The Society of Saint Gregory is the national society for liturgy and music in the Roman Catholic Church in the UK.
Founded in 1929, the Society of St Gregory has played an important role in the liturgical reform and continues to do so by promoting the study and understanding of the liturgy and resourcing and encouraging good pastoral practice in the public worship of the Catholic Church.
The Society’s interests and activities encompass music and composition, the ministry of readers, presiding at liturgy, liturgy with children and young people in schools and parishes, and Christian art and architecture.
Welcome
Fr Adrian Porter sj, SSG Chair, writes: “Welcome to the Society of St Gregory. We are an association of people interested in good liturgy – the public worship of the Catholic Church. Our members include singers and musicians, readers and servers, bishops, priests and deacons, and ordinary lay folk who have an academic or pastoral interest in liturgy.
We publish a journal three times a year, hold an annual residential Summer School, run online and in-person training courses for those involved in liturgy in their parishes or schools, and organize composers’ groups for those writing music for the liturgy.
Please take a look at our website. Ask for a free copy of our journal, Music & Liturgy. And, if its right for you, think about joining us. You will be most welcome!”
News, views and reviews from the liturgical world . . .
New Carol
Magnus Graham’s setting of the late medieval text, When Christ was born of Mary free, was highly commended by the adjudicators at this year’s Sacred Music Young Composers’ Competition, led by Dame...
ESV-CE Translation
Fr Jamie McMorrin introduces the English Standard Version Catholic Edition (ESV-CE) translation which will be used at liturgy in Scotland and England and Wales from the First Sunday of Advent 2024. ...
Composers Group
The next SSG Composers Group meeting is in two weeks' time, on Saturday 16 November starting at 2pm and finishing by 4pm. This will be one of our occasional teaching sessions. I have it in mind to...
Iona Abbey Musician
Iona Abbey is looking for a church musician. Working at Iona Abbey offers the chance to live on a remote Scottish island, surrounded by beauty and community. As Musician, you will provide a variety...
Desiderio desideravi
Fr Andrew Cameron-Mowat sj introduces the apostolic letter of Pope Francis, Desiderio desideravi, on the liturgical formation of the People of God. This article was first published in the Society of...
Chant for Advent
Pluscarden Abbey The Season of Advent: Gregorian Chant from the Monks of Pluscarden Abbey £12 from Pluscarden Abbey shop (pluscardenabbey.org/shop/cd) Review by Sr Margaret Truran OSB The 2023 CD...
Sunday 30 Scripture
Jeremiah 31:7-9, Psalm 125, Hebrews 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52 Over the past weeks the Gospel passages proclaimed have had disciples and others all struggling with the implications of faithful living. In...
Revised English Hymnal
Review: The Revised English Hymnal The Canterbury Press (2023) £35 Review by Dr John Kitchen MBE We have waited a long time for this, but at last it has appeared: the latest version of the English...
Sancte Paule Apostole
CD Review: Sancte Paule Apostole Music from the Choir of Old Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Edinburgh 2CD £15 from osp.org.uk Review by Dan Divers This 2 CD set, entitled Sancte Paule Apostole,...
Clifton Podcasts
The Clifton Diocese has produced a series of short podcasts in which Christopher Walker and Richard Jeffrey-Gray talk about ways to introduce singing of the parts of the Mass from the simplest Alleluia to more accomplished settings. There also links to recommended musical settings. The topics of the podcasts . . .
Music & Liturgy 50.3
The latest edition of Music & Liturgy (Vol 50.3), the journal of the Society of St Gregory, hits doormats next week (or shortly thereafter). In this issue, there are reports and reflections...
New Lectionary
Fr Paul Denney speaks about the process of preparing the new Lectionary, to be introduced across England & Wales and Scotland from First Sunday of Advent 2024. Fr Denney was closely involved in...