Carmel and Music

I was interested to discover while surfing online that the celebrated Protestant composer Handel wrote five pieces of music for the Carmelite Vespers services in 1707 at a time when he was living in Rome.  My attention was drawn again to the theme of Carmel and music when reading the latest issue of Communicationes, the newsletter sent out by the Curia of the Teresian Carmel in Rome.  In it there is a report of a spiritual concert entitled ‘Carmelite Music’ put on in the church of Santa Teresita in Bogota in Colombia.  In the report the writer observes that the concert paid tribute to the generations of friars who have left a profound spiritual testimony through song and service.  And today my thoughts are drawn back again to the topic because it is the Feast Day of Gregory the Great, whose name has been for ever immortalised in the expression Gregorian Chant.  From the earliest times the Church has loved to sing, adding immeasurably to the joys of our faith – I was fortunate to be in a church choir in my youth and certain hymns like Immortal, Invisible, God only wise and Stanford’s Te Deum touched my heart then as no other music did.  Going back to that concert in Bogota, the report says it featured ‘several solemnly professed friars who have evangelised through music’ – an impressive testimony.  In truth, the Church has never stopped evangelising through music, it is one of our greatest treasures for which we should be profoundly thankful to God.    

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K, Fr Jon B

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound; Martin Gilham – unable to attend community meetings

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)