaw.org/t.co/30GMeNJuL8 AssocFRHistS Available for talks
Oxfordshire
Joined July 2011
- Tweets19.6K
- Following1.2K
- Followers918
- Likes11.2K
T J Guile retweeted
St Birinius in Dorchester was designed by William Wilkinson Wardell - who went on to become the architect of both St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne and St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.
What a tremendous blessing it was to assist at a Missa cantata for All Saints in the splendid chapel of St. Birinus in Dorchester on Thames, UK, built in 1849. It represented, to my mind, the ideal Sunday Mass.
The church is gorgeously adorned with images, in almost Byzantine profusion, with a prominent rood screen (EVERY church should have one!), and the faithful eagerly light candles in honor of their town's saint, who came to England in the 7th century. The congregation robustly sang the chants of the Asperges, the Credo, the Salve Regina, and all the responses in between. A choir with crystal-clear intonation sang the proper chants, a polyphonic Mass, and exquisite motets chosen for the feastday. The homily was doctrinally rich and yet succinct. The priest wore a glistening golden chasuble. As Mass proceeded to its mystical summit, the air grew opaque with billowing clouds of incense, and a profound silence descended on all. The intensity of prayer was palpable. The faithful approached for Holy Communion and knelt along the rood screen, through which one could see more clearly the ornate altar, the golden chalice, and the candles spread across the altar like sentries; the effect, to me at least, was like peering into the world beyond, whence Christ in the person of the priest approached to place the heavenly food into one's mouth.
It is difficult to explain just why this chapel and this Mass seemed so perfect to me, but of this I am certain: nothing whatsoever in that building or that liturgy needed to be "reformed." The participation was as full, conscious, and actual as can be, for a rite that consists of divine mysteries; the potent symbols uttered their more-than-rational meanings (including to a little boy who, at a certain point, simply prostrated himself face down on the floor!); the ministers and the faithful knew exactly what to do, what and how to sing, and in this way worshiped almighty God with hearts and minds. If only more Catholics could experience such a Mass, they would see why we traditionalists maintain that the liturgical reform was absolutely unnecessary.
After Mass, a jolly crowd that skewed youthful gathered round outside and greeted me warmly. I enjoyed meeting the dedicated pastor Fr. John Osman, who has been stationed at St. Birinus for 28 years, and the well-known chorister Dominic Bevan, son of the Joseph Bevan whose memoirs I've published with Os Justi Press.
And as a last touch of Divine Providence, I learned from Fr. Osman that the Gregorian chant expert, defender, and promoter Dr. Mary Berry (1917-2008)—to whom every lover of sacred music owes an immense debt—is buried in the St. Birinus churchyard, so naturally I paid her grave a visit, very appropriately for the eve of All Souls.
In short: if you're ever in the vicinity of Dorchester on Thames, it's a Sunday Mass not to be missed!
T J Guile retweeted
🧵All Hallows Church in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, is home to one of the most significant surviving Anglo-Saxon structures in England. The lower part of the church's Anglo Saxon tower along with the central nave walls, date from the 9th century. The upper parts of the tower
ALT All Hallows Church in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, is home to one of the most significant surviving Anglo-Saxon structures in England. The lower part of the church's Anglo Saxon tower along with the central nave walls, date from the 9th century. The upper parts of the tower are slightly later.
T J Guile retweeted
REMINDER
London Catholic History Day
Saturday 31st October
…Wales since 1850.
3:00 ECHA AGM
4:00 Finish
Some may want to gather at a nearby pub afterwards
T J Guile retweeted
REMINDER
London Catholic History Day
Saturday 31st October
…his Catholic archival and history experiences over the past 50 years.
12:00 Mass
Followed by lunch
2.p.m. Chris Larsen - The history and diocesan organisation of the Catholic hierarchy in England and …
T J Guile retweeted
REMINDER
London Catholic History Day
Saturday 31st October
English Catholic History Association
Church of Our Lady and St Gregory, Warwick St, Soho
10:30 start
10.45 a.m. Canon Stewart Foster - Longest serving diocesan archivist in England and Wales to speak on…
T J Guile retweeted
A chi gli chiese perché non abbandonasse la Chiesa cattolica per passare all Riforma, Erasmo da Rotterdam rispose:
“Sopporto questa Chiesa, in attesa che divenga migliore, dal momento che anch'essa per prima è costretta a sopportare me, in attesa che io divenga migliore."
