The Holy Name of Jesus - Gateshead, and the last Mass at the Station Hotel

Tomorrow (2nd December) may well see the last Traditional Mass at the Station Hotel, Newcastle, now that the Holy Name of Jesus church in Bensham is pretty much ready to open.

There has been Mass at the Station Hotel since 1974.

How I wish I could be there. I shall miss the somewhat quaint, 'faded charm' of the Hotel. It was far from ideal, and it really is high time that Mass in the North East was said in a church, but still... one cannot help but feel nostalgic.


Mass in a converted hotel room had a very recusant feel to it!

The hotel was so convenient, being right next to the station, but an actual church will be better.

False alarm! The last Mass at the Station Hotel wasn't this evening!

It is hoped that the new church will be up and running by Christmas.

Just received this in an e-mail:

Is there anyone here who could go along with a video camera, for posterity's sake...

Is there anyone here who could go along with a video camera, for posterity's sake...

I would love to be able to oblige. At a pinch, it might be possible. But I'm not making any promises!

Fr Morgan said that arrangements were to be made for transport from London and Preston to the Dedication of the Holy Name of Jesus in Gateshead on 19th January 2008. Possibly other areas will be involved.

Fr Morgan also encourged people to bring a 'friend' on that day, besides doing so on every Sunday.

Last Sunday after Mass, the basis of a choir was formed with a rehearsal of the Propers, based upon tapes produced by Fr MacLaughlin.

The expected arrival of a BBC TV crew for Mass last Sunday was cancelled at the last minute but could be rearranged before Christmas.

Thank you for the update, Concerned.

I really hope to be able to get to the Dedication.

NOTICES

Next Sunday, 16th December, Mass will be celebrated for the last time at the Station Hotel Newcastle. The Traditional Mass has been celebrated here for 34 years. Television cameras may or may not be present.

On Sunday, 23rd December, Mass will be celebrated at The Holy Name of Jesus Church in Gateshead at 6 p.m.

On Christmas Day, 25th December, Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m.

On Saturday, 19th January, Bishop Fellay will celebrate Mass and dedicate the 'new' church. Television cameras may be present.


Edited by Clare to correct date.

This post has been edited by Clare on Dec 15 2007, 10:29 AM

Christmas in November?

Not very Trad!

I think I'll merge this with the other thread on the subject.

What time? I may be able to come to this, but timing is crucial as I'm singing in York in the evening!

Thank you for pointing out that Christmas Day is not in November. Silly mistake. There is a spell checker but not a context checker. Clare attend to this.

As far as I am aware the Dedication of the Holy Name of Jesus Church will take place at 11 a.m.

The church is situated between Berwick Road and Gladstone Road both roads on the right heading south on Prince Consort Road. Mapquest will identify Berwick Road with a red star (don't read anything ulterior into this). At the moment the gate from Berwick Road is locked but will be opened at some time. Another landmark, I believe is the Berwick Hotel on Prince Consort Road.

I'll keep you informed as well as I am able. (Providing the months don't shift around !)

Yesterday's was the last Mass at the Station Hotel. The end of an era!

Were you there, Concerned?

The last Mass.

Fr King said that The Station Hotel will in future times become something of a relic. History will regard this as a special site where the True Catholic Church was kept alive in the North East for 34 years until a permanent Church was found.

I must say that the staff at the Station Hotel have always been very pleasant and helpful and obliging.

Heresay and Gossip
Last Monday, the local Rabbi and two of his Deputies visited Fr Morgan at the new church to offer their best wishes.

The church is in part of Gateshead where many Jewish families live. Once night when some hoodlums were trying to set fire to the front doors of the church, Jewish boys chased them away and put out the fire.

God works in mysterious ways.

The first Mass in the new church will be tomorrow!

It turns out that Bensham has the highest concentration of Jews in Europe due to the area hosting the "Oxbridge" of Talmudic schools.

Such Jews, of course, refuse to say the name of Our Blessed Lord, even referring to Christmas as Xmas if it has to be mentioned at all. Having to travel past a church newly named 'Holy Name of Jesus' should have an interesting effect on the local populace as far as grace is concerned. Once it enters the mind the Holy Name of Jesus will undoubtedly come to thought when passing the church.

All Praise and Glory and Honour and Worship to the Holy Ghost.
What a wonderful work He has accomplished placing His Church here in Bensham.

I was heartened by Concerned's post at the top of this page:

The first Mass at Bensham will be underway now!

Please let us know how it went, Concerned.

About the visit of the Rabbi, Fr Morgan's face was shining with joy afterwards.

I will take any wager that the Holy Ghost's face was shining as well.

Fr Wingerden celebrated Holy Mass, tonight

I do not know how to send pictures, so I will e-mail them to Clare and leave the technicalities to her.

The big red infra red heater show up very well.
The organ sounds magnificent.

I was very impressed by the church. I thought that it was quite beauiful. The stained glass windows (Photos taken from outside) There is a stained glass panel incorporated into one window of Archbishop Lefebrve and his Coat of Arms. The marble plaques commenorating the War Dead of 1914-1918 have been left in situ, which is as it should be. One wall is bare stone - rather like a dry stone wall that has been mortared. This was covered with plaster but after being derelict for so long had suffered from the damp. The raw stone wall gives a feeling of antiquity. As a friend remarked, it is almost as though the church is pre-Reformation having bare stone revealed.

Oh such joy to be in a church, rather than in a hotel room.(Not that the place or the trappings are important really, but after so long in the wilderness it was like coming home.)

Actually, I am such so overwhelmed that I don't know what to say. I just feel very close to tears.

Dare I say that when I came away, two young Hassid Jewish boys were passing. I wonder what they were thinking.

NEWS
The following is taken verbatim from the Blue Newsletter

BLESSING OF CHURCH IN GATESHEAD - Bishop Fellay will bless our new chuch in Gateshead on Saturday January 19th. The Pontifical ceremony will begin at 12-30p.m. Pleas make a special effort to be presentat this event - A 41 seater coach will leave Preston for the ceremony. Depart -8a.m. Return 4-30 p.m. - Adults £20 - children under 16 £10. Please book a seat at Our Lady of Victories repository by by writng to or 'phoning Fr. King at St Mary's House 01772 885990

Thank you for the report, Concerned, and for the photos below:


Sign in porch, ready to be erected


Exterior at night


The Nave




Windows taken from outside


Windows taken inside


The Ablutions


The Elevation of the Chalice

Looking at the snaps reminds me how impoverished we were and are.

You will notice on the altar that the candles are only in small candlesticks, the same ones we have been using in the Station Hotel.

You will also notice that the candles are not very highly raised up. They are standing on what we called 'gradients' which used to be set up each week. Two home-made pair of shallow steps on which to place the candles. Painted gold, of course.

You will noticethat there is no tabernacle.

I cannot comment upon the flower vases, because it is still Advent. But you will, by now, realise that after Advent I will say You will Notice that the vases are very small.

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS GRATEFULLY RECEIVED!!

I did hear of one NO priest trying to get rid of a life sized pieta.

Off Topic, but if you ever looked at what the Benzingers Brothers catalogue contained, you would cry. (American Church Funishers, suppliers and Publishers)

Fantastic photographs, Concerned. Thank you.

God bless the good Roman Catholics of Tradition in Gateshead, UK!

You are really blessed with such a nice aula Dei.

Merry and blessed Christmas to you all!

P.S. Why does the sign not say Roman Catholic church (or: oratory)? Do Catholics in England refer to themselves only as Catholic? Are there no schismatic "Old Catholics" in the United Kingdom? Uninformed lay faithful might confuse things.