Welcome
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.
Taking Liturgy Seriously 3
An online course from the Society of St Gregory
In January 2025, the Society of St Gregory begins the third Taking Liturgy Seriously online course.
This year, the focus will be on liturgical spirituality, taking its inspiration from Pope Francis’ letter on liturgical formation, Desiderio Desideravi: “‘I would like this letter to help us to rekindle our wonder for the beauty of the truth of the Christian celebration.” (n.62)
The aim of the course is to enable personal reflection on what it means to be a member of the worshipping community, how others are worshipping with you, and how ministering in all its forms is a part of our own worship and prayer. It will develop a clear understanding of how the Church’s liturgy expresses her theology and spirituality.
The course will run online (Zoom) and comprise six modules of three consecutive Thursday evenings from January to November 2025 at 7.30 to 8.45pm.
News, views and reviews from the liturgical world . . .
A Christmas Vigil Liturgy
In many places carols are sung before the Mass of Christmas Night ("Midnight" Mass) but without readings, prayers, or the presence of a presider. The Church encourages us to have a true Vigil...
Advent 2 Lectionary
In this series of YouTube presentations, Fr Jamie McMorrin explores the scriptures used on the Sundays of Advent, comparing the new Lectionary (ESV-CE translation) with the Jerusalem Bible...
Scripture for Advent 2
With Christmas in full swing in the high street, the liturgy of the church is still focused on Christ’s second coming and not (yet) meditating in his first. But it is difficult to orient our lives,...
Scripture for Advent 1
Happy New Year! A new season of Advent, a new Liturgical Year and a new Lectionary! But our Gospel is challenging and may suggest that we are living through the terrible times as described in Luke’s...
Advent Resources
The beginning of Advent and the new liturgical year is shortly upon us. For Catholics in the UK, this will mean the introduction of new Scripture translations. We have gathered together some...
Demystifying Plainchant
Ever wanted to try using it but been fearful of getting it 'wrong'? Unsure where to start? Not quite sure if it's right in your context? This one hour online session from the Royal School of Church...
Blessing a New Lectionary
As the new Lectionary comes into effect on the First Sunday of Advent (1 December 2024), it is an opportune moment to bless the four volumes of the new Lectionary and the Book of the Gospels. The...
New Psalm Settings
On the First Sunday of Advent, the new Lectionary comes into force in the dioceses of England and Wales and Scotland. The 2024 Lectionary uses The Abbey Psalms and Canticles (2020) translation of...
Finding Stuff
As the content of this website grows, we have introduced an index which allows you to find articles from the Society's journal, Music & Liturgy, blog posts which have retained their currency,...
Crichton Lecture 2024
The Crichton Lecture 2024 takes place on Saturday this week, 23 November, online (Zoom) at 11am. The lecture is free and open to all - both Society of St Gregory members and anyone else interested....
The Pattern of Scripture
We are now in the final weeks of the Church’s year and the Scriptures used at Sunday Masses focus on the final revelation of the mystery of the Son of Man, who is Jesus, in the Gospel of Mark. ...
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...