Are we Pentecost or are we First HC?

[oopsorganist]

Dunno
I have been looking back for a thread/discussion I thought we had had in the recent past - where it was discussed how FHC has taken over PC. I can't find it. So sorry for starting a new thread when there might be other information on here somewhere.
This is the first time FHC has bumped into PC in our parish and the event is much earlier than usual, quite caught me by surprise.
So I have no idea what is happening and inspite of leaving a message for the school, no idea what they are doing or if they need any help.
Maybe it will just be BSITPOTL (Be still in the presence of the Lord) on pre recorded tape complete with pre recorded singing. Or a re run of Holy Thursday.

Sigh

(I am wondering if they will just turn up and ignore me and carry on with whatever they intend to do - the parish has two events, one for families on Saturday and then for the parish on Sunday)

[oopsorganist]

Hey!
I can reply to my own thread!
My answering machine tells me that the school are trying to ring me back, with a list of songs... and they would love me to play for them!

Hmmmmmmm

[Hare]

We had ours last Saturday afternoon (like "Oops, for the families - Parish celebration on Sunday; never come across that before. WHY??)

Hymns: Shine, Jesus, shine
We celebrate this festive day
This is my body
Sing Hosannah

That was on Sat - I insisted on Ascension hymns on Sun)

[HallamPhil]

We have the same here but it's really Pentecost regardless. there's enough oddity introduced over dressing up etc so I'll be using Like as the hart (Howells) for the communion procession and, unusually for this Mass, deploying Bernadette Farrell's 'God's greatest Gift' as a thanksgiving. this is well known in our schools. In any case the children, one presumes, have attended Mass in the parish regularly and are as much part of it (musically) as ever so there is no real need to lay on anything special for the FHC. They are not outsiders needing to be welcomed into song.

I only learned last night from an erudite member of the choir that the psalm from which the Howells derives its text is of a soul who has been exiled from Jerusalem and longs to be able to return. Now there's a thought for first communicants!

[docmattc]

In any case the children, one presumes, have attended Mass in the parish regularly and are as much part of it (musically) as ever

I've had this argument in the past, when there was an insistence on 'music that the children know'. My reply was that as the children are presumably there every Sunday, they know what the rest of us know, and if they're not there, why are they making their FHC?

Sadly though, Oop's situation is too common- first that Pentecost (which is up there with Easter and Christmas) can be knocked into second place by kids in merinques, and second that every Tom, *beep* and Harry feel they can ride roughshod over plans for music, especially at this late stage. I would love to telephone the Y3 teacher (for example) and say "Tomorrow, you're not teaching to the national curriculum, or your lesson plan. I've decided what you'll do"

In a previous existence as MD, I let it be known that if I wasn't consulted at least a month before the event, there would be no changing the musical plans that were in place.

[VML]

Though I have to admit we have had FHC bump into PC in the past, this year may well be a model of good practice!
PP stopped me after Mass this morning and said he has to see me to discuss FHC liturgies, and it's not till 20th and 27th June.

On the other hand we have and extraordinary - in every sense of the word- FHC on Saturday morning: Traveller families who travel but find a home with us now and then. The last one two weeks ago he managed to persuade them the limo was unnecessary; no such luck this week!

[johnquinn39]

Things are looking up in my parish at this coming Sunday's First HC / Penetecost. (Last HC / Pentecost)

The psalm verses are being sung (an appealing local setting) by the children, as is the Alleluia versicle.

There are some references to the Holy Spirit (sadly, no traditional hymns or sequence), and the choir will be singing
Lowenthal's 'Wake your power'.

We are concluding with 'Abba father, send your spirit ...' - This is in my view an example of a 'round the campfire' style song that really works (perhaps this is now traditional).

[oopsorganist]

It is useful to hear other parishes hymn choices....... always freshens things up for me.

I take back some of my grumblings... the school had an OFSTED this week so explaining a lack of communication and bouncing the lack back at our lovely PP.

It was a priveledge to play for the school today with so many there and the sunshine too. I even got some flowers (not for playing, but as an apology for not ringing me back to organise things).

