The Olivetan Benedictines are planning to leave Cockfosters Parish of Christ the King, in north London, it was announced on Sunday.

Bishop John Arnold visited the parish to break the news. He said in a statement: “the Abbot General of the Olivetans, Don Diego, with his Council, has determined that, regrettably, there are no additional monks available to send to Cockfosters, to assist in the parish. They further determined that Cockfosters does not at this time form a viable monastic community, being only two resident monks. Don Diego has therefore decided that the Parish here at Cockfosters must be placed under the direct care of the Diocese, and the monks withdrawn.”

Bishop John said that no dates were fixed but it was likely that Dom Bernard Akoeso and Dom Bernard de Smet would leave during the summer. He explained that no decision has been made yet about the appointment of a new Parish Priest, or the future of the monastery and other premises.

Bishop John said: “Archbishop Vincent and the Archbishop’s Council thought it right that I come to give you this news at the earliest possible opportunity. We will, of course, keep you informed about further decisions.

“I am sure that such news will be very unwelcome to many. The Olivetan Benedictines have served you well for many years and this is a vibrant community.

“There will be other occasions to reflect on and evaluate the history of this parish and the presence of the monks, and to give thanks. For the present, let us remember that the coming months will be a time of considerable change for all, and change is never easy. It will be a time of particular change for Dom Bernard de Smet and Dom Bernard Akoeso. Between them they have shouldered the very considerable demands of a parish where there was, until quite recently, a community of several monks who assisted both at the liturgy and in parish duties. Dom Bernard Akoeso has borne this alone in recent months as Dom Bernard de Smet’s energies have declined.

“Let us pray in these coming months for a smooth transition, in thanksgiving for all that the Olivetans have done and with hope and determination that that legacy will continue to bear fruit in the future.”

No one from the parish was available to comment this evening. Founded in 1936, Cockfosters Parish of Christ the King is situated in Enfield Deanery. The church was built in 1940.

The Olivetans are a monastic order formally recognised in 1344. They have formed the Olivetan Congregation within the Benedictine Confederation since 1960.

The parish of Cockfosters, on the fringes of north London at the far end of the Piccadilly Line, has from the very beginning been well-known for the forward-looking nature of its liturgies. It was staffed predominantly by Dutch monks, who were not afraid to make use of the full potential provided by the Missal of Paul VI. Their folk Masses were famous in the 1970s, and people came from all over London to take part in them. Also notorious were the wooden chairs in the plain concrete church, with their dramatically sloping backs that provided an unnervingly uncomfortable posture.

But the history of these Benedictines as liturgical pioneers goes back much further than 1969. This is the parish where they celebrated a true Dialogue Mass in the years before the Second World War, long before any other English parish (others started in the late-1950s).

The monastery also at one time included a community of Olivetan Benedictine sisters, who moved to Turvey Abbey in 1981: http://www.turveyabbey.org.uk/

The termination of the link with the Olivetans is the end of an era.

H/T to Independent Catholic News: http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=19742

• Requiem æternam and Lux æterna are out; Amazing Grace, On Eagle’s Wings and How Great Thou Art are in. Indeed, these three songs are so ubiquitous at funeral and memorial Masses (at least two of them have been sung at 90% of the Masses for the dead that I have attended) that they almost seem to constitute a new “proper.”
• Black or purple vestments are out; white vestments are in.
• Eulogies after communion are typically in, despite efforts to stamp them out. People expect them today the way they expected the Dies iræ in former times.
• Bodies are, increasingly, out. It’s been several years since I’ve attended a funeral in my parish that featured a body rather than “cremains” or sometimes just a photo of the deceased.
• In terms of overall tone (readings chosen, homilies given, etc.), intercession for the deceased is out; celebration of the life of the deceased is in.

These developments all seem to me to be “organic,” in the sense that they are the result not of legislation but of what the pips (people-in-the-pews) are asking for. Of course, their desire for these things is shaped by larger cultural forces, some of which may be benign and other malign. But hasn’t this always been the case with “organic development”?

He will deliver a lecture on February 12 at WTU which is free and open to the public. (See flyer for more details.) The lecture is entitled: “Heaven’s Harmonies in Human Habitats: Composing for the Church.” All are invited.

Dr. Hancock will be remembered by many for his years of service (1971-2004) as Organist and Master of Choristers at the Church of Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York.

A few samples of Dr. Hancock’s work —

A 1976 improvisation on the Skinner at Saint Thomas:

The Savior’s Triumph, an improvisation by Dr. Hancock inspired by the windows in the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut:

May he rest in peace;
and rise in glory. Amen.

