Following five years of extensive renovations and restoration work, we are pleased to be able to formally ‘re-open’ Corpus Christi with a week of Solemn ceremonies, centred around Our Blessed Lord, Truly Present in the Blessed Sacrament.
The week long events will culminate in the visit of His Eminence, Vincent Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, on Sunday 3rd June. His Eminence will celebrate a Solemn Mass for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi at which he will canonically erect Corpus Christi as the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament.
The events advertised below are open to all and you are most welcome to attend as many or as few as you wish.
Clergy are invited to sit in choir at all events but are requested to inform the parish office of their attendance by 21st May: catholicchurchcoventgarden@gmail.com
Tuesday 29th May
6:30pm – Opening of 40 Hours Devotion
Celebrant & Preacher: Fr. Alan Robinson, Parish Priest of Corpus Christi
The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed at the end of Mass and will remain so until midnight.
Wednesday 30th May
Continuation of Forty Hours
The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed at 7:00am and remains exposed until midnight.
Holy Mass: 1:05pm
Holy Hour and Benediction: 6:30pm
Thursday 31st May
1:05pm – Mass for The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ordinary Form
7:00pm – Closing of 40 Hours Devotion
Pontifical High Mass of Corpus Christi in the Extraordinary Form
Celebrant & Preacher: Abbot Hugh Allan, o.praem., Apostolic Administrator to the Falkland Islands, Titular Abbot of Beeleigh
Clergy are invited to sit in choir but are requested to inform the parish office of their attendance by 21st May: catholicchurchcoventgarden@gmail.com
Friday 1st June
6:30pm – Solemn Erection of the Stations of the Cross
This is a rarely celebrated rite of the Church. The Stations of the Cross become Indulgenced once they have been formally erected. His Eminence, Cardinal Nichols has specially given permission for this rite to be celebrated, after which all those who pray the Via Crucis at Corpus Christi may be granted a Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions.
Saturday 2nd June
3:30pm – First Vespers of Corpus Christi
Celebrant: Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong.Orat., Bishop of Cuncacestre, Auxiliary in Birmingham
6:00pm – Pontifical Vigil Mass of Corpus Christi
Celebrant & Preacher: Bishop Robert Byrne, Cong.Orat., Bishop of Cuncacestre, Auxiliary in Birmingham
Sunday 3rd June
11:00am – Pontifical Solemn Mass of Corpus Christi
Solemn Erection of the Diocesan Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament around Covent Garden
Celebrant: His Eminence, Vincent Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster
N.B. – there will be no 9:30am Mass on this Sunday.
Clergy are invited to sit in choir but are requested to inform the parish office of their attendance by 21st May: catholicchurchcoventgarden@gmail.com
