ORGAN UPDATE and ALL SOULS DAY

The required sound boards have not shipped yet, but they have been ordered, but in order to have them shipped and installed properly, they must be programmed and tested by the manufacturer.  One is ready, the other still in the programming process.  Once completed, the two boards will be shipped to our technician, who will then install them.  So unfortunately, we're stuck with the keyboard for one more week.

This weekend we commemorate (I almost said "celebrate" here, mea culpa; such is not the case) All the Faithful Departed.  In addition, the 10 AM Mass Sunday will be offered for all the deceased of Sacred Heart Parish from last All Souls Day to this All Souls Day.  After Communion, we will call on a member or representative for each family of the deceased to take a candle and it will be lit, and a prayer will be said.

The entrance, Communion and recessional are chants proper to Masses for the Dead (whether it be All Souls Day, funeral Masses and other such commemorations).  We start with the Requiem Aeternam, which is the proper from the Roman Missal and the Roman Gradual.  The Latin text and English translation thereof can be found in this Sunday's bulletin in the "Music for Holy Mass" column.  The Communion chant at the 5:00 PM Mass is Lux Aeterna (May light eternal shine upon them with thy saints for ever, for thou art kind).  This will be chanted in Latin from the Simple Gradual, with verses from Psalm 130 (129).  At the 10:00 AM Mass, the Pie Jesu from the Requiem written by Gabriel Faure will be rendered.  Finally, the recessional appointed for this day is In Paradisum (Worship hymnal, #178).  The translation is also provided on that page.  The Mass for the Dead is the only Mass in the entire Roman Missal that contains an appointed recessional chant.  In other Masses, the Missal does not specify a recessional, thus a hymn is normally sung in its place in most churches.

The Gloria is omitted completely on All Souls Day.

On another note, I have to say that on one All Souls Day, I felt quite crept out.  Usually right after Halloween is finished, certain mainstream media begin the 24/7 playing of little ditties that they pass as Christmas music, right on until Christmas Day (how quickly they forget, Christmas STARTS at Christmas Eve and continues up through the Baptism of the Lord in January, not ends on Christmas Day).  Well on this one particular All Souls Day, I took my daughter to work on the way to my 9:00 AM Mass (she wasn't licensed to drive at the time).  As I proceeded back toward I-295 to go to Mass, I suddenly hear The Most Wonderful Time of the Year playing on the radio.  I couldn't change the station fast enough for two reasons - 1) I never liked the song to begin with, and 2) What's so "wonderful" about All Souls Day?  There's nothing to celebrate.  We commemorate all those gone from us and pray for their souls to be fit for heaven.

That said...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:
Gloria is omitted.
Sanctus and Agnus Dei from Mass XVIII
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world
Amen: single Amen (do do-re, or, if you're in a modal mood, so so-la, or fa fa-so)

PROPER OF THE MASS:
Readings: page 262 in the Pew Missal
Psalm 23: R./ The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want (Owen Alstott)
Alleluia: Theodore Marier

HYMNS, CHANTS, etc.
Introit (in lieu of Entrance Hymn): Requiem aeternam (text and translation in bulletin) (Chant, Mode VI) (Listen)
- A verse from Psalm 65 (64) may be chanted and the antiphon repeated.
Offertory hymn: Maroon hymnal, #223 Jesus, Son of Mary ("Adoro Te Devote")
Music during Communion:
- (5:00) Lux Aeterna (Mode VIII, from the Simple Gradual)
- (10:00) Pie Jesu (Gabriel Faure, from his "Requiem")
Recessional chant: Worship hymnal, #178 In Paradisum (Chant, Modes VII and VIII)
- A little explanation for the two modes: The "In Paradisum" is often rendered in two portions, "In Paradisum", which is Mode VII, and "Chorus Angelorum", which is Mode VIII.  Either way, in modern notation it comes out to be the same key and the same tonic note (B-flat key signature, tonic note F, known as the "mixolydian" mode).

Prelude and postlude will be improvisations based on the Requiem aeternam and In Paradisum, respectively.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.  Amen.  May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

SUNDAY XXX and PROGRESS ON THE ORGAN

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Fr. Stowe (via the diocese) approved the needed repair work to be done on the organ.  As of Tuesday, the parts have been ordered (two sound cards), but before installation they need to be programmed.  Other repairs include repairing a sticky pedalboard, replacing any missing lights on stop tabs (these are toggle tabs that turn voices on and off) and/or pistons (these are combinations of said voices that the organist can preset), and repairing a wobbly organ bench (a safety issue!).  We could have the organ back in time for All Souls Day (November 2), but please DON'T mark my word on it!  Once it is fixed, I will be overjoyed!

Earlier in the week, Paul and some help (including Father Emmanuel) brought up an electric keyboard that we've had downstairs over the years that was in use when we used to do outdoor Benedictions with Father Bucci.  It actually fills the church with sound much better than my own keyboard was doing.  Regardless of which of these two keyboards are in use, let's pray for a speedy but proper fix to the Rodgers organ.  It is 24 years old as I write this, and with these fixes, we should get at least another 24 years out of it.  

