Thomas Tallis

Today after Communion , the college choir, sang in several parts, "If You Love Me" by Thomas Tallis. It was glorious. The boys will be hummming or singing it informally for some considerable time, and will remember it for the rest of their lives. From the considerable number of the lovely classical, liturgical works which they learn and then sing at their Sunday Mass over the year their lives are greatly enriched. They are rightly proud and grateful for this wonderful opportunity to be immersed in some of the glories of their Catholic heritage.

The Latin Gregorian chant for the Mass, "Cum Jubile", was also well done. Every boy in for the weekend actively participate either as a server or chorister, as is the case Sunday after Sunday at the college's 11 am High Mass unless Father Talbot, the college's Chaplain is ill or away. The boys also assist at daily Mass, which like the Sunday Mass, is in the Ordinary Form but is not a High Mass.

There is normally singing of the Kyrie, Sanctus etc during the week also and a hymn or two.

On Saturday we experience Mass in the Extraordinary Form (the Latin rite used for centuries before Vatican II) because some of our parents, staff and boys for a variety of good reasons prefer this form. It is deemed by the school something good for the boys to experience a form of the Mass, which was loved and esteemed by numerous saints and ordinary Catholics for centuries. On Saturday this form of Mass is sometimes said as a Low Mass and other times as a High Mass. There are boys who can act as a Master of Ceremonies for High Masses in the old or new rite, and on the three occasions Bishops have said High Mass Form here there have been differnt boys who act as Master of Ceremonies perfectly with impeccable decorum.

Every boy learns how to serve Mass, and has his turn in doing so. Several boys can look after the sacristy perfectly. This might sound to be too good to be true, but such is the case. And the boys are perfectly natural and very good Catholic boys. Interested parents, educators and others for appropriate reasons are able to come and see. I have no dount Chavagnes is a really unique school.

Many a modern Catholic boy would imagine that such an immersion into the life of the Church would be boring and overdone. Nobody complains here. To the contrary boys here realise how fortunate they are. The practice of daily Mass was the cornerstone of the institutions for boys run by St John Bosco, and also a requirement of Catholic boarding schools for centuries with normally great results.