In the penultimate (we love that word here at Lent Madness) matchup of the first round, it's Frances Joseph-Gaudet facing off against John Mason Neale. Six names, two saints, only one will emerge victorious and advance to the next round.
Yesterday Vida Dutton Scudder skated to an easy win over F.D. Maurice, 72% to 28%. She'll face Clare of Assisi in the Saintly Sixteen.
Stay tuned for a special "Tuesday Edition" of Monday Madness in which Tim and Scott wax eloquent(ish) on a variety of Lent Madness topics. It will be epic, as usual.
And finally, if you live in a Super Tuesday state, make your first and most important vote right here at Lent Madness, before heading out to those other polls.
Frances Joseph-Gaudet
Frances Joseph-Gaudet was born 1861 in Holmesville, Mississippi, during the American Civil War. Of Native American and African American parentage, she moved to New Orleans to pursue her education at Straight College. She breathed fire into every aspect of her calling: as an educator, single mother, social worker, principal, philanthropist, and Christian.
Joseph-Gaudet was a game changer in the world of African American prisoners and youth. She sought reform in the conditions and educational opportunities in prisons, and she brought clothes to the incarcerated. Joseph- Gaudet would often attend the juvenile courts, taking responsibility for youth offenders by bringing them into her home. Joseph-Gaudet wrapped these children and mothers in her love and care, giving them a chance at a better life.
When her home became too small for the number of individuals she brought home from the courts, she purchased a small farm that became the Gaudet Colored Normal and Industrial School. Joseph-Gaudet served as its principal until she donated it to the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana where it remained a school until the early 1950s. The building later reopened as the Gaudet Episcopal Home in 1954, as an African American children’s home. In 1966, it closed its doors permanently, but the proceeds from the sale of the land continues to fund scholarships for African American children pursuing higher education.
Joseph-Gaudet later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she died on December 30, 1934. The Episcopal Church added Joseph-Gaudet to the calendar of saints in 2006 for her work in bringing a voice to all people—black, white, old, and young—in the prisons of the South.
Collect for Frances Joseph-Gaudet
Merciful God, who raised up your servant Frances Joseph-Gaudet to work for prison reform and the education of her people: Grant that we, encouraged by the example of her life, may work for those who are denied the fullness of life by reasons of incarceration and lack of access to education; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale, the prince of hymn translators, was born in the shadow of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, to an evangelical family in 1818. Neale was deeply influenced by the Oxford Movement, which stressed the apostolic character of the Church of England and sought to put it back in touch with its historical roots. Neale’s imagination was sparked by the vision of a church in touch with the medieval past and alive with the beauty of ornament, architecture, and song.
Neale was ordained a deacon in 1841, but his bishop refused to grant Neale a position based on his theological positions. After finally being ordained a priest, Neale was eventually appointed warden of Sackville College, a home for the elderly poor, in 1846. Refurbishing the chapel from his personal funds, he installed open pews, a rood screen, and two candles and a cross for the altar.
The Bishop of Chichester, offended by this “spiritual haberdashery,” inhibited Neale from functioning as a priest. Stymied, Neale threw himself into translating and writing, while also founding the Sisterhood of Saint Margaret. There were multiple riots because of his theological and liturgical beliefs between 1848 and 1866. His inhibition was formally withdrawn in 1863. Three years later, Neale died from exhaustion at the age of forty-eight on August 6, 1866.
Neale believed deeply in imagination and beauty as pathways to the holy. He won the Setonian Prize for Poetry at Cambridge ten years in a row, and while other members of the Oxford Movement had drawn attention to the old Latin hymns, Neale translated them with a beauty and vigor unsurpassed. Furthermore, he was the first to look eastward and to translate hymns from the great store of Eastern Orthodox materials. Neale communicated his faith with doctrines for the mind, beauty for the senses, and songs for the heart.
Collect for John Mason Neale
Grant, O God, that in all time of our testing we may know your presence and obey your will; that, following the example of your servant John Mason Neale, we may with integrity and courage accomplish what you give us to do, and endure what you give us to bear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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218 comments on “Frances Joseph-Gaudet vs. John Mason Neale”
I was really torn between Francis Joseph-Guadet and John Mason Neale. I am a choir member and being a Margaret, I am drawn to John Mason Neale, but FJ Gaudet's faith in action got my vote in the end.
