Letters: The ban on public worship has enabled more of us to experience spiritual riches

Divine works

Sir: Luke Coppen writes that livestreamed services ‘lack the vital communal dimension of worship’ and ‘are, at times, excruciatingly dull’ (‘Risen again’, 11 April). I would beg to differ. Catholics, at least, have had the rare opportunity to tune in to some beautifully sung Latin Masses in the Extraordinary Form which they would otherwise struggle to attend. As a Hampshire resident, for example, I have greatly appreciated the Birmingham Oratory’s livestreams. When celebrated well, these Masses are divine works of art in themselves, but are also highly prayer-focused and God-centred, with the celebrant facing the same way as the congregation — towards the altar. If anything, this pandemic has exposed the overreliance of the Ordinary Form, ubiquitous since 1969, on communal worship and interaction with the parish priest — neither of which can occur in a video of the celebrant looking out at empty pews. I hope the ban on public worship has at least enabled more Catholics to experience the spiritual riches of this age-old, yet evergreen, Mass.
Paul Nizinskyj
Alton, Hants

Uncritical Mass

Sir: Luke Coppen comments that many Catholics are aggrieved with our bishops prohibiting public liturgies and that live-streamed services are proving a poor substitute. The close to 400 parishioners from Welwyn Garden City who listen to Father Norbert every Sunday at 10 a.m. would disagree.
John McAndrew
Welwyn

A defence of Radio 3

Sir: Michael Tanner’s philippic against Radio 3 annoyed me (The Heckler, 11 April). I am also a long-established classical music listener, and performer. Yes R3 is changing, but then everything is changing in the arts, as technology opens wider ranges of music. Tanner is clearly a late riser, as splendid Petroc Trelawney comes in for neither praise nor blame. There is lightness of humour combined with erudition and an opening up to listener responses.