The Liturgy of the Hours in Elizabethan English.

Now, I don't use the LOTH any more due to the absolutely horrid translations. The Latin Liturgia Horaum is over 90$ a volume, so that's out. But what would the LOTH look like with a good translation? Here's matins and Lauds of the office of the annunciation. Some of it is my own translation, based off of the English LOTH, Some of it is my translation of the latin from the Liturgia horarum, and some of it was in the old breviary (Of which I have a translation) and survived to be in the revised office. The psalms and readings are the Douay and Coverdale's translation.

MATINS

Opening Versicles:

V. Lord,open thou my lips
R. And my mouth shalt proclaim thy praise.

Invitatory and hymn:

Antiphon:The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us worship, Alleluia.

The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Psalm 94:

Venite, Exultemus

O come, let us sing unto the Lord ; let us heartily rejoice in the God of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving ; and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

For the Lord is a great God ; and a great King above all gods: For the Lord will not cast off his people: In his hand are all the corners of the earth, and the strength of the hills is his also.


Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

The sea is his and he made it ; and his hands prepared the dry land. O come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker: For he is the Lord our God ; and we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness ; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways: unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Ant.The Word was made Flesh,*O come let us Worship, Alleluia.

Hymn:

The God, whom earth, and sea, and sky
Adore, and laud, and magnify,
Whose might they own, whose praise they swell,
In Mary's womb vouchsafed to dwell.

The Lord whom sun and moon obey,
Whom all things serve from day to day,
Was by the Holy Ghost conceived,
Of her who through his grace believed.

How blest that Mother, in whose shrine
The great Artificer divine,
Whose hand contains the earth and sky,
Once deigned, as in his ark, to lie:-

Blest in the message Gabriel brought,
Blest by the work the Spirit wrought;
From whom the Great Desire of earth
Took human flesh and human birth.

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

Psalmody:

Ant. I:
In the fullness of time did God send forth his Son,Born of a woman, *that we might become his adopted sons, alleluia.

Psalm 2

Why do the heathen so furiously rage together? * and why do the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth have arisen, and the rulers have taken counsel together * against the Lord, and against his Anointed.
3 Let us break their bonds asunder, * and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: * the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, * and vex them in his sore displeasure :
6 Yet I have been stablished King by him upon his holy hill of Sion, * preaching his commandment.
7 The Lord hath said unto me : * Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
8 Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, * and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, * and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; * be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord in fear, * and rejoice unto him with reverence.
12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, * and so ye perish from the right way.
13 If his wrath be kindled, yea, but in a short time : * blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Ant. I:In the fullness of time did God send forth his Son, Born of a woman, *that we might become his adopted sons, alleluia.

Ant. II:
When he came into the world, he said: Thou hast prepared a body for me;* Behold, I come to do thy will, O God.

Psalm 18

The heavens declare the glory of God; * and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.
2 Day to day uttereth speech; * and night to night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is neither speech nor language; * where their voices are not heard.
4 Their sound is gone out into all lands; * and their words into the ends of the world.
5 In the sun hath he set his tabernacle; * and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
6 Hath rejoiced as a giant to run his course, * his going forth is from the uttermost part of the heaven.
7 And his circuit even unto the end thereof; * and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
8 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.
9 The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.
10 The fear of the Lord is holy, and endureth for ever; * the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
11 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much precious stone; * sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12 For thy servant keepeth them; * and in keeping of them there is great reward.
13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults : * save thy servant also from the sins of others.
14 If they get not the dominion over me, so shall I be undefiled, * and innocent from the great offence.
15 And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please, * and the meditation of my heart be alway in thy sight.
16 O Lord, my strength * and my redeemer.
Ant. II:
When he came into the world, he said: Thou hast prepared a body for me; Behold, I come to do thy will, O God.

Ant III:
In this have we known God's love for us: That he sent his only Son,* that we might live through him, alleluia.

