Saturday, 26 May 2012

The church of the Holy Name in Manchester celebrates a milestone in these days. It is 20 years since the first "St Philip's Mass", after the arrival of Fr Ray Matus at the Oxford Road church.

On the vigil of the Feast of the saint, the Mass of St Philip was celebrated with several concelebrating priests and a near-full church. Haydn's Jugendmass was sung to accompany the fitting celebration for the "Apostle of Rome".

Fr John Flynn preached on the cultivation of Christian joy in a challenging environment, citing St Philip as a model of sanctity.