This will be the last numbered Sunday of the Year for the next three weeks.  The following Sunday (November 2) is the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed (or for short, All Souls Day).  The Saturday Mass, although on November 1 (which is normally All Saints Day) is the anticipated Mass for All Souls, as it is a late afternoon/evening Mass.  Because All Saints falls on a Saturday this year, 1 - there is no obligation, and 2 - All Saints would only apply to any morning Masses celebrated on that day.  The Sunday after that (November 9) is the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.  While St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is the Pontifical Basilica, St. John Lateran is the Cathedral of Rome, and the official seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome.

Numbering of Sundays of the Year will resume on November 16 (Sunday XXXIII), but not for long as the Sunday after that (November 23) is the Solemnity of Christ the King (formal title: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe).

Going back to November 2: the 10 AM Mass that Sunday will be offered for all the deceased of Sacred Heart Parish over the past year (that is, since last All Souls Day).

Without further ado, for THIS Sunday...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:

Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (or recited, celebrant's discretion)

Sanctus and Agnus Dei: People's Mass (Jan Vermulst) (Listen)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Pew Missal, page 257

Psalm 34: R./ The Lord hears the cry of the poor (BMP) (PDF)

Alleluia: Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp.

HYMNS, etc.:

Entrance hymn: Pew Missal, #192 Love divine, all loves excelling ("Hyfrydol") (Listen)
Offertory hymn: Pew Missal, #261 The King of love my shepherd is ("St. Columba") (Listen)

Responsory during Communion: Magnificat (Tone VIII/Ciro Grassi)

Meditation hymn: Pew Missal, #215 O Sanctissima ("Sicilian Mariners") (vv. 1 and 4)

Recessional hymn: Worship hymnal, #493 Rejoice, the Lord is King ("Darwall's 148th") (Listen)

The listen links for this Sunday's entrance and recessional hymns feature some really cool arrangements from Buffalo, NY.

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

SUNDAY XXIX

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:

Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (or recited, celebrant's discretion)

Sanctus and Agnus Dei: People's Mass (Jan Vermulst) (Listen)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Pew Missal, page 255

Psalm 121: R./ Our help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth (Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB)

Alleluia: Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp.

HYMNS, etc.:

Entrance hymn: Maroon hymnal, #326 To the Name of our salvation ("Oriel") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: Maroon hymnal, #213 Shepherd of souls ("St. Agnes") (Listen)

Music during Communion:
- Responsory: Psalm 8, R./ How great is your Name, O Lord, our God, through all the earth (Pèré Joseph Gelineau, SJ/Worship hymnal, #27)

- or Motet: Ave Maria (Lorenzo Perosi)
Meditation hymn: Pew Missal, #215 O Sanctissima ("Sicilian Mariners") (vv. 1 and 3)
Recessional hymn: Pew Missal, #92 At the Name of Jesus ("King's Weston") (Listen)

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

SUNDAY XXVIII and ANNUNTIO VOBIS GAUDIUM MAGNUM!

The repairs needed to fix the organ have been approved by the diocese and Father Stowe gave me the green light to contact Rodgers Organs of New England to do the work.  Parts will need to be ordered.  I'm suspecting a 3-4 week turnaround time, but hope to have a more accurate time frame sometime next week.

In the meantime...

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:

Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (or recited, celebrant's discretion)

Sanctus and Agnus Dei: People's Mass (Jan Vermulst) (Listen)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Pew Missal, page 253

Psalm 98: R./ The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power (Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB) (PDF)

Alleluia: Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp.

HYMNS, etc.:

Entrance hymn: Pew Missal, #232, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty ("Lobe den Herren")

Offertory hymn: Worship hymnal, #491, To Christ, the Prince of Peace ("Narenza") (Listen)

Hymn during Communion: Maroon hymnal, #430, Lead, kindly light ("Sandon") (Listen)

- Like "Praise to the Holiest in the height", which we sang last month, the text comes from Saint John Henry Newman.

Meditation hymn: Pew Missal, #215, O Sanctissima ("Sicilian Mariners") (vv. 1-2)

- For the remainder of October, we will sing "O Sanctissima" after Communion.  This weekend, verses 1 and 2, the following weekends (October 19 and 26), verses 1 and 3, and 1 and 4, respectively.

Recessional hymn: Worship hymnal, #750, Your hands, O Lord, in days of old ("Mozart")

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

SUNDAY XXVII

 MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

ORDINARY OF THE MASS:

Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (or recited, celebrant's discretion)

Sanctus and Agnus Dei: People's Mass (Jan Vermulst) (Listen)
Memorial Acclamation: Save us, Savior of the world (ICEL chant)

Amen: Danish Amen

PROPER OF THE MASS:

Readings: Pew Missal, page 251

Psalm 95: R./ If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Owen Alstott)

Alleluia: Lucien Deiss, C.S.Sp.

HYMNS, etc.:

Entrance hymn: Pew Missal, #207 O God, our help in ages past ("St. Anne") (Listen)

Offertory hymn: Maroon hymnal, #570 (second tune) O Jesus, I have promised ("Day of Rest") (Listen)

Music during Communion: Ave Verum 

- (5:00) Chant, Mode I with brief intervening organ improvisations

- (10:00) Lorenzo Perosi

Recessional hymn: Pew Missal, #163 I sing the mighty pow'r of God ("Ellacombe") (Listen)

- Same tune as such hymns as "Go, make of all disciples" and "The day of Resurrection", which we've sung many times before.

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP