Today is the Minor Feast Day of Saint Ambrose, Doctor and Poet, Bishop of Milan, 397 AD.
He, along with Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great, are considered the first Four Doctors (teachers) of the Latin Church.
Ambrose is the patron saint of Milan, beekeepers 🐝, and candlemakers 🕯. He also converted and baptized Saint Augustine of Hippo (I always remember that because of the Simpson episode: https://youtu.be/HLv2FCGhPPw )
Collect (of a Doctor of the Church, Poet, or Scholar): O God, who by thy Holy Spirit hast given unto one man a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, and to another the gift of tongues: We praise thy Name for the gifts of grace manifested in thy servant Ambrose, and we pray that thy Church may never be destitute of the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today is the minor feast of Benedict, Abbot of Monte Cassino, Italy, (c. 540) and Thomas Cranmer, Translator and Reviser of the Liturgy, Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyr (1556)
Collect of the Day (modified from the Book of Common Worship): O Gracious God, who made thy servant Benedict a wise master in the school of thy service and a guide to many called into community to follow the rule of Christ: grant that we may put thy love before all else and seek with joy the way of thy commandments; and who through the work of thy servant Thomas Cranmer renewed the worship of thy Church and through his death revealed thy strength in human weakness: by thy grace strengthen us to worship you in spirit and in truth and so to come to the joys of your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Advocate, who sitteth in glory with the Father, and in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
☘️ Happy Feast of St. Patrick, Missionary and Bishop, 461 A.D. ☘️
Collect of the Day (from the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer, 2004): O Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, that he might bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee; Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
St Patrick
St. Patrick is often credited for explaining the Holy Trinity using a shamrock as an analogy, but even his analogy has issues.
For those not familiar with the Holy Trinity, it is the theological concept where there is one God, but exist as three distinct persons comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This concept is fundamental in mainstream Christian denominations.
Explaining the Holy Trinity is not easy and has caused many heretical analogies. One famous heresy of the Holy Trinity is Arianism, the idea that the Son and Holy Ghost created from the Father and thus not co-equal and co-eternal. St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (yup, Ol’ St. Nick from Christmas 🎅🏻) alleged slapped Arius in the face to the shock of the other attending bishops at the Council of Nicea in 325AD when Arius was explaining his heresy.
I choose to not try to understand the Holy Trinity, but accept it as something not understandable by us mere mortals. Any explanation on our plane of existence is and will always be flawed.
Usually, I post this video on Trinity Sunday, but since it references St. Patrick, I think it is also appropriate for today.
These are the Anglican Church of Canada churches I have visited.
Last updated: 26 Sep 22
Diocese of Montreal:
Church of Saint John the Evangelist(the Red Roof), Montreal BCP Sung Communion (Solemn High Mass) Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2018, 2022 Website: http://www.redroof.ca/ The bells and smells church of Montreal. I enjoy the liturgy but the music could use some improvement. The rector’s sermons are always short, which I enjoy. A rather small congregation but the pastoral staff are very friendly.
Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal BAS Sung Communion, BAS Evening Prayer, Choral Evensong Low Church Year of visit: 2018 Website: https://www.montrealcathedral.ca/ I did not enjoy the liturgy of their sung communion but I did enjoy their Sunday Evensongs. They hold most services bilingually (i.e. the Epistle might be in English then the Gospel in French), it’s a bit odd, but it is the reality/requirement in Montreal.
St. George’s Church, Montreal BAS Sung Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2018 Website: https://www.st-georges.org/ Beautiful church. I felt the rector at the time was higher than the church wanted, but was a good balance.
St. Barnabas Church, St-Lambert BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: 2018 Website: https://st-barnabaschurch.com/ Very family oriented church. The liturgy is a bit too low for my tastes, but very nice people.
Diocese of Toronto:
St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto BAS Said Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2018 Website: https://stjamescathedral.ca/ Only attended a said communion in their chapel, nothing significant to note.
St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Toronto BCP Low Mass, BCP Sung Mass Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: Jul 2022 Website: https://stbartstoronto.ca The “highest” Anglo-Catholic church in Toronto. Their BCP Low Mass has inspirations from various missals including Sarum, and somewhat hard to follow if not familiar with the liturgy. Their Sung Mass is easier to follow and was beautiful.
St. Thomas’s Church, Toronto BCP Evening Prayer Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: Jul 2022 Website: https://www.stthomas.on.ca A typical weekday said BCP Evening Prayer service.
