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On Passion Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 7:30pm at St Anthony’s Church in Calgary, the candlelit St John Choir Schola Tenebrae service followed our salvation narrative through crucial moments in Scripture, culminating in the betrayal and Passion of Christ. Together with the beautifully stirring music of the SJCS choirs, the sequence of short readings drew us deeply into a meditation upon the unfathomable mercy and love of God.
Marked by solemnity and stillness, the SJCS Tenebrae retains many of the traditional elements dating back to the 9th century: the gradual extinguishing of candles (representing the abandonment of Christ by his disciples) and the gathering dusk; the last candle, the Christ candle, being ‘entombed’ by being removed from sight, leaving the church in dark silence; and the abrupt noise called the strepitus, intended to evoke the convulsion of the earth at the moment of Christ's death, and the rolling of the stone across the entrance to his grave.
Into that stillness, when darkness appears to have overcome the Light, the Christ candle returned. Christ the Redeemer tramples death by death.
All departed in silence.
Marked by solemnity and stillness, the SJCS Tenebrae retains many of the traditional elements dating back to the 9th century: the gradual extinguishing of candles (representing the abandonment of Christ by his disciples) and the gathering dusk; the last candle, the Christ candle, being ‘entombed’ by being removed from sight, leaving the church in dark silence; and the abrupt noise called the strepitus, intended to evoke the convulsion of the earth at the moment of Christ's death, and the rolling of the stone across the entrance to his grave.
Into that stillness, when darkness appears to have overcome the Light, the Christ candle returned. Christ the Redeemer tramples death by death.
All departed in silence.
LINK TO Recording of 2023 NINE LESSONS & CAROLS
Here is our listing of ALL SJCS events:
Sept 6th |
First Friday Mass & Staff Oath of Fidelity @ Assumption ALL WELCOME! |
Sept 14th |
Family Welcome Back BBQ on campus |
Oct 1st Oct 4th |
Trinity Western University on campus@ noon- Students encouraged to attend First Friday Mass - ALL WELCOME! |
Oct 21st |
SJCS AGM @ 7:00pm - Room 1 |
Oct 30th |
Poetry Slam Qualification Round in auditorium - ALL WELCOME! |
Nov 1st |
First Friday Mass @ noon - St Peter's Church - ALL WELCOME! |
Nov 3rd |
SMALL Senior Choir sings at Sunday Mass @ St Luke's |
Nov 4th |
La Salle Lecture Series: Douglas Mansfield @ 7pm in Room 1 |
Nov 8th |
Poetry Slam 1:30pm in auditorium - LIVE STREAMED |
Dec 4th |
Little Lambs Showcase @ 2:45pm in the auditorium |
Dec 6th |
First Friday Mass @ noon - St Mary's Cathedral ALL WELCOME! |
Dec 15th |
Nine Lessons & Carols @ 7:30pm - St Mary's Cathedral - ALL WELCOME! |
Jan 3rd |
First Friday Mass @ BVCC- ALL WELCOME! |
Jan 27th |
La Salle Lecture Series: Demond Sanesh @ 7pm in Room 1 |
Feb 2nd |
Senior Choir sings at 11am Mass - St Bonaventure (optional) |
Feb 7th |
First Friday Mass - ALL WELCOME! |
Feb 8th |
Family Winter Dance @ 5:30pm in the gym |
Mar 7th |
First Friday Mass @ Our Lady of the Assumption - ALL WELCOME! |
Apr 4th |
First Friday Mass @ 3pm @ St Anthony's - ALL WELCOME! |
Apr 13th |
Tenebrae - Lenten Lessons & Hymns @ 7:30pm - St Anthony's - ALL WELCOME! |
Apr 25th |
Voices in Hope: St Michael's Choir School & SJCS in Concert @ 7pm - Knox United |
May 2nd |
First Friday Mass @ noon - Our Lady of the Rockies Canmore - ALL WELCOME! |
May 3rd |
Graduation Banquet @ 5:30pm - St Stephen's Ukrainian Church |
May 7th |
Little Lambs Showcase @ 2:45pm in the auditorium |
May 21st |
Awards Ceremony & Graduation Convocation 3pm auditorium – LIVE-STREAMED |
May 26th |
Year-end Performance @ 6:30pm in the auditorium - ALL WELCOME! |
