The Childrens's Mass is held on the first Sunday of every month at the 9:15 am Mass. The music is geared to the lighter more repetitive hymns with words that are more meaningful to children. The atmosphere is less formal than usual and children are encouraged to take as big a part as possible, both instrumentally and through the readings.

Mary McGrath prepares the children for the readings and the music is lead by Tony Foster, Helen Quinn and Babs Jones, on their guitars. There are currently three excellent recorder players, a very talented clarinetist and a fast improving saxophonist.

The Mass affords a good opportunity for any budding musicians/percussionists to take part and new members are very much encouraged. Above all its is heartening to have lots of singing. The music in not meant to be a performance, but an act of worship, so families are encouraged to sit at the front of the church and join in.

The Mass is followed by an informal get-together in the St. John Kemble Room, with coffee and refreshments. This is an excellent opportunity to meet fellow parishioners, so please come along.

For more details, please contact Helen Quinn (Phone: 713728)

The Missa de Angelis is a congregational plainsong setting designed to be sung by all - and very moving when everyone joins in. The same goes for other Mass settings we might sometimes sing instead (for instance, the Merbecke which we used to do), and of course also the hymns. The occasional motet perhaps requires a certain competence, but even so, anyone who feels they could contribute to such singing is welcome and actually needed. The idea is to include such extra music when the singers are available, otherwise not.

So please contact P J Shaw if you would like to be involved. The result should in any case be a solemn, uplifting celebration, with at its heart the idea, which we surely all share, that for God only the best is good enough.

Ecumenism and Churches Together in Monmouth