Expert: Fr. Michael - 12/13/2005

Question
OK, here goes:-

I was brought up technically a Roman Catholic(ie baptism/confirmation and the like) but have been a lifelong atheist from a very early age. This feeling was strongly reinforced by the  trendy modernizing of various  churches  with such absurd innovations such as "pass the peace",and general post-Vatican II innovations such as overly loud, modern Baptist-like Churches(I'm thinking  in particular of the deadly dull trendy modern Masses I used to attend as a teenager held by a couple of rather tedious anti-Lefebvre-type  Catholic priests in Winchester).

In the last few years I've noted that I've been missing something in my life, and wondered if it was religion. I've never been a fanatic denouncer of religion, being quite tolerant, and accepting the fact that religion/faith is an innate, necessary  characteristic of human nature, regardless of the issue of whether God exists or not.

Anyway, I recently came across several letters to the (UK) Daily Telegraph. One stated that the decline of the birthrate in the West was  likely due to a feeling of emptiness due to desertion of religion, and that religion was the primary instigator/motivator behind  all culture.Given my own experience and others in my life,  I am completely convinced by this pro-religious argument, if only  (as yet) on the secular level rather than the spiritual.  I would be quite interested in attending an RC church  at some stage. Do you know of any  RC churches in (Northwest or Central) London in the UK,  doing traditional-style worship/Mass etc.?

Thanks
Geoff Purcell

Answer
You are in a rapidly increasing group, which is not interested in the "New Order" service that has been so common in the last few decades.

For Traditional Latin Mass sites in England, check with:

Stephen Dumbrell
1 Irmar, 59 Cookham Rd., Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7EP, UK
+44 (1628) 636-806, fax 788-802
steve@pearlglobe.co.uk

who maintains a list for that area.