The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sunday 8th September, was celebrated with a Missa Cantata at Our Lady of Glastonbury. It is the patronal feast of the church, and so it was a fitting place to celebrate this important date in the Church’s calendar. The celebrant was Fr Philip Thomas, parish priest of SS Joseph and Teresa in Wells. The choir sang Missa Ave Maris Stella by Thomas Luis de Victoria, Ave Maria by Robert Parsons and O Sacrum Convivium by Thomas Tallis.
The Abbot of Downside, Dom Aidan Bellenger, preached. He spoke movingly about the central place that Our Lady occupied in the minds and hearts of the people of this country when it was the Dowry of Mary. The Lady Chapel of Glastonbury Abbey, although now in ruins, is still an important reminder of Our Lady’s presence here. Mass was followed by Benediction. Afterwards, choir and members of the congregation enjoyed a picnic lunch in the beautiful presbytery garden in the early autumn sunshine.
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| The Right Reverend Dom Aidan Bellenger, Abbot of Downside. |
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| Fr Philip Thomas |
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| Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. |
There were six servers on the altar, including two young men
who are about to leave the diocese to test their vocations, one with the
Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP) and the other with the Institute of
Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP). We wish them both very well and our
prayers go with them.
Virgo Dei
Genitrix, quem totus non capit orbis, in tua se clausit viscera,
factus homo.
Alleluia.
O Virgin Mother of
God, He whom the whole world is unable to contain, being made man, enclosed
Himself in thy womb. Alleluia
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