Morning Worship Sunday 6th September - St Therese

[keitha]

In case it may be of interest, I hear that on Sunday morning, Sunday Worship on Radio 4 (after the 8am news) will be a service of prayer from the Catholic Church in Coleshill, Warwickshire, with a liturgy in preparation for the arrival of the relics of St Therese. The preacher will be Fr John Udris, a Catholic Priest based at Northampton Cathedral who has written books on the life of St Therese. Jo Boyce and Mike Stanley (who has been commissioned to write music for the 'visit' of the relics) will lead the music.

[Nick Baty]

Is she out to beat Madonna's recent world tour?
I wish they'd let this poor woman rest in peace.

[VML]

I can't resist: Which of the two women referred to do you mean?

[Nick Baty]

Love it!
Both of them – but for different reasons!

[Gabriel]

Jo Boyce and Mike Stanley (who has been commissioned to write music for the 'visit' of the relics) will lead the music.

The music may have been offered rather than commissioned. For those wanting a preview they can be heard here: http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/index.php/ccb/catholic_church/relics_of_st_therese_of_lisieux/news_and_resources

[nazard]

Thank you for posting this link. Until I heard the songs I was upset that I would have to miss the broadcast as I have to be playing quiet pre mass voluntaries well before it ends. When I did hear the songs, the thought that came to my mind was how do these resemble Gregorian chant or polyphony?

[Nick Baty]

how do these resemble Gregorian chant or polyphony?

Why should they? Don't think there is any liturgical legislation for the world tour of the mortal remains of a dead woman. And, given the discussion elsewhere, about how/why ashes should be buried with all due reverence and not moved, why do we not afford the same respect to the body of one of our saints?

I heard the immortal line:
"Garden of praise,
Therése.."

'Twas enough.

[keitha]

I, too, feel a little uncomfortable about the traveling remains, but I would accept that I may be in the minority on that one and can see how this fits within the relic tradition that the Church has. The liturgy on Sunday will not, I believe, be a mass or part of the daily office, so there is probably no need for these pieces to have any/any significant 'relationship' to plainchant or to scriptural text, given that it is all about a preparation for the arrival of the relic.

[festivaltrumpet]

My Song of Today and Child of Grace capture the simplicity of St Thérèse and will help all pilgrims pray more deeply. CJM Music have captured the spirit of the visit of the Relics of St Thérèse in words and music. I am sure that they will be used in our churches long after the Relics have left our shores."

I would venture that His Lordship is wrong. these pieces are unlikely to be used in our churches long after the Relics have left our shores.

Firstly, the solo ballad is not well suited to congregational singing.
Secondly, their liturgical function is somewhat limited.
Thirdly, CJM copyright is, I understand, covered through the Christian Copyright Licensing International scheme rather than Calamus, adding a further inaccessibility to the pieces.

[Nick Baty]

Unless you subscribe to CCL!

[docmattc]

Other than the Litany of the Saints, can anyone think of congregational song that might be appropriate for venerating relics? I'm afraid I can only think of a certain spiritual based on Ezekiel 37 that we sang pre-school to teach basic anatomy.

[Nick Baty]

Would that be Dem Bones, Dem Bones...
Oh please let this woman rest in peace!
Right now the Henrician Reformation seems like a really good idea!

[presbyter]

The music may have been offered rather than commissioned.

"Requested" perhaps? CJM's office is in the Coleshill complex. As they are based there it would seem sensible to have invited them to do something for the occasion.

My Song of Today and Child of Grace capture the simplicity of St Thérèse and will help all pilgrims pray more deeply. CJM Music have captured the spirit of the visit of the Relics of St Thérèse in words and music. I am sure that they will be used in our churches long after the Relics have left our shores."

Well OK, this - sort of - makes sense. The second sentence would have been better as either the first or the last sentence. There's a note of ambiguity about "they". I think I agree with festival trumpet though and I too would venture to suggest that His Lordship is wrong. To me, the spirit that the songs seem to have captured is a cozy sentimentality - and that's not Thérèse herself. Read her herself - not some exaggerated, nostalgic hagiographical offering - and she's far from sentimental........... and there's nothing sentimental about the quasi-eremitical life of a Carmelite nun.

[presbyter]

http://www.carmelite.org.uk/mteditorial.html

If you've never read Story of a Soul - try the two articles in the link above. Scroll down.

Thérèse lived Matthew 18:1-4 - being child-like, not childish.

[presbyter]

Here's a translation from the French of My Song of Today - full version.
Remember Thérèse is suffering physically - so it could be said that "I only have today" adds a certain urgency to the prayer.

Mike Stanley has set paraphrases of only verses 2,3,10 and 13. I suggest he has not caught the spirit of the prayer very well at all, for he has disregarded what to me is all-important - verse one. I can't hear, in his setting, that this is the prayer of a young woman who is terminally ill. Listen to Stanley's version of verse three - it's not what I'm understanding from the poem - and his omission of verse four - even an allusion to it - seems to me to turn Thérèse's prayer into a song of "Christianity without the hard bits". With faith and child-like trust, Thérèse is uniting her sufferings with the sufferings of Christ. She's living the "hard bits" of Christianity. I myself don't see/hear that in the Stanley setting. I think he has weakened the profound spirituality underpinning the original and in so doing, has misrepresented this great saint.


My life is but an instant, a passing hour.
My life is but a day that escapes and flies away.
O my God ! You know that to love you on earth
I only have today !…

Oh, I love you, Jesus ! My soul yearns for you.
For just one day remain my sweet support.
Come reign in my heart, give me your smile
Just for today !

Lord, what does it matter if the future is gloomy ?
To pray for tomorrow, oh no, I cannot !…
Keep my heart pure, cover me with your shadow
Just for today.

If I think about tomorrow, I fear my fickleness.
I feel sadness and worry rising up in my heart.
But I’m willing, my God, to accept trial and suffering
Just for today.

O Divine Pilot ! whose hand guides me,
I’m soon to see you on the eternal shore.
Guide my little boat over the stormy waves in peace
Just for today.

Ah ! Lord, let me hide in your Face.
There I’ll no longer hear the word’s vain noise.
Give me your love, keep me in your grace
Just for today.

Near your divine Heart, I forget all passing things.
I no longer dread the fears of the night.
Ah ! Jesus, give me a place in your Heart
Just for today.

Living Bread, Bread of Heaven, divine Eucharist,
O sacred Mystery ! that Love has brought forth…
Come live in my heart, Jesus, my white Host,
Just for today.

Deign to unite me to you, Holy and sacred Vine,
And my weak branch will give you its fruit,
And I’ll be able to offer you a cluster of golden grapes
Lord, from today on.

I’ve just this fleeting day to form
This cluster of love, whose seeds are souls.
Ah ! give me, Jesus, the fire of an Apostle
Just for today.

O Immaculate Virgin ! You are my Sweet Star
Giving Jesus to me and uniting me to Him.
O Mother ! Let me rest under your veil
Just for today.

My Holy Guardian Angel, cover me with your wing.
With your fire light the road that I’m taking.
Come direct my steps… help me, I call upon you
Just for today.

Lord, I want to see you without veils, without clouds,
But still exiled, far from you, I languish ?
May your lovable face not be hidden from me
Just for today.

Soon I’ll fly away to speak your praises
When the day without sunset will dawn on my soul.
Then I’ll sing on the Angels’lyre
The Eternal Today !…