Saturday, 17 June 2017: Anglican Ordinariate Ceremony at St. James Spanish Place

St. James Catholic Church Spanish Place

Friday was a travel day, from Oxford to Broadbottom by way of Manchester. My plan was to just relax with my friends, Michael and Raven Wenner for a few days before returning to Charleston, but that was not exactly what happened. You'll see.

I do like using BritRail, although it is now a number of regional rail systems linked together in many respects, but independent in other respects. If you plan a trip, be careful to calculate how many trips you will use rail for, and compare the prices of individual tickets to any package deal of a "rail pass". In 2010, an 8-day pass saved me a few hundred dollars, but in both 2016 and 2017, I was much better off paying as I went.

I arrived at the Wenner's mid-afternoon, and had a nice visit for a while. Michael's son, Martin, was there until Raven returned from an afternoon at the local Catholic church. Then we walked to the pub for dinner. It being Friday, we all had fish, and it was very good! We retired early for the night since Raven and I needed to on the 7:15am train from Broadbottom to Manchester Picadilly, where we met Fr. Andrew Starkie and his family for the train to London. I had been in email contact with him for a couple of years, and this would be our first meeting.

Now, this was not in my original plan! Raven sent me an email about a week before I left for Milan, advising me that she had promised Fr. Starkie a year ago that she would accompany him to the Transitional Diaconate Ordination Mass, which just happened to be my Saturday in Broadbottom. I could have sat around the house and had dinner at the pub again, but I certainly wasn't going to pass up the chance to attend such a wonder Liturgy! And at St. James Spanish Place at that! So, back to London I went!

We all walked from Euston Station to the church, in plenty of time before Mass began.

Entrance at the side of the west front.

Nave and Sanctuary

The Altar

The pulpit

Cardinal Pell was scheduled to Ordain ten men to the Transitional Diaconate, but couldn't travel due to health reasons. Instead, Rt. Rev. Robert Byrne (Cong. Orat.), Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham, performed the Sacrament. Of the ten men, two were seminarians and eight were former Anglican priests. All will be Ordained to the Catholic Priesthood during the next  year. 

The main organ and choir gallery in the south transept (Epistle side)

Antiphonal organ in the west gallery.

The musicians were from St. James. They sang the Mass setting "Collegium Regale" by Herbert Howells, originally composed for the chapel and choir of King's College Cambridge. The congregation joined in on the hymns:

Procession: "Praise to the Holiest in the Height" (tune: Somervell)

Offertory: "Crown Him with Many Crowns" (tune: Diademata)

Communion: "Soul of My Saviour" (tune: Anima Christi)

Final: "O Jesus, I Have Promised" (tune: Wolvercote)

We also joined in the chanting of the Gradual and Alleluia, both from "The Plainchant Gradual" (Wantage, St. Mary’s Press), which is what most of the Anglican Ordinariates are using for Propers.

The Candidates lying prostrate during the chanting of the Litany of the Saints

The Sacrament

The Recessional

There was a very nice reception in the undercroft, where I had a chance to chat briefly with Monsignor Keith Newton, the Ordinary in the UK. We had met at Sacra Liturgia London in 2016, and been in contact via email.

Then we were all off, walking back to Euston Station for our return train to Manchester.

One parting shot - the entrance door:

Now, that's a hinge!

Thursday, 15 June 2017: Feast of Corpus Christi at Oxford Oratory

Having set aside just one night of my 17-night trip for Oxford, and arriving mid-afternoon, I spent a couple of hours just taking in the sights. I did do some shopping at Blackwell Music Shop.

I had also figured out that I would be there for the traditional Thursday after Trinity Sunday feast of Corpus Christi. I also knew that there is an Oratory in Oxford, so I should be able to attend a really nice Mass. Indeed!

Oxford Oratory Church of St Aloysius Gonzaga.

The Oxford Oratory was originally a Jesuit church, built soon after the Catholic Emancipation Act in the mid 19th century.

The Sanctuary. (not quite as many statues as the Duomo!)

The pulpit.

Entrance doors' artwork: English Martys (L), Jesuit Saints (R).

Marian side chapel.

As to the Mass, I was definitely not disappointed! Once the prelude music was over, the Procession began with more organ music. As the ministers reached the Communion rail, the choir began chanting the Introit. I was absolutely in heaven, as I immediately recognized the organ accompaniment to be from Nova Organi Harmonia! The entire Mass was quite beautiful. I don't remember what Ordinary was sung - it may have been polyphonic. But the entire congregation joined in on the Credo III, which is traditionally paired with Missa XVIII, de Angelis. The surprise was that the organist accompanied it in a very romantic style, with lots of registration changes, varying in loudness and intensity. He began much like I would, but built a bit until the "incarnatus est", where he changed to the quietest Voix Celeste stops. From "Crucifixus" on, he built by adding stops, until at the "et unam , sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam" which he played in octaves, manuals and pedal. There really wasn't much more building he could do through the "Amen", but the whole experience was intense!

The choir loft and organ.

I met the organist afterwards and greatly complimented him. It turns out he has original copies of all seven volumes of Nova Organi Harmonia! He also kindly gave me a ride over to Christ Church, so I could make a 12-bell ringing practice. The bells in this tower were unringable back in 1980, so this was another new tower for me, and another new pub afterwards!

Thursday, 15 June 2017: London to Oxford

Early rise today! I had taken two loads of laundry Wednesday morning to be done about a half-mile away, and needed it for packing. It was during these morning hours that I decided that any future visits to London would be a minimum of seven nights - five just doesn't cut it! Once I was packed, I needed to leave my luggage at the front desk while I did two more errands: stopping at a bank and then Watts & Co., to be measured for the choir cassock I've wanted for a few years now.

