A Letter From Our Bishop

I received the following letter from our Bishop, Frank Dewane, at the Gregorian Chant Conference this weekend at Ave Maria University. It is encouraging to know that our own Bishop is very enthusiastic about the efforts we make in regards to Catholic sacred music!

Of particular interest is his recognition of the "resurgence" of traditional sacred music, and that it is not a mere coincidence, but is the work of the Holy Spirit.

It is perhaps significant that Bp. Dewane has been most supportive of the catechetical efforts we have made up to now with our Diocesan musicians as regards learning the chants of the New Translation of the Missal, and that he has further designated that the chant settings of the new texts will be promoted and used in all parishes, and will be the setting used at all Diocesan functions such as Chrism Mass and Ordinations.

Many thanks and much gratitude to our Bishop, Frank Dewane.

Second Anniversary Mass: Christ the King, Sarasota FL

On Saturday, May 7th at 11:00am, Christ The King (FSSP) in Sarasota, Florida will celebrate its second anniversary as a parish in the Diocese of Venice. We are indeed fortunate to have a parish dedicated to the Extraordinary Form here in our area and we are grateful to Bishop Frank Dewane for his support and encouragement.

Our Schola will be singing at this Mass - this is not a group of paid professionals, but a group of very dedicated individuals under the direction of Leo Labreque. There is even a children's choir who sing in Latin without any problems at all... imagine that!

Here is the program for May 7th:


Votive Mass of Christ the King

Introit: "Dignus est Agnus" (Scholettes)
http://renegoupil.org/chantfiles/67/

Kyrie: Hassler, Missa Secunda

Gloria: Hassler, Missa Secunda

Gradual: "Alleluia, Alleluia, potestas eius, potestas aeterna..." http://renegoupil.org/chantfiles/69/

followed by
"Alleluia: Habet in vestimento et in femore suo scriptum: Rex regum…" (Scholettes)

Credo III

Offertory: "Postula a me..." (men)
http://renegoupil.org/chantfiles/70/

Exultate Justi, Viadana

Sanctus: Hassler, Missa Secunda

Post Consecration: Jesu Rex Admirabilis, Palestrina (sheet)

Agnus: Hassler, Missa Secunda

Communion: "Sedebit Dominus Rex in aeternum..." (men)
http://renegoupil.org/chantfiles/71/

Ave Verum, St.-Saens (sheet)
Ave Maria, Victoria (sheet)
Veni Jesu Amor Mi, Cherubini (sheet)
Anima Christi (all drone, Sister solo, women sing Miserere Domine) (if needed)

Exit: Crown Him with Many Crowns (DIADEMATA: 3 verses)


For those who might be able to attend:


Directions to the Christ the King from I-75: Exit # 205. Take the Clark Road exit (West), which becomes Stickney Point Road. Turn right (North) onto Highway 41 (Tamiami Trail) then left (West) onto Meadowood Street and go approximately 1/4 miles.

Hope to see you there!

Music Preparations: Third Sunday of Lent

Beginning with the First Sunday of Lent this year, I began the practice of chanting the Introit at the start of all Masses except our 9:00am Folk Group Mass. So far, the response from the parishioners has been so encouraging... there have been at least one or two people after every Mass who come to me saying how beautiful it is to hear these chants, how they create a kind of "quiet time" before Mass begins and again before communion (we've been chanting the Communion Antiphon immediately after the Priest receives communion since last September).

Although not a perfect arrangement, we've taken the approach that I think has been the most successful for those parishes where the "4-Hymn Sandwich" has been the norm for a long time - chanting the Introit before the Processional Hymn, and chanting the Communion Antiphon during the time when the EM's are receiving communion before going to their stations (this can often be as long as 5 minutes!). I've heard this approach referred to jokingly as the "Stuffed Mass" ..... an appropriate term since the presence of the Antiphons really renders the hymns pointless. However, it is probably this approach that has allowed for the ready acceptance of these chants by both the parishioners and the Priests of our parish.

