Heavens.. and hell

I don't know how these monks do it! I've been roped in to sing at the new Bishop's installation next week and got the last of the music yesterday - second rehearsal tonight (I missed the first one I was away) so am having to learn several new tunes including parts of the Missa de Angelis. Old Catholics (at least, older than me) will remember this apparently - it's Gregorian Chant and used to be sung at Sunday masses when they were in Latin. Of course I was in primary school in the 70s, after they abolished that so I'm having not only to get my head round the words (I did Latin at school but Church Latin pronunciation is completely different), the music but even how the music is written! no proper notes like I'm used to - weird wee squares instead, vaguly indicating if the tune goes up or down and apparently if they're all on top of each other it means you start at the lowest note and work your way up - and a dot means you double the length of the note...

sigh. I've had to go onto You Tube and get clips of it being sung which has helped a lot. Kyrie & Veni Creator Spiritus learned, still got Sanctus and Agnus Dei to go plus Haydn & Vaughan Williams..

Mind you, once you get your head round it the rythms and undulations are very soothing. Perhaps it should be played over loudspeakers in the streets of London & elsewhere to try and stop the madness that has taken hold of those kids.. I am afraid for the police and innocent people down there. I find it hard to comprehend that so many kids are so lacking in respect and decency that they would simply grab a chance to steal and burn as much as they can regardless of the consequences - I think they (if caught) should be made to rebuild what they have destroyed. Otherwise the cost will come out of the decent people's pockets, who haven't got anything left to give.

I wonder if it will ever get to the point where the majority come out onto the streets, not to fight but just to stand and face down the kids. There must be so many more law-abiding people than vandals, thieves and arsonists (the so-called rioters), would not sheer numbers work? The police can't do it all on their own. But we've all got used to handing that sort of thing over to the authorities and of course we're afraid of being hurt. The kids don't seem to be. But we must at some point stop standing on the sidelines and put our voices and ourselves up behind the police, the lawkeepers, and make those kids understand that we as a society will not accept this.

Update

Am attaching pics of all the priests etc at the Ordination (and a lot were Abbots and bishops, impressive!) and of the stained glass at the back of the choir loft - lovely.