Sunday Sermon - 19 January
I’d like to once again welcome our Peterborough Lodge friends - it’s so nice to have you join us. Thank you, Walter Howell and Ann Turner-Murphy for arranging this time together and for everyone involved in preparing our luncheon after the service. We look forward to getting to know you better and to share in the privilege of breaking bread together.
You may have noticed as you entered the church, the tablet hanging on the narthex wall at the back doors which reads:
Erected A.D. 1866. Vincent Clementi B.A. Incumbent: Robert Casement, Robert Strickland Churchwardens. Ad majorem DEI gloriam (for the greater glory of God)
I’d like to share with you a little bit about Vincent Clementi, about how he lived and modeled for us a life “for the greater glory of God.”
What we share in common with our Clementi Masons is that Vincent Clementi was not only the founder of Lakefield’s Clementi Lodge, but was also the first priest of St. John the Baptist Church when the parish moved across the road from Christ Church.
Walter, because he has a kind heart, shared some of Fr. Clementi’s history with me, which inspired me to do a deeper dive into our founding priest’s past and, thankfully the Trent Valley Archives has some more detailed history about our early Lakefield settler.
From the May 2017 issue of the Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley, the following was written about the Clementi Lodge.
Clementi Lodge No. 313, Lakefield was Instituted in 1874. It was named after the Rev.Vincent Clementi, Master of Corinthian Lodge No. 101 in 1855 and Grand Chaplain in the years 1861 to 1868. Clementi’s father, Muzio Clementi, the father of the pianoforte, is buried in Westminster Abbey. Vincent Clementi came to Peterborough in 1855, aged 43, and was appointed incumbent in Lakefield in 1863 where he remained for eleven years. He was a leader in the York Rite and was instrumental in Moore Preceptory, Knights Templar. He is said to have been a good judge of whiskey but limited himself to three horns a day. He had a kind disposition and “a whale of a temper”.
Unfortunately, sometimes I can get ‘intellectually distracted’ and I often find myself going down into rabbit holes when I do my research. When I came across this passage, I had to find out more about what was meant by Clementi’s father Muzio as “the father of the pianoforte”.
Vincent Clementi’s father, Muzio, was a child virtuoso, born in Italy and then sponsored by a British Knight to move to England and work as his musician. He was a piano manufacturer, a composer, and an exceptionally talented musician who had profound influence on both Beethoven and Chopin. Mozart even “borrowed” some of his music for one of his overtures. This is the wonderful world of music that our founding priest and Clementi’s lodge founder grew up in. Okay, let’s crawl out of that Rabbit Hole and focus on why we are all here today.
Vincent Clementi lived and studied in England. He arrived in Lakefield in 1855, a widower with two sons, to “help the mission” and be the second incumbent at North Douro (now known as Lakefield). Another interesting fact is that one of Vincent’s sons, Mutius, “was placed in Colonel Samuel Strickland’s agricultural school”, now known affectionately as the Grove or Lakefield College School. A quote I found, said by Mutius about the school, was; “Many young Englishman of good family learned the rudiments of practical farming as understood by the genial Colonel. They consisted chiefly in a thorough training in many sports and a fine discrimination in the selection of liquors.”
As the community at Christ Church, North Douro, grew, the building became too small and a new church was needed and subsequently built across the road. Vincent then became the first rector of St. John the Baptist, Anglican Church in 1866. Though it is reported that his “religious energies” were primarily spent at St. John’s Church in Peterborough, he was also involved in the establishment of the parish community of what we now call All Saints Church.
Clementi had the privilege of serving as Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Canada from 1861 - 1868 (these must have been incredibly busy years for Fr. Clementi, as these were also the years of building St. John’s, Lakefield!) His home Lodge was the Corinthian Lodge, Peterborough. In 1874, he became a founding charter member of the Clementi Lodge (obviously named in his honour) in Lakefield. The Reverend Vincent Clementi held many ranks and titles throughout his masonic career.
Clementi was a public figure in Peterborough. He raised funds and supported many worthy causes of his day. He sought especially to support the poor, not just by raising money but also by creating work for them, so that they may find purpose and self-worth. Another interesting note - amongst his many other good works, Clementi was also involved in real estate and was the founding president of the Peterborough Horticultural Society.
This just scratches the surface of Clementi’s life. I don’t know about you, but when I learned of his activities, pursuits and accomplishments, I thought to myself; “I think I’m busy, how did he accomplish so much in his lifetime of 87 years?”
What a vast expanse and use of his God given gifts and talents.
As we welcome our Peterborough Masons and I bring the life and story of Vincent Clementi forward today, there is a nice connection to this morning’s readings, and no, I’m not just talking about Clementi’s appreciation for alcohol and Jesus turning water into wine - though how cool is that miracle!?
I’m talking about celebration. The wedding at Cana was a joyous moment of celebration - the celebration of love between two human beings and the celebration of coming together to honour that love. The abundance of wine, provided by Jesus, symbolizes God’s overflowing blessings.
I’ve had the privilege of growing up as a Mason’s son and I know that Masons emphasize the importance of serving and supporting others, and celebrating life, community and shared achievements. It is clear from learning about Clementi that his purpose as a priest was lived out in his life as a mason - they were profoundly integrated and formed his vocation.
As we also look at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he talks about spiritual gifts, of unity in diversity, and the importance of different gifts all working together for the common good in the body of Christ. Paul emphasizes unity, cooperation, and the value of each individual's contribution to the community. The Masons are composed of a variety of different people, from different walks of life, from different faith and spiritual traditions, who work together for a common service and purpose. Just as modeled for us by the good Reverend Vincent Clementi.
Whether you are a Mason, a member of this parish family of St. Johns, or both, like Clementi, today we acknowledge and celebrate our shared purpose in this life. Our purpose is to use the variety of gifts, of talents and skills that God has bestowed upon us in order to serve our world, to live up to our fullest potential, to be our best selves and to make the world a better place for others. And to celebrate - just as Jesus did - the gift of the life we get to live and share with one another.
Today we thank God for all Masons and for the good work they do for our community.
Today we particularly thank God for our founding Father, the Reverend Vincent Clementi, whose life modeled for us the variety of ways we can use our gifts to serve the world - just as Paul calls us to do. Jesus reminds us, in gratitude, to celebrate our gifts. Why? Ad majorem DEI gloriam “For the greater glory of God.”
Amen.