The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has stated that it is “possible to distribute [Holy Communion] on the tongue without unreasonable risk.” According to a memo sent on April 30 to all US bishops by USCCB Committee on Divine Worship chairman Abp. Leonard Blair of Hartford, Connecticut:
We have carefully considered the question of Communion on the tongue vs. Communion in the hand. Given the Church’s existing guidance on this point (see Redemptionis Sacramentum, no. 92), and recognizing the differing judgments and sensibilities that are involved, we believe that, with the precautions listed here, it is possible to distribute on the tongue without unreasonable risk.
Redemptionis Sacramentum is a universally binding instruction issued by the Congregation of Divine Worship in 2004.
It should be noted that in the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Holy Communion must be distributed only on the tongue, according to the universal liturgical law applicable to such celebrations.
The Mass setting, first considered by Mark when he was in college in the 1980s, was not completed until 2012. Mark talks about the journey “from motet to Mass” in this video.
From Motet to Mass: Missa Sicut Cervus by Mark Donnelly
With financial support from generous donors, Mark’s Missa Sicut Cervus and several of his other works were filmed and recorded in February this year at St. Augustine’s Church in Vancouver (built in 1932) with the gracious permission of its pastor, Fr. Andrew Stendzina, OMI. With Nathan Douglas and his team from Motet Films behind the camera, and Malcolm Paterson handling the recording, Mark’s work was brought to life by OFFERTORIUM, a chamber ensemble drawn from Chorus Faustinae, the main choir at Holy Family Parish, which Mark has directed for many years.
Missa Sicut Cervus “Gloria”
A Word on OFFERTORIUM by Mark Emerson Donnelly
When I first approached Nathan Douglas of Motet Films about producing promotional videos of some of my music, we discussed several options regarding the singing ensemble. Due to the short time between securing the singers and the recording date, I decided to turn to the people who knew my music best and how I envisioned it to be performed: my family, and four excellent church musicians (and dear friends) with whom I have sung for many years: Veronica Roenitz, Ed De Vita, Christopher Suen, and Gabriel Uy.
The performance for the recording was so breathtaking, it seemed a shame not to continue as an ensemble. Since we had all cut our polyphonic teeth singing the exquisite Offertoria totius anni (Offertories for the whole year) by Palestrina, the name “OFFERTORIUM” (singular of offertoria) was chosen, in homage to the great composer, but also to name, simply, that which we are trying to produce – an offering.
We didn’t know quite how much God would take us up on our offer. OFFERTORIUM has been pressed into hyper-service during this time of Missae cantatae sine populo. We have continued to sing throughout Passiontide and, now, into the Easter season (in a socially distanced formation of course!), both streaming and pre-recorded. Please visit YouTube: VocalArt.ca to listen to the videos we have produced for our parish, Holy Family! Also, sung Masses are streamed here.
A writer and director based in Vancouver, Nathan received his BFA in Film from Simon Fraser University in 2012. Since 2015, his short films have screened worldwide at festivals including Locarno, Clermont-Ferrand, FNC Montreal, and the Vancouver International Film Festival. His first feature is in development. He says: “I’m fascinated by the contemplative and liturgical properties of cinema. The act of seeing – of beholding – is the common ground between religious worship and film-watching and my work is focused on exploring this rich territory.” Nathan’s work can be viewed here.
To donate, please click here and select “MED Composer” from the Fund menu. Charitable donation receipts will be issued to donors in Canada. Eligible donors will also receive a complimentary first-year membership in Una Voce Canada for gifts of $40 or more.
To subscribe to Mark’s email list and receive updates directly from him, click here.
On March 25, 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued two decreesaffecting the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass). The International Una Voce Federation (FIUV) has issued the following press release. More information about FIUV and its work can be found on its website, http://www.fiuv.org/. A copy of the press release may be downloaded here.
Press Release: CDF Decrees on new Prefaces and Saints for the Extraordinary Form From the President and Officers of the FIUV 26th March 2020
Yesterday the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), now exercising the functions of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, has issued two decrees, one on Prefaces to be added to the 1962 Missal (Quo Magis), and the other on the possibility of saints, canonised since 1962 to have Masses celebrated in their honour (Cum Sanctissima). (English summary here.)
