The Mass at Bellahouston (part two)

Today I will continue on with the description of the Mass which is to take place at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow next Thursday. I will admit that it is mainly a description of the music with a little bit about the liturgical texts to be used:


The Offertory to the Preface
During the Offertory and the Preparation of the Gifts, "Celtic Invocation" will be sung, which looks like a rendition of St. Patrick's Breastplate. Then the Preface and its introduction will be sung in Latin to the usual chant. Having a quick glance at the Latin and its accompanying English translation to the left of it (which then is oddly and confusingly to the right on the following page, meaning the Latin is always found nearer the middle of the page and the English to the edges), there is a slight omission, namely "through Jesus Christ our Lord".



Sanctus through to the Lamb of God
The Sanctus is another of James Macmillan's new compositions which take into account the translation whose appearance is ever so slowly nearing, using the words "Lord God of Hosts" (without the comma as in "Holy Lord, God of power and might). It then continues with Eucharistic Prayer II said in Latin. At the Mystery of Faith, a further composition of Macmillan's is put to use (for the first time, I think). Finally, the Doxology and the Great Amen are according to normal chant music and in Latin. So too is the Our Father, but immediately afterwards the Pope will switch back to English until the Sign of Peace. The Lamb of God is another one from the new Macmillan Mass.

Communion
A song by James Quinn called "Take and Eat" is first among the hymns to be sung during the Distribution of Holy Communion. Again I confess to not knowing this one. This is then followed by that classic adaptation of Anima Christi, Soul of my Saviour. Following this is a hymn called "Seed, Scattered and Sown" and then the Communion Motet, Ave Verum Corpus, a beautiful hymn dating from the 14th century.
A hymn will then be sung in honour of Blessed Mary McKillop who was beatified in 1995 and to be canonised almost exactly one month after the Mass in Bellahouston, becoming the first Australian saint (she was the first to be beatified too). Her mother, Flora MacDonald, was Scottish. This will then be followed by another Communion Motet, Ecce Panis Angelorum. A long Gaelic hymn called "Do làmh, a Chrìosda" which seems to have been composed for the occasion will then be sung after this. An English adaptation of Ubi Caritas by Quinn, and then another short hymn called "God to Enfold You" by a Mr John Bell come afterwards. The final communion hymn will be Sweet Sacrament Divine, again another great hymn for being on Songs of Praise.

Concluding Rites
The Pope will then carry out the concluding rites in Latin, including as usual an Apostolic Blessing like the one he gives after the Angelus on Sundays. Then a deacon will intone the "Ite, missa est" and we'll all give thanks to God for the Mass saying "Deo gratias". To close the Mass, "God we praise you", which looks suspiciously like an adaptation of the Te Deum will be chorused by all present, followed by some more piping from Strathclyde Police, chasing us out of the park.