On the 15th October we celebrate the solemnity of St Teresa of Avila (also called St Teresa of Jesus). St Teresa is one of only four female Doctors of the church, named in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, and is given the title Doctor orationis, Doctor of Prayer.
Read moreGetting things in sequence
The Propers for the Mass for Pentecost include the beautiful Sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus. Sequences, once a regular part of the Church’s liturgies, now occur infrequently, being obligatory only twice a year: on Easter and Pentecost Sundays.
Read moreAlleluia, alleluia
Eastertide is a time of great joy in the church, and the exuberance expressed in much of the music is infectious, with motets being appended at every opportunity with catchy Alleluia refrains. The propers of the Mass are likewise peppered, and Alleluia takes over entirely after the first reading. Here, in the Graduale Romanum, the Gradual is replaced by a second Alleluia.
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