The Federation was consulted on both issues, and we would like to thank the CDF for taking the views of our members into account in developing these decrees. The Federation welcomes in particular the possibility of making a liturgical commemoration of saints canonised since 1962, without excessive disruption to the Sanctoral Calendar as it has come down to us. We wish, however, to issue some notes of caution.
On Prefaces, we note that the Note presenting the decree explains that while three of the seven newly permitted Prefaces are of the ‘Neo-Gallican’ tradition (of 18th century French origin), the other four are Prefaces used in the Ordinary Form, though not composed from scratch for the reformed Mass: ‘their central section(s), known as the “embolism”, appear in ancient liturgical sources’.
This implies that these ancient Prefaces have been adapted for use in the Ordinary Form, a process which makes them conform less, rather than more, with the spirit of the Extraordinary Form. If the value of these Prefaces lies in their antiquity, it is not clear what is to be gained by their being used in the Extraordinary Form in a redaction designed to make them conform to the themes and preferences of the Ordinary Form.
Further, we would like to appeal to priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form to bear in mind the great antiquity, theological importance, and centrality to the ancient Roman liturgical tradition, of the Preface of Trinity Sunday, and the Common Preface, whose use would become less frequent if the newly optional Prefaces were systematically employed. These two Prefaces have been of such centrality to the celebration of ancient Mass up to this point, that to downgrade them to mere options among others would be to make a fundamental change in the balance of texts and theological ideas which the Missal presents to the Faithful over the course of the year.
On the Saints, we note the list of saints celebrated as 3rd Class feasts, whose celebration remains obligatory. We recognise that in order to make possible the celebration of the new saints room must somehow be made for them, and we endorse the method proposed. We have reservations, however, about the composition of this list.
We note with particular dismay that the only male lay saints on the list are SS Cosmas and Damian: this seems an omission in need of correction, particularly as the excluded category include men central to the development of their countries: St Louis of France, St Stephen of Hungary, St Henry the Emperor of Germany, St Edward the Confessor of England, and St Wenceslas of Bohemia, outstanding examples of the vocation of the laity to ‘to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel’.[1]
Also completely absent are female founders of religious orders, such as St Angela Merici, St Juliana of Falconieri, and St Jane Francis de Chantal.
Although we are pleased to see two widows on the list—St Monica and St Francis of Rome—it would seem in general that non-clerical vocations, of the active or the religious life, which are richly represented in the ancient sanctoral calendar, have been set aside as of marginal importance.
Another category poorly represented on the list are Doctors of the Church. Some of the highest importance have been excluded: St Isidore, St John Damascene, St Bede, and St Irenaeus.
The imbalance represented by the list of obligatory saints appears to have been inherited from the list of non-optional Memorials found in the sanctoral cycle of the Ordinary Form, which it closely resembles. The lack of interest in the lay vocation and in the Doctors of the Church shown by the reformers of the 1960s should not be allowed to distort the presentation of the Church’s great patrimony of saints in celebrations of the Extraordinary Form today.
In choosing when to avail themselves of the option to celebrate newly canonised saints, we would like to appeal to priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form to consider carefully the balance of the categories of the saints, the importance of maintaining the connection to the distant past represented by the most ancient saints, and the value of the Marian devotional feasts also now rendered optional, such as Our Lady of Lourdes and the Presentation of Mary.
As an indication of feasts which we regard as particularly worthy of continued celebration, we give the following, non-exhaustive, list.
14/01 St Hilary 10/02 St Scholastica 11/02 Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (of Lourdes) 17/03 St Patrick 18/03 St Cyril of Jerusalem 27/03 St John Damascene 4/04 St Isidore 27/05 St Bede 3/07 St Irenaeus 15/07 St Henry, Emperor 25/08 St Louis, King 30/08 St Rose of Lima 2/09 St Stephen, King 28/09 St Wenceslas, Duke and Martyr 8/10 St Bridget, Widow 13/10 St Edward, King 24/10 St Rafael the Archangel 15/11 St Albert the Great 21/11 Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 25/11 St Catherine of Alexandria
[1] Second Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam actuositatem 5
I have also conducted elementary,
high school, and college choirs, and barbershop choruses, and have been a
dramatic and music director for many stage productions, as well as a private
voice instructor.