Psalm 44

My heart is inditing of a good matter; * I speak my works unto the King.
2 My tongue is the pen of a writer : * that writeth swiftly.
3 Thou art fairer than the children of men, full of grace are thy lips, * therefore hath God hath blessed thee for ever.
4 Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, * O thou Most Mighty.
5 In thy comeliness, yea in thy beauty : * go forth, ride prosperously, and reign.
6 Because of truth, of meekness, and righteousness; * and thy right hand shall wondrously lead thee.
7 Thy arrows are very sharp, and the people shall be subdued unto thee; * even in the hearts of the King's enemies.
8 Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever; * the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; * wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, * whereby the daughters of kings have made thee glad in thy glory.
11 Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold, * wrought about with divers colours.
12 Hearken, O daughter, consider, and incline thine ear; * forget also thine own people, and thy father's house.
13 So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty; * for he is the Lord thy God, and they shall worship him.
14 And the daughters of Tyre shall be there with a gift; * yea, all the rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance.
15 The King's daughter is all glorious within; * in wrought gold clothed round about with divers colours.
16 Virgins shall be brought after her unto the King : * her neighbours shall be brought unto thee.
17 With joy and gladness shall they be brought, * they shall be brought into the King's temple.
18 Instead of thy fathers, thou shalt have children, * whom thou shalt make princes over all the earth..
19 They shall remember thy Name * throughout all generations.
20 Therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee for ever, * yea, and for ever, and world without end.

Ant III:
In this have we known God's love for us: That he sent his only Son,* that we might live through him, alleluia.

V. The Word was made flesh, alleluia.
R. And dwelt among us, alleluia.

Reading I

From the first book of Chronicles. 17:1-15

Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins. And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee. Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in. For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,

Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar? Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel. And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth. And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning, Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.

And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee. But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

Responsory

R.The Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, a Virgin espoused to Joseph, to bring unto her the Word ; and when the Virgin saw the light she was troubled till the Angel said : Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace from the Lord : V.Behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest, alleluia.
Hail Mary,Full of grace, the lord is with thee.
V.Behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and he shall be called the Son of the Highest, alleluia.

Reading II

From a letter by Saint Leo the Great, Pope.

God is he whose nature is goodness, whose will is power, and whose work is mercy. Wherefore, at the very beginning of the world, as soon as the devil's hatred had mortally poisoned mankind with the venom of his envy, this almighty and merciful God even then foretold those remedies which his mercy had foreordained for our healing. At that time he bade the serpent know that there was to be a Seed of the woman who yet should crush the prideful swelling of his pestilential head. This Seed was none other than the Christ to come in the flesh, even God and Man in one Person, who should be born of the Virgin, and by his virgin-birth should condemn the seducer of man.
The devil rejoiced that he had, by his artful cunning, so deceived man as to make him lose the gifts of God, and forfeit the privilege of eternal life. Yea, when the devil had thus brought man under the hard sentence of death, he found a certain solace for his own misery in the fact that he now had a comrade in his guilt. He thought also that God, in his just anger, would change his original design towards man, whom he had made in such honour. But, dearly beloved, that unchangeable God, whose will cannot be baulked of its loving-kindness, in the dispensation of his own secret counsel, had already provided a mysterious way for carrying out his original purpose of goodness. So it was that mankind, which had been led into sin by the wicked craft of the devil, was not suffered to perish, and frustrate that gracious purpose of God.
When, therefore, dearly beloved, the fulness of that time was come, which God had appointed for our redemption, our Lord Jesus Christ entered this lower world. Christ came down from his heavenly throne. And, while he left not that glory which he hath with the Father before the world was, he was incarnate by a new order and a new birth, in that he who is invisible among his own, was made visible among us. He who is before the ages, began to be in time. He who is the Lord of all placed the glory of his majesty under a shadow, for he took upon him the form of a servant. Thus God the Impassible vouchsafed to become a man subject to suffering, and the Immortal laid himself under the laws of death.

Responsory:

V.Receive the Word, O Virgin Mary, which is sent thee by the Angel from the Lord ; thou shalt conceive, and bring forth him who is God and Man,
R. And thou shalt be called blessed among all women, alleluia.
V.Thou a Maiden undefiled shalt bear for us the Holy Child ; this grace is given alone to thee, a Virgin and Mother both to be.
R. And thou shalt be called blessed among all women, alleluia.

Te Deum.

We praise thee, O God, * we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, * the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud, * the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim * continually do cry:
Holy,
Holy,
Holy, * Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full * of the Majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles * praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets * praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs * praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world * doth acknowledge thee;
The Father, * of an infinite Majesty.
Thine honourable, true, * and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost, * the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory, * O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting * Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, * thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, * thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, * in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come * to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, * whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints, * in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people, * and bless thine heritage.
Govern them, * and lift them up for ever.
Day by day * we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name * ever, world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us * this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, * have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, * as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted, * let me never be confounded.

