Thursday, July 25, 2013

SUNDAY XVII and the so-called INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

One of the most loved hymns sung in Catholic and Protestant churches alike is Faith of Our Fathers.  The text was written by Frederick W. Faber, who was raised Anglican, but became a Catholic priest.  In fact, Fr. Faber was a Catholic priest at the time he wrote Faith of Our Fathers, and many other hymns.  His second most popular is probably There's a Wideness in God's Mercy.  However, it is Faith of Our Fathers that we will be singing at the Offertory this Sunday.

As many have probably seen in our Worship hymnal (this edition of Worship we use is the third edition, 1986), there is a sizable number of hymns whose texts have been altered so that they contain this so-called inclusive language.  A couple of things must be understood.  1) Hymn texts are poetry.  They are not conversation.  2) In such poetry, that is, the hymn texts, words such as "mankind", "fathers", "brothers", were intended to include women, too.  "Man" is treated as a translation of the Latin word "homo" (and its more popular form "hominis"), which pertains to the human being, as opposed to the more masculine "vir", which pertains to the male gender.  Despite this explanation I give, a number of left wingers, circa 1980, decided that the hymn texts "weren't fair" to women and needed a change.  Just like many politicians these days feel our Constitution needs a change.  The need for such change is a myth, for the two reasons I stated above.

Putting two-and-two together, how many remember the book Monthly Missalette?  This is the missalette that was used in many a parish before Today's Missal and its infamous Music Issue became popular.  Until about 1987, Faith of Our Fathers appeared in every edition of Monthly Missalette (which, by the way, became Seasonal Missalette around 1985).  Anyways, for about a year, there was no Faith of Our Fathers, and I chatted with someone from the publisher, J. S. Paluch Company of Chicago, Illinois.  When I asked about the absence of the beloved hymn, the rep from Paluch said, "Oh, the ladies have been screaming over that!"  I found that awfully hard to believe, as many ladies sang (and still sing) this hymn boldly.  The hymn was eventually restored.

Worse scenario: Since 1997, GIA Publications, the publishers of our Worship hymnal, have removed Faith of Our Fathers and replaced it with A Living Faith, which is an ill-fated attempt to eliminate the entire meaning of the former.  Thankfully, the edition of Worship we have kept Faith of Our Fathers pretty much intact.  However, we'll be using the authentic text, which is in our maroon hymnal.

Moral of the story: the need for so-called "inclusive language" is a myth, and nothing but.

That said...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Numbers for this Sunday will once again be from the Maroon hymnal.

Alleluia and Mass Ordinary will be the same throughout July and August.

Entrance hymn: 484 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates (which we've done before)

Responsorial Psalm: Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me, music by Frs. Ralph Verdi (antiphon) and Joseph Gelineau (verses).  Can be found in Worship at #415.

Offertory hymn: 393 Faith of our fathers (Yes, the REAL Faith of our fathers)

Communion anthem: To you I lift my soul, text by John Dunn, music by John Ireland
- John Dunn was assistant to Ted Marier at the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School (now St. Paul's Choir School) at St. Paul's Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Marier was the Choir School's founding director and wrote a good number of hymn tunes, as well as a good number of accompaniments to Gregorian chant tunes.  Dunn wrote a good number of hymn texts, many based on Psalms, many of which appear in the hymnal Hymns, Psalms, and Spiritual Canticles, which was published at the Choir School (latest edition, 1984) and still used at St. Paul's and a handful of other parishes today.

Meditation hymn: 211 Come with us, O blessed Jesus (Listen)
- The tune used here, Werde Munter, is also used for the classic Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Recessional hymn: 277 From all that dwell below the skies (familiar tune)
- Another memory from the aforementioned Monthly Missalette:  All those issues I grew up with in the 1970's and 1980's contained Praise God, from whom all blessings flow as the first verse and From all that dwell below the skies (a hymn in itself) as the next two verses.  In the maroon hymnal, it's flip-flopped - From all that dwell is the first two verses and Praise God is the final verse.

Peace,
BMP

Thursday, July 18, 2013

SUNDAY XVI

VII-21-13; MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Numbers for this Sunday will once again be from the Maroon hymnal.

Alleluia and Mass Ordinary will be the same throughout July and August.

Entrance hymn: 326 To the Name of our salvation (Listen)
- Hymn linked is Joseph, be our guide and pattern, which uses the same tune.

Responsorial Psalm: He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord, music by Owen Alstott (melody can be found in the missalette under July 21)
 
Offertory hymn: 438, first tune I need thee every hour (Listen)
 
Communion anthem: Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All, music by Mother Alexis Donnelly of the Sisters of Mercy.  Special thanks to David Sylvester, my predecessor and good friend, for furnishing me the music to this.
 
