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This is a collection of documentation about Fr Baker during a period of his differences with his Bishops about the Church's approach to Latin Mass. This includes correspondence, newspaper clippings and published material.

Fr Baker served as a curate at Luton, High Wycombe and Wymondham, Norfolk, before going to Downham Market in 1949. When the New Mass came out in 1969, Fr. Baker refused to say it and continued to offer exclusively the Tridentine Latin Mass as codified by Pope St. Pius V in 1570.

In 1975 Father Baker was suspended by Bishop Charles Grant. Bishop Grant told Fr. Baker not to say Mass in his Church, so Fr. Baker said Mass in his Presbytery instead. With the help of donations a house was purchased for his presbytery and chapel, at 48 Bexwell Road, Downham Market, named the "St. Pius V Chapel". He said Mass there until his death in 2004.
In 1984 he explained that the present Pope was "no more a Catholic than Ian Paisley - and no more a pope than Billy Graham". He added that "the new Mass is a sacrilegious parody of the true Mass: it is sinful to take part in it."

EDP 20-8-1975; letter; Status of Downham: RC protest
EDP 21-8-1975; article; Downham Catholics fight to keep traditional Mass; image of mother and daughter with petition for the Bishop
Daily Mail 25-8-1975; article; Pop goes Communion with paper cups and Co-op sliced / The Watchfield faithful get a taste of religion; 3 images - Sister Verity on drums / Bishop of Reading on stage / Communion in a paper cup
Guardian 25-8-1975; letters; Mass revolt of the Catholic Loyalists
Unknown 26-8-1975; letter; Traditional Mass?
Universe 29-8-1975; article; "Latin" priest supporters plan demo
The Times 29-8-1975; article; Bishop's warning on priest offering Mass in old form
Sunday Times 31-8-1975; article; Latin lovers in protest; image Fr Baker
Sunday Times 31-8-1975; article; Priest in Mass protest; 2 images - procession; Fr Baker
The Observer 31-8-1975; article; This rite is not wrong say 300 Catholics; image of Fr Baker
The Times 3-9-1975; letters; The Tridentine Mass
Catholic Herald 5-9-1975; letters; End wrangles of amateur liturgists
Catholic Herald 5-9-1975; article; Latin protest "cause of distress"; cartoon
EDP 8-9-1975; letters; Downham Mass
EDP 9-9-1975; article; Priest "refuses to see Bishop"
EDP 11-9-1975; letters; Downham Mass
EDP 11-9-1975; article; Downham priest asked to resign
Guardian 12-9-1975; article; Priest says he is hounded
The Universe 12-9-1975; article; Fr Baker won't meet Bishop Grant
The Times 12-9-1975; article; Canon law to be used to remove priest
The Guardian 13-9-1975; article; Latin mass takes to road
The Times 13-9-1975; letters; The traditional Mass
The Sunday Telegraph 14-9-1975; letters; Tridentine Mass and Anglican voluntary principle
The Guardian 14-9-1975; article; "Sensual" girls at Sunday mass
The Times 15-9-1975; article; Knives are out for Roman Catholic dissidents
EDP 17-9-1975; letters; Downham Mass
The Times 18-9-1975; letter; The traditional Mass
The Times 19-9-1975; article; Bishop's aim "to make new Mass available to all"
The Times 19-9-1975; article; Bringing the church to the people
EDP 19-9-1975; article; Bishop on his duty over the new mass
The Times 22-9-1975; letters; The traditional Mass
The Times 22-9-1975; letter; Catholic traditionalists
EDP 22-9-1975; letter Downham Mass
EDP 30-9-1975; letter Downham Mass
Sunday Express 31-8-1975; article; Catholics march to banned Mass
Unknown undated; letters; Downham Catholics and their Mass
The Sunday Times 31-8-1975; article; Latin lovers in protest
EDP 1-9-1975; article; Procession backs Downham priest; 2 images: procession; Fr Baker
The Telegraph 1-9-1975; "Liturgical bingo" of English Mass
Lynn News & Advertiser 2-9-1975; article; Catholics on the March / Downham Mass dispute grows; 2 images: procession; Fr Baker
EDP 2-9-1975; letter; Downham Mass
EDP 4-9-1975; letters; Downham Mass
EDP 6-9-1975; letter; Downham Mass
The Times 9-9-1975; re-typed by unknown; article; [Bishop Grant statement]
Catholic Herald 12-9-1975; article; Guarding against false gods
EDP 18-9-1975; letter; Downham Mass
The Guardian 20-9-1975; [photocopy] article; Church militant
EDP 23-9-1975; letter; Downham Mass
The Times 26-9-1975; letter; The traditional Mass
Catholic Herald 26-9-1975; article; Bishop Grant on Downham Market issue
Lynn News & Advertiser 10-10-1975; letters; In support of Fr Baker / And against..
The Telegraph 21-11-1975; [photocopy] article; Bad Marks for Latin
Evening News 30-6-1976; article; Rebel priest opens centre for Mass in city
The Journal 2-7-1976; article; Catholic Bishop hits at old Mass rebels; 2 images: Fr Baker; Bishop Clark
Cambridge Evening News 9-7-1976; letter;
EDP 17-7-1976; letter; Mass
EDP 19-7-1976; letter; In reply to Fr Baker
EDP 12-11-1976; article; Disused shop setting for Downham Mass
EDP 14-7-1976; letter; Mass: rebel priest "follows ruling"
EDP 15-11-1976; [reprint] article; Rebel Archbishop's "Woolies" mass; 2 images: Archbishop Lefebvre; Archbishop Lefebvre and Fr Baker

