Corpus Christi

These are the trumpet stops of the organ at St. Martin's. I Had a wonderful day on Sunday for the feast of Corpus Christi.  At home in the parish church, the Sunday School learnt about and drew a Monstrance, a Pyx and a Sacrament House in learning more of the feast. Then for the Solemn Mass at the Offertory we joined the congregation for the liturgy and took part in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the church. In the afternoon I travelled to Cardiff for the Centenary Service of the St. Martin Ward of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament. This took the form of Solemn Vespers, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. As you can see from a previous post there is not another Christian place of worship in the whole land that I know of which can hold a candle to St. Martin of Tours, Roath for it's clouds and clouds of burning incense from braziers and thuribles too. All of which is accentuated by the light streaming in from enormous clear glass windows. However, the music too must now be at the highest level even among Cathedrals. This is not a traditional robed choir but an excellent small Liturgical group of singers which gives great sensitivity and more flexibility for specifically sacramental worship.The superb Director of Music and Organist Timothy Hill played brilliantly on the Organ and reveals a true sense of vocation in his interpretation and enhancement of the liturgical moment, be it peaceful Gregorian plainchant or rousing organ works of the French genre. A specially commissioned first performance of the Magnificat by local musician Robert Dishington was a thought provoking and worthy composition to mark the occasion. Other works included music by Piutti, Schmuke and Byrd and ending with the celebratory organ work 'Grande Choeur Dialogue' by Gigout. In short this is nothing short of excellence in worship, to the greater Glory of God and in the finest Anglican tradition, both refined and evolving as a manifestation of living faith. Our thanks and congratulations from those of us who were present must go to Fr. Hamer( who celebrates his 25th. anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood this month), and to his team of MC Dr. David Woolf et al. Not forgetting the erudite address on the theme of 'Presence' by Canon Fr. Stephen Kirk. The Church in Wales can ill afford to ignore the requests, needs and sacramental ministry of like minded traditionalists. Will it listen? Will it act? In all probability No.
 For now from the words of the final Welsh Hymn:
Tydi a wnaeth y wyrth, O! Grist, Fab Duw,
Tydi a roddaist imi flas ar fyw;

You did this mighty deed, Oh! Christ God's son,
You gave me joy anew the race to run;
Your Spirit held and guided me along
Forever more I'll sing the glorious song
I see the beauty now that can survive,
I feel the touch divine that makes alive;
The Alleluia has possessed my soul,
To You, O! Christ, I give my praises all.