Parish Anniversary

Our parish of St Catherine Labouré was established seventy years ago, so we have been celebrating with various events, including a "Last Night of the Proms" on Midsummer's Day, which was great fun. Also with a Mass, of which a few pictures here.

 

In light of Cardinal Sarah's remarks on the mutual enrichment of ancient and newer forms of the Roman Rite recent and his other liturgical clarion calls, it seems that we are on the right track, liturgically speaking. 

The Mass here was celebrated in the newer Form on this occasion, though as always here, ad orientem. 

I was assisted by two deacons (thanks you to two of my friends in the diocese). 

On this occasion we processed in to a hymn (Jesus my Lord, my God my all!) but incensed the altar to the sounds of the Introit in Latin (as each Sunday at the man Mass - along with the Offertory verse and the Communion). 

The Schola sang Mozart's Jubilate Deo after the Offertory verse.

The people joined in the Mortem tuam and the Pater noster, as well as hymns at Communion and recessional.

We were fortunate to be able to lift our hearts and minds in prayer to Mozart's Coronation Mass (Kyrie, Gloria and Sanctus). Though on a ordinary Sunday all join in singing either Mass XVIII or the Missa de Angelis, as a norm. Mozart's Agnus is a tad lengthy, so we had Casali's Missa Brevis in G for that.

I might add that the mutual enrichment goes both ways, we do, for example, proclaim the Reading and Gospel in English at Low Mass in the EF and manage to find a place for a hymn or two at Sung Mass. Of course, if the newer form is celebrated in a spirit of continuity with the past, it feels much less jarringly different, whichever form is being celebrated.

The church was turned around 360 degrees some 25 years ago, which led to the remains of the High altar being used as a backdrop to the celebrant's chair in a rather gloomy recess that was the former entrance porch. You can now see the reredos re-instated at the high altar, giving a little bit of a sense of height to our slightly squat church. At the opening of the parish, this was intended as a temporary church and to become a hall when funds were raised to build a "proper" church. The funds never materialised!

The opening ceremony with Archbishop Robert Downey.

The original sanctuary 

(now the parish Hall, the Pope John Paul  Room)

At the end of Mass, I was delighted to be able to present our music maestro, Anthony Dickinson, with the Papal award, the Benemerenti medal. Not just for his excellent work in music and many other things here in the parish but for service to the wider Church over many years. The whole parish knew it was coming, except him, so thanks to everyone for keeping the secret.

After Mass 

we had some further celebrations 

and one of our most senior parishioners(still a reader in her 90's) 

and one of our youngest 

assisted me in cutting the cake.