Corpus Christi Procession

How we celebrated the great feast in Wales!

The mother church of the Diocese of Menevia is St Joseph's Cathedral, Swansea where, on the feast of Corpus Christi sung Mass was celebrated with great reverence and piety.

The celebrant was Diocesan Co-ordinator for the EF Mass, Fr Jason Jones and the choir was The Newcastle Emlyn Schola.

Among the altar servers was one seminarian and one prospective candidate for the FSSP - all served beautifully.

Here are some extracts from the Mass; at present in still form, once I discover how to download the videos I will post those.

The Mass itself lived up to Fr Faber's description of the Tridentine Latin Mass as being "the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven".

Extraordinary! Beautiful! Mass on the feast of Corpus Christi

Thursday 23rd June and Swansea Cathedral, probably for the first time in 40 plus years, witnessed a Sung Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi with a congregation estimated to be in the region of 75 plus.

"The most beautiful thing this side of Heaven..."

Celebrant was Father Jason Jones, Parish Priest of nearby Sacred Heart, Morriston and three other priests attended. All who were able to kneel, knelt to receive Holy Communion and ALL received by mouth.

The choir, from the Newcastle Emlyn Schola, sang in a manner that must have sent a few of the heavenly host into a green mood and afterwards, a full procession with young girls strewing rose petals in the path of The Blessed Sacrament. Traditional Corpus Christi hymns were sung throughout the procession and the finale was a rousing 'Faith of Our Fathers'.


Swansea Cathedral, not big but well attended
for the Feast of Corpus Christi


For many in the congregation it was the first time that they had attended an Extraordinary Form of Mass and the response afterwards paid tribute to the immense reverence that is invoked at such Masses.

For my sins I was MC which, in my case stands for 'Muddler of Ceremonies'. I blame (of course) the fact that such wonderful Masses are still pretty infrequent down here in West Wales and that a bit more practice would bring me a shade nearer perfection. All on the sanctuary was saved by my fellow servers Corey, Patrick and Seamus who were impeccable in their performance.

The Cathedral aisles could not accommodate
a canopy

At present there is talk about the Charismatic Movement on several blogs. I defy anyone who, after witnessing last night's Mass, would think that holding hands, swaying to the rhythm or clapping at the Consecration was anything but crass irreverence and that true adoration can only be achieved in full at an EF Mass.

We left immediately after Mass and could not stay for the 'bunfight' which is such a feature of Catholic post Mass celebrations. I know that Bridgend parish had one also.

On the way home we were treated to the spectacle, for a few seconds, of a setting sun; just an orb of fiery red in the night sky, like a host on fire. It seemed a very fitting and appropriate end to a memorable evening.

BODY OF CHRIST

St Ambrose

"You say perhaps, 'This is ordinary bread'. But this bread is bread before the sacramental words; directly the consecration occurs the bread is changed into the Body of Christ. We must therefore prove this. How can what is bread become the Body of Christ?

By what words is the consecration effected and whose words are they?

They are the words of the Lord Jesus. Indeed all the rest that is said before is said by the priest: praise is offered to God, prayers are made for the people, for kings and for all others. But when it comes to effecting this wonderful sacrament the priest no longer uses his own words but those of Christ.

It is Christ's word, therefore, that effects this sacrament."

4th Century

Sing forth, O Sion, sweetly sing
The praises of thy Shepherd-King,
In hymns and canticles divine;
Dare all thou canst, thou hast no song
Worthy his praises to prolong,
So far surpassing powers like thine.

To-day no theme of common praise
Forms the sweet burden of thy lays –
The living, life-dispensing food –
That food which at the sacred board
Unto the brethren twelve our Lord
His parting legacy bestowed.

Then be the anthem clear and strong,
Thy fullest note, thy sweetest song,
The very music of the breast:
For now shines forth the day sublime
That brings remembrance of the time
When Jesus first his table blessed.

Within our new King's banquet-hall
They meet to keep the festival
That closed the ancient paschal rite:
The old is by the new replaced;
The substance hath the shadow chased;
And rising day dispels the night.

Christ willed what he himself had done
Should be renewed while time should run,
In memory of his parting hour:
Thus, tutored in his school divine,
We consecrate the bread and wine;
And lo – a Host of saving power.

This faith to Christian men is given –
Bread is made flesh by words from heaven:
Into his blood the wine is turned:
What though it baffles nature's powers
Of sense and sight? This faith of ours
Proves more than nature e'er discerned.

Concealed beneath the twofold sign,
Meet symbols of the gifts divine,
There lie the mysteries adored:
The living body is our food;
Our drink the ever-precious blood
In each, one undivided Lord.

Not he that eateth it divides
The sacred food, which whole abides
Unbroken still, nor knows decay;
Be one, or be a thousand fed,
They eat alike that living bread
Which, still received, ne'er wastes away.

The good, the guilty share therein,
With sure increase of grace or sin.
The ghostly life, or ghostly death:
Death to the guilty; to the good
Immortal life. See how one food
Man's joy or woe accomplisheth.

We break the Sacrament; but bold
And firm thy faith shall keep its hold;
Deem not the whole doth more enfold
Than in the fractured part resides:
Deem not that Christ doth broken lie;
'Tis but the sight that meets the eye;
The hidden deep reality
In all its fulness still abides.

Behold the bread of angels, sent
For pilgrims in their banishment,
The bread for God's true children meant,
That may not unto dogs be given;
Oft in the olden types foreshowed;
In Isaac on the altar bowed,
And in the ancient paschal food,
And in the manna sent from heaven.

Come then, good Shepherd, bread divine,
Still show to us thy mercy sign;
Oh, feed us still, still keep us thine;
So we may see thy glories shine
In fields of immortality;

O thou, the wisest, mightiest, best,
Our present good, our future rest,
Come, make us each thy chosen guest,
Co-heirs of thine, and comrades blest
With saints whose dwelling is with thee.
Amen. Alleluia.

Rome wants it.........so please do it for the Feast of Corpus Christi

And ever afterwards. I am referring, of course, to the reception of the Body of Christ on the tongue and kneeling.

The Bishops of England and Wales may say one thing but the message from Rome and the Holy Father is loud and clear - "do it"

My thanks to Fr Simon Henry for his excellent post on the subject which you may read at Offerimus Tibi Domine

Corpus Christi at Swansea Cathedral

This Thursday, 23rd June at 7pm, Sung Mass and Procession at St Joseph's Cathedral, Swansea....

The Choir of the National Shrine of Wales, celebrant, Father Jason Jones

Photo source: Godzdogz