James MacMillan - Our Patron

We were invited to sing at a Dominican Rite Requiem Mass in the Catholic chaplaincy at Edinburgh University on 23 October 2013. The practice for this was a challenge since the Dominican style of chant is very ‘pared down’ compared to our more Benedictine style.

The Mass commemorated the founding benefactors of the Chaplaincy, Canon John Gray, Marc-André Sebastien Raffalovich, and Mrs Charlotte Jefferson-Tytus. with a sung Requiem in the Dominican rite. Mass was celebrated by Fr Lawrence Lew who writes:

“Last Saturday’s Missa Cantata was celebrated in this modern chapel, which has received seven major architectural awards so far. This was the first time the ancient rite of the Order has been said in it, and it was probably also the first public Dominican rite Mass in the city for almost five decades. Mass was sung by fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P., who is assistant Catholic chaplain at St Albert’s, and two students of Edinburgh University served as acolytes; the students had ably mastered in just two days the intricacies of this role in the Dominican rite. The sermon was preached by the Prior, fr. Dermot Morrin, O.P., in which he reflected on Canon Gray’s conversion to Catholicism having glimpsed the simple reverent beauty of the Mass, and Raffalovich’s love of beauty and the Dominican charism.

A Schola Gregoriana comprised of singers from Stirling-based ‘Cantors of the Holy Rude’ sang the Mass propers and ordinary from the Dominican Gradual. They were led by an alumnus of St Albert’s Catholic Chaplaincy, James MacMillan CBE”.

Alan took the opportunity to ask James MacMillan to be our Patron and he agreed.

Here we are led by our soon-to-be Patron (wearing suits rather than soutanes)

So we are now:

Cantors of the Holy Rude

Patron, James MacMillan CBE.

These photos were all taken by Martin.