Tough choice. My parish is deeply involved in ministry to prisoners and is working for prison reform. And yet, we are beneficiaries of the liturgical reform brought by the Oxford Movement. In the end I voted for Neale - mostly because a small portion of my doctoral thesis is based on the liturgical renewal championed by the Oxford Movement. My vote is my thanks for their work.
Thanks for two worthy saints, previously unknown to me. They didn't follow the straight and narrow path, so they inspire us all to go where we are called....
As a singer John Mason Neale is very important, but I had to go for Frances with her heart for the people. Sad that we're still experiencing the problems of excessive incarceration among American minorities lo these many years later.
This is one Super Tuesday 'election' in which I will be happy whatever the outcome.
Despite Frances Joseph-Gaudet's wonderful work, I had to vote for John Mason Neale, who so greatly transformed and enriched Anglican worship with his thousands of translations from both Greek and Latin hymnody and his own compositions, brought color and life to church architecture and decoration, helped strengthen monastic life, produced volumes of Biblical commentary and compilations of the Fathers, and wrote children's books and was a parish priest besides, all in a short life troubled by poor health and "inhibition" by his dour bishop. And what would Holy Week and Easter be without his great hymn versions? "Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness!" Neale is one of the people I would love to meet in Jerusalem the golden.
Your favourite word might be 'penultimate' - but mine is 'anti penultimate' instroduced to me when I sang in a choir comprising almost entirely of wordsmiths.
As a long-time choir singer, and perhaps somewhat influenced by the fact that our Diocese is currently reading Presiding Bishop Curry's Book Songs my Grandma Sang, Ihave finally voted for John Mason Neale, for not only his wonderful contributions to the music of our church, but also for his fortitude in standing by his beliefs and principles. Partly also in honor of my dear late friend, John Neal, who was a staunch Episcopalian, and a loving and caring mentor for me in matters secular as well as spiritual.
I got France's vote. The reason why she won my vote is because she gave families who were not that fortunate, an opportunity. That's why she got my vote.
Sarah
I had to think about this one. The decision was tough but I voted for Neale. I knew he would probably lose because usually barrier breakers trump creativity and beauty. Joseph Gaudet is very worthy but my heart said Neale. Plus I think his collect was noteworthy.
In Louisiana, we pronounce her name Frances Goday (rhymes with Yoplait).
LENT MADNESS 160301
Neale's was a familiar name, but I couldn't quite place it. Having looked through the 1982 Hymnal for hymns to texts by him, I now realize that I've seen it countless times at the bottom of this or that page. Here's the list:
Father, we praise thee, now the night is over
O God, creation's secret force
O God of truth, O Lord of might
O Trinity of blessed light
Of the Father's love begotten
Good Christian friends, rejoice
Alleluia, song of gladness
When Christ's appearing was made known
O wondrous type! O vision fair
All glory, laud, and honor
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle
Thou hallowed chosen morn of praise
Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
The Lamb's high banquet called to share
O sons and daughters, let us sing (two versions, Easter Day and "Doubting Thomas")
The day of Resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad
Let us now our voices raise
Blessed feasts of blessed martyrs
The Word whom earth and sea and sky
Gabriel's message does away
The great forerunner of the morn
Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord
Christ is made the sure foundation
Blessed city, heavenly Salem
Light's abode, celestial Salem
O what their joy and their glory must be
Jerusalem the golden
O very God of very God
We each have our favorites; but that list holds ten of mine, to which I might add two others but for one infelicitous turn of phrase in each and a tune to match. (Oh, all right, they're "unmoistened foot," with its parade-ground march, and "glorious sheen" with its saccharine tune evoking the Church Asleep. Sorry if you love them.)
Of those twenty-eight texts all but two are translations of Latin texts dating back as many as 1600 years. In his painstaking work of translating Neale made accessible not just the texts but the deep spiritualities, so different from each other and from ours, that inform them. Without them our Anglican tradition would be immeasurably poorer. For good measure one of the original texts, "Good Christian friends, rejoice," not only gives us a rousing good sing but unites to our tradition a great carol tune that might otherwise, in the English-speaking world, have been relegated to the fringe constituencies of German scholars and aficionados of the macaronic.