Unfortunately the singing was very poor and everyone commented on it.... "Isn't it sad that no one sang?" they all said after the Mass. The school Liturgist( bless) had chosen her songs in the hope that people would know them and sing them. It didn't work which is a big shame really. They went with an Offertory Prayer I did not recognise... is there a Children's Version.. and some serious dumbing down of various parts of the reading and so on.......and why do they think it is OK for tiny mites to be reading and leading prayers.. such a shame, and much better if the teachers felt able to do it. That is a much better way to bring the children's faith on. If parents are expecting a starring role for their ofspring on such an occasion that is all a bit sad really.

What is obvious is that the children and their families (apart from the few who do actually regularly come to our parish) are not familiar with singing the Gospel Acclamation and other Acclamations.

It was a lose lose situation really. No one sings the hymns and few know we outghta be singing the Acclamations.
But they did well in their OFSTED.

[Hare]

I handed in my notice yesterday, but PP did not accept it!

The reason? I was torn off a strip by our chief catechist for "not giving any positive feedback on last week's 1st Communion"

a) Not her place to tell me off
b) Not a lot to have been positive about - Children reading and intercessing badly, misprints in service sheet, place packed with people we probably won't see until confirmation.......

[John Ainslie]

Every parish has its own way of doing things, for reasons good and bad. Here's what happens in mine.

Over 50 first communicants, 1000+ weekend Mass attendance, church seats 250. We've moved away from having one or more special 'First Communion Masses' to spreading the first communicants across the two main Sunday morning Masses over four consecutive Sundays. The purpose is to integrate the event into the parish community and its worship.

It works very well. The Masses are deliberately the normal Sunday morning fare, except that the first communicants constitute the offertory procession and then stand on either side of the altar for the Eucharistic Prayer - and, with their families, receive Communion first. The only musical concessions are to ensure that the entrance and recessional hymns are really well known: today we finished with 'Love divine, all loves excelling' to Blaenwern. This ensures that the families and friends of the first communicants experience the live liturgical tradition of the parish, and hopefully find it inspiring and memorable. The PP even thanked the non-Catholic relatives for their part in supporting the children on this occasion.

Are we Pentecost or are we First HC? Both!

[docmattc]

Here in the furthest reaches of Westminster, FHCs were spread over several weeks, and the music didn't seem to be especially tailored to FHC.

...and then stand on either side of the altar for the Eucharistic Prayer

Ours stood behind the altar, either side of the PP during the EP, which seemed just plain wrong to me.

This morning we were reminded that confirmation will be in 2 weeks time on Sunday morning and told that we might like to go elsewhere as the church will be overfull with families. Are we Confirmation, or are we Corpus Christi? I'll be going elsewhere so I won't find out.

[blackthorn fairy]

All this posting makes me v glad I don't have to do FHC (takes place at the other church - tacked onto the infant school hall which can be opened up for more space). It also highlights the difficulty of finding a Sunday free of a major feast at this time of the year since Ascension and Corpus Christi were moved to the Sunday (don't get me started!!) FHC in my opinion should be its own occasion, not tacked onto Ascension or Pentecost or Trinity or Corpus Christi etc (you get my drift)

[blackthorn fairy]

Further to my earlier post, I have now found out that our FHC Mass is indeed its own event, taking place on two consecutive Saturdays in June at 11.00. We had a lovely Mass/social occasion last night when each child met his/her prayer sponsor. Fortunately the child for whom I am prayer sponsor will be at the first of these Saturday events, so I can be there to support her (I'm otherwise engaged on the second).

[VML]

Just re-read through this thread as we have FHC this year on Pentecost and Trinity. I have been instructed that we are to use exacly the same order as last year, so FHC readings, children to read psalm and Alleluia, and no Holy Spirit hymns.......
The only concession to my sensibilities is it is agreed that all the words of the- inevitably Anderson- Gloria be printed in the hymn sheet, as Mass booklets will not be used, even though we have them for every other Mass every Sunday.
Last year the booklet simply said 'Gloria sung.'
And we are being encouraged to go to the training days for the new texts......Will we be wasting our time?

[musicus]

In the Birmingham Archdiocese. the priests are being encouraged to attend the training sessions too. Mind you, how many will actually come remains to be seen.