30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 26 October 2014

 
Entrance Father, Lord of all creation
Kyrie Mass of the Redeemer (mcb) - Penitential Act
Gloria Psallite
Psalm Ps 17 (James Walsh)
Gospel Acclamation Alleluia Mode 2 (plainchant)
Preparation of the Gifts A touching place (John Bell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen German Mass (Schubert/Proulx)
Agnus Dei Mass of the Redeemer
Communion Lord, your love has drawn us near (Stephen Dean)
Postcommunion Ubi Caritas (Ola Gjeilo, b. 1978)
Recessional O Jesus I have promised
 

Today’s readings told of love of God and love of neighbour, the first reading from Exodus in particular spelling out the consequences of the command to love, in our dealings with widows and orphans, strangers and the poor. John Bell’s A touching place sings of the same uncompromising challenges.

The ancient hymn Ubi Caritas connects our response to those challenges with God’s own presence: where charity and love are, there is God.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 19 October 2014

 
Entrance O God beyond all praising (Perry/Holst)
Kyrie Mass of the Creator Spirit (Ed Nowak)
Gloria Mass of the Most Sacred Heart (Jacob Bancks)
Psalm Ps 95 (Simon Reynolds)
Gospel Acclamation Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of the Gifts Be still and know that I am God
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei Mass of the Creator Spirit
Communion Turn to me (John Foley)
Postcommunion Ab ortu solis (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Recessional Holy God, we praise thy name
 

As three years ago, multiple references to the rising and setting of the sun, in the first reading, the Eucharistic Prayer and our Postcommunion motet. There’s one I missed last time round, which struck me this time as we sang our closing hymn — in the third verse’s

And from morn to set of sun
through the Church the song goes on

though, ironically, this image isn’t to be found in the Te Deum which the hymn paraphrases. There it’s per orbem terrarum (that is, ‘The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee’) rather than ab ortu solis usque ad occasum. But it all fitted together pleasingly.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 12 October 2014

 
Entrance All are welcome (Marty Haugen)
Kyrie Mass of the Creator Spirit (Ed Nowak)
Gloria Mass of the Most Sacred Heart (Jacob Bancks)
Psalm Ps 22 (Boulton Smith/Gélineau)
Gospel Acclamation Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of the Gifts The Lord is my Shepherd (John Rutter)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei Mass of the Creator Spirit
Communion Now in this banquet (Marty Haugen)
Postcommunion O Quam Suavis (William Byrd, c.1540-1623)
Recessional The Church’s one foundation
 

Much as three years ago, with O Quam Suavis, instead of the Magnificat, echoing the Communion antiphon’s image of the rich being turned away hungry.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A, 2014)

Sunday, 5 October 2014

 
Entrance This is the Day (mcb)
Kyrie Mass of the Creator Spirit (Ed Nowak)
Gloria Mass of the Most Sacred Heart (Jacob Bancks)
Psalm Ps 79 (James Walsh/Laurence Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)
Preparation of the Gifts You are the Lord of all (Daniel Bath)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen Mass of the Redeemer (mcb)
Agnus Dei Mass of the Creator Spirit
Communion God of hosts, bring us back (Sue Furlong)
Postcommunion Vinea mea electa (Anon, Spanish 16th C.)
Recessional My song is love unknown
 

The first reading, Psalm and Gospel reading were linked by the powerful image of the vine laid waste and turned to bitterness. The same image appears on Good Friday in the third response for Tenebrae:

My chosen vine, I planted you:
How have you turned to bitterness,
that you should crucify me and release Barabbas?
I fenced round you, cleared the stones from you, and built a tower for you.

We sang an anonymous Spanish setting from (I’d guess) the sixteenth century, taking the middle section at a tempo that made the music fizz with angry reproach.

We had two settings of the Psalm, adding Sue Furlong’s more contemplative interpretation during Communion to Laurence Bévenot’s more straightforwardly declamatory setting of the verses.

Mass of Induction of Fr Michael Jones

Friday, 19 September 2014

 
Entrance Here I am, Lord
Kyrie Mass of the Redeemer (mcb) - Lord have mercy
Gloria New Celtic Liturgy (Christopher Walker)
Psalm Because the Lord is my Shepherd (Christopher Walker)
Gospel Acclamation St Agatha Alleluia (mcb)
Preparation of the Gifts Will you come and follow me (John Bell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Agnus Dei Lamb of God II (mcb)
Communion Take and Eat (Joncas)
Postcommunion A Clare Benediction (John Rutter)
Recessional God’s Spirit is in my heart

If I understand the historical accounts correctly, cathedrals by tradition have not had parish priests. The cathedral is the principal church (in ancient times the only church) of the diocese, and the bishop the principal pastor. In practice down the centuries, local pastoral functions relating to the cathedral community were delegated by the bishop to the provost, dean, chapter and what have you, and there was no office of parish priest in this arrangement.

I'm not sure when or why they came round to the view in these parts that this was a bad idea, but current thinking is that the Cathedral Dean (the title itself a recent creation, upgraded from Cathedral Administrator in about 2001) is also its parish priest. All of which goes to explain why tonight’s happy celebration was the first of its kind.

Our new Dean Fr Michael is not only parish priest of the Cathedral parish, but also of the neighbouring parish of St Joseph’s, Ordsall. He was keen that his Mass of induction should be a celebration for both parish communities, without anything of cathedral grandeur or solemnity. I told him we don’t especially do cathedral grandeur or etc., and instead we were happy to join forces with the music group from St Joseph’s to make music that was accessible, direct and undoubtedly parish-oriented. It wasn't a million miles from our usual fare, and included a choral welcome in the form of John Rutter’s simple and gentle prayer of blessing:

May the Lord show his mercy upon you;
May the light of his presence be your guide:
May he guard you and uphold you;
May his spirit be ever by your side.
When you sleep may his angels watch over you;
When you wake may he fill you with his grace:
May you love him and serve him all your days,
Then in heaven may you see his face.