Despite all of this, the one musical constant in my life has been singing and conducting Gregorian Chant and sacred polyphony of the classical Roman School, mostly for the Catholic Church. I’ve also composed vocal music, off and on, for the same period of time, but more intensely for the last ten years. (That is, as intensely as I can, given that my wife Catherine and I have nine children.) I’ve written classical art songs, hymns, psalm settings, and LOTS of polyphony!
Recently, Catherine and I were
talking about why I compose sacred music.
It was a curious conversation; after thirty years of marriage she has a pretty
good idea of why I do it. Yet, after
the simple (but TRUE) response: For the greater glory of God and the
sanctification of souls, the answer gets a little bit more complicated.
As time would have it, a couple of
days later, Henry, a friend and mentor of mine, said, “Your music is NOT ONLY GOOD, BUT VITAL! You have to get it
out there. People gotta hear it! And
not just in your parish.” This echoed what a local pastor told me several
years ago (after hearing my Missa Sicut
cervus): “Your music doesn’t do anyone any good if nobody knows about it!”
As I said earlier, I’ve been doing
this for decades, primarily as a parochial musician. All I’ve ever wanted to do
was provide beautiful music for the Mass. I’ve written other stuff along the
way, but church music has always been my focus and love.
To that end, let me try to answer the
question which prompted Catherine’s and my discussion: Why do I write sacred music?
To answer fully, I need to answer three more pointed questions:
Why do I write sacred music THE WAY I DO?
Is Henry correct: Is it VITAL?
How do we determine if it’s GOOD or WORTHWHILE?
1. Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Ratzinger) said in 2002
that “Christian art today is caught between two fires”: (1) the cult of the ugly, which rejects beauty
as truth, and (2) the deceptive beauty,
which does not bring human beings out of themselves toward the Divine, but only
stirs up a desire for power and pleasure; a desire to possess things and others, rather than be possessed by Truth and
Goodness.
In short, the Christian artist today
must be vigilant in rejecting the ugly while embracing true
beauty, not the deceptive beauty which cultivates
inwardness, leading to narcissism and selfishness.
Taking the lead from St. Pius X(Tra le sollecitudini, 1903), the formula seemed easy: The more sacred music is like Gregorian Chant and classical Roman
Polyphony, the better suited it is for Mass, and, thus, more likely to “bring
human beings out of themselves toward the Divine.” So that’s what I did, and
continue to do.
So, HOW do I do this? Traditional Functional Harmony!
Here’s a super simple way to understand Functional Harmony:
From
the beginning of a piece of music, every note and chord leads the listener, in
an unconscious way, to the end of the piece.
The degree of skill and inspiration
of the composer determines how well he or she succeeds in producing something
people want to listen to.
Here’s a slightly more involved way to understand Functional Harmony:
Pretty
well every note and chord has its purpose; it has a functionin
the greater whole of a given work, as it proceeds from beginning to end.
This is how Palestrina and Mozart
composed. It took centuries to refine.
However, after Beethoven (d. 1827),
and all the way up to the present day, most composers write notes and harmonies
in an increasingly non-functional way, creating music that is either (1)
dissonance without resolution (an extreme example being atonal music) or (2)
harmonies primarily intended to create an ambience,
resulting in a dreamy, sentimental or melancholy disposition in the listener,
as with Romantic (19th century), jazz and pop music.
The latter of these can be affecting or pretty, but it is not always conducive to bringing the listener out of himself (for example, As Time Goes By, Yesterday, Every Breath You Take; need I go on?!). It is music that fosters what St. Augustine refers to as an “incurvatus in se,” a turning inward upon oneself rather than outward towards God and others. This is Benedict XVI’s second fire, the “deceptive beauty”; it coddles and flatters the listener’s feelings and affections rather than edifying and elevating the person.
