Mass of Thanksgiving for Durham University Centre for Catholic Studies

l-r: Fr John O’Connor OP, Prior of Blackfriars; Fr Benjamin Earl OP, Durham Catholic chaplain; Fra’ Matthew Festing; Bishop Seamus Cunningham; Abbot Aidan Bellenger OSB; Ushaw president Mgr John Marsland; Fr Terence Richardson OSB, prior of Ampleforth

A Mass of Thanksgiving for the work of Durham University’s Centre for Catholic Studies has been celebrated in Ushaw’s historic St Cuthbert’s Chapel.

The main celebrant was Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Seamus Cunningham, with Abbot Aidan Bellenger of Downside preaching.

During the Mass the celebrants used the early seventeenth century Sloane Chalice from Ushaw’s collection. The chalice is believed to have been made for Pope Paul V.

Following the Mass, Fra’ Matthew Festing, Prince and Grand Master of the Knights of Malta, delivered the last of the academic term’s Ushaw Lectures series. In a wide ranging talk he explored the history of the Knights before the Reformation in England, touching upon the fate of his own ancestor, Bl Adrian Fortescue, who was executed under Henry VIII.

Fra’ Matthew is only the second Englishman to be elected Grand Master since 1258.

Abbot Aidan’s homily and an interview with Fra’ Matthew can be listened to here: http://youtu.be/gnAkiZFUhAI