Preaching in the Oratory is a daunting experience at the best of times. The preacher is escorted by the MC about a third of the way down the lengthy nave and then has to climb a steep set of stairs to look over the congregation. Yesterday, several things combined to make the experience even more nerve-wracking. The first was that the Church was so full. That is not so bad in itself but being six feet off the ground does rather bring it home. Then the stand for the preacher's notes was a little too high for my five-feet-six frame. I did have a quick go at adjusting it but when it didn't move easily, I thought I had better leave it. There is also the adjustment that needs to be made for amplification in such a large space - you have to speak more slowly and pause more if it is not to become garbled (at least I think so!)
The most difficult thing, though was that this was one of those times when God says "Right, Finigan, let's bring you down to size a bit and make you depend on me a bit more!" I can normally read 12-point type OK without my reading glasses, although I rely on them more and more nowadays for reading books. Yesterday, for some reason, perhaps the bright sun followed by the relatively dark interior of the Church, perhaps fatigue, I just could not read the text clearly. I knew the sermon well enough to continue but was rather struggling at various points.
Today's parish sermon was bumped up to 14-point.
6 comments:
The next time I'm in London over a weekend I'm going to try to get to a Tridentine Mass at the Oratory. Even though it's not my favourite architectural style, I do love the Oratory. I was first shown it by one (now Fr.) Dylan James and distinctly remember being on a College trip and twisting my lecturer's arm so that I could leave the hotel early and go to Mass there really early in the morning...*sigh* Memories!
14-point is good. Along with double spacing :)
Several of the younger fathers at the Oratory say the Classical rite each morning - I think there is one on the schedule each day at 8am. There is also one on Sunday morning.
I love the Oratory - and it was so good to see it packed to capacity with ordinary Catholics singing their hearts out.
Ah, that snippet of info means I potentially don't have to disappear from here over a weekend. Excellent, thanks.
It is a wonderful experience preaching in the Oratory, isn't it? When I preached there for St Philip's Day last year I remember feeling quite apprehensive (especially about falling down the steps). I was rather pleased that the sanctuary was so far from the pulpit that the preacher couldn't see the faces of the good Fathers (who are themselves very experienced preachers)!
Don't worry Fr Tim, apart from one bit near the beginning where you missed a word or two (and so went back to correct yourself) it wasn't noticeable...
...I did think that the microphone at the pulpit wasn't as good as the one on the sanctuary, so we could have done with a little more "thundering" but it was just the right speed. The content was pretty impressive too!
...funny, I never had you down as the "nervous" type!
;-)
It was a clear, articulate, rabble-rousing sermon. First rate oratory (scuse the pun!)
Certainly made me think...
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