Ordination to the Priesthood of Alfred Rebello and Laurence Gambella

Friday, 18 July 2014

 

Entrance	Lord, You Give The Great Commission
Kyrie	Missa de Angelis
Gloria	Missa de Angelis
Psalm	I will sing forever of your love (mcb)
Gospel Acclamation	Easter Alleluia (chant)
Litany of the Saints	chant
Illustrative Rites	Veni Creator Spiritus (chant)
Kiss of Peace	(i) O Quam Gloriosum (T.L. de Victoria, 1548-1611) (ii) Ubi Caritas (Maurice Duruflé, 1902-1986)
Preparation of the Gifts	Greater love hath no man (John Ireland, 1879-1962)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Missa de Angelis & English Missal tone
Agnus Dei	Missa de Angelis
Communion	(i) Whoever eats my flesh (John Ainslie) (ii) O Sacrum Convivium (Olivier Messiaen, 1908-1992) (iii) Sweet Sacrament Divine
Postcommunion	Of the Father’s love begotten
Recessional	Hail Queen of Heaven

 

A big event at this time of year, once our student members have departed for the summer, always calls for additional forces to augment the choir. I don’t know whose idea it was to have the Mass of Ordination at 7 pm on a Friday evening, but between you and me it wasn’t an inspired decision. We had about forty minutes to rehearse a rather overloaded musical programme with a semi-scratch choir, the cathedral (where the building works in Cathedral House oblige us to rehearse before a service) rapidly filling with a noisy congregation. Needless to say, I was a picture of effortless serenity. 😊

We did thoroughly well, anyway, especially in a dramatic rendition of Ireland’s Greater Love. The treble solo, as well as the responsorial psalm, were sung beautifully by Jack Topping of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Also worthy of mention was the Communion chant, from John Ainslie’s new collection of English proper chants, a resource we are certain to make more use of in future.

Congratulations to the new priests, and also to the choir members, both regulars and guests, for such a fine musical performance on the most cursory preparation.