The Thirtieth Anniversary of the Ordination of Fr. Richard Cipolla

At St. Mary’s Norwalk…

The music, directed by Mr. David Hughes, included an improvisation on a theme of Mahler, the Missa in Illo Tempore by Claudio Monteverdi and two motets also by Monteverdi.

The reception afterwards – after a festive toast:

But th’ holy men of God such vessels are,
As serve him up, who all the world commands:
When God vouchsafeth to become our fare,
Their hands convey him, who conveys their hands.
O what pure things, most pure must those things be,
Who bring my God to me!

Wherefore I dare not, I, put forth my hand
To hold the Ark, although it seems to shake
Through th’old sinnes and new doctrines of our land
Onely, since God doth often vessels make
of lowly matter for high uses meet,
I throw me at his feet.

George Herbert