Good Shepherd Sunday at St Bartholomew's, Regent Park

I was pleased to be able to attend the Festal Mass of the Second Sunday after Easter at St Bartholomew's Church at Parliament and Dundas. The Mass included incense and the celebrant was assisted by a deacon (the interim priest-in-charge) in alb and stole (which he even wore to the luncheon following!)

The Prayer Book rite was followed very strictly, without many of the changes customary in Anglo-Catholic parishes. We didn't GAB (Gloria at beginning) and the offertory preceded the Intercession. I don't know what the Mass setting was, other than the Credo and Gloria (congregationally sung to de Angelis).

We began by singing a cappella the proper Introit appointed in the Book of Common Prayer to plainsong. After the Epistle, the proper Gradual was chanted in the same fashion. The deacon chanted the Gospel, and the Nicene Creed immediately followed. At the offertory, a minor proper from the English Hymnal was sung by the choir and the celebrant changed from a cope into a Latin chasuble (but no maniple). The Sursum Corda responses were accompanied by organ. The Lord's Prayer was transposed in customary Anglo-Catholic fashion. Although the Peace was of course said in the Prayer Book place rather than at the end of the Liturgy of the Word as in the BAS, the celebrant turned to face the congregation, which often doesn't happen in BCP Masses.

At the end, we sang the Regina coeli to "Easter Hymn." A splendid morning, all in all.

Whither the Vigil of Pentecost?

Does anyone still observe the traditional Vigil of Pentecost, with the blessing of water and the prophecies? None of the Anglo-Catholic parishes here do, and of course the Oratory of St Philip Neri follows all the Pian and Johannine reforms. I had high hopes when Christ the Saviour Monastery hung up their Western Rite Orthodox shingle nearby, but the Abbot tells me they don't do it either. I suppose I could give the local Lefebvrist chapel a try.

Propers in pdf format from the Anglican Gradual & Sacramentary.

Unreasonably Happy III/Requiem aeternam

Things that make me unreasonably happy

Holy Week 2009 at Christminster

Here's what they've got planned this week at Christ the Saviour Monastery in Hamilton:

12 April - Palm Sunday
9am Blessing of Palms, Procession, & Sung Mass with the Passion of St Matthew

Wednesday 15 April
6.30pm Vespers and Anointing Service

16 April - Maundy Thursday
8am Tenebrae
6pm Sung Mass and Stripping of the Altar

17 April - Good Friday
8am Tenebrae
12noon Stations of the Cross
6pm Solemn Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified

18 April - Holy Saturday
8am Tenebrae
7.30pm Great Vigil and First Mass of Easter

19 April - Easter Day
9am Morrow Mass of Easter
6.30pm Vespers & Benediction

When is a Mass not a Mass?

When it's a Mass of the Pre-Sanctified, of course!

This morning I hopped on my bike and rode to St John's Convent where I joined the sisters for a silent lunch of vegetable soup, cheese, and matzoh. After a dessert of canned apricots and plain yogurt, we shuffled into the chapel for the Good Friday Liturgy.

The order was that in the Book of Alternative Services and the colour, I fear, was red. (Stole until the Restoration of the Blessed Sacrament, chasuble from then on).

The Liturgy of the Word featured John's account of the Passion, and the homily was followed by "O sacred head, surrounded." The Solemn Intercessions followed. The sisters sang the Reproaches, with the congregation joining for the Trisagion. The Blessed Sacrament was brought in (a pair of humeral veils made an appearance at this point) and we sang "There is a green hill far away." After Communion, the service continued with the Lord's Prayer and was followed by a prolonged silence.

My first Chrism Mass

Photo borrowed from the cathedral newsletter

I went to my first Chrism Mass today. It was a pleasant experience, though I didn't know what to expect. Br Christian, OHC, was in St George's Chapel hearing confessions prior to the Mass. The order used was considerably divergent from that contained in the Book of Alternative Services.

The Mass setting was Schubert's German Mass - as arranged by Proulx - for the Kyrie (no Gloria) and Sanctus. The Agnus Dei was identified as "Senchur." Part of the cathedral's splendid Passiontide crimson set (namely, the chasuble and the two dalmatics) was in evidence. A photograph of the set can be be found on page 6 of this PDF.

The confession and absolution took place during the Gathering of the Community, as I've seen done in Lent. The collect (but not the secret or postcommunion) was sung. The psalm was a haunting setting by the cathedral's music director, Mr Ager (I'm a big fan of his Alleluia) and the Tract was his work as well. The Bishop of Toronto preached expertly from the altar steps without the aid of notes. The clergy of the diocese renewed their vows, remaining standing while the rest of us were asked to sit down (which was slightly uncomfortable). Stoles were presented to priests in their 25th and 50th years of priestly ministry, or at least to those thereof who showed up.

The offertory was smoke-free, but the preface was sung. The Lord's Prayer was the ubiquitous McNeil Robinson setting and the motet was the Duruflé Ubi Caritas.

Hymns:

Introit: "Blest by the sun, the olive tree" (Gonfalon Royal)

Offertory: "Eternal ruler of the ceaseless round" (Song 1)

Communion: "Tree of life and awesome mystery" (Thomas)

Exit: "Restore in us, O God" (Bellwoods)