Diocese of Ottawa:
Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa Choral Evensong (which they call “Sunday at a Twilight”) Broad church Year of visit: Jan 2020 Website: https://www.ottawacathedral.ca/ The cathedral of the Diocese of Ottawa. Decent Choral Evensong service. No one stood/bowed for the Gloria Patri (unless we were already standing). There were two oddities that occurred, the psalms sung by the choir was not using the Psalter as found in the Book of Common Prayer (though the bulletin referred to the pages in the BCP) and when the priest said, “the Lord be with you,” the congregation’s response was “and also with you.” I was the only person who said “and with thy spirit.” I found it odd since Choral Evensong followed the BCP rubric, so I assumed they would use the phraseology found in the BCP. The church is nice, nothing to write home about but it is also the Cathedral of the Canadian Forces Anglican Military Ordinariate.
St. Barnabas Church, Ottawa BAS (Traditional Language) Sung Communion (Solemn High Mass), BCP Low Mass, BCP Morning Prayer Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2018, 2020 Website: https://www.stbarnabasottawa.com/ The bells and smells church of Ottawa. Very Anglo-Catholic, the church is decorated in the Byzantine style. They would say the Angelus at the end of worship. Very friendly people. The rector recognized me when I went back for a second time. I enjoyed this church very much.
Diocese of Niagara
Christ’s Church Cathedral, Hamilton BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: Jun 2022 Website: https://cathedralhamilton.ca An outdoor worship service due to COVID-19, no choir (music was provided by a keyboard), and the service was typical of a low BAS service.
St. Luke’s Church, Hamilton “Evensong” Originally Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: Jun 2022 Website: N/A Officially closed down due to declining numbers, but the church was used for some alternative/modern “Evensongs” led by a postulant (“Evensong” in in quotations because it is not evensong in the traditional Anglican tradition, it was a chanting of psalms and prayers lit by a single candle.
Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island:
Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, NS BAS/BCP Said Communion, BAS Sung Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2018-present Website: https://cathedralchurchofallsaints.com/ A large neo-Gothic church that has a lot of potential to be a high church, but the clergy has chosen to keep it broad.
St. Peter’s Cathedral, Charlottetown, PEI BCP Sung Communion Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2018, Sep 2020 Website: http://www.stpeter.org/StPetersCathedral/index.html I attended in the summer of 2018, so there was no usage of incense, but it was a BCP service. People are nice and a decent sized congregation. All Souls Chapel is an historic and ornately decorated chapel next to the Cathedral. I attended another sung communion in the Aug 2020. It was a sung communion but because of COVID, we could only sing if we wore masks. Incense was used but attendance was low due to concerns over COVID.
St. George’s (Round) Church, Halifax, NS BCP Morning Prayer, BCP Said Communion, BCP Sung Communion, BCP Evening Prayer, BCP Compline Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2018-2019 Website: https://www.roundchurch.ca/ A BCP only church, healthy congregation, very good choir, daily offices (morning and evening prayer) conducted every day. They will hold said communions for all red letter days. They have a “chapel” located down the road, the Old Dutch Church, which is the oldest building in Halifax. They are “BCP rigid,” i.e. follow the BCP exactly (the Gloria is always at the end of communion). The use of incense is restricted to the altar as the congregation finds it irritates them. Their coffee hour is widely attended, and they actually serve sherry.
Chapel of the University of King’s College, Halifax, NS BCP Said Communion, BCP Sung Communion, BCP Evening Prayer Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2018-2019 Website: http://www.kingschapel.ca/ Mostly attended by students and faculty of King’s. This is the highest Anglo-Catholic church in Halifax. BCP exclusive, holds daily offices regularly (run by the students). Their choir is run by Grammy Award winner Paul Halley. They try to revive certain medieval traditions such as the placement of the Gloria and Lord’s Prayer (and as much Latin as they can fit in), and a lot of the congregation don’t wear shoes if at the altar or going up to the altar for communion (adopted from some Coptic Christian traditions). Their Thursday night Sung Communion is their signature service.
St. Paul’s Church, Halifax, NS BCP Said Communion, BAS/BCP Sung Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2018-2021 Website: http://www.stpaulshalifax.org/ The church alternates between BCP and BAS Sung Communion on Sundays. Located in the heart of downtown Halifax, it is the second oldest church/building in Halifax).
St. Mark’s Church, Halifax, NS BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: 2019 Website: https://stmarkshalifax.ca/ A church located across from Stadacona and a historical residential area of Halifax’s north end. Sadly, this is not a healthy congregation with dwindling numbers. The people are very nice and I had an enjoyable coffee hour.
Anglican Church of the Apostles, Halifax, NS BCP Said Communion, BCP Sung Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2020-2021 Website: https://apostleshalifax.net/ Attended this church for Christmas Day and a Christmastide worship during COVIDtide. Attendance was low, but because people were still not comfortable returning to in-person church services.
