150th Anniversary Celebratory Mass

Old girls and former staff returned to the Chapel at Mayfield School on 18th June to take part in a Mass of Thanksgiving for the anniversary of the first pupils joining Mayfield Convent community in 1872.

Schola alumnae came from as far afield as Italy, Guatemala and Saudi Arabia to sing with members of the current Schola Cantorum and of the Mayfield Festival Choir four pieces that had been written especially for the School over the past fifty years during the mass. Among these pieces was the premiere of a new work commissioned by the School and composed by Sir James MacMillan. It is a setting of Cornelia Connelly’s prayer, 'Let Us Love One Another.' Sir James joined the event by video link to speak to the singers and audience about his inspirations for the piece before the mass. He explained that he was attracted to Cornelia’s prayer because it summarised the essence of the Christian message.

Mass was offered by Fr Gabriel Everitt OSB of Ampleforth Abbey. 

After the mass, the attendees enjoyed in the rose-filled Sixth Form Centre garden, where friends from across the years and across the miles had a chance to catch up with each other. An album of photos from the day can be found on the Photos page of OC CONNECT.