Music

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

SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER (TRINITY XVII)

Opening: Stand up, and bless the Lord (Carlisle) NEH 452
Offertory: The Lord is King! lift up thy voice (Deus Tuorum Militum) BCP 386
Communion: O thou who camest from above (Hereford) NEH 431
Final: O Jesus, I have promised (Day of Rest) BCP 572
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER (OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM)
6.30 pm Choral Evensong, Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham & Benediction

Preces & Responses (Byrd)
Psalms: 111 (Goss), 127 (Goss), 147 (Marsh)
Office Hymn: Hail, O Star that pointest (Mode 1) EH 213
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis: Short Service (Gibbons)
Motet: Dulcissima Maria (Guerrero)
Processional Hymn 1: Walsingham Pilgrim Hymn (Lourdes, NEP 601)
Processional Hymn 2: Hail Mary, ever blessed (Ellacombe, EH 137)
Final Hymn: Joy to thee, Queen (Pilgrims, EH 399)

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER (TRINITY XVIII)

Opening: All people that on earth do dwell (Old Hundredth) EH 365
Offertory: Dear Lord and Father of mankind (Repton) EH 383
Communion: How sweet the name of Jesus sounds (St Peter) EH 405
Final: Judge eternal, throned in splendour (Rhuddlan) EH 423
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER (TRINITY XIX)

Opening: Come down, O Love divine (Down Ampney) EH 152
Offertory: O Love, how deep, how broad, how high! (Eisenach) EH 459
Communion: Lord of all hopefulness (Slane) NEH 239
Final: Ye holy Angels bright (Darwall’s 148th) EH 517
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER (HARVEST THANKSGIVING)

Opening: Come, ye thankful people, come (St George) EH 289
Offertory: To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise (Golden Sheaves) EH Appendix 17
Communion: Fairest Lord Jesus (Crusaders’ Hymn) BCP 604
Final: We plough the fields and scatter (Wir Pflügen) EH 293
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 20 OCTOBER (TRINITY XXI)

Opening: O worship the King (Hanover) EH 466
Offertory: How shall I sing that Majesty (Coe Fen) NEP 699
Communion: Jesu, good above all other (Quem Pastores) NEH 387
Final: Come, let us join our cheerful songs (Oxford New) BCP 395
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER (TRINITY XXII)

Opening: Christ is the King, O friends rejoice (Vulpius) NEH 345
Offertory: Just as I am, without one plea (Saffron Walden) EH 316
Communion: As pants the hart for cooling streams (Martyrdom) EH 367
Final: Christ, whose glory fills the skies (Ratisbon) NEH 234
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER (TRINITY XXIII)

Opening: Fight the good fight with all thy might (Duke Street) BCP 549
Offertory: O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray (Song I) NEH 302
Communion: O dearest Lord, thy sacred head (Belmont) NEH 89
Final: Love Divine, all loves excelling (Blaenwern) NEH 408
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER (REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY)

Opening: O God, our help in ages past (St Anne) EH 450
At the Act of Remembrance: I vow to thee, my country (Thaxted) NEP 620
Offertory: O valiant hearts (Harris) BCP 632
Communion: In our day of thanksgiving (St Catherine’s Court) NEH 208
National & Royal Anthems
Final: Eternal Father, strong to save (Melita) EH 540
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): Missa pro defunctis

SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER (TRINITY XXV)

Opening: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Hast Du Denn, Jesu) EH 536, Part I & Conclusion
Offertory: Joy and triumph everlasting (Psalm 42) EH 200
Communion: Christ, the fair glory of the holy angels (Coelites Plaudant) EH 242
Final: Now thank we all our God (Nun Danket) EH 533
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER (CHRIST THE KING)

Opening: Hail Redeemer, King Divine (King Divine) NEP 614
Offertory: Crown him with many crowns (Diademata) CP 166
Communion: The head that once was crowned with thorns (St Magnus) EH 147
At Benediction: O Salutaris Hostia (EH 330, Part 2) & Tantum Ergo (EH 326, Part 2)
Final: Lead on, O King Eternal (Lancashire) BCP 428

SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER (ADVENT SUNDAY)

Opening: O come, O come, Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel) BCP 62
Offertory: Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling (Wachet Auf) EH 12
Communion (I): Thy kingdom come, O God (St Cecilia) EH Appendix 64
Communion (II): Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes (Bristol) EH 6
Final: Lo! he comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) EH 7
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): XVIIa, Credo (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER (ADVENT II)

Opening: The advent of our God (St Thomas) EH 11
Offertory: Hills of the North, rejoice (Little Cornard) NEH 7
Communion (I): The Lord will come and not be slow (St Stephen) NEH 15
Communion (II): Hark! a herald voice is calling (Merton) EH 5
Final: On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry (Winchester New) EH 9
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): XVIIa, Credo (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER (GAUDETE SUNDAY)

Opening: Rejoice, the Lord is King (Gopsal) EH 476
Offertory: Hail to the Lord’s Anointed! (Crüger) EH 45
Communion (I): Thou whose almighty Word (Moscow) EH 553
Communion (II): Come, thou long-expected Jesus (Cross of Jesus) NEH 3
Final: Thy kingdom come! on bended knee (Irish) EH 504
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): XVIIa, Credo (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER (ADVENT IV)

Opening: O come, O come, Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel) BCP 62
Offertory: The Angel Gabriel from heaven came (Gabriel’s Message) CP 242
Communion: Long ago, prophets knew (Personent Hodie) NEH 10
Final: Lo! he comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) EH 7
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): XVIIa, Credo (English): Missa Simplicior (Merbecke)

SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER (HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY)

Opening: See amid the winter’s snow (See Amid) BCP 736
Offertory: Of the Father’s love begotten (Divinum Mysterium, NEH 33) BCP 79
Communion: The growing limbs of God the Son (St Chad) NEH 45
Final: O come, all ye faithful (Adeste Fidelis) EH 614
Setting: Kyrie (Greek), Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (Latin): Missa Alme Pater, Credo (English): 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.