Canon Jane Kneebone writes:
We are very excited to announce that Mike O’Connor has written a new music setting for the Mass in Cornish. Before now, as well as we can ascertain, there was no setting of the whole Mass, especially a setting which everybody could sing. This setting, named ‘the Mass of the Resurrection’, is a Mass for the people, easy to sing, and based on Cornish folk song tunes. The name signifies both the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of our language. And it’s very beautiful as well, as I think.
The Mass will be launched in Truro Cathedral on Wednesday 3rd June at 5.30 pm, in the Eucharist on the Eve of the Feast of St Petroc, led by the Cathedral Choir, but we expect everyone in the congregation to sing as well! So the whole service will be in Cornish. It’s a very important occasion, for the Church in Cornwall and for the Cornish language itself as well.
There will also be a practice of the music on the evening of the day before the Eucharist, i.e. Tuesday 2nd June, in St Michael; Church, Newquay, at 7 pm, for anyone who would like to learn it before the day itself.
Come, then, and take your part in this occasion which is so exciting and important for Cornish. And tell everyone else you know!