T J Guile retweeted
Today is the #FeastDay of the #DouayMartyrs - 156 Catholic priests trained at the #EnglishCollege in Douay and martyred in England 1577-1680. They include several #Jesuits - Edmunds #Campion & #Arrowsmith, Robert #Southwell, Roger #Filcock, Alexander #Briant
T J Guile retweeted
It was delightful to be @NationalGallery this evening listening to Sir Gabriele Finaldi for the Craigmlye Lecture 2026 entitled ‘How Art Can Lead Us to Faith and Faith Can Lead Us to Art’. Well done @CatholicUnionGB more of this please.
T J Guile retweeted
education, such as a paper by T. J. Guile on Mary Ward, founder of schools for girls in seventeenth-century Europe.
T J Guile retweeted
Date: Friday, 6 November 2026
Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Venue: Waldegrave Suite, St Mary's University, Twickenham, London
Featured Presentations: Includes research papers & discussions exploring historical, educational, theological, and cultural perspectives of women in Catholic…
T J Guile retweeted
The research conference titled "Building on the Legacy of Women's Pivotal Role in Catholic Education" will be held on Friday, 6 November 2026 at St Mary's University, London, hosted by the Thea Bowman Research Centre to mark 60 years of women at the university.
T J Guile retweeted
COULD YOU BE THE RIGHT PERSON to join the
committee of the ENGLISH CATHOLIC HISTORY ASSOCIATION?
One has to be a member of course but all that is needed is enthusiasm!
For more information join us at the London Catholic History day at Warwick St, Soho.
T J Guile retweeted
Now our second speaker has pulled out and we find ourselves in the situation of not having a second speaker.
Can you help?
Can you suggest anyone who may be free to give us a talk on some aspect of English/Welsh Catholic history?
T J Guile retweeted
CAN YOU HELP?
As many of you know, our day conference is on Saturday 31st October.
Last week our first speaker dropped out and we were lucky enough to find a replacement within 24 hours.
T J Guile retweeted
The Papal Mandate for Bishop-Elect Stephen Wang, who will be ordained to the episcopate today and has the assurance of my prayers as he begins this new chapter in his ministry.
LEO, BISHOP, SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD,
To Our beloved son, Stephen Wei-Jon Wang, of the clergy of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Westminster, hitherto Rector of the Venerable English College in the City of Rome, appointed Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, greetings and Apostolic Blessing.
In all Our pastoral endeavours, we do not pursue some newly-devised course. Our purpose has already been drawn from the Gospel and from the living Tradition; it is found in Christ himself, whom the Christian faithful are called to know, to love and to imitate. For in Him, Trinitarian life is brought about and lived, and history itself is transfigured and brought to fulfilment, even unto the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. St John Paul II, Novo millennio ineunte, 29).
Guided by these words, and together with our brother Bishops, we continually desire to build up the Kingdom of God, and for this reason we turn our gaze towards the community of Arundel and Brighton, which, following the translation of our Venerable Brother, Charles Philip Richard Moth, to the See of Westminster, now patiently awaits the arrival of a new shepherd to guide its diocesan life.
Therefore, considering this need, we have you in mind, beloved son, whose particular human and priestly gifts, together with your prudence and experience in the conduct of affairs, persuade us to entrust this work, ministry, and responsibility to you with confidence.
Accordingly, relying upon the judgement of the Dicastery for Bishops, and exercising our Apostolic authority, we nominate and willingly appoint you Bishop of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, with all due rights granted and the corresponding obligations imposed, in accordance with the laws of the Code of Canon Law.
As regards your episcopal ordination, we gladly permit you to receive it anywhere outside the City of Rome from a Catholic Bishop, whom you shall choose. Beforehand, however, as ecclesiastical law prescribes, it is necessary that you duly make the Profession of Faith and take the Oath of Fidelity to Us and to Our Successors in this See.
We further exhort you to exercise your ministry diligently and as a father towards all the Christian faithful entrusted to you, both clergy and laity, and at the same time we exhort them, as soon as they have learned of this Decree and of Our will, to manifest towards you their affection and obedience.
Finally, we entrust your ministry to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of her spouse Saint Joseph, and of Saint Philip Howard, that they may abundantly implore from God for you the graces necessary for your ministry.
Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, on the second day of the month of July, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-six, the second year of Our Pontificate.
Leo Pastor Pastorem XIV
T J Guile retweeted
We are very fortunate to have Cannon Foster of Brentwood Diocese to give us a talk. He is a FRHistS and several other societies. He studied at Blackfriars in Oxford along with the speaker who has had to pull out of the event.
T J Guile retweeted
The advertised first talk at the annual conference on 31st October at Our Lady and St Gregory church, Warwick St will now be by Canon Dr Stewart Foster. He will share his insights as a diocesan archivist and historian. The previosly advertised speaker is unfortunately unwell.
