Society of Saint Gregory

I love hymns so that sounds like my idea of heaven. I love hymns but I honestly don't believe they have a place in eucharistic liturgy – with one or two notable exceptions. I disagree - I think if well chosen for the point in the service and appropriate for the season or feast day in question they ...

Interesting comment from Colin Mawby in those most recent edition of Vivace: I cannot stress enough that the needs of the congregation should have priority. After all, the choir has other things to sing, the people only have hymns. Hm! He's clearly forgotten about psalm responses, acclamations, lit...

Nick Baty wrote:Can't see the music list on their website. Can you direct us to it?

I can't seem to cut and paste it for some reason, but the mass setting was Mozart's Coronation Mass and the anthem Laudate Dominum. I think I saw a fuller list which included some lovely Organ music. Not sure if there were hymns.

I was wondering if anyone here managed to attend this evening's mass celebrated by the Archbishop. I was hoping to get there but events conspired against me. It would be interesting to hear reactions to it: I must say the music list looks splendid and the choir was accompanied by an Orchestra.

After attending two more silent masses last Sunday (one in a parish that apparently has good congregational singing!) I found this article that I thought I would post for comment. (I know it is written about US experiences, and slightly tongue in cheek)

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingon ... hymns.html

VML wrote:Bingo! And close to home too,

Sort of, except I will continue to strive to find somewhere where almost everyone sings if I possibly can. I hope 50% is not the best that can be achieved - but it's much better than the 2% in the other Catholic churches I have visited.

I was planning to to Manor House this weekend but a friend of mine who lives nearby has recetly been to both morning masses there and told me that congregational singing is not very good. Somebody else suggested St Mary in Hampstead which is near me and it was a great delight to finally be among a C...

Yes it was, LC. And good to see so many children present – for them, right now, there was nothing unusual about the event. Hopefully, they will retain that view. I usually avoid weddings and civil partnerships like the plague – such morbid occasions – but this one was really uplifting. Felt like th...

It's heartwarming to read about this and it must have been a huge privilege to be involved in this historic event.

Lots of cynicism and judgements here. Yes, for some people, the Olympics is about money - I've decided to be paid rather than volunteer (because I volunteer in other spheres, including at church). However, I don't think you can fairly say that Lord Coe, Princess Ann or even David Beckham are primar...

That may be the case. The point I was making is that the timing of it is important if the community is going to join in. There's no point begininng it concurrently with reception because no one will join in, and then it gets COMPLETELY lost. I think the experience of some here would tend to contrad...

It is important to remember that the Communion hymn (or whatever) is supposed to BE the community's prayer after receiving communion - to see it as an interruption is rather missing the point. That may be the case. The point I was making is that the timing of it is important if the community is goi...

Nick Baty wrote:You've attributed someone else's words to me, LC.
I see the Olympics as yet another event which we will have to endure.

My apologies Nick, Clumsy editing I am afraid. I'll se if I can edit.

The Olympics and Paralympics will be one of the best things that's happened in this country in a long time, not least because it is a great celebration of young people getting together primarily to achieve the near impossible. Money is far from being their prime motive. Everything is ready on time ...

Sadly I am not sure that St John's Wood has found anyone yet!? And there's another point here - surely a combination of cantor, organist and priest is needed to achieve good results. It is true that some congregations sing better unaccompanied because they feel they HAVE to sing! Yes, I think they ...