This Sunday's EF Mass was a sad Mass and a joyous Mass, it was the farewell Sung Mass of Fr Jason Jones who is about to take up duties as Parish Priest at The Sacred Heart, Morriston, Nr Swansea. Fr Jones, as always, celebrated the Mass with breathtaking reverence and the singing of the choir transformed the rather cliched 70s style church of Our Lady of the Taper (sorry, Our Lady but I'm sure you dislike the architecture as much as I do) in Cardigan into Rome's Sistine Chapel.
The Mass was one of Byrd's and the choir's singing was plaintive and pleading and beautiful to the extreme. The sanctuary was full to the brim of the angelic host, more than could be counted (it is quite fruitless trying to count angels, they just will not keep still and they're also invisible so it makes it absolutely impossible).
The altar servers were brilliant and faultless, well the MC was a bit rubbish, but Corey ploughed on valiantly. All in all, it was an occasion to remember.
I also remember Mill Hill Father, Father Hughes berating us parishioners at Courtfield years ago because someone had said to him that morning after Mass: "Wonderful Mass Father".
"Every Mass is a wonderful Mass" he thundered at us and, of course, he was right. But last Sunday we experienced another wonderful Mass plus one with an extra helping of God's grace.
Afterwards tea and buns and a modest presentation, modest because we do not really believe Fr Jones is leaving us....we will just see him a little less often!
And after that, Benediction.
I suspect that Morriston will not know what sort of a treat they are in for. Poor dears, I think they have been in freefall since Vatican II and probably are quite used to putting on Telly Tubby outfits and prancing around the sanctuary every Sunday.
If that is the case, they might have experienced the last Lah Lah or Twinkie Winky performance. Fr J is nothing if not even handed betwixt OF and EF but liturgical abuse and breaches of Canon Law he will not have anywhere within 5000 miles of him. Good.
He will, of course, suffer the lot of every priest that leads his flock honestly towards salvation and that is, criticism and sniping from those who believe that they know better than the Holy Father.
I wish him well for the future and the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit to accompany him in his ministry.
"Blessed are those that are persecuted
for My names' sake:
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"
The Mass was one of Byrd's and the choir's singing was plaintive and pleading and beautiful to the extreme. The sanctuary was full to the brim of the angelic host, more than could be counted (it is quite fruitless trying to count angels, they just will not keep still and they're also invisible so it makes it absolutely impossible).
The altar servers were brilliant and faultless, well the MC was a bit rubbish, but Corey ploughed on valiantly. All in all, it was an occasion to remember.
I also remember Mill Hill Father, Father Hughes berating us parishioners at Courtfield years ago because someone had said to him that morning after Mass: "Wonderful Mass Father".
"Every Mass is a wonderful Mass" he thundered at us and, of course, he was right. But last Sunday we experienced another wonderful Mass plus one with an extra helping of God's grace.
Afterwards tea and buns and a modest presentation, modest because we do not really believe Fr Jones is leaving us....we will just see him a little less often!
And after that, Benediction.
 |
| Tea and buns and a presentation! |
If that is the case, they might have experienced the last Lah Lah or Twinkie Winky performance. Fr J is nothing if not even handed betwixt OF and EF but liturgical abuse and breaches of Canon Law he will not have anywhere within 5000 miles of him. Good.
He will, of course, suffer the lot of every priest that leads his flock honestly towards salvation and that is, criticism and sniping from those who believe that they know better than the Holy Father.
I wish him well for the future and the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit to accompany him in his ministry.
"Blessed are those that are persecuted
for My names' sake:
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven"
 |
| Father Jason Jones and Corey, a great altar server! |
AU REVOIR, FATHER AND GOD BLESS!
Yes, it was a great and moving celebration. Father Jones has been a inspirational spiritual director to our family for the past five years. And, we have been truly blessed by having the opportunity to host the Latin choir practices each week. It is not many dining rooms where plainsong, Byrd and Palestrina are regular features of the menu! Father, we wish you well.
ReplyDeleteOremus pro invicem
Quite a few bods down here think Fr Jones is a wonderful priest, and the fact he's moving near to Swansea (closer to the heart of the diocese) and will be promoting TLM across the diocese is great news for every red-blooded Welsh Catholic -- and our Saesneg chums ;-)
ReplyDeleteGet your facts right before you post them!
ReplyDeleteMe - nor sure what you are referring to. If it was my remark about Teletubbies, my apologies, it was meant lightheartedly but I can see how it may have caused offence.
ReplyDelete