I mean no offense, and trust I give none, to Frances Joseph-Gaudet and her inspired and inspiring life, in voting for one who gave his all to recover and preserve a wealth of tradition and beauty to sustain us on our spiritual journeys. Not (almost) to mention the gift of the Sisterhood of St. Margaret, which to receive its due would demand as many lines of text as have been already expended here.
Oops, sorry, forgot to delete the caption I used for the draft.
Frances Gaudet did amazing things, I wouldn't want to diminish that. But as a musician I resonate with Neale. Can one imagine a Christmas without "O Come, O Come, Emanuel" or "Good Christian Men, Rejoice!"?
Two minds with a single, simultaneous thought: I envy the brevity with which you've expressed it!
Frances Joseph-Gaudet reminds me of my grandmother. She gets my vote.
http://m.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/john-mason-neale-is-remembered-11630542.html
AS much as I was impressed by Joseph-Gaudet's contributions, I was left wanting to know more about Neale. This little piece fills in a few blanks.
The more I learn about Neale, the more I feel I've been duped into voting for Joseph-Gaudet. Seems the fix is in. I'm free on Saturday. Maybe we could do this over?
I'm from New Orleans so gotta vote for Frances. Need N.O. to be known for someone besides Mardi Gras!
Tough choices...why not give them all golden haloes
This is so hard!! I never read comments ahead of time so didn't know how many of the hymns that kept me in church over the decades are in the hymnal because of Neale's efforts. But as a Virginian who has had to listen to far too much hateful rhetoric in recent days, I just had to vote for Frances. She was a model of the kind of action needed in our church, our political system and our society.
imagination and beauty as pathways to the holy…. These are both remarkable people, and I am always deeply impressed by those who give their lives and hearts to directly helping the downtrodden, But the gift to motivate… to light hearts so that others will do likewise, speaks to me deeply… imagination and beauty as pathways to the holy, John Mason Neale for me today
My sister-in-law has been very active in the Kairos women’s prison ministry, so I would be tempted to vote for Frances Joseph-Gaudet in her honor.
Yet, as we approach Holy Week, and I anticipate the three sacred hours of Good Friday, and the moment when our (high church) congregation breaks the silence of contemplation and veneration of our Lord's death upon the cross, with the a cappella plainsong hymn 166, I realize what a debt we owe to John Mason Neale.
"Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle; of the mighty conflict sing; tell the triumph of the victim, to his cross thy tribute bring; Jesus Christ, the world's Redeemer from that cross now reigns as King." And ending with verse 6:
"Praise and honor to the Father, praise and honor to the Son, praise and honor to the Spirit, ever three and ever one; one in might and one in glory while eternal ages run."
I thank Neale and the Oxford movement for enriching and nurturing my spiritual life and my faith with liturgical beauty and mystery. Now, more than ever, when our world is filled with hatred, strife and overwhelming tragedy, I need that moment of sanctuary and contemplation, recharging through all my senses, before I can go out and do my small part in the world again.
FJG was a revelation and an inspiration and I planned to vote for her...then I read the hymns of JMN and was swayed to vote for him. I do this expecting FJG to win this round so her great work may be honored in the future rounds. In Lent Madness, everyone is a winner!
You'd think John would be the obvious choice of a Roman Catholic, especially since we too sing a number of those hymns. And the focus on beauty and imagination as pathways to the divine is very important to me.
But I'm voting for Frances in honor of the many African-American women activists who are creatively leading and growing the "Black Lives Matter" and related movements, which I think is the most important social justice issue in the US for our generation. Frances, pray for them!
I do have a question about John and the Sisters of St Margaret, though: how is it that a man came to found a women's religious order? Are the first members of the community also honored as foundresses? Did he think about founding a men's religious order also?
For creativity, beauty, style & the translation of some of my favorite hymns...l am ever so grateful.
I voted for Neal.
Without those hymns much of our faith would be less lively, to put it mildly.
But without those who keep our feet to the fire with respect to our utterly broken so-called penal system, we as a nation will surely lose our soul.
a large portion of our nation's wealth (by which I mean the people who stand to benefit the rest of us by their many works and accomplishments) is being squandered and ground down with despair within our foul prison system.