MDC November 2017 Newsletter

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Part of the Diocesan Choir's mission is to provide a platform for parish choir-members to come together, in order to experience music which they might take back to their own parishes; the current, healthy membership still comprises singers from churches across Lanarkshire who do just this, so the mission is still being fulfilled.

The  Choir continues also to be busy catering for the musical needs of religious services in our diocese.  The past session has seen the largest number of ordinations to the priesthood for many years and the choir has been privileged to participate in two of these, with a third due to take place in early December.

Historically Term 1 has always been busy - too busy, some would suggest - being front-loaded with many of the session's engagements in the late summer and early autumn; this session has been no different.  Since August the choir has been involved in a number of Diocesan ceremonies, including the 40th Anniversary of the Diocesan SVDP, the National Pilgrimage at Carfin, the Annual Vocation Mass and the Pause for Hope service for cancer-sufferers.

In November the choir will make its annual outing to St Alphonsus Church in Glasgow, to provide the music for national ecumenical service of FASS, a Glasgow-based organisation which supports families who have suffered the death of a child to drug-abuse during the course of the year;  choir members have participated in this service for the past thirty years and always find it an extremely moving event.

During the current session the choir is highlighting the music of Sir Richard Runciman Terry (1865-1938), one of the most prominent Victorian Catholic choral composers, whose church music deserves to be better-known by the present generation;  Terry was also  Organist and Director of Music at Westminster Cathedral for many years.  One of the anthems which will be sung this year at the FASS service referred to above is Justorum Animae by RR Terry.

Carol Services again will figure prominently in December's engagements, and this year the choir will visit three churches in the diocese –  St  Bride’s, East Kilbride on Wednesday 13 December, Holy Family, Mossend on Sunday 17 December and The Cathedral on Wednesday 20 December, all at 7:30pm.   A group will also visit HM Prison in Shotts, to share the Christmas spirit with inmates and help them to prepare for the great feast.

As stated above, choir membership continues to be very healthy, with an average attendance of 92 at weekly rehearsals;  there is always space, however, for Tenors and Basses who are prepared to make the regular weekly commitment; if you would like more information on joining us please respond to the link on the website.

 

More details on post-Christmas events to follow…