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Views from the Choir Loft

Trappist Monks in Hong Kong Chanting

Andrew Leung · January 17, 2019

HE TRAPPIST MONKS (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance) have been in Hong Kong since 1950, they fled from the Communist China and built the current Our Lady of Joy Abbey on the distant Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Like the other monks, they lived a simple cloistered monastic life and they prayed the Divine Office seven times a day.


OWADAYS, there are 17 monks at the monastery and they mainly sing the Liturgy of the Hours to simple chant tones in Mandarin. Recently, I was invited to share about Gregorian chant with them, especially with the younger monks. They told me that they are very interested in rediscovering their heritage, and thus singing the more complex Gregorian chant. Here is what we have learned after the first few sessions.


N THE PAST, I have also helped the monks at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia, to start a schola formed by monks who are passionate in singing ancient chants. We had weekly rehearsals and individual singing lessons, and I would go to their Sunday Vespers and Benediction every week because the monastery is only 10-minutes-away from the parish I worked at. It was a very memorable experience and I am filled with joy as God leads me to another Trappist monastery, even though these monks really knows how to distant themselves from the outside world (I now have to travel 2 hours by train and ferry to get to this monastery).

CTL Trappist Monks in Hong Kong 6 CTL Trappist Monks in Hong Kong 2 CTL Trappist Monks in Hong Kong 3
Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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[on Latin] “No change in Mass: people have missals and can read. More vernacular can be useful in the Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Extreme Unction, Matrimony.”

— Cardinal Spellman (one of the Vatican II fathers)

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