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At the beginning of March, we attended a most unusual ceremony: the Awakening and Blessing of a Church Organ. Though it was a new experience for many of us who attended, the ritual is actually linked to a Vatican II document—from the Constitution on the Holy Liturgy, Article 12. It was such a delightful experience that I would like to share some of the highlights with you.
It all began three years ago, in 2016, when a local church, Ste. Agnès, had to be closed—always a sad event. The building, however, was not sold until recently.
During that time, in 2016, the organ in another local church, Notre Dame du Sacré-Coeur (Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church), “died.” That church had been without an organ since then.
When the church of Sainte Agnès was sold, the organ from there was removed and installed in the church of Notre Dame du Sacre-Coeur.
You could say that the organ had been “asleep” for three years and needed to be awakened.
On March 3 of this year, that is exactly what happened—figuratively speaking, of course! The ceremony began with someone giving the history of the organs that had served in this particular church, leading up to the acquisition of this organ (a Guilbaut-Thérien, Opus 16, built in 1981, for those who might be interested!).
Archbishop Denis Grondin led the ceremony. He made a formal presentation of the keys for the organ to the two organists who will regularly play the instrument during church services. After a short homily on sacred music, he went upstairs to the choir loft to bless the organ with holy water and incense.
Then Bishop Denis went downstairs and stood in the middle of the church and spoke to the organ as if it were a person. There was a sort of dialogue between the bishop and the organ. After each of the bishop’s eight invocations, which summoned it to a particular liturgical ministry, the organ responded with an appropriate piece of music. It was quite delightful!
At first, the organ “groaned” with a piece of modern music and gradually “warmed its voice” before responding to each call. (I had the thrill of singing with the choir, just in front of the organ, so got the full effect of its power and beauty.)
Here is the text of the “Awakening”:
“Wake up, organ, sacred instrument! Speak and sound the praises of God our Creator and our Father!” (The organ responded each time with a short piece of music.)
“Organ, sacred instrument, celebrate Jesus, our Lord, who died and rose for us!”
“Organ, sacred instrument, sing to the Holy Spirit, who animates our life with the breath of God!”
“Organ, sacred instrument, lift our hymns and our supplications to Mary, the Mother of God!
“Organ, sacred instrument, lead the assembly of the faithful in thanksgiving to Christ!”
“Organ, sacred instrument, bring the consolation of the faith to those who are in pain!”
“Organ, sacred instrument, support the prayer of Christians and accompany the prayer of little ones!
“Organ, sacred instrument, proclaim the glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!”
After the last one, there was a rousing rendition of a hymn that we all know, “Nous chanterons pour toi, Seigneur” to which we all, choir and assembly, sang our hearts out.
As the organ “woke up,” it received its vocation to wake us up, for something in us is awakened by the beauty of sacred music. In an age when our faith is often challenged, this music can awaken us to hope. And it invites us in turn to proclaim God’s glory.
