Anger at the injustice in the world

Friday evening. After the last client meeting I stayed on in Cambridge. At seven o’clock I went to an Anglican church in Trumpington Street for the Mass of the Sacred Heart.



Above: The niches on the outside west wall had been filled with flowers.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is not a usual Anglican observance, even in the highest of High churches, which made this service intriguing. Also, the Wren Choir was performing the mass setting Missa Surge propera by Victoria, which was an additional reason to go. One of the reasons I like Cambridge so much is the amount of high culture (music, public lectures, exhibitions) that is given away free to anyone who is interested.

The church was set back from Trumpington Street, hemmed in by colleges and a big non-conformist church. The small churchyard was shaded by trees, which made the gloomy evening a little bit darker. The niches on the outside west wall had been filled with flowers, despite the threat of rain.

Inside it was both austere and decorated (not a contradiction in terms - the decoration was all symbolic and high-minded). The church was a medieval husk that had been filled by the great 19th century wave of Oxford Movement enthusiasm. As that tide has slowly drawn out it has been left as an isolated well of High Anglicanism.

The attendance was sparse (not surprising for an obscure Feast Day, in the evening, towards the end of term). Elderly ladies, a few tourists, a number of middle-aged men and women in jeans and jumpers (their nerdy style indicating they were connected to the university). I sat on the left side, about half-way down, by a painted statue of Christ the Good Shepherd.

The east window, composed of delicate 14th century tracery, was filled with Kempe glass. The altar arrangement, including 1913 curtains, was by Sir Ninian Comper - no less than ten candlesticks plus the four “riddle post” candles. An expensive-looking organ (1978) had been applied to the south wall, with the organist hovering impressively in a cantilevered balcony.

The Wren Choir, about twenty in number, came in and took their seats. The clergy, wearing gold, came in from the back. We sang the processional hymn Oh for a heart to praise my God by Charles Wesley.

The quality of the music, from both organ and choir, was excellent. The Wren Choir performed the mass in a way that was technically very accomplished, including a complicated Agnes Dei. Their delivery had a cold quality, but the coldness added to the beauty.

The vicar was tall, grey-haired and distinguished-looking (as if Anthony Eden had become a parish priest). He gave his sermon standing on the chancel step instead of going up into the pulpit. He talked of the Sacred Heart being an expression of God’s love:

“Not a superficial or sentimental love. But an infinite love. A love that is expressed in compassion for those in need, and yes…” (the vicar’s eyes roved challengingly across the congregation) “…a love expressed in anger at the injustice in the world.”

Holy Communion in Sir Ninian Comper’s chancel.

Afterwards we were all invited into the Parish Room for a glass of wine, but it was already late and I had to think of the journey back.



Above: I didn’t like to take a photograph of the actual service, but this is right at the end after the clergy and choir have left. The organist is playing the Voluntary. An acolyte is putting out the candles.

More on the Mass setting: http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Missa_Surge_propera_(Tom%C3%A1s_Luis_de_Victoria)

More on the Wren Choir: http://www.srcf.ucam.org/wren/

NOTE: regular visitors to this site might have noticed an increase in postings about the Church of England. This is not because I have become a religious maniac (although at no time in my life, from my earliest memories, have I ever “doubted”). In response to repeated claims that England has become a secular society I have decided to carry out my own survey into what the Anglican religion means in English society today (aesthetically, emotionally, politically, in terms of social care, in terms of national identity, in terms of education, from a conservation standpoint, from a musical standpoint, from a “community focus” standpoint etc etc).

I will mostly concentrate on the county where I live as this will fit in with other projects I am doing (ie the village by village project). I will take about a year over the survey, linking it wherever possible to specific religious events. I am doing this for my own interest, although anyone is welcome to join me (or ignore it, as you choose).