Not many will be aware of this solemnity. It is peculiar to the ordinariates. It occurs on 24 September, but was transferred to, anticipated on this Sunday. It is, of course, the patronal feast of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Walsingham. Our Lady of Walsingham is the protectress of the three ordinatiates - English, American-Canadian, and Australian. I have heard of a very few Roman rite parishes here and there who have the Virgin of Walsingham for a patroness.

So - here are the festivities observed at the cathedral this weekend, festivities which began with a grand Saturday evening parish banquet in the great hall of the diocesan chancery.

The 'Hail thee festival day!' that we sang has a Marian text.
At the mass we had forty or so men from all over the US instituted as acolytes by Bishop Lopes.

Pontifical High Mass and Institution of Acolytes
Sunday, 22nd September, 11.15am

Organ Voluntary - on Ave maris stella - - - Improvisation
At the Procession - Hymn: 'Hail thee festival day!' - - - Salve festa dies

The Introit - Rorate, caeli - - - Mode I (Palmer-Burgess)
Kyrie - Mass in F-Major - - - Harold Darke
Gloria - Missa Sancta Maria Magdalena - - - Healy Willan

The Psalm - Magnificat - - - Chant, William Jacobs
Alleluya and Verse - Et ingressus angelus - - - Tone VI (Anglican Use Gradual)

Institution of Acolytes -

The Nicene Creed - - - Recto Tono
The Prayers of the People - - - Byzantine Chant

At the Offertory -
The Antiphon - Ave Maria, gratia plena - - - Mode VIII (P-B)
The Anthem - Ave Maria - - - Anton Bruckner

Sanctus and Benedictus - Mass in F-Major - - - Harold Darke

Our Father - - - Mode VII
Agnus Dei - - - Mass in F-Major - - - Harold Darke

At the Communion -
The Antiphon - Ecce Virgo - - - Mode I (P-B)
The Anthem - Ecce concipies - - - Iacob Handl
Hymn - 'Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence' - - - Picardy

In Procession to the Outdoor Shrine -
The Litany of Our Lady of Walsingham -
The Angelus -
Hymn - 'How Sweet Thou Art, My Mother' - - -
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Solemn Evensong - Second Evensong of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Walsingham
4.00pm

Organ Volunary - Ave Maris Stella and Ubi Caritas (St. Augustine's Organ Book) - - - Gerald Near

The Introit - 'Virgin-born, We Bow to Thee' - - - Peter Pinder Stearns

The Preces - - - Herbert Sumsion
The Office Hymn - 'Dawn Star of the World's Redemption' - - - Oriel
The Psalter -
Psalm CXI - Confitebor tibi - - - Chant, Percy Buck
Psalm CXXVII - Nisi Dominus - - - Chant, Thomas Attwood

The First Canticle - Magnificat (Evening Service in F) - - - John Ireland
The Second Canticle - Nunc Dimittis (Evening Service in F) - - - John Ireland

The Suffrages - - - Herbert Sumsion

The Anthem - Ave Maris Stella - - - Sir Edward Elgar

The Marian Antiphon - Salve Regina - - - Orlando di Lasso

Hymn - 'O Glorious Maid, Exalted Far' - - - Ivyhatch

Organ Voluntary - In dir ist Freude (BWV 615) - - - J.S. Bach
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Reception in the Parish Hall.