The Road to Bellahouston
The choir’s Bellahouston pilgrimage actually began several months ago in May, when it was finally confirmed that the Holy Father would be visiting Glasgow as part of his visit to the UK and would be celebrating mass at Bellahouston Park on September 16th.
We received our music workbooks in early July and began work in earnest almost immediately.
We spent around ten weeks in preparation, and were proud to host the local deanery rehearsals in the Eyre Hall and at St Mary’s, Abercromby Street, welcoming around 70 choristers at a time. We decided to hold sectional and specialist rehearsals which inspired confidence and created bonds within each of the sections. Throughout the ten weeks we were together, friendships formed and grew and an increasing sense of unity became evident as the big day grew ever closer.
Our final rehearsal was an uplifting and emotional day at Motherwell Cathedral on 11th September with the choir and musicians numbering around 800. We knew then that all the Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons spent patiently ploughing our way through Bruckner, Mozart and MacMillan had been worthwhile.
Then, on September 16th, at 9.30am on a breezy but beautiful morning at Cardonald College Car Park, choirs and musicians from all over Scotland and the north of England gathered to continue our pilgrimage on foot to Bellahouston Park.
The atmosphere both in the park and in the choir tent was one of excitement, anticipation, but also relaxation as we knew the hard work was behind us and all that remained for us was to enjoy the day.
There were a number of rehearsals, warm-ups and sound checks to be done throughout the day, interspersed with plenty of tea-breaks and opportunities to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the festivities in the park.
We had the chance to meet new people and catch up with old friends and share and swap stories of our own personal pilgrimages which had brought us to Bellahouston for this great occasion.
The position of the choir tent meant that we had limited visibility of the altar, but we were able to follow the proceedings closely on the large screens dotted around the marquee. However, our view from the tent was an awe inspiring vista of the park itself, with the massive cheering crowds and a sea of yellow and white flags fluttering and waving in the wind.
The Mass itself was very moving, with the music a perfect compliment to the liturgy and a true reflection of the best of our sacred music. The programme included traditional hymns and plainchant, contemporary mass parts and of course, celtic themes and canticles. The choir, graced and uplifted by the presence of the Holy Father sang prayerfully throughout.
When the mass came to its triumphant end, the atmosphere in the choir tent was one of exhilaration and celebration. Flags were being waved, everyone was cheering and waving and as Pope Benedict left the park we serenaded him with some traditional Scottish songs.
It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
And as darkness fell, and we weaved our way from the park, we knew we had participated in a very special pilgrimage. A pilgrimage we’d made together from those early rehearsals at St Mary’s, via the Eyre Hall and Motherwell Cathedral to the choir tent in Bellahouston park. Sometimes it was long and arduous, but it was always joyful and rewarding.
We thank the Lord for our time together and for the graces He gave us, the friends He brought to us and for a day that will live in our hearts forever. A day never to be forgotten.
Deo Gratias.
> Back to Music
The choir’s Bellahouston pilgrimage actually began several months ago in May, when it was finally confirmed that the Holy Father would be visiting Glasgow as part of his visit to the UK and would be celebrating mass at Bellahouston Park on September 16th.
We received our music workbooks in early July and began work in earnest almost immediately.
We spent around ten weeks in preparation, and were proud to host the local deanery rehearsals in the Eyre Hall and at St Mary’s, Abercromby Street, welcoming around 70 choristers at a time. We decided to hold sectional and specialist rehearsals which inspired confidence and created bonds within each of the sections. Throughout the ten weeks we were together, friendships formed and grew and an increasing sense of unity became evident as the big day grew ever closer.
Our final rehearsal was an uplifting and emotional day at Motherwell Cathedral on 11th September with the choir and musicians numbering around 800. We knew then that all the Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons spent patiently ploughing our way through Bruckner, Mozart and MacMillan had been worthwhile.
Then, on September 16th, at 9.30am on a breezy but beautiful morning at Cardonald College Car Park, choirs and musicians from all over Scotland and the north of England gathered to continue our pilgrimage on foot to Bellahouston Park.
The atmosphere both in the park and in the choir tent was one of excitement, anticipation, but also relaxation as we knew the hard work was behind us and all that remained for us was to enjoy the day.
There were a number of rehearsals, warm-ups and sound checks to be done throughout the day, interspersed with plenty of tea-breaks and opportunities to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the festivities in the park.
We had the chance to meet new people and catch up with old friends and share and swap stories of our own personal pilgrimages which had brought us to Bellahouston for this great occasion.
The position of the choir tent meant that we had limited visibility of the altar, but we were able to follow the proceedings closely on the large screens dotted around the marquee. However, our view from the tent was an awe inspiring vista of the park itself, with the massive cheering crowds and a sea of yellow and white flags fluttering and waving in the wind.
The Mass itself was very moving, with the music a perfect compliment to the liturgy and a true reflection of the best of our sacred music. The programme included traditional hymns and plainchant, contemporary mass parts and of course, celtic themes and canticles. The choir, graced and uplifted by the presence of the Holy Father sang prayerfully throughout.
When the mass came to its triumphant end, the atmosphere in the choir tent was one of exhilaration and celebration. Flags were being waved, everyone was cheering and waving and as Pope Benedict left the park we serenaded him with some traditional Scottish songs.
It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
And as darkness fell, and we weaved our way from the park, we knew we had participated in a very special pilgrimage. A pilgrimage we’d made together from those early rehearsals at St Mary’s, via the Eyre Hall and Motherwell Cathedral to the choir tent in Bellahouston park. Sometimes it was long and arduous, but it was always joyful and rewarding.
We thank the Lord for our time together and for the graces He gave us, the friends He brought to us and for a day that will live in our hearts forever. A day never to be forgotten.
Deo Gratias.
> Back to Music
