Doom Dah Dum, doo-dah, Dah Dum

… if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team!

I travelled to Edinburgh for the Latin high Mass on a snowy Sunday 20th at 11.30.

It was part of training and development for the young men who have been learning how to serve the old rite in the Holy Spirit over the last few months.

We managed to get together by about 10.20 and then headed off for Ravelston. On the way, I was asked whether there would be any men serving. I didn't know but guessed yes (I was correct).

When we arrived, the lads took themselves off to a quiet side pew near the back of the church until Father Emerson encouraged us to the front, so that we could see what was going on, ‘that’s why you’re here, after all’. We were there to watch how his crack, A-Team of servers did things. There was a gray-haired MC and three young men serving, probably undergraduates. We noticed several differences in the way they did things.

Afterwards, over coffee, we spoke to Father Emerson and the MC about the differences. We had a vote and decided to change the bells for consecration from two-two-two, to one-three-one.
I was also given a copy of the how-to manual, Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described. This will take some reading.

The manual has content on the Schola and chant as well as where-to-stand diagrams, this from Easter:

The Mass was sung from start to finish, with less kneeling and less things for servers to do than in the Low Mass. The congregation knew the setting and joined in with gusto.
The schola/choir and organ were at the back of the church and were of professional standard, apparently built around some experts from Edinburgh University. Their Gregorian chant was excellent, although I didn’t know the setting (we newcomers will be working on the Missa de Angelis for some time yet).

I took the lads for lunch in the nearby Museum of Modern Art, courgette soup and veggie wraps. After looking at the menu for a while we left and went to McDonalds. I had asked what they fancied and MackyDees emerged as the favourite.