Just for an example, here is what my preparations look like for this coming Sunday (Lent III)

Third Sunday of Lent
March 27th , 2011

Introit – Oculi mei (Ps 25 (24): 15, 16) (Simple English Propers)

My eyes are forever turned towards the Lord; *
for he shall release my feet from the snare;
look upon me and have mercy on me,
for I am abandoned and destitute.

Processional Hymn- I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say (Kingsfold)


Kyrie – Mass XVIII

Psalm 95- If today You Hear His Voice ( Fr. Weber chant setting)

Gospel Verse - (Jesu Dulcis Memoria setting)

R/.Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ;
King of endless glory!

V/. “Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world,
Give me living water that I may never thirst again”. R/.


Offertory Hymn – As The Deer Longs (O WALY WALY)

Sanctus – Land of Rest (Proulx)
Memorial -“Lord by Your Cross...”
Amen -(Proulx)
Agnus Dei – Mass XVIII (Latin)

Communion Antiphon – Passer invenit (Ps 84 (83): 4, 5) (Simple Propers)

The sparrow has found herself a home, *
and the turtle dove a nest in which to lay her young:
at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God!
Blessed are they who dwell in your house,
they shall praise you forever and ever.

Communion: I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say (Tallis)

Recessional Hymn – Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless

An Excellent Article on Vernacular Chant

Fr. Anthony Ruff, well known as one of the great advocates of liturgical chant, has penned the following article for the March Edition of LTP's Pastoral Liturgy magazine.

The Value of Unaccompanied Vernacular Chant in the Liturgy

Forget for a moment the baggage that Fr. Ruff carries as a result of his open criticism of the new translation. This has nothing to do with that issue - when speaking about liturgical chant, Fr. Ruff is definitely on his home turf.

What is perhaps most interesting, and has begun to happen more frequently with little fanfare or comment is the very fact that this article appears in Pastoral Liturgy, not exactly a mouthpiece for things liturgically conservative! And during the past year similar articles have begun popping up in places like the GIA Quarterly and OCP's Today's Liturgy, in addition to the expected places like Sacred Music Magazine and the Adoremus Bulletin.

Chant is once again becoming part of the mainstream music culture of the Church at an accelerated pace, thanks in large part to the new translation of the Roman Missal, and thanks also to the tireless efforts of the CMAA (Church Music Association of America) and their outreach and training programs that have multiplied in the past three years.

I have begun my own "Resource Page" for online resources for liturgical chant.

Today's Workshop on the New Translation

This morning (Saturday March 12th, 2011) we held the first of a series of workshops for the musicians of the Diocese of Venice on the musical component of the new translation. Sessions included "Changes in the People's Parts", "The Role of the Cantor" and a reading session in which we sang through the ICEL chant settings of the Ordinary. The session was attended by perhaps 60 Directors and Cantors from the Southern Deanery (Lee and Collier Counties).

There was a lot of discussion about the new translation, and as was expected, a great deal of misinformation expressed. There were a lot of questions that people wanted answered. What I found most interesting was that there was actually very little negativity about the new translation, and what negativity there was mostly concerned rumors or "facts" that they had been told which turned out to be wrong. Once we began singing the settings, any negativity disappeared.

One interesting moment occurred when we put the Gloria setting up on the screen and without any introduction began singing it. It only took about one line of the notation for everybody to "get the hang" of the ICEL setting and the remainder of it was sung with no problems (Okay, the typical Mode III "Amen" caused some problems for those who are not familiar with such figures from Gregorian Chant, so we had to go over it a few times).

Here's the real kicker though... when we finished, one of the cantors raised her hand and asked "So what will the setting of the new Gloria text look like?"

We pointed out that this WAS the new text,

"Ohhh... your right it is!". Several others in the audience also sounded surprised, not noticing as they were singing that this was the new translation.

The key to introducing the new translation is found in the music folks....use it!