Thursday, March 24, 2016

Good Stuff



I don't know if you see Facebook entries if you are not a member but try and see this page. It is from a friend's parish, Fr Sean Finnegan's Church of the Sacred Heart in Caterham. He is still comparatively new in the parish but he has started renovating his nice but on first sight not outstanding church but the Pippet (a Hardman contractor)  wall paintings are outstandingly beautiful.

The years were not kind to them, they had become discoloured and faint, damp had got to them. One parish priest had people with scrubbing brushes attacking them, part of them had been painting out but this Easter as the lights come on at the Vigil the restoration so far will revealed

We can come up with lots of reason why such a treasure was, let's say neglected, but what is significant, it is not just here but in so many places there has been a restoration. I think one of the chief contributory factors is Pope Benedict's theology of Liturgy and Beauty. Again and and again there are church restorations that put aside the confused, ugly, theologically illiterate 'wreckovations' of the 1970s.

Here, we have done our best with restoring the church, now thanks to our director of music we are trying to do something with the our music, the smaller works of Monteverdi or Lassus, Byrd or Palestrina, as well as the chant of the Graduale of course, are part of our normal liturgical life. Ten years ago Catholic music was ghastly, now little by little there is a gradual resurgence. Our sacristan is away in Dublin for the Triduum (I will eventually forgive him), he is most probably going to the services at here but I was amazed by the music at the Pro-Cathedral - Mozart, Palestrina, who would have thought this five years ago?

 So, maybe during the Triduum, share some good stuff, preferable with pictures or links.
Another renewal I have been following is what is happening at Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane under Fr Alan Robinson, very beautiful
.


3 comments:

Matthew Roth said...

Dublin has always had the marvelous Palestrina choir. I am glad to see such good work in rather ordinary parishes. There should be no badly performed sacred music, only comparatively less of it due to a lack of singers. No one should be put off by learning chant, for what it is worth...

Anonymous said...

Fr, Ray, There has been a Palestrina Choir in Dublin's Prp-Cathedral since I was a child!
A Blessed and Happy Easter to you. I thank God for all the good work you are doing.

Seaneinn said...

Fr. Ray. Fr. Alan is working miracles here in Corpus Christi,,we are indeed blest to have such an inspiring Parish Priest and we all look forward to the restoration of Corpus Christi to her former beauty.

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