Meditation hymn: 462, first tune Jesus, the very thought of thee (Listen)
 
Recessional hymn: 355, first tune All hail the pow'r of Jesus' Name (Listen)
- Sorry, we don't use crashing cymbals.  But a nice triumphant tune just the same without them. ;)
 
Peace,
BMP

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

SUNDAY XV

VII-14-13; MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

The sung Ordinary of the Mass and the Alleluia are the same settings as we did last Sunday.  We'll be using these throughout July and August.
 
The hymn numbers for this Sunday are all in the Maroon Hymnal.
 
Entrance hymn: 479, first tune Love divine, all loves excelling
- familiar tune, same as Alleluia! sing to Jesus.
 
Responsorial Psalm: Turn to the Lord in your need and you will live, music by Owen Alstott.
- musical setting as found in the missalette under "July 14".
 
Offertory hymn: 415, first tune Jesus, lover of my soul
- We last sang this on June 16.
 
Communion anthem: Ubi caritas, chant, Mode VI
- Although intended to be used as an anthem, it's easy enough for the people to join in.  You can find this in the Worship hymnal at #598.  We will be singing the text in Latin.  The English text is there as a guide.
 
Meditation hymn: 345, first tune The King of love my shepherd is (Listen)
 
Recessional hymn: 350 Rejoice, the Lord is king (Listen)
- Note: The Maroon hymnal uses two different tunes for this text.  However, we are using the tune in the listen link given, as it is far more familiar.  Please follow the hymnal, however, for the words.
 
Peace,
BMP

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

FIRST FRIDAY and SUNDAY XIV

The three-day weekend!

For the months of July and August, we'll be using A Community Mass by Richard Proulx for the sung settings of the Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation (When we eat this bread...), Amen, and Agnus Dei (all in English).  If the Gloria is sung, it will be Latin, using the chant setting from Mass VIII, which we have done before.

VII-5-13 (6 PM); SACRED HEART COMMUNITY MASS
(First Friday)

Entrance hymn: sheet in pew, O Sacred Heart, O Love Divine

Responsorial Psalm: missalette (Daily Mass section, July 5), psalm tone 8G

Alleluia: music by Owen Alstott

Offertory hymn: Cor Jesu Trinitatis
- Those who were at the 11:15 Mass last Sunday heard this at the offertory.

Ordinary of the Mass: A Community Mass, music by Richard Proulx
- Click here to hear the complete Mass.  As for the music we're singing from it, the Sanctus starts at the 3:45 mark, the Memorial Acclamation (When we eat this bread...) starts at the 5:30 mark, the Amen starts at the 6:40 mark, and the Agnus Dei starts at the 7:00 mark.  I know it's been a few months since we've sung an English setting, and for that reason I should remind everyone that the English Sanctus is "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts", (not "God of power and might").
 
Communion hymn: Panis Angelicus, music from a Hungarian source
 
Recessional hymn: sheet in pew, To Jesus' Heart, all-burning
 
VII-7-13; Sunday XIV
 
Hymn numbers today will all be found in the red Worship hymnal.
 
Entrance hymn: 615 The kingdom of God (Listen)
- The hymn Ye servants of God, which is heard in the listen link, is the same tune as the hymn we will be singing.  This tune is also used for Sing praise to the Lord (or it's original title, O praise ye the Lord).  It is one a few tunes in the Worship hymnal that are written by English composer Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.  Sir Parry's choral music has been used at many a royal ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and is a favorite composer of Prince Charles.
- The source of the listen link given here is the Shrine of the Little Flower, Baltimore, Maryland.
 
Gloria (if sung): Mass VIII
 
Responsorial Psalm: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy, music by yours truly
 
Alleluia: see First Friday list, above
 
Offertory hymn: 470 Lord, you give the great commission (Listen)
- The above-listed Gloria is also included in the listen link.  The organist and conductor in this video is an internet friend of mine, Mr. Mark Husey.  This was taken at his parish, St. Peter's in Columbia, South Carolina.
 
Ordinary of the Mass: see First Friday list, above
 
Communion anthem: In the cross of Christ I glory, melody from Southern Harmony, arranged by yours truly
- Southern Harmony is an Early American collection of hymn tunes.  You may sing along if you wish.  The melody is in the maroon hymnal, #777.
 
Meditation hymn: 728 Shepherd of souls
 
Recessional hymn: 628 Go, make of all disciples
 
Peace,
BMP