(The Cathedral sanctuary by day)
I must blog a bit about the very excellent service, broadcast by the ABC here in Australia, of carols and so forth in preparation for Christmas at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne. It was far from a pale imitation of Anglican carols and lessons as some naysayers claimed over on Sentire cum Ecclesia some time back - rather, it was very Catholic indeed, culminating in Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament!
What a joy, and one trusts what a splendid impulse to compel conversions to the Faith, to see Catholic belief in and worship of the Real Presence brought into homes and mayhap into hearts: while "O come all ye faithful" (written, BTW, centuries ago precisely to serve as a Christmas Benediction hymn) was sung, the Sacrament was exposed in the monstrance and censed, and while the choir sang a magnificent polyphonic motet (Verbum caro factum est - the eighth responsory of Christmas Matins) It was censed again, paid the latria due our Incarnate God in His Presence on the altar, and then Archbishop Hart gave solemn Benediction. Wow!
"It was far from a pale imitation of Anglican carols and lessons"
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it was lovely and fully Catholic. I really can't understand the sort of attitude that dismisses something merely because it's Anglican. Hmmm, perhaps I'm biased. :-)
I enjoyed a Mass with Fr Gerald Quinn. A lovely man.
Merry Christmas Josh!!!
Rob
P.S. Someone told me there is no Latin Mass in the new year in Hobart. You may want to confirm this.
Glad you've met up with Fr Quinn - a very humble and holy priest.
ReplyDeleteNo,there's no January Latin Mass in Hobart, alas.
I'll be in Hobart for a few days on and after the 2nd of January...
Singng was nice - but oh dear some of the readers were pretentiously excruciating!
ReplyDeleteTerra!
ReplyDeleteI know just about all of those good people!
Miranda is an absolutely lovely lady, one of the kindest and sweetest of souls, and works at the library at YTU.
Boris and Althea, the second and third readers as I recall, are man and wife (there was a shot of the congregation shewing them seated together); and Althea is the mother of Fr Andrew Keswick, an old friend of mine.
I must say I don't think they did too badly.