St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Church, Halifax, NS BCP Said Communion Year of visit: 2021 Website: https://www.stmargaretofscotland.ca/ Located in the north end of Halifax, this post-modern style church is not the most pleasing to the eye at first glance. Attendance was low (4 congregants, plus priest and lay reader) since it was the 08:30 BCP service and Nova Scotia was still in COVID restrictions.
Christ Church, Dartmouth, NS BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: 2019 Website: https://www.christchurchdartmouth.com/ A very family friendly church in Dartmouth. A healthy congregation.
St. Peter’s Church, Hackett’s Cove (St. Peter’s), NS BCW Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: 2019 Website: https://www.parishofstpeters.ca/ This is a three point parish that includes St. John’s Church, Peggy’s Cove. The rector is very evangelical and the parish uses different rites regularly including BAS, CoE and NZ Rites.
St. John’s Church, Peggy’s Cove (St. Peter’s), NS Visit only Year of visit: 2019 Website: https://www.parishofstpeters.ca/ A beautiful rural church with murals depicting the sea, fishermen, and Jesus. A lot of history in the church, especially with the Swiss Air disaster.
St. John’s Church, Port Williams (Cornwallis), NS BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: 2019 Website: http://parishofcornwallis.org/ A very rural church, part of a three point parish. The rector showed up, did service, and everyone went for lunch (no coffee hour).
Holy Trinity Church, Yarmouth, NS BAS Morning Prayer Low Church Year of visit 2019 Website: http://www.holytrinityyarmouth.ca/ The priest-in-charge was away, so they only did morning prayer when I was there on Sunday. The people are very nice at the parish, but numbers are low.
St. George’s Church, Sydney (Parish of the Resurrection), NS Visit only Year of visit: 2019 Website: http://www.parishoftheresurrection.com/ The oldest Anglican church in Cape Breton.
St. James’ Church, Herring Cove (Falkland), NS BCP Sung Communion, BAS Evening Prayer Broad Church Year of visit: 2019, 2021 Website: https://www.facebook.com/St.JamesHerringCove/ The Associate Parish of the Cathedral of All Saints. Very quaint and small church in the community of Herring Cove. It still has a sign that says Church of England above the main door because the parishioners refuse to have it changed to the Anglican Church of Canada and they take pride in it. The priest celebrates facing the altar. They used the BCP for their liturgy, RCL for the readings, and the old Book of Common Praise and Mission Praise as their hymn books. // 2021 update: St James has started to integrate BAS into their regular worship. I attended an evening prayer service thinking it would be BCP, but it turned out to be BAS, it was rather awkward as I had never done a BAS evening prayer and the liturgy is very different from BCP liturgy.
St. Augustine’s Church, Jollimore, NS BCP Sung Communion Broad Church Year of visit: 2019 Website: https://www.facebook.com/St-Augustine-Jollimore-Nova-Scotia-101271965432892/ A church located in the Halifax sub-urban community of Jollimore. The exterior of the church is nothing to write home about, but the stained glass windows are marvelous. The interior décor of the church is of a modern design (nothing about it stands out as Anglican). The congregation was small, but very warm and welcoming. They used BCP for liturgy (but with RCL readings) and the old Book of Common Praise as their hymnal.
St. John’s Church, St. Eleanor (Summerside), PEI BAS Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: Sep 2020 Website: https://www.stmaryandstjohn.com/st-johns-st-eleanors A small parish church in the community of St. Eleanor, now Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Beautiful stained glass windows. It was my first time seeing a Lychgate at a church. Worship was abnormal due to COVID-19, it was a sung communion, but the guitarist was the only one who sung. Wonderfully friendly people.
Trinity Anglican Church, Halifax, NS BCP Sung Communion Low Church Year of visit: Sep 2022 Website: https://trinitychurchhalifax.ca A church located in the suburbs of Clayton Park, nice ornate wood at the chancel, but the rest of the church was painted drywall and one could follow along the service using the projector/screen. The priest was vested in choir dress and worshipped on the north side of the table and communion was administer by intinction (not sure if this was a result of COVID-19 or the standard practice of the parish).
Diocese of Fredericton:
Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton Visit only Year of visit: 2018 Website: https://cccath.ca/ Large church located in downtown Fredericton.
Diocese of Quebec:
Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Quebec Visit only Year of visit: 2018 Website: http://www.cathedral.ca/ Located in the heart of the upper Old City.
