St Mungo Celebrations
January 31, 2008
2008 began with a series of civic events recalling St. Mungo, among which was a celebration on 12 January at the Mitchell Library to mark the handing over of a facsimile of the mediaeval Life of St. Mungo by Jocelin of Furness to the Library.
As well as excerpts from the Life (read in the original Latin by Archbishop Conti and in the new English translation by Dr. Laurence Whitley, the Minister of Glasgow Cathedral), there was appropriate music in the form of the plainchant versicle and doxology from the Office of St. Kentigern and the anthem Let Glasgow Flourish, sung by a group of the St. Mungo Singers.
This may have been a very unusual style of presentation for the Mitchell and its users but they took part with enthusiasm and the City are to be congratulated on a well-organised and enjoyable event. Copies of the Life of St. Kentigern have also been given to Glasgow Cathedral and the Archdiocese.
St Mungo’s feastday itself (13th January) was marked by an ecumenical service in Glasgow Cathedral, involving singers, musicians, dancers and a full congregation, including representatives from local and national government as well as the various churches in Glasgow. Representing the Lord Provost, Bailie Gordon Matheson opened the proceedings with the proclamation ‘Let Glasgow flourish!’ and the gathering rose to sing Brother Stephen Smyth’s hymn set to ‘Highland Cathedral’, before the Minister, the Rev Laurence Whitley, welcomed everyone to the celebration.
It was an evening devoted to acknowledging God’s grace seen in the life of the 6th-7th century figure of St Mungo, and yet while it was prayerful it was also filled with wonder and joy – seen in the mystical beauty of Psalm 62/63, the country dancing of the children from St Catherine’s Primary, the story of the Bird, the Tree, the Fish and the bell (from the city coat of arms) related by children of the High School of Glasgow, the Gospel story of the great catch of fish, the thoughtful and encouraging homily of Archbishop Conti, the delicacy of Christina Sweeney-Baird’s Harp, the breadth of intentions expressed in the intercessions, the loyalty and affection for Glasgow and its people expressed in the Glasgow Anthem ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’ led by the St Mungo Singers and warmly supported by the whole congregation.
The Rutherglen Salvation Army, led by Donald Orr,with its customary sensitivity and richness and the service concluded with Noel Donnell’s lovely setting of Newman’s prayer.Bailie Matheson then laid the city’s bouquet of flowers on St Mungo’s Tomb in the crypt as a symbol of the ongoing esteem and affection felt even today for the city founder.All in all, the service and the support and attention given to it, can be seen as a sign of the times, a token of Glasgow’s awareness of its long and distinguished Christian history.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was marked by a service in St. Pat’s Anderston on 25th January. In spite of miserable weather, there was a good turn-out to the warm and welcoming parish community. The theme for the Week of Prayer was “Pray without ceasing” and this was reflected in the reading from 1 Thessalonians and the sermon of Dr. Angus Kerr, the Presbytery Clerk Designate for the Presbytery of Glasgow who reminded the congregation that prayer lubricates the engine of faith and that, as Mother Teresa said, the family who prays together stays together. His challenge was that though we have many differences, we have a common bond in Jesus Christ and therefore we should be praying together more often.
The prayers of the service mixed scripture and reflections on current concerns in our world, interspersed with hymns which used tunes such as Cwm Rhonda and Taize chants which would be familiar to most present. A leaflet with “Action Stations” was circulated and the congregation invited to decide on an action to adopt. The service ended with the singing of the ELLC Our Father, before everyone enjoyed the hospitality of St. Pat’s.