Scottish Catholic Observer

Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow last Friday paid a glowing tribute to the St Mungo Singers, thanking them for four decades of liturgical service to the archdiocese.

At a Thanksgiving Mass at St Andrew’s Cathedral to celebrate the choir’s 40th anniversary, the archbishop spoke of the ‘dedication, reliability and commitment’ of the St Mungo Singers.

“You have helped provide the music here in Glasgow for two Popes, three archbishops, countless provosts and councillors, and thousands and thousands of people in those years—all in the effort to raise minds and hearts to God from whom the gift of music comes,” Archbishop Conti said.

Gratitude

Mgr Gerry Fitzpatrick, parish priest at St Leo’s Church, Dumbreck and musical director for the St Mungo Singers was one of the founders of the group back in 1971. He was among the many priests concelebrating last Friday’s Mass and, following the celebration, he spoke of his gratitude to Glasgow Archdiocese and Archbishop Conti for supporting the choir.

“It was a lovely celebration and the archdiocese really excelled itself,” Mgr Fitzpatrick said.

He added that Archbishop Conti spoke very well and paid tribute to Fr Noel Colford, who has been a supporter of the St Mungo Singers for the full 40 years     and who also spoke at the Mass of Thanksgiving.

Praise

Archbishop Conti said that the presence of the St Mungo Singers at ‘countless liturgical events, and more recently on the wider civic and ecumenical stage, has been a great blessing for the archdiocese and the city of Glasgow.’

Commenting on the range of the choir’s repertoire, the archbishop added: “How wonderful to be able to sing the haunting melodies of Gregorian chant; to master the complex harmonies of polyphony; to keep alive the old hymns of our youth; to discover the richness of our Celtic heritage and to be able to learn new compositions which enrich and transform our understanding of the liturgy and the scriptures.

“In all of this a balance has to be achieved, enabling that ‘full and active’ participation of the laity which the fathers of the Second Vatican Council desired, while at the same time giving to those musical forms the Church considers Her own the ‘pride of place’ which the council fathers also willed.”

The St Mungo Singers have a busy schedule in the run up to Christmas, with events including Vespers at St Andrew’s Cathedral on the feast day of Scotland’s patron saint and Carols for Peace at Glasgow City Chambers on December 18.