Society of Saint Gregory

This is now the third year I have attended the annual KCSP Picnic and Praise at Aylesford for 1000 primary school children from Kent in a Catenian capacity. I may be wrong but I thought the Southwark committee had done good work on establishing a "diocesan" repertoire. The Southwark Catholic Youth s...

The obituary has been sent to Catholic, music and broadsheets.So far only Music and liturgy and The Universe have indicated they will publish it. How famous do you have to be??

I was just thinking back to my grandson's first communion which was a happy occasion. The folk group did their best and people did sing! I think the school's approach is very important as we went to a thanksgiving Mass at the school which was lovely! My dear wife got asked to be be a special ministe...

The funeral was indeed beautiful in its stark simplicity. Fr Tom has chosen appropriate readings and focused on the director of music in I Chronicles n his homily. There was a moving address by John's godson and he spoke of John's gentleness and his openness to ideas. A reception followed and the SS...

The funeral details St Etheldreda's Ely Place Reception of the body Monday June 10 6 p.m. followed by Extraordinary rite Latin low Mass Funeral 10.30 a.m. Novus Ordo Tuesday June 11 no organ, 3 cantors Latin requiem plainchant, no flowers, donations to Hospice of St John and St Elizabeth. Reception ...

Very interesting about the CMA so it makes absolute sense for the SSG to celebrate John. He wasn't a recluse just rather a private person. He lectured on music at the University of Notre Dame, London and was much loved by colleagues and students alike. He kept in touch with convents. He chose Proms,...

I am preparing a leaflet about John for the funeral and for later distribution so contributions welcomed. JOHN MICHAEL EAST I met John through the CMA. He was doing the rounds of each diocese at the instigation of the Bishops’ Conference, to help with the transition from Latin to the vernacular… was...

3 boys from Wales will have to leave which is very sad. The whole thing has been badly handled and now Colin Mawby and Terence Duffy have weighed in.

Dear VML, the parish where I attend daily Mass is in a neighbouring suburb so it is not the cathedral. I know both priests but I am not inclined to volunteer as it would mean getting there earlier! Traffic and parking can be tricky. I would not mind if the reader and server gave notice of their abse...

I have not played for a wedding for years and the last one I did was for a friend of my daughter. Funerals Yes and the trend to CDs continues.

We get the same reader every day - how to get somebody else? One morning she started reading the Gospel. Priest dashed across to stop her. She does not check the printed congregational sheet which can differ from the Missal they are using which I suspect is an old edition as it often does not match ...

Rumours have been confirmed that our premier choir will only be open to London based boys. The idea is that the boys go home Friday night and come back early on Sunday morning - totally impossible if you live in Wales. The parents were not consulted. See The Tablet for the last 2 weeks. What to do? ...

John East who was my teacher 60 years ago is now 90 and on his last journey in St John and St Elizabeth hospice (where Cardinal Hume spent his last days). He was director of the Church Music Association in the 70s which did a lot of good work in the parishes. Please pray for him.

8.30 p.m. at the cathedral fire at the back inside, 3 readings, choir on superb form, Vierne Messe solenelle with top B flats from the boys, baptisms, confirmations by the Cardinal. Finished 10.30 p.m. In bed at midnight. Up at 4.30 a.m. to drive to Anglicans 5.30 a.m. start 3 readings, litany, 3 si...