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 prayed 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 to the glory of God at St John Henry’s. The choir, made up of paid and volunteer singers, rehearse on Friday evenings and sing for all Solemn Masses, Evensongs, and other special services within the life of our parochial community. For further information please contact our Director of Music, Mr Scott Vannan.

Music List

THURSDAY 17 APRIL (MAUNDY THURSDAY)

Opening: We hail thy presence glorious (Offertorium) NEH 310
Offertory: And now, O Father, mindful of the love (Unde et Memores) NEH 273
Communion: My God, and is thy Table spread (Rockingham) EH Appendix 45
Procession: Of the glorious body telling (Grafton, NEH 202) NEH 268
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa de Angelis

FRIDAY 18 APRIL (GOOD FRIDAY)

Before the Passion: There is a green hill far away (Horsley) EH 106
Entrance of the Cross: When I survey the wondrous Cross (Rockingham) EH 107

SUNDAY 20 APRIL (EASTER EVE (VIGIL))

Offertory: At the Lamb’s high feast we sing (Salzburg) EH 128
Communion: This Joyful Eastertide (This Joyful Eastertide) NEH 121
Final: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem (St Fulbert) EH 139
Setting: Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo

SUNDAY 20 APRIL (EASTER DAY)

Opening: Jesus Christ is risen today (Easter Hymn) NEH 110
Procession 1: Hail thee, festival day (Salve Festa Dies 2) NEH 109
Procession 2: Love’s redeeming work is done (Savannah) NEH 113
Offertory: At the Lamb’s high feast we sing (Salzburg) EH 128
Communion: This Joyful Eastertide (This Joyful Eastertide) NEH 121
Final: Thine be the glory (Maccabaeus) NEH 120
Setting: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: polyphonic, Gloria: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 27 APRIL (LOW SUNDAY)

Opening: The strife is o’er, the battle done (Victory) EH 625
Offertory: Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya! O sons and daughters, let us sing (O Filii et Filiae) BCP 162
Communion: Love’s redeeming work is done (Savannah) NEH 113
Final: The Day of Resurrection (Ellacombe) EH 137
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 4 MAY (EASTER III)

Opening: Alleluya! Alleluya! Hearts to heaven and voices raise (Lux Eoi) NEH 103
Offertory: Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour (St Osmund) BCP 235
Communion: Good Christian men, rejoice and sing (Vulpius) NEH 107
Final: He is risen, he is risen (All Saints) BCP 157
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 11 MAY (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY)

Opening: The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want (Crimond) NEH 459
Offertory: Hail Redeemer, King divine! (King Divine) NEP 614
Communion: Loving Shepherd of thy sheep (Buckland) EH Appendix 67
Final: The King of love my Shepherd is (St Columba) EH 490
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 18 MAY (EASTER V)

Opening: Come, ye faithful, raise the strain (Ave Virgo Virginum) EH 131
Offertory: ‘Welcome, happy morning!’ age to age shall say (Hermas) BCP 168
Communion: Now the green blade riseth (Noel Nouvelet) NEH 115
Final: This Joyful Eastertide (This Joyful Eastertide) NEH 121
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 25 MAY (ROGATION SUNDAY)

Opening: Lord, in thy Name thy servants plead (University) BCP 171
Offertory: Christ the Lord is risen again! (Orientis Partibus) EH 129
Communion: O God of Bethel, by whose hand (Martyrdom) BCP 429
Final: Judge eternal, throned in splendour (Rhuddlan) EH 423
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

THURSDAY 29 MAY (ASCENSION DAY)

Opening: Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluya! (Llanfair) EH 143
Offertory: See the Conqueror mounts in triumph (Rex Gloriae) NEH 132
Communion: Rejoice, the Lord is King (Gopsal) EH 476
Final: Alleluya, sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol) EH 301
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 1 JUNE (SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION)

Opening: Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluya! (Llanfair) EH 143
Offertory: See the Conqueror mounts in triumph (Rex Gloriae) NEH 132
Communion: Love’s redeeming work is done (Savannah) NEH 113
Final: King of glory, King of peace (Gwalchmai) EH 424
Setting: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 8 JUNE (WHITSUNDAY)

Opening: Come down, O Love divine (Down Ampney) EH 152
Offertory: Come, thou holy Paraclete (Veni Sancte Spiritus) EH 155
Communion: Love of the Father, love of God the Son (Song 22) EH 438
Final: O thou who camest from above (Hereford) NEH 431
Setting: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): polyphonic, Gloria: Missa Lux et Origo, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 15 JUNE (TRINITY SUNDAY)

Opening: Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! (Nicaea) EH 162
Procession: I bind unto myself today (St Patrick’s Breastplate) EH 212
Offertory: How shall I sing that Majesty (Coe Fen) NEP 699
Communion: Bright the vision that delighted (Redhead No.46) EH 372
Final: Holy God, we praise thy name (Grosser Gott) AH 460
Setting: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Kyrie Fons Bonitatis, Gloria, Credo: Missa de Angelis

SUNDAY 22 JUNE (CORPUS CHRISTI)

Opening: We hail thy presence glorious (Offertorium) NEH 310
Offertory: O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray (Song I) NEH 302
Communion: Sweet Sacrament divine (Divine Mysteries) NEH 307
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament 1: Christians sing the Incarnation (Daily, Daily) MMHB 302
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament 2: Alleluya, sing to Jesus (Hyfrydol) EH 301
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament 3: Stand up! - stand up for Jesus! (Morning Light) EH 581
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament 4: Hail Redeemer, King divine! (King Divine) NEP 614
Procession of the Blessed Sacrament 5: Lift high the Cross (Crucifer) NEP 641
Final: All for Jesus! all for Jesus! (All for Jesus) NEH 272
Setting: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Missa Kyrie Fons Bonitatis, Gloria, Credo: Missa de Angelis

Christmas Carolling

Every year, just before Christmas, our parish enjoys an evening of traditional carolling in downtown Victoria.

This is an important witness, at this special time of year, to remind the people of our city of the real meaning of the coming Christmas season. It also serves as an opportunity to bear witness to the beauty of our faith through the timeless music and theologically rich words of the carols we sing.