Page 1: Petition text: loss of daily Mass and related devotions following proposed re-alignment of parish boundaries; much fund-raising done for the Church; Rural nature of Downham Market parish would make it difficult for a priest based at Swaffham. Hence request the Bishop reverse the decision affecting Downham parish
Page 2: 1 copy of petition names - column 1 35 names; column 2 32 names

Photocopies of local press coverage about Fr Baker inaugurating a Tridentine Mass centre in Newcastle.
page 1: Article: Rebel priest to celebrate Latin Mass; Article: Booted out but unrepentant; letter: Oath of Loyalty
page 2/3: article: Old faith alive in the North
page 3: article: A choice of Masses today
page 4: article: North Catholics defy their Bishop

side 1: "A Warning / from / Peter Simple / of the Daily Telegraph / and an Amplification"
side 2: Article "Sign" by Peter Simple, reproduced from the Daily Telegraph, 16 March 1976
sides 3/4: "An amplification - from one of the faithful" by Margaret S Kenworthy-Browne

Covering letter for a petition which was also sent to Bishop Grant

Income in the parish has increased - so, not living on a "pittance". Willing to accept position as a curate so that the parish priest from Swaffham does not have to travel to Downham. His weekly visit to the convent in Swaffham means he could easily report to the PP. Changes would be detrimental to this parish. Suggest that any priest free to officiate do so at Oxburgh instead. Not impelled to move; willing to stay.

Redemptorist publication "Christian Encounter" - reverse page for local parish notes
Page 1 - printed
Page 2 - "Are Traditionalists disobedient? (concluded)" - traditional mass dates from 1570 - persistent challenges to legality of New Mass - even the Pope will not invoke it as a legal instrument - its introduction is visible a mistake.

Detailing the immediate consequences of the Decree sent on 20 November:

1. not entitled to live in the Parish house - must be vacated without delay - contact the Bishop for support arrangements
2. not entitled to use the Church - will not evict Fr Baker but will not tolerate him remaining
3. not entitled to administer parochial funds - make arrangements to settle up
4. not entitled to officiate at marriages - any married by you will be in an invalid marriage
5. if celebrating mass in disobedience must make this clear to those attending and handle monies appropriately

Quoting from an article in the Daily Telegraph which the Bishop indicates could mislead a reader with some untruths about Fr Sketch. Writing because "this and similar one-sided reports cause distress..." "... you will instruct your staff to present both sides of the picture, and not accept uncritically the propaganda of an interested party in the controversy."

Covering letter to an Editor [not specified] for a statement on Downham Market. Requests that 24 copies of the issue should the statement appear.

Tragedy that Fr Baker has decided to re-open the issue after a good compromise by Bishop Grant. Norwich Deanery priests felt strongly that it was churlish and mean-minded to turn the attack on to the Bishop's Secretary.

Every effort, long hours and many miles involved in finding bridges to attempt to persuade Fr Baker to enjoy the privacy of the Downham Market presbytery. Bishop has for many months been on TV and in print trying to explain what is at stake. "... not just a question of a liturgical rite; it is a refusal to accept the renewed mission of the Church ..."