Sacred Music

SACRED MUSIC plays a primary role in the worshipping and missionary life of St John Henry’s. As a community conscious of our role to preserve and promote the treasures of the Anglican musical patrimony within the Catholic Church, the vast treasury of English sacred and choral music and hymnody is maintained and nurtured alongside the older Roman usage of Gregorian chant and plainsong.

As a parish, we take seriously the Second Vatican Council’s clear reminder, that:

The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services. But other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations, so long as they accord with the spirit of the liturgical action.                                         - Sacrosanctum Concilium 116

From Monday to Saturday the Church’s daily public morning prayer of Mattins - psalms, canticles, hymn, and lections - is chanted in traditional English, and on Sundays the Solemn Mass, which is the highlight of our week as a parish family, is enriched by congregational, plainsong, and polyphonic settings of the Mass in English and Latin, together with anthems, motets, and hymns from the Anglican and Catholic traditions. Our monthly music list below gives you something of the flavour of our deep commitment to the ministry of sacred music within the life of the Ordinariate. ​

St John Henry’s is blessed to have in its possession a first-class relic of St Cecilia, early martyr of the Church, and patron saint of musicians.

He who sings well prays twice.
          - St Augustine of Hippo

Our choirmaster and singers welcome interest in the opportunity to sing at St John Henry’s. The choir rehearse on Wednesday evenings and sing for all Solemn Masses, Evensongs, and special services within the life of our community. For further information please contact Mr Scott Vannan.

Music List

Due to Covid-19 restrictions our Sunday Masses are limited to an organist and cantor.
A full music schedule will appear here when our regular pattern of services resumes.