Richard Vella    composer

Date: 1998 revised 2014

Duration:  minutes

 

The Mass for Lost Souls is a dark ironic interpretation of the Lindy Chamberlain case using texts from the Roman Catholic liturgy and excerpts from Psalms 6, 31, 37 & 101. The liturgy is a sacrificial rite in which Christ is made a scapegoat in order for the congregation to attain redemption. It is for this reason that Mass for Lost Souls, as a sacrificial rite, serves as an allegory for the Lindy Chamberlain case.

 

Lindy Chamberlain became a sacrificial scapegoat for a mostly male dominated media’s exploitation of Australia’s lack of spiritual understanding of the land and a predominantly sexist attitude towards women.