Fortissimo in the Faith: two bloggers (I one) looking back
John Sonnen, of Orbis Catholicus (who will be handling traditional liturgy Roman pilgrimages), was once a little altar boy at my home parish of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minnesota, where once the legendary Msgr. Schuler was pastor.
Today I found on his blog a mention, nostalgic, of the old days, the hay days. Indeed I, today, in listening to the monks of Le Barroux sing Tenebrae, was able to sing along for many of the antiphons and even readings, which I myself have sung many times.
Thus, John:
Lots of fine memories there from my youth. It was a great way to grow up, attending Tenebrae in choir to learn the chants of the Church. And H.H.H., our deacon, always timed our Tenebrae each year, and it was almost always to the minute the same. [HHH is the late, great Harold Hughesdon, born in London, of the Westminster School, in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, eventually permanent deacon at St. Agnes, who recreated there the liturgical style of Westminster of the 30's.]
There were many colorful personalities. The great Fr. Z would arrive from Rome. ["The great"! I'm still waiting for Monsignor.] I miss the old holy cards he often had printed every Triduum. [RIGHT! I did that. I would put "Tenebrae factae sunt" on the back.] They added a lot to the solemnity of the week. The cards always made nice book markers in a Liber Usualis. Was always kind of fun to look for cards from previous years kept away in the pages of old Libers on the sacristy shelf. I always looked for the old Liber of Mons. Bandas to carry and hold and pray from during Tenebrae. Mons. Bandas was one of the tallest trees in the forest before, during, and after the 1960s. He evinced eminent priestly qualities one rarely encountered during the turbulent conciliar period and its immediate aftermath. A prophet, really. [Msgr. Rudolph Bandas has been a peritus at all the sessions of the Council. He came back to St. Paul and implemented in the parish, St. Agnes, the reforms of the Council as they were actually written.]
Fortunate is the youth who gets to grow up being involved in a parish that is fortissimo(very loud) in the Faith.
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The Late Rev. Mr. Hughesdon snuffing a candle during Tenebrae! Fr. Z, celebrant.