Sadly, when composers use these more modern compositional techniques in church music, they can rob their listeners of this truly edifying or elevating experience. To avoid this tragedy, I reject these techniques in my liturgical music. I can use them, and sometimes do in my secular compositions and devotional pieces for concert (listen on Spotify to my “Ballad of the King and the Innocents,” verse 6, or “Silent Night,” verse 3, from my CD Carol of the Bells), BUT NOT FOR CHURCH. I see functional notes and harmonyas integral to worthy liturgical music, because it is this compositional practice that can most effectively lead people out of themselves and point them heavenward.
2. Is it VITAL? I see someone’s hand up in the back. Yes? Your question is: “Mark, I get why you write the way you do, but with all the great sacred music already available, why bother spending time and energy creating new stuff, AND seeking patrons? Aren’t there other more pressing causes to support?“
To answer this entirely valid
question, I’m going to turn, again, to the wisdom of Benedict XVI and also another
current Catholic scholar. Benedict said, in 2010:
“An art that has lost the living root of
transcendence would not be oriented to God … And a faith that had art only in
the past would no longer be faith in the present.”
In other words, for the faith to remain current,
we cannot simply rely on the past for our artistic expression. We must have
art, which is an expression of the eternal truths of the faith, but created
now. We see that with the other arts. Why should music be different?
Cantate Domino canticum novum! Sing ye to the Lord a new song! (Psalm 97:1)
Just as the sublime music of William
Byrd was undoubtedly a product of the dark times for the Catholics of
Elizabethan England, so also, I think, we
need a musical expression of the Faith in our current times of turmoil and
apostasy.
A music inthese times but not ofthem. (cf. 1 John 2:15-17)
“Tradition grounds the past, present, and
future in timelessness. [And] … it is only through Tradition that our present
can have a future.”
So, with regard to art today (most
vitally for liturgical art), as the past informs and guides us in our practice
and creativity, what we do and create in the present will inform future
generations. We need to be the tradition of the future. HOWEVER, if we
do not ground ourselves by emulating tradition as both source and practice, we
banish ourselves to irrelevance for the future. For the sake of our
children, and our children’s children, we must not break the continuity with
our forefathers.
3.
HOW DO I KNOW IF THE MUSIC I CREATE TODAY IS ANY GOOD?
I may be a
coward, but it is not my point in this article to disparage the music of any
particular contemporary composer. If you know me personally, you know I have
very definite opinions on music. However, with regard to current liturgical
music, I would prefer to reserve any judgment for a private discussion or
public forum, where the participants have a chance to respond to any of my assertions,
and I to theirs. It’s not my goal here to stir the pot. Thus, I shall only try
to show the effect my music has had on others.
Now, assuming I’m following the
principles I’ve briefly touched on in sections (1) and (2) above, here’s what
some individuals have said:
“I wanted my mother’s funeral mass to inspire and awaken her family and friends to the depth of mystery, beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. With this hope in mind, I asked Mark Donnelly if he would sing his Requiem Mass [for Soprano and Tenor (2015)] for Mom’s funeral. The performance by Mark and his daughter, Colleen, gave one reason to believe that there is a God.”
– Gemma Cowhig, Holy Family Parishioner, Vancouver, BC
“After receiving communion and returning to my pew, I
heard this luminous music[O Sancta Trinitas
( 2019)]! I wanted to know who the composer was, thinking it was Palestrina or
one of his contemporaries. After consulting the bulletin, I was blown away to
see that it was written by our own choir director, Mark Donnelly!”
– Mazoe Kaufman, professional sacred artist
“Mark Donnelly’s liturgical motets are truly beautifuland very well
written for allvoices. They hark back to the Renaissance in style,
though at times one can sense they are written in this century …This well-craftedmusic was certainly written with love and
devotion; I would be very happy to have my choir sing this music at my
parish!”
“Mark’s work is of the highest quality. More people need to hear his music. It will
change and move them in a very positive way. Beautiful music, extremely well-crafted.”
“I have experienced Mark’s sacred music for many years. In
both spirit and quality, he is truly keeping the great Catholic musical
tradition alive. His composing is certainly worthy of any and all patronage and support.”
– Most Rev. J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver, BC
Now, you may not consider these words
validation of my position. However, they do help bolster my commitment to compose the way I do, knowing that others
consider this style of music conducive to the spiritual life.
