It's Ellen's fault. She started it.
My Facebook status mentioned the MC at mass last night, and she asked why the Oratory couldn't say mass with less than a heavenly host.
I responded with the standard Oratorian light bulb joke:
You know the light bulb joke? How many Oratorians does it take to change a light bulb?
Answer 1: None. Why change?
Answer 2: A celebrant, deacon, subdeacon, thurifer, two acolytes, MC....
El then said, "And a partridge in a pear tree?"
That was it. It had to be done. El, I've changed three (again) so it scans (French hens gives us only two syllables) and ten to 'lace-albed' - hope that's ok. So, sharing credit with Miss Ellen Robertson, I present you with...the Oratorian Christmas carol:
On the first day of Xmas my true love gave to me: a thurifer in a pear tree.
On the second day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: two acolytes and a thurifer in a pear tree.
On the third day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: three subdeacons, two acolytes and a thurifer...
On the fourth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Four candelabras, ... three subdeacons….
On the fifth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: FIVE GOLDEN COPES!!!!!!, four candelabras….
On the sixth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Six altar candles, FIVE GOLDEN COPES!!!!, four candelabras….
On the seventh day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Seven servers serving, six altar candles…..
On the eighth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: eight tri-peak birettas, seven servers serving, six altar candles….
On the ninth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the tenth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the eleventh day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: eleven Latin masses, ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: twelve St Philip statues, eleven Latin masses, ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
Modifications/suggestions welcome, not least from the Oratorians themselves - this is a dynamic work :).
5 comments:
this is why I like your blog
For ten chalices (could be in any church) substitute ten silken maniples; for eleven confessors, substitute eleven Latin (High) Masses...
Interesting...could go with 11 Triddy masses?
Like the silken maniples...
Allow me to ask my co-lyricist...El, thoughts? xx
Definitely has an Oratorian ring to it!
And when will you write a Dominican Christmas Carol?
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