Contents:

1. Gregorian chant: Sancti et Iusti (You Holy and Just Ones)

2. Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones / LASST UNS ERFREUEN

3. Sanctum et Terribile Nomen Ejus (Holy and Awesome His Name) by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

4. Jesu, All Holy by Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi da Caravaggio

5. O Quam Gloriosum (O How Glorious is the Kingdom) by Carl Jaspers

6. Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs by Paul Ritchie

7. Ecce Fidelis Servus (Behold the Faithful Servant) – Gabriel Fauré, arr. Richard Proulx

8. City Called Heaven by Josephine Poelinitz – Soloists: Darby Heard, Tia Westhoff

9. Ave Maria by César Franck – Soloist: Christopher Larsen

10. Allegro Appassionato by Camille Saint-Saëns – Soloist Cello: Morgan Semerad

11. Ave Maria by Franz Schubert – Soloist: Shea Henderson, Accompanist: Nathan Cicero

12. Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart / MARION

13. Give Us a Pure Heart by Christopher Willcock, SJ

14. He Never Failed Me Yet by Robert Ray – Soloists: Rachel Morrison, Tia Westhoff

15. Holy God, We Praise Thy Name / GROSSER GOTT

Axel Theimer, conductor
Chris Ángel, accompanist
Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, program director

Saint Paul Cathedral, St. Paul, Minnesota: Rob Ridgell, Music Director

Saint John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. Note the Psallite refrains at entrance and communion.

Its principal author, Charlotte Kroeker, is executive director of the Church Music Institute in Dallas, TX, and a pianist who has performed throughout the United States, Asia and England, frequently in the context of worship services. Her fellow researchers and co-authors include Annette Conklin (two chapters) and Linda J. Clark (one chapter). The research method is well articulated in the “Preface”: “Each pastor and musician [leader] was interviewed individually, with the researcher using the questions in appendix A. Then the researcher attended worship services to observe the liturgy in action. A second interview with pastor and musician followed, based on the questions in appendix B. We later returned to the interviewees to ask questions about congregational perspectives, listed in appendix C.” The three sets of questions printed in the appendices alone would make the book worth its price for those interested in systematic study of congregational music leadership.

After chapters devoted to each of the nine congregations researched, the work concludes with three chapters summarizing the findings (“Commonalities Across Denominations and Contexts”), dreaming about ideal environments for worship music (“Characteristics of Special Note”) and suggesting courses of action (“Implications for the Future”). As one might expect, there is a strong emphasis upon education: of clergy-musicians, of musician-theologians, and of life-long worship music learners in the congregation. Since so much of the acrimony of the discussion on the Pray Tell blog seems to arise from varying understandings of what “the best” worship is, I found the author’s five statements on striving for “the best” worship music in a particular place and time to be quite helpful:

1. Our best is the accumulated wisdom of the gifted people in our midst.
2. Our best is the accumulated wisdom from the fields of both theology and music.
3. Our best is a congregation equipped to fulfill its task in worship.
4. Our best is the development of a repertoire of music within a congregation that has lasting value over the years, music that provides nourishment for the Christian journey.
5. Our best is the development of leaders of music for the future.

I hope these few reflections will encourage readers of the Pray Tell blog, especially those involved in clerical and/or musical leadership, to put “The Sounds of our Offerings” on their “to read” list. I also hope that this research will encourage others to refine the method and continue the project.

The reason I am posting this recommendation on Halloween is that the latest in the series, entitled “The Countertenor Wore Garlic,” involves both adolescent vampires and a flashmob of zombies, although the descriptions of the Calvinist Anglican “supply” priest, Vicar Fearghus McTavish, and the Congregational Enlivener hired to spice up St. Barnabas’ Sunday worship are actually more terrifying. Pastoral musicians might especially enjoy this description of the titular countertenor, a musicologist, who joins St. Barnabas’ choir:

“’Do not mock me,’ said Ian Burch, his nasally voice rising even higher than usual. He held some sort of wooden Renaissance instrument, cylindrical and about five inches in length, and gave it a startling honk.

‘Good Lord,’ said Pete as he walked up. He stuck a finger in one ear and pretended to clean it out. ‘What the heck’s going on?

‘This is a racket,’ said Ian Burch, Ph.D.

‘It certainly is,’ said Nancy.

Ian ignored her. ‘According to ancient legend, vampires cannot abide its sound.’

‘Me neither,’ said Nancy. ‘Does that make me a vampire?’

Nancy’s snide comments didn’t seem to both Ian and he was happy to hold his prize aloft and continue the music lesson. ‘I ordered this one last week. The common name is the racket, but it’s also known as the wurstfaggot. The sausage-bassoon.’

‘Unfortunate name,’ said Pete. ‘And an unfortunate sound. No wonder vampires don’t like it.’…”

If you enjoy “The Countertenor Wore Garlic” you may enjoy earlier volumes in the series, such as: “The Soprano Wore Falsettos,” “The Bass Wore Scales,” “The Organist Wore Pumps,” or “The Baritone Wore Chiffon.”