NOTE: This is the first of a regular
series of music articles for Una Voce Canada. Along with what was discussed in
this issue, topics will include: Gregorian Chant, sacred polyphony, and
anything else that touches on liturgical music. Stay tuned and God bless! MED
====
To learn more about the compositions of Mark Emerson Donnelly and how you can support his work, visit his website markemersondonnelly.com.
His current project, the trailer Mark Emerson Donnelly: Composer, and
five music videos, is in production at Motet Films. Filming and recording has already taken place (the rough
edits are outstanding!), and Mark is very excited that he is close to reaching
the financial goal for this project!
RELEASE
DATE: Second quarter 2020
Una Voce Canada is graciously providing tax receipts to Canadian donors giving to his work through UVC.
Interac e-Transfer to composer@unavocecanada.org NOTE: Please include your email and mailing address to receive a tax receipt.
Cheque: Made out to “Una Voce Canada,” Memo: composer. Mail to:
Una Voce Canada P.O. Box 30027 North Vancouver, BC V7H 2Y8
Thank
you to all who have supported this grand endeavour. If you have any questions,
please contact Mark:
The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has issued the following statement. More information about the Society and its work can be found on its website: www.lms.org.uk or email info@lms.org.uk. A copy of this statement may be downloaded here.
STATEMENT ON COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) AND THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION AT CELEBRATIONS OF THE MASS ACCORDING TO THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM
LATIN MASS SOCIETY 3rd MARCH 2020
The Bishops of England and Wales have issued ‘Guidelines’ (dated 27th February 2020) on steps to be taken in parishes in relation to the possible spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus).
While noting that these guidelines do not take the form of a decree with the force of canon law, we welcome them. We should like to make the following clarifications on their application to celebrations of the Extraordinary Form and other traditional Rites and Usages of the Latin Church, such as the Dominican Rite.
1. In these celebrations the Sign of Peace is not given among members of the congregation; the Precious Blood is not distributed to the Faithful (from the Chalice); and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not employed. In these respects these celebrations already adhere to or render unnecessary recommendations given in the Guidelines for a heightened level of hygiene necessary in the case of a more serious outbreak of the virus.
2. In these celebrations Holy Communion (the Host) may not be distributed in the hand, according to the universal liturgical law applicable to them. Should the spread of COVID-19 necessitate the suspension of the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, this would mean the suspension of the distribution of Holy Communion to the Faithful in these celebrations.
The Communion of the Faithful is in no way necessary to the validity or liceity (in such circumstances) of the Mass. Should prudence dictate the necessity for such a step, the Faithful should be encouraged to make a ‘Spiritual Communion’. One form of words for making such a Spiritual Communion is given below.
3. We wish to observe, however, that the distribution of the Host in the hand does not appear to be less likely to spread infection than the distribution on the tongue. On the contrary, distribution on the hand has the result that the Host touches possibly infected surfaces, the palm of the left hand and the fingers of the right hand of the communicant, which is avoided in distribution by a priest directly onto the communicant’s tongue.
The Guidelines state:
When giving communion in the hand seek to ensure you place the host in the hand of the recipient in such a way that you do not touch their hands.
In the same spirit the distribution of the Host on the tongue should never involve the touching of the communicant’s tongue by the priest.
Instruction and training on the correct manner of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue, to those not used to this manner of distribution, may be useful in this context.
Issued by the Chairman and Officers of the Latin Mass Society 3rd March 2020
Further information
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire to receive thee in my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee as if thou wert already there, and unite myself wholly to thee. Never permit me to be separated from thee. Amen.
