East Anglia Seminarians: Archbishop Vincent's Installation

Thursday 21 May 2009

Archbishop Vincent's Installation

Well, we had a long but enjoyable day in London for the installation of Archbishop Vincent in Westminster. Firsty, how do you get seminarians to be ready to leave on the coach at 7? You give them a cooked breakfast beforehand! After what seemed an interminable journey, we got to Victoria, and went to the Cathedral House to pick up our tickets. Then we vested in our albs and processed in to the Cathedral at 11.15 along with the other priests. After sung midday prayer, various priests (including our rector), the bishops, the nuncio etc and Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor processed in, and then the Provost and Canons of the Cathedral Chapter went to meet Archbishop at the door at 12.00, upon which there was a glorious trumpet fanfare. From my spot where I could not see anything, I could only be content with the buzz that seemed to electrify the Cathedral as the congregation beheld their incoming pastor. After various prayers, and being sat in the cathedra and given the crozier by the Cardinal, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham became Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster...

I'm too whacked after a long day to go into the details of the Mass, which was lovely, and which you've probably read about anyway. It was also nice to meet the Allen Hall seminarians and other priests from Westminster afterwards. I'll just conclude with a prayer for the new leader of the Catholic Church in England which was prayed for him by the Provost:

May he watch over the flock now committed to his care,
and by his gentle rule
bring all into your Kingdom,
where you live and reign for ever and ever.

Amen.

1 comment:

John the organist said...: not really for publishing but just to agree waht a fantastic day it was. You may have got up to leave at 7 but we servers were reheasing Monday and Tuesday eveing and in the day on Wed.So we were all pretty tired by the end of the day. John, my husbsnd and myself even fell asleep at our chorus rehearsal in the evening. We were consecration torches. We rushed home to watch and alas had lost the last part of the Mass due to the over run. Archbishop Nicols took the cathedral oarish Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday and was so nice with the young people. I help with that as well,,, are we ever at home. Our youngest is working at the cycle shop in Birmingham so we might be up again to visit,. have to take a ride to see Oscott. Liz.; 12 June 2009 at 21:09

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Prayer for Priestly Vocations

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who moved to pity at the sight of the multitudes, scattered like sheep without a shepherd, didst say to Thy disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send labourers into His harvest," deign to turn Thine eyes of pity on this our diocese, and to call to Thy priesthood young men, who will spend themselves and be spent for Thy honour and glory, and for the souls whom Thou has redeemed with Thy Most Precious Blood, Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Seminarians

O Lord Jesus Christ, great High Priest, I pray that You call many worthy souls to Your holy priesthood.

Enlighten the Bishop in the choice of candidates, the Spiritual Director in molding them, and the professors in instructing them.

Lead the seminarians daily in Your unerring footsteps; so that they may become priests who are models of purity, possessors of wisdom and heroes of sacrifice; steeped in humility and aflame with love for God and man; apostles of Your glory and sanctifiers of souls.

Amen.

Prayer for the Pope

V. Let us pray for our Pontiff, Pope Benedict.
R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him to be blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies

Our Father. Hail Mary.

Let us pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant, Benedict, our Supreme Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy loving-kindness, in the way of eternal salvation; that, of thy gift, he may ever desire that which is pleasing unto thee and may accomplish it with all his might. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Prayer for the Queen

V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen.
R. And hear us on the day we call upon you.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come before you.

[V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.]

Let us pray

Almighty God, we pray, that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen, who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue, that, imbued with your heavenly grace, she may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil and, being blessed with your favour may, with her consort and the royal family, come at last into your presence, through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life and who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.