Immaculate Conception

8 December 2009

Entrance	The Angel Gabriel
Penitential Rite
Gloria	St Gabriels (mtgf)
Psalm 97	Sing to the Lord a new song (Haas/Haugen)
Gospel Acclamation	Gospel Greeting (Bernadette Farrell)
Preparation of Gifts	No wind at the window (Bell)
Eucharistic Acclamations	Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Lamb of God	Behold the Lamb (Iona)
Communion	Bread of Life (Bernadette Farrell)
	Ave Maris Stella
Final	I say 'yes', my Lord (Donna Pena)

The College is dedicated to St Mary and the Immaculate Conception is the College Feast Day with a Mass followed by a meal. This year the celebration was in the evening for the first time, after the end of lectures. The chapel, however, was still full. The Mass is an occasion when the Choir and the Music Group join together. Though the choice of music usually leans towards the repertoire of the music group those who are familiar with these pages will recognise that there is also a shared repertoire.

A challenge of the Immaculate Conception which I am not sure that we have ever successfully responded to is the feast itself. The Annunciation Gospel steers one towards that as an image and hence the choice of opening hymn and No wind at the window. It also influenced the final hymn which took the image of Mary's fiat — let it be done or I say 'yes'. We adapted the words, which I have always presumed work better (mean something) in Spanish so that they had an Advent flavour.

Ave Maris Stella is the College hymn. Sung in Latin to the uninspiring 19th century tune it always feels imposed rather than integral. I sure it was sung lustily by the student teachers of the 1950s but give me chant or Monteverdi any day! (and watch this space)