Text by Oleg-Michael Martynov; photos by Olga Zhuravleva
The Most Reverend Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mary Most Holy in Astana (Kazakhstan), was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 22 and 23, 2019. His Excellency spoke live on Radio Maria, covering both the situation of the Catholics in Kazakhstan and the recent events worldwide. On November 23, the feast of St. Clement of Rome, who is the patron saint of Una Voce Russia, he celebrated a Pontifical High Mass in the church of Our Lady of Lourdes. With Moscow boasting the only Traditional Latin Mass in Russia celebrated every Sunday (either a Sung Mass or a Low Mass) and St. Petersburg still struggling, with varied success, to have at least one TLM in a month, a High Mass – especially a Pontifical one, celebrated by a bishop – is a very rare event in this country. The previous Pontifical High Mass, also arranged by Una Voce Russia and celebrated by Bishop Schneider, took place in Moscow in 2011. Continue reading →
Una Voce Canada held its 2019 annual general meeting on Saturday, October 12, at Holy Family Parish, a personal parish in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia, dedicated to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and in the care of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter since 2008. The board of directors was elected by acclamation. Serving for the coming year are David Reid, president; Frank Chow, vice president; Lynn Reid, treasurer; Margie Mackey, corresponding secretary; Matthew Kutarna, webmaster; and Arnold Wiegert, Claire Phillips, Kenneth Lieblich, and Alexander Dyakowski, directors.
We were privileged to have as our guest speaker Dr. John Pepino, professor of Latin, Greek, Patristics, and History at the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska. The title of his talk was “The Roman Mass from the Eve of Trent to the Present and Beyond: An Overview.” It is our great pleasure to be able to bring you a recording of his complete talk and the question-and-answer session that followed. A transcript of the talk can be viewed here.
Our next Traditional Latin Mass will take place at 3 p.m. on October 20, the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 554 15th Street East, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 1X3 (phone: 519-376-0778). Fr. McGrath will hear confessions before Mass, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to a potluck social at St. Mary’s Parish Hall after the Mass.
The remaining Masses for 2019 will take place on November 17, the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, and December 15, Gaudete Sunday.
Feast of St. Hubertus
All are also cordially invited by the Fraternitas Sancti Huberti to a Solemn High Mass in honour of the feast of St. Hubertus, patron of hunters, at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 3. A special blessing of arms and hounds will be given following the Mass. We will then have a wild game potluck feast in the hall of the St. Ignatius Deemerton Retreat Centre, 186 Sideroad 20 N, Mildmay, ON N0G 2J0.
Archery and clay and target shooting will be hosted after lunch, at the Allen Farm. Maps will be provided. RSVP with number of adults and children and what food you will bring, to Jonathan Allen at StHubertusBGOS@gmail.com.
Text by Vince Pfanmuller, Una Voce Prince George, a chapter of Una Voce Canada; photos courtesy of Claire Phillips
Sunday, September 15, 2019, was a historic day for the Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia.
For the first time since the implementation of the Missal of Pope Paul VI in 1970, a Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Missal of Pope John XXIII was offered in the mother church of the diocese, Sacred Heart Cathedral, in the presence of Most Reverend Stephen Jensen, Bishop of Prince George. We were blessed to be immersed once again in the ancient tones, movements, and forms of our beautiful liturgical inheritance, thanks to the support of Bishop Jensen; the generous efforts of Prince George vicar general Very Reverend Rectorino Tolentino Jr., who was the subdeacon at the Mass; and the expertise of a contingent from Holy Family Parish in Vancouver: parish priest Fr. Daniel Geddes, FSSP (celebrant), parochial vicar Fr. Ralph Oballo, FSSP (deacon), and Mr. Matthew Palmer, who provided training to the altar servers.
We are most grateful to the people of Holy Family Parish for such a gift. Fr. Geddes brought with him everything needed to transform our sanctuary for the once-familiar ad orientem form of worship – candles, crucifix, altar cards, missal, as well as the traditional vestments. We offer our thanks also to the servers and schola members for their hard work in preparing for this beautiful day. The Mass was recorded and video will be posted online for others to view.
Prior to the Mass, Fr. Geddes offered an excellent catechesis on the Mass, with special emphasis on how our liturgy and our faith must be the “blood that runs through our veins” rather than a “jacket that we put on when we are cold and take off when we are hot” if it is to be transmitted to the next generation. In his sermon, he further explained the purpose and power of the Offertory to remind the faithful what they must bring from their daily lives to the Lord at the altar.
The Mass was attended by about 200 faithful from around Prince George, and indeed from elsewhere in the diocese and beyond. People came from Mackenzie, Chetwynd, Quesnel, Cache Creek, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers, Terrace, and Kitimat, some of them travelling for many hours. A very well attended potluck dinner and reception truly had the feel of a joyful diocesan event.
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