Friday 8th September 2017

As part of the nationwide Heritage Open Days, the St Marie’s Heritage Group were very proud to present “Our Favourite Hymns”. 41 Former parishioners and music lovers came together to sing, talk about their favourite hymns and share memories of St Marie’s Church and school.

The hymns chosen to be discussed and sung were:
I’ll Sing a Hymn to Mary
Faith of Our Fathers
O Bread of Heaven
Hail Glorious St Patrick
Bring Flowers of the Rarest
Causa Nostrae Laetitiae (Holiday Hymn)
Sweet Sacrament Divine
I Watch the Sunrise
Hail Queen of Heaven
Immaculate Mary

Our impromptu choir of attendees were backed in glorious fashion by Peter Finney who played the organ in St Marie’s for many years. He did a superb job.

On behalf of the St Marie’s Heritage Group, may I say how grateful we are to everyone who attended. We really hope you enjoyed the evening.

Here is the feedback we collected on the night:

Any Comments?

Was there anything you particularly liked?

– I loved the way it brought back happy memories
– I liked hearing about the history of the chosen hymns
– This is the first time I have been in St Marie’s since 1958. All was good.
– Enjoyed the background information introducing the hymns. Enjoyed the local anecdotes about the use of the hymns. As an “outsider” some of the references “passed me by” a little.
– Loved meeting people I hadn’t seen for a long time. Loved the hymns.
– Enjoyed the evening very much.
– Although not a St Marie’s Church goer, was made very welcome. Enjoyed the singing, but better if stood (even for a few). Beautiful building and very impressed with restoration but pity it is no longer used as a church.
– I loved everything. Beautiful hymns. Feeling of community and of course, the chance to be back in our beautiful St Marie’s Church.
– Enjoyed singing the hymns I remember from childhood. Would have liked to sing standing? To project voice, otherwise a memorable evening.
– I liked listening to people’s memories of various hymns.
– Loved the chance to sing these beautiful hymns
– A lovely evening
– A enjoyable evening. You could not have chosen better hymns.
– Good variety of hymns selected. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening and meeting people from St Marie’s. Brings back memories being at St M’s girls and was married at St M’s Nuptial Mass 1964.
– The choice of hymns was lovely – pity we didn’t have more time for others. The introduction of each hymn was very interesting and appropriate. A very enjoyable evening. Thank you.
– Chatting and reminiscing about school days
– Very friendly night
– All of it.
– Loved all the hymns. Brings back so many memories!!
– I enjoyed every hymn
– I did like the community singing but sadly I didn’t think our poor voices did justice to the beautiful hymns in such beautiful surroundings. It would have been lovely to have a choir to lead the singing.
– Good MC – Enthusiasm counts for a lot
– Memories of our family’s life in Newtown and St Marie’s Church was the heart of our community
– Singing of the hymns
– The friendliness of everyone.

Was there anything you particularly disliked?

– A microphone would be very useful.
– Again, problems with sound. Needs better publicity.
– Advertise more. I only heard by hearsay.

Any ideas for future Heritage Events at St Marie’s?

– More of the same. Please.
– I would like to invite some young people to listen to how life was for young people in St Marie’s many years ago and how different they feel school days are now.
– An evening of hymn or music based on the seasons (Easter, Lent, Christmas etc) with wider denominations contributions.
– Choir concert, music event
– Christmas Carol Event in December
– Christmas Carols
– Christmas Carols
– Christmas Carol Concert
– Christmas Carol Concert! Discussion groups to talk about their memories of church/school days.
– Christmas Carols
– Christmas Carols/Nativity Play
– Another Carol Concert – couldn’t make the last one. 
– Lots of hymns to go at. So another event of the same would go down very well.
– Christmas Carol Service
– Christmas Carols
– Christmas Carol Service
– A Christmas Carol Service.