Diocese of British Columbia:
Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria BAS Sung Communion, Choral Evensong Broad Church Website: https://www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca/ Year of visit: 2022 The cathedral of the Diocese of British Columbia. Still uses a verger for all services. The Chapel of the New Jerusalem is interesting because it is behind the high altar and overlooks the rest of the cathedral.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Victoria BAS (Traditional Language) Sung Mass Anglo-Catholic Year of visit: 2022 Website: https://www.stbarnabaschurch.ca/ The only Anglo-Catholic parish in Victoria. East facing worship, traditional Anglo-Catholic style of worship (bells and smells). The church has a shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham.
Anglican Church of St. John the Divine, Victoria Choral Evensong Broad church Year of visit: 2022 Website: https://www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca/ Attended only Choral Evensong here, so not a great judge of churchmanship, but looking through their past bulletins, they’re not sticklers for traditional liturgy. Evensong was good, very different feel than that of evensong of Christ Church Cathedral.
Anglican Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Esquimalt (Victoria) BAS Sung Eucharist Low church Year of visit: 2022 Website: https://www.stpeterandpaul.ca/ An historic church that was relocated from the dockyard (it was formerly known as St. Paul’s Naval and Garrison Church). Not the finest of liturgies, nice people, and they seem to like the jazz hands and tambourine.
Today is the minor feast day of Saint Valentine, Bishop and Martyr, of the early Christian church. Tradition has it that he was executed on this day (think about that you lovers, blood is on your hands).
Whether you are in love, loved, lost love, or searching for love, remember that you are always loved by God, and as Whitney Houston sang, He will always love you!
Collect: O God, who didst bestow upon thy Saints such marvellous virtue, that they were able to stand fast, and have the victory against the world, the flesh, and the devil: Grant that we, who now commemorate thy Martyr Valentine, may ever rejoice in their fellowship, and also be enabled by thy grace to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold upon eternal life; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
🕯Today is Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
🎄The 40 days of Christmas is over.
In the past, I would have taken my candles to church to have them blessed for the coming year, but the cathedral has not resumed in person worship yet. #COVIDtide
My favourite canticle, the Nunc Dimittis or the Song of Simeon (often called “The Nunc” by me), said/sung at Evening Prayer. According to Luke 2:25-32, Simeon was a devout Jew who had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the presentation and purification of Mary, Simeon was there, and he took Jesus into his arms, fulfilling God’s promise.
Collect of the Day: Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
🕯🕯🕯O Lord Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, presented at the Temple on this day, bring forth the light to end the perilous darkness of night in our lives, so thy love can shine by these candles before us, and mercifully grant, that our hearts may be purified by the brightness of the Holy Ghost. Through, Jesus Christ, the Son, who with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon): Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, / according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, / Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, / and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, / world without end. Amen.
Groundhog Day also occurs on the same day as Candlemas
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 119, Pts 3 & 4
1st Lesson: Amos 7
2nd Lesson: John 7. 53 – 8. 11
Collect: O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect from the Sarum Missal: O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot stand upright, grant to us such health of mind and body, that by thy aid we may overcome those things which we suffer for our sins. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect for Charles the Martyr: O Lord we offer unto thee all praise and thanks for the glory of Thy grace that shined forth in Thine anointed servant Charles; and we beseech Thee to give us all grace that by a careful studious imitation of this Thy blessed Saint and Martyr, that we may be made worthy to receive benefit by his prayers, which he, in communion with the Church Catholic, offers up unto Thee for that part of it here Militant, through thy Son, our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese.
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 95, 97
1st Lesson: Amos 5. 6-24
2nd Lesson: John 6. 41-end
Collect (being also the same as the Collect from the Sarum Missal): Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese.
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 27
1st Lesson: Amos 3
2nd Lesson: John 6. 22-40
Collect (being also the same as the Collect from the Sarum Missal): Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Continuing with “Church at Home” since in-person services continue to suspended within the Diocese (but only in Nova Scotia) .
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
Psalms: 66
1st Lesson: Isaiah 42. 1-12
2nd Lesson: John 4. 1-26 (27-42)
Collect: O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Epiphany Collect: O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles: Mercifully grant, that we, who know thee now by faith, may be led onward through this earthly life, until we see the vision of thy heavenly glory; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer in times of plague or sickness: O Almighty God, who in thy wrath didst send a plague upon thine own people in the wildernes for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and also in the time of King David, didst slay with the plague of pestilence threescore and ten thousand, and yet remembering thy mercy didst save the rest: have pitie upon us miserable sinners, who now are visited with great sickness and mortality, that like as thou didst then accept of an atonement, and didst command the destroying Angel to cease from punishing: so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
High Anglican Haligonian 