Terrors of the Triduum

[John Ainslie]

ecumenical New Fire at the Anglican church ................before dispersing to our several churches to light our several Paschal candles.

But from what do you light your Paschal Candle?

From the light taken from the ecumenical New Fire (just!), conveyed by processional lantern, in procession through Barnet High Street to our church some 300 metres away. There we actually do the Roman Missal rite again, excluding the 'bless this fire' line, for the benefit of those who didn't join us on our ecumenical foray.

[presbyter]

From the light taken from the ecumenical New Fire (just!), conveyed by processional lantern,........

Ah - your terror of the Triduum must be the possibility of forgetting the emergency cigarette lighter

[presbyter]

Appears not to be your error, Dear Presbyter – sounds as though the organist began the Agnus far too early. You are absolved.

Just one of those things I think ...... communication is very difficult (impossible!) when I'm in a stall and organ console is up up and away at t'other end of Pugin's masterpiece - which is modelled on a German "Barn Church" .........

[Nick Baty]

communication is very difficult

Understand that well enough. One Easter Vigil – in the largest of our three churches – the organist and I had headset walky-talkies and I still couldn't keep her sound and ours together.

[musicus]

Appears not to be your error, Dear Presbyter – sounds as though the organist began the Agnus far too early. You are absolved.

Just one of those things I think ...... communication is very difficult (impossible!) when I'm in a stall and organ console is up up and away at t'other end of Pugin's masterpiece - which is modelled on a German "Barn Church" .........

So... If it wasn't your fault, and it wasn't the organist's, could it possibly have been...? No! Surely not!

[VML]

If it is not too much of a paradox, i am actually a paid Director of Music, and "questions will be asked" as to what the parish are paying for. I also have private music students in the congregation - what must they, and their parents who pay me for lessons, be thinking after last night's débacle?

I too have private music students in the congregation. They know I foul up sometimes, and I use it as a teaching tool: if you hit wrong notes, you can't go back and start again. With the organ beside the altar, facing the people,I am pretty 'exposed,' You just have to carry on.
And I managed to start the offertory processional Ubi caritas before the deacon had renewed his commitment, and before the prayer of the faithful, so we stopped and restarted.
Sunday, having briefed the reader and cantor about the Sequence, I totally forget it, and came in with the Alleluia, so again, stopped...
We survived.
Next Sunday is my Sunday off: they have it planned: American Mass, Peruvian Gloria.....

[presbyter]

could it possibly have been...? No! Surely not!

Careful now! Promise of respect and obedience is in force for another five weeks

[presbyter]

Bells clashing - singing all over the place - but it is joyful prayer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en-GB&v ... _znE&gl=GB

[Nick Baty]

singing all over the place

I recorded our Vigil this year and the singing (on my superb new Yamaha Pocketrak) also sounds all over the place: I'm convinced it's having the choir under the north aisle – on almost every piece you can hear the assembly almost a beat behind. We're producing a CD – but strictly for parishioners ears only!

[HallamPhil]

During Saturday's Sung Office of Readings and Morning Prayer (with RCIA preparatory rites) we heard the merry trickling of water. It turned ut to be the filling of the hired octagonal pool in which adult baptisms would occur that evening. These sounds replaced those from earlier years of devout Poles unwrapping their flowers before their shrine. Well the pool was leaking even after the morning liturgy and by evening there were at least two pools of water. Now I know that some would advocate total immerson as an ideal but as I watched each of the Elect enter the pool, kneel and then be forced backwards into the water three times I did think this was more brutal than obviously sacramental. I could hear tittering around me. One of the Elect almost refused to be dunked, kicking and spluttering ... it is not a normal thing to allow water to enter your nostrils and maybe he hadn't practised in the bath beforehand! What should have been the climax of a long period of positively deciding to folow Christ became something more terrifying. Must remember to suggest that the servers bring mops next year ... if we repeat this practice. The water was at least warmed thus preventing unscripted acclamations!

Despite this it has been a great Triduum here with even more attending than usual. However, I was glad to get stuck into a long-awaited rioja on Sunday afternoon. Has anyone else ever inserted anchovies as well as garlic into their lamb?

Delia

[Southern Comfort]

Now I know that some would advocate total immerson as an ideal but as I watched each of the Elect enter the pool, kneel and then be forced backwards into the water three times I did think this was more brutal than obviously sacramental. I could hear tittering around me. One of the Elect almost refused to be dunked, kicking and spluttering ... it is not a normal thing to allow water to enter your nostrils and maybe he hadn't practised in the bath beforehand! What should have been the climax of a long period of positively deciding to folow Christ became something more terrifying. Must remember to suggest that the servers bring mops next year ... if we repeat this practice. The water was at least warmed thus preventing unscripted acclamations!

Despite this it has been a great Triduum here with even more attending than usual. However, I was glad to get stuck into a long-awaited rioja on Sunday afternoon. Has anyone else ever inserted anchovies as well as garlic into their lamb?

Delia

There's the problem. Don't force them backwards, immerse them forwards, face down from a kneeling position.

Yes, we put anchovies, tiny segments of lemon peel and of course garlic into all the "gaps" on the lamb this year. It was delicious. I forget which famous chef first suggested anchovy, but it certainly works brilliantly.

[Hare]

Now I know that some would advocate total immerson as an ideal but as I watched each of the Elect enter the pool, kneel and then be forced backwards into the water three times I did think this was more brutal than obviously sacramental. I could hear tittering around me. One of the Elect almost refused to be dunked, kicking and spluttering ... it is not a normal thing to allow water to enter your nostrils and maybe he hadn't practised in the bath beforehand! What should have been the climax of a long period of positively deciding to folow Christ became something more terrifying. Must remember to suggest that the servers bring mops next year ... if we repeat this practice. The water was at least warmed thus preventing unscripted acclamations!

Despite this it has been a great Triduum here with even more attending than usual. However, I was glad to get stuck into a long-awaited rioja on Sunday afternoon. Has anyone else ever inserted anchovies as well as garlic into their lamb?

Delia

There's the problem. Don't force them backwards, immerse them forwards, face down from a kneeling position.

Yes, we put anchovies, tiny segments of lemon peel and of course garlic into all the "gaps" on the lamb this year. It was delicious. I forget which famous chef first suggested anchovy, but it certainly works brilliantly.

My wife found a video clip on the internet of some tv chef we'd never heard of, who advocated mixing grated garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, with butter and coating the joint with it after making a series of knife holes all over of a uniform depth. Cover with foil to prevent butter burning (next bit is mine) and cook for 15 minutes on Gas mark 9 then reduce to 6 and cook for 15/20 minutes per 450g - depending on how you like your lamb. 15 mins and it's pink inside. Yum yum!

(I'd have enjoyed it more if the Vigil had been up to our usual standard though! )

PS - A parishioner has just walked past my house with their dog and stopped to chat as if there had been nothing wrong!! )

[musicus]

A masterfully swerve back to the topic at the end there, Hare!

[Hare]

A masterfully swerve back to the topic at the end there, Hare!

[presbyter]

Oh lamb is always on topic for Easter (mine just had garlic inserts)