St Jude’s Novena 2009

St Jude’s Novena 2009
St Jude’s Parish & Shrine, Vancouver, BC, Canada
16–25 October 2009

As in past years, a guest priest was invited to speak at St Jude’s annual Novena. This year’s visitor, Rev Gregory Pritchard, came all the way from Melbourne, Australia; specifically, from St Joseph’s Chelsea Parish. His homily series was on “pearls of price”: essentially, God’s gifts to us.

I very much enjoyed his speaking. His message was overall a very positive, encouraging one – a reminder about God’s great love for us, in the form of these great pearls. He also spoke of our obligations to God (such as coming to Mass), not as a burden, but a joy.

Before I get to the music list, I just want to remark how impressed I was with Fr Pritchard’s apparent enthusiasm for singing the Mass, and the obvious effort he spent to emulate the singing done regularly by our pastor, Fr Lawrence. I played the first Novena Mass on Friday 16 October, with Fr Lawrence singing the Mass; when I returned to play the next Friday, lo and behold! Fr Pritchard was singing the Mass, just as Fr Lawrence would. Simply put, it was delightful to hear, and the congregation returned the gesture loud and clear in their sung responses.

If nothing else, I think it serves as a wonderful example of how it is not difficult to have a full Missa cantata; all it requires is some effort to understand what the church asks, and a desire for beauty in the liturgy. I wish more priests (and musicians!) could have this experience.

Without further ado, here is the music list for the two Masses I played (16 & 23 October):

Missa Jubilate Deo
Entrance: BFW^* 415, from propers for Apostles (Psalm 19:4 – “Their voice goes out to all the world; their message, to the ends of the earth.”)
Psalm: BFW 339, from propers for Sts Peter & Paul (Psalm 45:16 – “You shall make them Princes in every part of the earth.”)
Offertory: from the Little Organ Book (Flor Peeters, 1903–1986):
16 October: Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (F W Zachow, 1663–1712)
23 October: Versus IV-Toni (A de Cabezón, 1510–1566)
Communion:
16 October: Voluntary II from Ten Voluntaries for Organ, op VI (J Stanley, 1712–1786)
23 October: Cantilène religieuse (Th Dubois, 1837–1924)
Mass followed by Novena prayers to St Jude, then the Hymn to St Jude (“tastefully arranged”^† by Michael Jarvis)

* By Flowing Waters
† It’s printed right on the score – direct quote, honest!