Pontifical High Mass of St Philip celebrated by Bishop Robert Byrne at the London Oratory

Bishop Robert Byrne celebrated Pontifical High Mass for St Philip's Day at the London Oratory earlier today. The Mass was celebrated in anticipation for the boys of St Philip's School who will be on holiday next week. The Deacon was Fr Dominic Jacob, the School Chaplain, the Sub-deacon was Fr Rupert McHardy, a former pupil of the school, and the Assistant Priest was Fr Julian Large, Provost of the London Oratory. The St Philip's Schola sang plainchant, Palestrina, Elgar, Perosi and a setting of Regina Caeli by Fr Dominic Jacob for full choir, organ, trumpets and timpani. The organ was played by Peter Stevens, Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. After Mass, Bishop Byrne blessed the school with the relic of St Philip and gave every boy a prayer card of St Philip. St Philip's School, which readers may remember from this post, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. The Solemnity of St Philip is on Monday 26 May and there will be a High Mass (with choir and orchestra) at the London Oratory at 6.30pm. The preacher will be Bishop Athanasius Schneider. There will also be a talk tomorrow at 8pm given by Bishop Schneider at St Wilfrid's Hall entitled 'Living under Communism'.