As of the evening Mass of the Ascension, instead of announcing all of the hymns, I revisited the idea of only announcing the entrance hymn and to please consult the Mass Guide for all other hymns. As many may know, this Mass Guide is usually tucked in the bulletin. This time I tucked the bulletin inside the Mass Guide. I now use letter-sized (8-1/2 x 11) paper for the Mass Guide instead of the ledger- (or tabloid-) sized (11 x 17) paper for the Mass Guide. So by tucking the bulletin (which is 11 x 17) inside the smaller Mass Guide, both can easily be seen.
There are some (not many) parishes that make the practice of not announcing hymns at all, and with great success, whether they use a Mass Guide (or as some call it, a "worship aid") or a number board, or both. Announcing the hymns (especially every single one) is an interruption of the liturgy pretty much the same as a eulogy being an interruption of a funeral Mass. Another argument against announcing the hymns is one I heard in my first week of doing a Traditional Latin (Extraordinary Form) Mass. We did sing an entrance and recessional hymn in English at the time. After Mass, the pastor said to me, "They didn't do that in '62." We had a number board, and they followed, and they sang. In fact, they might not have even done it in '65 (shortly after the vernacular tongues were introduced in the Mass). So why now, in '24?
So, for this weekend, the announcement will be, "Our entrance hymn is in the Red Worship hymnal, #482, Come, Holy Ghost. For all other hymns and Mass music, please follow the Mass guide that came with today's bulletin." Hopefully, soon enough, that announcement will go away, too. The liturgy deserves a steady flow, just as it did "in '62."
And now, without further ado...
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
Sung Ordinary of the Mass
Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei: Missa Christo Risusciti (Luigi Picchi, 1899-1970).
Memorial Acclamation and Amen: adaptations from the same Mass setting.
Alleluia O Filii (Mode II/BMP)
The rest...
Entrance hymn: Come, holy Ghost (Worship hymnal, #482/"Lambillotte")
- Tune named after the composer, Fr. Louis Lambillotte, SJ, a 19th century French Jesuit.
Psalm 104: R./ Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth (Owen Alstott)
Sequence: Come, thou Holy Spirit, come (Mode I)
Offertory hymn: Fire of God, undying flame (Worship hymnal, #474/"Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland")
- The Advent hymn "Savior of the nations, come" uses this same tune.
Communion hymn: Veni, Creator Spiritus (Pew Missal, #272/Chant, Mode VIII)
- Depending on singer's availability, the setting by Oreste Ravanello may be used in alternating verses. Incidentally, "Veni, Creator Spiritus" is the hymn from which the entrance hymn, "Come, Holy Ghost" is translated.
Meditation hymn: Regina Caeli (English and Latin) (in Mass Guide/Chant, Mode VI)
- This is the last week for this hymn until next Easter. "Regina Caeli" is the Marian antiphon appointed for the Easter Season.
Recessional hymn: Now thank we all our God (Pew Missal, #197/"Nun Danket")
- The tune "Nun Danket" is named after the original German "Nun danket alle Gott", from which "Now thank we all our God" is translated.
The entrance, offertory, meditation and recessional hymns today are those picked by Father Bucci over the years.
Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP
