[Magdalen] Cat's Away.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

The mice do play.
 
Re:  August 15th -
 
The crazy, but in retrospect amusing, scenarios with which
I've been involved are remembered from time to time.  I was
thinking yesterday of one such shenanigans about 40 years ago
when the Feast of the Assumption/Saint Mary the Virgin (your choice)
fell on a Sunday.
 
It so happened that this was during the interim between Deans
of Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire (Wisconsin/USA).  The
assistant (Leo Combs+) was left in charge for this period.  He
was a very nice fellow and who later became bishop of one of the
"continuing" churches headquartered out of Richmond, VA.
 
He was also liturgical putty in the hands of several of us "spikes"
in the Cathedral parish, and we proposed a Solemn High Mass
and festival procession about the Cathedral during the main
Eucharist slot on that August 15th.  There was ample warning
orally the Sunday before, and notification in the cathedral  newsletter
in advance of this liturgically elaborate worship style.
 
Nonetheless, a fair percentage of the congregants for that Mass
appeared to be stupefied as the augmented splendor unfolded
that Sunday.  There were smells, bells, and lots of plainchant.
 
In the end, the head altar guild lady, a no-nonsense woman, but with
a sense of humor told me, "The only thing missing from this liturgy
was a banner bringing up the rear of the procession, stating,  "Courtesy
of David Strang Productions."
 
 
David S.