The final Masses of term included an annual celebration in the historic chapel of Milton Manor House, where the schola sings in an unusual loft with windows opening into the chapel: below.
The last one of all was an unusual Mass of Reparation, a Votive Mass 'for the remission of sin', celebrated in SS Gregory & Augustine's, Oxford: above. Both of these Masses were led by Dominic Bevan.
And so another academic year comes to an end. This year the Schola Abelis has sung at a larger number of churches than in recent years. We now have a regular termly slot in the English Martyrs, Didcot, in Holy Rood, Abingdon Road, in Blackfriars in Oxford, and in SS Gregory & Augustine's, as well as annual events in Milton Manor, Caversham, St Benet's Hall, and Long Crendon.
The Schola also plays a major part in the general availability of singers with experience of Chant to come along and sing at other Masses taking place in Oxford.
In both ways we are fulfilling the purposes for which we were established: to make chant available for the celebration of the traditional Catholic liturgy in the Oxford area. We have also had a lot of fun along the way.
If you are reading this and are interested in singing Gregorian Chant in the 2018/19 academic year, contact us using the email address on the sidebar. We can also tell you about opportunities to sing, or hear chant sung, in Oxford over the Long Vacation.
