Justin has been back here on loan from Melbourne, working away at the altar for St Anne's, Belmont, all this week; he flies back East this afternoon. (When shall we finally move in there? Who knows! Justin returns in early November for another week's work, but the altar still needs to be installed, to say nothing of the altar rails, the high pulpit, and so forth. Fr Rowe thinks we
may be moved in by Christmas.)
In any case, Justin conducted the choir this morning, to great effect. Andrew, unfortunately unwell, still played the organ with aplomb. It was good to get back to singing the Propers again, and we also tried out a new Mass Ordinary for us, Mass XII,
Pater cuncta, as well as
Credo I. (Hymns:
"On this day the first of days" for the processional,
Jesu dulcis memoria after Communion, and
"O breathe on me, Breath of God" for the recessional.) Hopefully
Pater cuncta will get a guernsey again soon...
The Offertory,
Domine in auxilium meum respice (Ps 39:14, 15), has that interesting and late feature, a repetition of its first phrase - both words and music - at its conclusion. A number of Offertories do this; I don't know why.
Fr Rowe drew a large number of morals for us all out of to-day's Gospel of the healing of the dropsical man: I must certainly heed at least one of them, viz. that when correcting someone, it must be done with all indulgence and meekness, not to shame or upset the other, and never ought it be done in an access of anger, nor in perverse enjoyment. Yes, I have a sharp temper, but that's no excuse:
Irascimini et nolite peccare (Ps 4:5a).
******
BTW, having been busy all week with a number of dinner engagements, and having Internet connexion difficulties, I haven't blogged much; hopefully I will do more this week.
