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Fr Oswald Baker - Latin Mass
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02 · Subseries · 1 January 1950 to 2 July 2004
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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."

Baker, Oswald Charles Rev (1915-2004)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-90 · Item · 4 September 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

T E Burns (Editor) to Bishop Clark advising him that a piece on Downham Market will be in The Tablet Notebook that week. "Since writing it, I have discovered that Downham Market is also the headquarters of the Counter Reform goings on of the Abbe Nantes, etc. etc. so perhaps Fr Baker is something rather different from the 'exemplary and devoted priest' that I depicted."
Mention that the CTS reissue of "Apostolicae Curea" is causing a convert some distress; the Bishop had written to him to say that such discussions should be available.

The Tablet (1846-)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-110 · Item · 11 September 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

The root of the trouble at Downham Market is not the use of Latin but the disobedience of Fr Baker. Catholics not properly prepared for the changes, hence those being upset. Arbitrary experimentation by some priests have not helped - hence a longing for the old familiar Mass. The new rite has been established as valid and free form doctrinal error.

Barker, Marion Tess OSB
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-152 · Item · 22 July 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Expectation that priests and laity obey and respect the Pope and Bishops and celebrate Mass and Sacraments in the Church's way. Warning against attending an unofficial Latin Mass. Establishes that Archbishop Lefebvre and supporters are opposed to Vatican II and are operating outside the orders of the Pope and Bishops. To attend their Mass is to risk parting company with the Pope and the Catholic Church.

Lindsay, Hugh Rev (1927-2009)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-153 · Item · 30 July 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Invited to offer the traditional Mass at Newcastle on 8 August. Telling the Bishop through courtesy following his admonition in the Catholic Press. Questions whether his reasoning can be found by the Bishop to be at fault. Offers Fr Wathen's "The Great Sacrilege" as an non-refutable authority. Fr Baker is trying to do God's Will - not defiant to authority but does not agree with the requirement for blind and unquestioning obedience.

Baker, Oswald Charles Rev (1915-2004)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-156 · Item · 9 August 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Asks Fr Baker not to make another public trip to Newcastle. Fr Baker has broken Church laws. If Fr Baker has trouble with the Novus Ordo Mass then he can say it in the former rite "sine populo" [without the people] - do this and no more. Better to stay in Downham Market

Lindsay, Hugh Rev (1927-2009)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-10 · Part · 16 March 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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

Unknown
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-09-02-02-52-1 · Part · 21 August 2020
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

"At the invitation of Bishop Alan Hopes, Fr Henry Whisenant, a young diocesan priest of the diocese of East Anglia, has taken up the role as Chaplain for the Extraordinary Form in a house with a privately-owned chapel - Our Lady Immaculate and St Edmund's, Withermarsh Green. It is in the southeast corner of the diocese, south of Ipswich." Story continues.

The Catholic Universe (1860-2021)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-155 · Item · 9 August 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Fr Baker celebrated Mass without approval in the old rite without permission, preached without faculties and heard confession in an unsatisfactory conditions. He is reported as saying "Since the Vatican Council there have been two churches, one of which is the modern one with new doctrines, new morality, and new liturgy. They can't excommunicate me for that Church because I have never been a member of it. But I intend to remain loyal to the real Church." He has been on radio and television and has caused us considerable embarrassment. Can you persuade him to remain in Downham Market; he intends to return in the next month?

Lindsay, Hugh Rev (1927-2009)
"The Second Vatican Council"
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-2 · Part · undated (after 1975)
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Collection of sermons by Fr Oswald Baker; titles:
How can it have happened?
The evil of Vatican II
Faith and Morals: The Vatican II assault
Verdict on Vatican II
Papal infallibility and papal power
The Catholic Church and the Conciliar Church

Baker, Oswald Charles Rev (1915-2004)
"Ite Missa Est"
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-5 · Part · 24 January 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

An article by Fr Bruckberger OP which appeared in the Daily Figaro on January 24 1975 has been translated into English by Owen Roberts.
"Do they take us for Idiots?" - prohibition of one rite, one liturgy, one manner of saying Mass (Mass of St Pius V). Paul VI Mass is authorised not imposed. A perpetual indult exists for the Mass of Pope St Pius V. It concludes with "Let them leave us to worship in a thousand years old rite..."

Unknown
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-9 · Part · 6 January 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

An article by Fr Bryan Houghton
"This article is not written to prolong the needless controversy but to bring out the real issue which lies behind the differences between Father Baker and his Bishop...."

Unknown
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-12 · Part · 19 September 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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.

Baker, Oswald Charles Rev (1915-2004)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-108 · Item · 11 September 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Sides 1-3: Alan Smithies (author & poet) writes following hearing the Bishop on the radio discussing the Tridentine Mass, its discontinuation by Rome and the subsequent mass protests. As an Anglo Catholic author he holds no brief for the Tridentine Mass; discusses the 1549 prayer book (a wholly Catholic Mass). Anglicans are in more disarray with their various services, with Series III replacing good English with journalese (as with your English mass). Discusses the nature of the language and its uses, the Bishops of earlier ages; modern bishops too influenced by the popular. People do want good but simple everyday English. Appends some hymns if the Bishop would like to use any of them then he'd be delighted.
Sides 5, 7, 9: "Office for Saint Bede" 5 four-line verses; "For Saint Clare" [written for the nuns of Lynton, on the Feast of St Care, 1975] 8 six-line verses; "Hymn for Saint Nicholas" 6 four-line verses; "Office Hymn for Saint Andrew" 6 four-line verses
"These hymns are written with the intention that they should be sung, wherever possible, in plainchant."

Correspondent
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-158 · Item · 29 June 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Fr Baker has decided to challenge the current arrangements. He has opened a Tridentine mass centre in Bethel Street in Norwic, not far from the Cathedral. Appends an extract of the digest created by the Archbishop of Birmingham of the pope's speech regarding Archbishop Lefebvre and those who support him. The position needs to be made crystal clear. The priests are to read out the instruction - Fr Baker is deliberately flouting the authority of the Church, the Holy Father and his bishops; such people are putting themselves out of communion with the same; the pope draws his authority from Christ and hence requires obedience; no priest is to celebrate the Tridentine rite with a congregation, and, no one can join him without express permission.

Clark, Alan Charles Rev DD (1919-2002)
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-01-155-1 · Part · 5 to 9 August 1976
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

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

Various
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-4 · Part · undated (after 1975)
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Item demanding the real reason for the removal of Fr Oswald Baker be made known by the Bishop Alan Clark of Northampton. Addresses the use of the Tridentine Rite (in use for centuries) which Vatican II has overturned. Defends Fr Baker as an example of unity, veneration and holiness.
signature block: Joseph Harley - Dell Cottage, Chideock, Bridport, Dorset
manuscript note: "For your Lordship's information, [signed] illegible"

Unknown
GB ARCHON 2913 DEA-05-01-02-03-6 · Part · 3 August 1975
Part of Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia (RCDEA)

Redemptorist publication "Christian Encounter" - reverse page for local parish notes
Page 1 - printed, but proper of Mass crossed out
Page 2 - "Topic - Women's Dress in Church" - a description of the nature/style of dress for a woman at Mass.
"Strictly and exclusively the complete unchanged traditional Catholic Latin Mass of St Pius V at Downham Market"

Baker, Oswald Charles Rev (1915-2004)