Czech it out - 5th Sunday in Lent

It was a day of many welcomes. Welcome to Frank, who is from the Czech Republic. He is working in Newquay for the next few months andfortunately for us is a guitar player. Unfortunately he has no guitar with him, so has had to make do with choirboy's 12 string. He does, however, play bass and as choirboy has just acquired a natty bass guitar (pink) we may persuade him to play that ! Welcome back too to Maz, who has been doing winter survival training in Oberammergau - it's in Bavaria and one would normally expect snow at this time of the year but alas there was none. Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Play which is enacted in the streets of the town every 10 years and has been done so since 1634. It was last performed in 2000, so not long to go till next time ! Finally we welcomed back Father David Mead to Holy Trinity - he was witness to a rather bizarre occurrence before mass when choirboy was asked if he was a convert as he seemed to choose mostly protestant hymns. Father Stephen was off on Deanery business so it was left to Deacon Brian to expound on the VII Commandment - 'thou shall not steal'

Our music liturgy today included a new number by choirboy - 'Lord I know that You love me'

Entry: - Praise my soul the King of heaven

Kyrie: - Kyrie Elieson (Newquay Mass (ii))

Gospel Acclamation : - Praise to You, O Christ (V4)

Offertory: - In bread we bring You, Lord

Sanctus:- Newquay Mass (ii)

Amen: - Amen - We will sing.

Agnus Dei: - Burntwood Mass

Communion: - Lord I know that You love me

Lord I know that You love me and I’ll always try to be
Worthy of Your boundless love - I’ll keep on praying to You my Lord
For I know, You’ll always show that You love me

Recessional:- Here I am Lord

The morning after the night before - debauchery !

Our 4th Sunday in Lent was the morning after the Parish dinner and dance. Surprisingly the Church was at regulation fullness but alas as the dinner coincided with St Patrick's night there was at least one musician struggling. Fortunately it wasn't choirboy and as he looked at the shadow of a guitarist standing next to him, he relected on the wisdom of being on the wagon during Lent. Still at least he was there, his green shirt matching his somewhat green complexion. The previous evening Jimmy, Mary and choirboy had 'entertained' revellers at the parish dance with a mixture of traditional Irish pub songs and some newer Christie Moore numbers. It was just a shame that rehearsals were somewhat limited - a fact that was a consequence of the handbagging that persuaded this motley group to perform at all ! Still, it was a great idea and hopefully next year, it will be a bit more structured.

Back to Sunday, the theme of the sermon being debauchery or at least the 6th and 9th comandments. Choirboy can let parishioners now that Father Stephen was only warming up with his 20 minute homily at 0830 mass and that by the 1030 mass, fully warming to his theme he had managed to extend the homily by afull 5 minutes (it's a long story why choirboy heard the homily twice and fortunately it wasn't by order or religious necessity). Unfortunately although our music liturgy reflected the occasion, it made no reference to mothering sunday - humble apologies to all mothers.

Entry: - My God accept my heart this day

Kyrie: - Kyrie Elieson (Newquay mass)

Gospel Acclamation : - Praise to You, O Christ (V3)

Offertory: - Blessed be God

Sanctus:- Newquay mass (ii)

Amen: - Amen - We will sing.

Agnus Dei: - Burntwood Mass

Communion: - Bless the Lord my soul
Be still and know that I am God
Recessional:- I am a new creation

3 rd Sunday in Lent

Some people have been saying this to choirboy for a long time about his music ! Nevertheless music did not feature in the numerous references to this commandment during Father Stephen's sermon. However, we were once again reminded of the professional, personal and public responsibilities that were are obliged to follow whilst at the same time being reminded of the redeeming power of God's love through the sacrament of reconciliation.

It was great to see Joyce and Gil, partially recovered from their ailments - we need their voices ! Musically we are marching towads Holy Week and I am trying not to use up too many of our Easter musical musings in Lent - we are preparing some new material, however. We had our second outing of choirboy's offertory hymn 'Lord we come to Your table'. Mrs choirboy assures me that it was well sung by the congregation - a copy should be on this site: -

www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

Entry: - Praise to the Holiest

Kyrie: - Kyrie Elieson

Gospel Acclamation : - Praise to You, O Christ, our saviour (V2)

Offertory: - Lord we come to Your table

Sanctus:- Newquay mass (ii)

Amen: - Amen - We will sing.

Agnus Dei: - Burntwood Mass

Communion: -
Lord I am not worthy to receive You, I’m not worthy
Lord I am not worthy, just say the word and I shall be healed (repeated)

Lay Your hands

Recessional:- Freely, freely

Honour Your Father and Mother

On the second Sunday in Lent, Father Stephen preached again on the commandments. Today was, yes you guessed, 'Honour thy Father and Mother'. It was as though he was speaking directly to choirboy's children. He had words for the 'adult children' once again in the sphere of our wider responsibilities to family and society and touched on the subject of subsidiarity. I have culled the following from wikipedia: -

The principle of subsidiarity holds that government should undertake only those initiatives which exceed the capacity of individuals or private groups acting independently. The principle is based upon the autonomy and dignity of the human individual, and holds that all other forms of society, from the family to the state and the international order, should be in the service of the human person. Subsidiarity assumes that these human persons are by their nature social beings, and emphasizes the importance of small and intermediate-sized communities or institutions, like the family, the church, and voluntary associations, as mediating structures which empower individual action and link the individual to society as a whole. "Positive subsidiarity", which is the ethical imperative for communal, institutional or governmental action to create the social conditions necessary to the full development of the individual, such as the right to work, decent housing, health care, etc., is another important aspect of the subsidiarity principle.
The principle of subsidiarity was developed in the encyclical Rerum Novarum of 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, as an attempt to articulate a middle course between the excesses of laissez-faire capitalism on the one hand and the various forms of totalitarianism, which subordinate the individual to the state, on the other. The principle was further developed in Pope Pius XI's encyclical Quadragesimo Anno of 1931, and Economic Justice for All by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Today's music liturgy presented by a much diminished choir (was it the rain?) reflected the gospel (transfiguration) and continued with the same mass settings as last week - we intend to use them until Holy Week.

Entry: - Love is His word, love is His way

Kyrie: - Newquay mass (ii)

Gospel Acclamation : - Praise to You, O Christ, our saviour

Offertory: - Blessed be God

Sanctus:- Newquay mass (ii)

Amen: - Amen - We will sing

Agnus Dei: - Burntwood Mass

Communion: - Living Lord

Recessional:- Shine Jesus shine