A record number of
candidates received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Traditional Rite last
Saturday, at a ceremony in central London organised by the Latin Mass Society.
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Bishop John Arnold
conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation on one of the candidates
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Nearly fifty children
and adults received Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form from Bishop John
Arnold, auxiliary in Westminster, at St James’s Church, Spanish Place on
Saturday, 14th December. He was assisted by Fr Christopher Colven,
the rector of St James’s, Fr Tim Finigan of Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen,
and Fr Rupert McHardy of the London Oratory. Following the Confirmations, the
bishop celebrated Pontifical Benediction.
After the ceremonies,
Bishop Arnold joined the candidates, their sponsors and families in the parish
social centre for a celebration buffet lunch.
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Bishop John Arnold cuts
a celebratory cake, surrounded by some of the Confirmation candidates
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The Latin Mass Society
has been organising annual Confirmations in the Extraordinary Form for several
years now. This past year there were also Traditional Confirmations at Reading
and New Brighton, organised respectively by the Fraternity of St Peter and the
Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
LMS General Manager,
Mike Lord, said: ‘We are very grateful to Bishop Arnold for agreeing to confer
the Sacrament on what has been a very successful and happy day. We always
attract a good number of candidates to receive Confirmation in the Traditional
Rite, but this year’s turnout has been exceptional. It demonstrates that the
attraction of the Extraordinary Form as part of Catholic life for many families
is continuing to grow.’
