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
