My congratulations to Bishop Egan the new Bishop of Portsmouth, I have been watching bits of it on the diocesan website, it has been a little difficult, maybe its the website or this computer but I couldn't hear much that was said, there was a huge long intro by Bishop Hollis, the principal consecrator, the readings weren't audible but the Gospel was sung rather nicely and that was heard, the rest of the music was, well, see below, it sounded so samey. It was significant that what was sung was heard, what was said was not. Bishop Egan interestingly, unlike his predecessor did sing.
But there were still an awful lot of words; four homilies!
I am told that the on-line broadcast was relayed to various parish centres through out the diocese. I was also told that the Bishop had wanted Exposition to follow the Ordination but this had been sat upon in favour of buns and vol au vents.
Pray that God will give him strength, the diocese he takes over has significant problems, it will be heavy cross to bear.
15 comments:
Father it's not your computer. Mine was exactly the same - there was a brief burst of sound about 10 minutes before the start and then it went to a very low level. The music was a dreadful dirge.The picture also emphasised the very blank look of the altar.
Wouldn't it be splendid if the 'bun-fights' that usually follow occasions like these were replace with even an hour of Eucharistic Adoration ... in all the churches of the diocese simultaneously ...
On the positive side, all of the hymns (whether or not they have place in the Mass is a different debate) were all wholly Catholic: Praise to the holiest; O Purest of Creatures; Soul of my Saviour; Sweet Heart of Jesus and Hail Queen of Heav'n. I doubt many or any of them have been heard in the cathedral for many a long year.
Bishop Egan's wrods at the end were insprational: he said words to the effect that Bishop Mark Davies was the most inspirtaional bishop, and he himself prays to be an orthodox bishop! The Second Spring may well be on its way.
I agree with Monica.Those hymns,just wonderful to hear them again,brought tears to the eyes.His love for Our lady so obvious,and his references to Her Dowry.God Bless him.
+Egan certainly needs all our prayers for the uphill task with which he is faced. My computer result the same as everyone else.
I was fortunately able to go to the local school for the computer relay. The picture and sound quality was good. On the music, perhaps other Catholics get good music on a Sunday so when I say I found the music wonderful it may be because living in the diocese I have found good music is something rare which I hope I will now have to get used to, pray God. Bishop Egan had picked this day because it was the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham and Our Lady of Ransom. Our Lady featured in the talk by Cardinal Nichols. She was present in the vestments of Bishop Egan and other bishops. Did Bishop Egan not say he will be `courageously orthodox but indeed being orthodox at all will need courage in this diocese. I amd many other faithful Catholics look forward in hope.poraRSp
Like A Catholic Comes Home, the first time I heard Soul of My Saviour sung at Mass since returning after a very long absence, brought tears to my eyes. Most of the hymns sung at my parish church are either modern or Protestant. There are very few traditional Catholic hymns which are sung. It seems strange to me that they threw out so many Catholic hymns from the hymn book and replaced them with Protestant ones.
From the website of the (Catholic) cathedral in Portsmouth:
"CAMERA IN THE CATHEDRAL ONLINE MASS
...the diocese will put a camera in the Cathedral so that we can now broadcast across the internet the Mass and Ordination of the new Bishop for those on broadband. This camera is now a permanent fixture in the Cathedral which means that we will be able to broadcast the Mass which will enable people to participate at home. This will happen at every 1000 Mass on Sunday."
This makes Sunday Mass seem like a leisure activity - just 'participate' via your smartphone, iPad or whatever and there's no need to actually be present at the Mass.
This makes Sunday Mass seem like a leisure activity - just 'participate' via your smartphone, iPad or whatever and there's no need to actually be present at the Mass.
My guess is that this is generally intended for shut-ins or people unable to attend Mass and in no way intended to be a substitute for Mass by people perfectly capable of meeting their Sunday obligation.
Positive aspects of the music:
1. Introit (Salve Sancta Parens) and Alleluia (Diffusa est) from the
Graduale Romanum. Interestingly, everyone was expected to join in the Alleluia; admittedly it's one of the easier ones.
2. Veni Creator sung in Latin.
3. The Litany in Gregorian tone, albeit in English.
4. Some use of the missal chants.
5. Some polyphony (not nearly enough).
6. Catholic hymns.
Negative aspects:
1. Dated 1970's-style vernacular setting of the ordinary, including the memorial acclamation. On solemn occasions like this we must recover Latin, whether it be chant or polyphony. Is anyone seriously suggesting that people don't know what the Latin words mean?
2. Inwood's massacring of the Te Deum, and earlier on of the Veni Sancte Spiritus. How can anyone with an ounce of liturgical or musical sensibility treat them responsorially? Rumour has it that his reign at Portsmouth is coming to an end, and not before time.
3. Taize = lazy, liturgically and musically.
Unique, don't let the best be the enemy of the good. There are over 100 housebound in the Cathedral parish alone. The ability (via Internet or set-top box) for them to feel joined to the Mass in this way is a good thing.
Fr Ray, thank you for your kind remarks about the Gospel.
The reason Protestant hymns are included in Catholic hymnals is chiefly a commercial one. One of the better known titles was used by our United Reform church in Hertfordshire, although I suspect they didn't sing the Marian hymns. It also explains why, for example, 'Full in the panting heart of Rome' is usually excluded.
Whatever was wrong with "The Westminster Hymnal"? What a silly question!
@ Sixupman
Nothing at all wrong with the Westminster Hymnal, and the Catholic Hymn Book (Gracewing) edited by the Oratorians reproduces a lot of it, including Wiseman's 'Full in the panting heart of Rome'.
Re John Nolan: interestingly, the Inroit was not actually sung on the day. Although I wholeheartedly agree with the use of the Latin Ordinary (plainsong or chant), you may like to know that Bishop Philip directly requested the Gloria & Eucharistic Acclamations that were used.
Re Monica: Praise to the Holiest & Soul of my Saviour are actually heard at almost every major Diocesan Liturgy in the Cathedral!
Post a Comment