Watts & Co., London

St. Barnabas Choir Cassock - except that mine will have yellow as a contrast, and I will be calling it my "Walsingham Choir Cassock".

J. Wipple & Co. is right next door.

Both Watts and Wipple are next door to each other, only a couple of blocks from Westminster Abbey.

Next step was to get to the Paddington Station to get a train to Oxford. I didn't get to Oxford till mid-afternoon, and I only had one night booked at St. Hugh's College, on the north side of the city.

Entrance and main building of St. Hugh's College, Oxford.

My room, a bit larger than London, very nice.

View from my room looking towards Banbury Road.

Chapel with organ loft.

The organ.

I really enjoyed my one night at St. Hugh's College. The all-you-can-eat breakfast is included in the B&B price. I had spent a fair amount of time in and around Oxford during my first trip abroad in 1980, but had skipped returning there in 2010 and 2016. It deserves at least four nights. Maybe next year.

Wednesday, 14 June 2017: Hotel in Belgravia

I usually try to stay in university housing being provided as B&B when the students are gone. But school is still in session during the month of June, so I found an inexpensive hotel in Belgravia. This is a very up-scale area, and very convenient to everything in London. My hotel was only two blocks from Victoria Station, and just around the corner from Victoria Coach Station.

My room in the red circle. 70 steps - no elevator!

My room - very small, living out of my suitcase, computer on my bed, but still very convenient.

My view, directly across the street.

Another view with the National Accounting Office in the background.

The NAO, a local icon. Immediately behind this building are the tracks coming from Victoria Station.

I really cannot complain about my stay. The staff were very helpful, and the location was incredibly convenient. But, the next trip when I cannot stay in university B&B, I will go for a bit more expensive. I also learned a lesson: I really cannot do all I want to in London over a 5-night stay. I need a minimum of a week!

Tuesday, 13 June 2017: Evening Bell Ringing and Pub

English "change ringing" is always a part of my visits to the the UK, and this trip was no different. While North America has about 50 bell towers, Great Britain has more like 5,000! Over my four visits (1980, 2010, 2016, 2017) I have now rung in about 125 UK towers. Of the approximately 40 towers in the London area, I have rung in about 15. (Some day I should probably list them all and have precise numbers, but not today.)

This year I did grab a new tower, St. Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside. Also known as "Bow Bells", being born within hearing distance of Bow Bells is what defines a Londoner as "Cockney". Being a 12 bell tower, and this being an evening practice of the Ancient Society of College Youths, it was one of my few chances to ring an 11-bell method - tonight, Grandsire. (Most people who are capable of ringing 12-bell methods ring highly complex methods call "surprise". I have rung some surprise methods on 6 and 8 bells, but proper belfrymanship dictates that I ask to ring in something that I will NOT make a mess of!) The rest of the practice, I observed various groups of 12 people ringing these more complex methods, and visited with friends away from the ringing. This tower has two openings where a few people can gather, one with a balcony overlooking Cheapside.

Taken from the balcony overlooking Cheapside. The tenor and treble are on the left, the tenor being rung on the large box. The balcony visible opens over a neighboring rooftop garden.

Peal Borards.

Ringing room ceiling and rope guides.

Bow Bells (from the internet)

Neighboring rooftop garden (private - off limits to ringers)

You can see the balcony below the clock.

This evening was also the monthly meeting of the ASCY, which is always at The Counting House, which has become one of my fovourite pubs. This was my third visit to London that coincided with a meeting night, and the College Youths have always been very gracious to invite me to their meetings. (My ringing achievements are not nearly enough to become a member, but I appreciate friendships with many of them.) In this post, I'm including some internet photos of the interior.

The Counting House Pub, London

This was originally a bank, transformed into a grand, towering pub with ornate railings and colossal mirrors. The place is clearly geared up to serve a moneyed clientele, but is very welcoming to all.

Three photos of the grand lobby.

Meeting room on the 2nd floor (3rd floor in US terms) - every floor has a bar.

Thanks again to my College Youth friends for a wonderful evening. Heading back to my hotel in Belgravia for my fourth night of five, tomorrow will be spent with my friend, Katarina, in Mottingham and Lewisham.

Tuesday, 13 June 2017: St. Anselm's Church, Pembury

Some time ago, Fr. Ed Tomlinson published an ad on the Sacred Music Forum looking for a part-time organist.  I immediately replied that I would be very interested - at some point in the future, like f - 5 years from now, when I turn 70.  He understood, and invited me to visit the next time I came to the UK.  So I did, and played the organ for the Noon Mass - my first Mass to play for in England!

Fr. Ed met my train from London at the Tunbridge Wells station.  On the way to St. Anselm's, he showed me some of the countryside, including a historic St. Peter's Old Church.

When the Archdiocese of Southwark decided to combine the newly formed community in Pembury with the larger parish in the next town, they gave it to the Anglican Ordinariate community comprised of two former C of E priests with about 70 parishioners.  Only a hall with offices and a kitchen were originally built, and then a small chapel was added.  The building has been turned into a really nice church, with many artifacts acquired from redundant churches.

And the interior has been fixed up quite nicely:

The main Altar

The side Altar

The Chapel to Our Lady of Walsingham

from the organ console

The pulpit

The sedilia

The choir, Baptistry, organ, and OLW Chapel

The electronic organ by Viscount

It was just a Low Mass.  I played some prelude music before Mass, sang a hymn at Communion, and accompanied everyone in the Salve Regina after Mass.  Joanna Bogle and some of the Ladies Ordinariate Group from London were there visiting also.  Fr. Ed gave a talk on the history of the parish, and then we all had lunch at the pub across the commons from the church.  The ladies and I were on the same train back to London.