The Bishop’s Visit
The Nativity of St John the Baptist is one of my favourite Feasts. Even before moving to Montreal, I would make a pilgrimage to attend the High Mass here. I have been coming every year since I graduated from University in 2010 – this year by the skin of my teeth, as the metro ground to a halt without explanation while I was en route! I made it to my seat just in time for the opening hymn.
The vigil of the Feast is the date when I arrived to settle permanently in Montreal in 2013, a week after the birth of my niece. I went to my first Fête Nationale barbecue straight off the train, and of course Mass in the morning. I remember fondly how Sheila Garner put me to work putting hot dogs into buns as if I were an old hand of the parish. It was, to me, a meaningful gesture underscoring that I was immediately and fully a part of the parish and its ministry.
While we always observe la Saint-Jean with due solemnity (even if I pine for a solemn Te Deum and outdoor procession as in days of old), this year it was particularly special – and even more so for three individuals who played a major role in making the following weekend’s Jazz Mass happen. We were honoured to have Bishop Mary with celebrating the Solemn Pontifical Mass. Zoë Stonyk, to whom we owe the gorgeous cover of the Jazz Mass leaflets, was baptized and along with Janet Best, confirmed. Janet diligently documented the Jazz Mass on video with a multi-camera setup, ensuring that we will have both a promotional trailer and a full-length film of the entire service for posterity.
For all of this, the day was a bittersweet one, for we were also saying farewell to Fr. Alain, who got the Jazz Mass organised. This was especially poignant for me: Alain and I, along with Mtr. Wendy, were divinity classmates at the University of Trinity College together. As our Associate Priest, he oversaw the transition of the 'Bread for Body and Soul' congregation – which I first took part in as a stagiaire at St. James the Apostle, and continued to attend there after returning permanently to Montreal – to St John’s.
The Bishop led us is in commissioning Alain for his new ministry as a chaplain at BFC Valcartier outside Quebec City, where he is serving in the Regular Forces after his time as a reservist and Padre with our neighbours at The Black Watch (it always tickled me that an historically Scotch Presbyterian regiment should be ministered to by a francophone Anglo-Catholic priest!). In a moving conclusion, all present were invited to join the Bishop and lay hands in prayer upon Alain.
The reception which followed doubled as the 'soft launch' for Martine Fourcand’s The Spirit of Jazz in Living Colour exhibit, curated by Dr. Norman Cornett, whom we have lured away from St. James United since he preached at last year’s first Jazz Mass. Mme. Fourcand’s vibrant paintings were an ideal complement to our jazz celebrations. The exhibit continued through most of July. Along with Dr. Cornett’s dialogic education workshops, it made for a greatly expanded mini-season of Jazz Festivities running parallel to the Festival on our doorstep.