SS Peter and Paul

Solemn First Evensong & Benediction at St Thomas's, Huron Street.

The service was preceded by a recital so there were a lot of unchurched visitors. I arrived five minutes to the hour and had to sit near the back. My neighbours, who flinched every time I put down the kneeler, treated me to a superb Protestant cough during the Mag. Canticles were Brian Kelly's Emmanuel Service.

We sang Aeterna Christi Munera to the plainsong, and used Hereford (ugh) and Grafton (tolerable, but not the plainsong) at Benediction, which involved the veiled ciborium, though we did get the actual Benediction over us at the end. The Sacred Ministers wore splendid red copes, though I had to crane my neck to see them.

Sad news

On Thursday, 3 September
in the Year of Our Lord 2009
a Very Special Mass
will be Celebrated
in the Chapel
of All Saints Convent
Catonsville, Maryland
with the Archbishop of Baltimore -
Edwin O'Brien - as the Chief Celebrant
During this Mass
Mother Christina, Sister Emily Ann,
Sister Mary Joan, Sister Hannah,
Sister Elizabeth, Sister Elaine,
Sister Catherine Grace, Sister Julia Mary, Sister Mary Charles, and Sister Margaret will be received into full communion with the Holy See.
Mother Virginia and Sister Barbara Ann have chosen to remain Anglican. [Source]

Laudia Sion

Sorry for my absence. Here's a treat for the ongoing Octave.

TradCom rides again!

Yesterday I got to hear Mass with Fr W. Tay Moss, AHC, at the Church of the Messiah. It was the monthly BCP Low Mass or "Traditional Communion". The Mass was celebrated at a nave altar (though we approached the communion rail at Communion), and the introit and gradual were used congregationally. Fr Tay wore surplice and green stole (no Octave of Pentecost here!) The Agnus Dei was omitted, which is an option allowed by the 1962 BCP, but otherwise it was a pretty straightforward iteration of the BCP Eucharist.

Afterwards, lunch was served and Fr Tay gave me a tour of the church, with a highly knowledgeable explanation of the place and its history. A big thank-you to Father for his hospitality!