....in leafy, (not jungly), Hertfordshire?
Oh, dear, not more nonsense from the Shires of Westminster?........
'Fraid so. I came across it by chance, just like Livingstone tripping over the
source of the Nile*.
There was I, searching for a proper Mass for Christmas Day, and what should I find? - An African Mass (not, I think, on Christmas Day, but on a bi-monthly sort of a basis).
And, what is more, it is run by the AA. Whether that is the motorist's organisation or the boozer's one I am not sure but the African priest definitely has the letters "AA" after his name.
It all sounds such jolly fun, here is how the Diocesan website describes it:
"It incorporates African hymns and music, drums and dancing though the Mass setting is in English. All people welcome to come. The Mass is followed by a social so if you plan to come to that a plate of food would be very welcome".
O joy! How very uplifting it all sounds. But hang on one sec.....dancing? drums? Is that allowed? Not by the Holy Father certainly....it all sounds rather bongo bongo to me.
And then there is the very African style of wording...all people welcome to come.......a plate of meat would be very welcome".
Do they mean that one is going to be ultra hungry after all that dancing and waving of knobkerries so be prepared for a good old blow out or do they mean, bring along a haunch of giraffe?
It's all very confusing and not to say just a little worrying. For a start there are over 2100 languages in Africa, is that why they have plumped for an "English setting". and what does that phrase mean?
Isn't it a bit like holding an "English Mass" in Masvingo and stating that the setting will be Zimbabwean? I mean, it all sounds a bit silly really.
Will the dancing be around maypoles a la morris dancer meets zulu style?
Unfortunately, I just cannot free up a bi-monthly Sunday to attend at the Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew in Hitchin (or Hitchinberg as it is now known) but I will say this prayer for them:
Oh, dear, not more nonsense from the Shires of Westminster?........
'Fraid so. I came across it by chance, just like Livingstone tripping over the
source of the Nile*.
There was I, searching for a proper Mass for Christmas Day, and what should I find? - An African Mass (not, I think, on Christmas Day, but on a bi-monthly sort of a basis).
And, what is more, it is run by the AA. Whether that is the motorist's organisation or the boozer's one I am not sure but the African priest definitely has the letters "AA" after his name.
"It incorporates African hymns and music, drums and dancing though the Mass setting is in English. All people welcome to come. The Mass is followed by a social so if you plan to come to that a plate of food would be very welcome".
O joy! How very uplifting it all sounds. But hang on one sec.....dancing? drums? Is that allowed? Not by the Holy Father certainly....it all sounds rather bongo bongo to me.
And then there is the very African style of wording...all people welcome to come.......a plate of meat would be very welcome".
Do they mean that one is going to be ultra hungry after all that dancing and waving of knobkerries so be prepared for a good old blow out or do they mean, bring along a haunch of giraffe?
It's all very confusing and not to say just a little worrying. For a start there are over 2100 languages in Africa, is that why they have plumped for an "English setting". and what does that phrase mean?
Isn't it a bit like holding an "English Mass" in Masvingo and stating that the setting will be Zimbabwean? I mean, it all sounds a bit silly really.
Will the dancing be around maypoles a la morris dancer meets zulu style?
Unfortunately, I just cannot free up a bi-monthly Sunday to attend at the Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew in Hitchin (or Hitchinberg as it is now known) but I will say this prayer for them:
- Baba Yetu uliye mbinguni,
- Jina lako litukuzwe;
- Ufalme wako ufike,
- Utakalo lifanyike
- Duniani kama mbinguni.
- Utupe leo mkate wetu wa kila siku,
- Utusamehe makosa yetu,
- Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe waliotukosea.
- Usitutie katika kishawishi,
- Lakini utuopoe maovuni.
- Amina.
* Yes, I know that Livingstone fouled up on finding the Nile, call it Blogger's licence!
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