Liturgy at SMM
A list of upcoming worship liturgies at SMM may be found on our Calendar Page. The Church of St Mary Magdalene worships according to Catholic tradition. That means that we worship God in a way that looks to the ancient and universal (which is what "catholic" means) worship of the Church. The most important form of that worship is the Mass, also known as Holy Eucharist or Communion, wherein believers achieve union with Christ by consuming bread and wine that have been transformed by God into the body and blood of Christ. Ceremonial is important to us, but only because it is a link to the church through the ages.
We celebrate this act of worship everyday at SMM, as well as on Sundays. We also follow a daily round of morning and evening prayer known as the "Daily Office."
Worship at SMM varies depending on the day and time as well as by season of the church year. Here is a description of some of the basic services we offer to God each week. All Christians baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are invited to receive Holy Communion in the Anglican Church.
Weekday Masses
Weekday masses are celebrated in one of our two side-chapels, which provide a more intimate setting for the dozen or so people who join us. The priest may say most of the prayers either facing towards or away from the people, depending on which chapel is being used. Usually, we pray with the traditional form of the Eucharistic Prayers found in the Canadian Book of Alternative Services. The congregation may follow along using the SMM "Blue Book"– a collection of hymns, music and text published in a convenient booklet for our use at the church. These masses last approximately thirty minutes. A short homily is usually given on Wednesdays, Saturdays and feast days.
The 8.00 a.m. Sunday Morning Said Mass
The first mass we celebrate on Sundays closely resembles the masses said on weekdays. It takes place in the St. Joseph Chapel along the north aisle of the church.
The 9.30 Sunday Morning Sung Mass
The 9.30 a.m. liturgy on Sundays is contemporary language taken from the Book of Alternative Services. The music is lively – accompanied on piano, portatif, or other instruments and led by the "SMM Singers." The SMM Singers are an informal choir that rehearse only on Sundays. Parishioners are encouraged to join this choir as they are able. Although they do not have the opportunity to practise during the week as our Gallery and Ritual Choirs do, they nonetheless engage a challenging repertoire under the direction of Professor Stephanie Martin . The church's Orff Ensemble gives children the chance to participate in the liturgy by making music. This liturgy takes about 1 hour.
The 11.00 a.m. Solemn Mass
Our church is particularly well known for the Solemn Mass (three sacred ministers, catholic cermonial, incense, and music) celebrated on Sunday mornings and on special feast days of the Christian calendar. Solemn Mass is a grand and meditative expression of faith that involves organ music, beautiful liturgy and profound chant and a capella choral singing by our Ritual Choir (sanctuary choir) and the Gallery Choir. The Ritual Choir chants parts of the mass using ancient forms of Gregorian chant from the altar area of the church known as the sanctuary, while the Gallery Choir sings unaccompanied polyphonic motets from the gallery in the back of the church. One of the great Canadian composers, Dr. Healey Willan, was the organist and choirmaster at SMM for most of his career and wrote music for the liturgy of this church. We use incense and ceremonial to deepen our experience of worship and to connect to the 2,000 year long tradition of worship in the Church. This mass lasts about an hour and a half.
The Folk Mass
In 1966, Fr Eugene Fairweather wanted to create a style of worship at SMM that would allow young people, especially children, to participate fully in the mass. He began a "Folk Mass" marked by informal ceremonial and celebratory music. Every child participated by either playing an instrument or taking an active part in the liturgy. Years later, the Folk Mass evolved into a cutting-edge experience that partnered the best of contemporary world sacred music and liturgical creativity. The kids remain the centre of this mass, which has continued to develop into a celebratory and essentially joyful experience. The language of the mass follows the modern language liturgy in the same way as a typical 9.30 mass at SMM. However the liturgy takes place in the main part of the church (the nave) and usually involves extra instruments and creative ceremonial. Just before the priest begins the prayers to consecrate the bread and wine, the congregation is invited to circle around the altar where they remain until the end of the mass.
Solemn Evensong & Benediction
Several times a year we return to the church on Sunday afternoon to worship again. Evensong is one of the two prayer offices of the Anglican Church. It is an opportunity to offer pure worship to God and to express our love for God's many blessings. The liturgy has two parts. In the first - Evensong or "Evening Prayer"- is sung, psalms are chanted by the ritual choir and congregation, lessons from the Scriptures are read. Then, the Sacred Ministers (the priest presiding at the liturgy, an assisting priest or deacon, and a representative of the laity) change vestments and immediately begin a form of worship known as Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The gathered congregation praise God and engage in meditation upon the Sacrament and they are then blessed with the Blessed Sacrament, which is Christ's sacramental presence in our midst. This liturgy lasts approximately one hour.
Tenebrae (Wednesday, Thursday & Friday of Holy Week)
One of the signature liturgies of the parish, Tenebrae (the Latin word meaning "darkness") is a service of light and lessons in which the gathered congregation journeys into the darkness of Christ's death. The Tenebrae liturgy at SMM was introduced in 1923 by Fr Hiscocks and Healey Willan. Willan's music creates a sombre and hauntingly beautiful cry to God for deliverance. As the liturgy moves forward, the lights in the church are gradually extinguished until only a single candle (representing our Lord) remains. "Towards the end of the service the candle is hidden typifying the apparent victory of the forces of evil. At the very end, a loud noise is made symbolizing the earthquake at the time of the resurrection (Matthew 28:2); the hidden candle is restored to its place and by its light all depart in silence" (Book of Occasional Offices).
Stations of the Cross (in Lent)
This ancient practice consists of a series of meditations and prayers based on the last moments of Jesus's life. A series of large plaques around the church tell the story in a series of "stations." Each station gives an opportunity for the worshipper to think about a particular incident in the Passion (death and resurrection) of Christ. In Lent we meditate on these stations as a group, going from one to another in sequence. This ancient form of meditation also includes ancient hymns and prayers.
Stations of the Cross for Children (on Good Friday)
This form of the ancient liturgical drama described above is adapted for the spiritual nourishment of children. The events of Jesus' last hours are described using story and image in a way that makes them accessible and edifying for all ages.