Latin Liturgy and Chant for Today’s Church

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich will host a special day dedicated to the beauty and richness of Latin liturgy and Gregorian chant on Saturday 10 May. Paul Henriksen, Diocesan Representative, Association for Latin Liturgy, provides further details below. 

This spiritually enriching event, organised in collaboration with the Association for Latin Liturgy, is warmly endorsed by Bishop Peter Collins and Fr Alan Hodgson, Dean of the Cathedral.

The day is an invitation to rediscover the sacred in our liturgical life, focusing particularly on the power of sung prayer in the Mass. Fr Guy Nichols, noted scholar and compiler of the acclaimed Graduale Parvum, will lead participants through an accessible and inspiring introduction to chant. Designed for parish use, the Graduale Parvum is a valuable resource that allows all members of the faithful to actively participate in the liturgy through traditional chant, regardless of musical background.

Following a welcome with coffee at 10am, Fr Guy, taking time away from his role teaching seminarians at St Mary’s College, Oscott, will offer practical guidance on singing the Mass. He will be joined by David Grealy, the Cathedral’s Director of Music, who will provide organ accompaniment and support for musicians wishing to explore chant further.

At 11.30am, Bishop Peter Collins will celebrate a fully sung Latin Mass in the Ordinary Form, with clergy concelebrating. This will offer a profound opportunity to experience how Latin and chant together elevate the spiritual depth of the liturgy, fostering a deeper sense of reverence and prayerful engagement.

The afternoon will feature a thought-provoking talk by Fr Peter Wygnanski, the Bishop’s Private Secretary and University Chaplain, titled “Seeing Liturgical Reforms through the Eyes of Generation Z: A Yearning for the Sacred.” Drawing on recent experiences at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, Fr Peter will explore how younger Catholics are expressing a desire for beauty, stillness, and the transcendent in worship, often in ways that may surprise older generations.

A highlight of the day will be Vespers and Benediction at 3.30pm in the Cathedral, concluding the event in fittingly prayerful and solemn fashion. Throughout the day, resources and support materials from the Association for Latin Liturgy will be on display in the Narthex, offering practical tools for anyone interested in bringing this vision of sacred liturgy into their own parish.

Mgr Bruce Harbert, a former member of the ICEL translation team for the current Roman Missal, also hopes to be in attendance to speak on the theological and pastoral significance of Latin in the liturgy. As he and others will affirm, Latin – precisely because it is not used in everyday conversation – helps mark out the Mass as something wholly set apart for God.

Lunch is available with prior booking online. For full details and to register, please visit: https://latin-liturgy.org/meetings

This promises to be a day of inspiration and formation for all who seek to rediscover the richness of the Church’s liturgical tradition and its role in drawing hearts to the mystery of God.

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