(The concluding part of this hymn may be omitted.)

LAUDS.

Hymn:

O glorious Maid, exalted far
In light more bright than any star,
From him who made thee thou hast won
Grace to be Mother of his Son.

That which was lost in hapless Eve
Thy holy Scion did retrieve;
The tear-worn sons of Adam's race,
Through thee have glimpsed the heavenly place.

Thou wast the gate of heaven's Lord,
The door through which the Light had poured;
Thou, Maiden-Mother, Life dost bring
Ye ransomed nations, shout and sing!

All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost, for evermore. Amen.

Psalmody

Ant.I:
The Angel Gabriel * was sent to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph. Alleluia.

Psalm 62.

O God, thou art my God; * to thee do I watch at break of day.
2 My soul hath thirsted for thee, * my flesh also in many different ways.
3 In a barren and dry land where no water is: * so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, that I might behold thy power and thy glory.
4 For thy mercy is better than the life itself : * my lips shall praise thee.
5 Thus will I bless thee as long as I live : * and I will lift up my hands in thy Name.
6 My soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness, * and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.
7 If I have remembered thee in my bed, I will think upon thee in the morning : * because thou hast been my helper.
8 And under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice, my soul hath hung upon thee; * thy right hand hath upholden me. Glory Be.
Ant.I:
The Angel Gabriel * was sent to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph. Alleluia.

Ant.II:
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, alleluia.

Benedicite

O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
2 O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : * O ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord.
3 O ye Waters that be above the Firmament, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
4 O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord.
5 O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord: * O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord.
6 O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Winter and Summer, bless ye the Lord.
7 O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord.
8 O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Nights and Days, bless ye the Lord.
9 O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Lightnings and Clouds, bless ye the Lord.
10 O let the Earth bless the Lord; * yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
11 O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Green Things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord.
12 O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Seas and Floods, bless ye the Lord.
13 O ye Whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: * O all ye Fowls of the Air, bless ye the Lord.
14 O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord.
15 O let Israël bless the Lord; * praise him, and magnify him for ever.
16 O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: * O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord.
17 O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord: * O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord.
18 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever:
(All bow during the following verse)
19 Let us bless the Father and the Son, with the Holy Ghost; * let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
20 Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven; * and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Ant.II:
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb, alleluia.

Ant III:
Trusting in the promise of the lord,Mary the Virgin conceived a child, and yet remaining a virgin, gave birth to the saviour, alleluia.

Psalm 148.

O sing unto the Lord a new song; * let his praise be in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israël rejoice in him that made him, * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his Name in the choir : * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, * and shall exalt the meek unto salvation.
5 The saints shall rejoice in glory; * they shall be joyful in their beds.
6 The high praises of God shall be in their mouth; * and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7 To bring vengeance upon the nations, * chastisements amongst the peoples.
8 To bind their kings in chains, * and their nobles with links of iron.
9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written, * such glory is unto all his saints.
Ant III:
Trusting in the promise of the lord,Mary the Virgin conceived a child, and yet remaining a virgin, gave birth to the saviour, alleluia.

Chapter.

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man

Responsory:

V.Hail Mary,full of grace, the Lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.
R.Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.
V.Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
R.The Lord is with thee.
V.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Spirit.
R.Hail Mary,full of grace, the lord is with thee, alleluia,alleluia.

Benedictus:

Ant. In his surpassing love for us, God sent his son in the likeness of our sinful nature, alleluia.

Blessed † be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited and redeemed his people ;
2 And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the house of his servant David ;
3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, * which have been since the world began ;
4 That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us.
5 To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy Covenant ;
6 To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us ;
7 That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear ;
8 In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.
9 And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ;
10 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins,
11 Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the Day-Spring from on high hath visited us ;
12 To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
13 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
14 As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

Ant. In his surpassing love for us, God sent his son in the likeness of our sinful nature, alleluia.

Preces:

Devoutly celebrating the beginning of our salvation, when the coming of the lord was announced by and angel, Let us joyfully pray:

May the holy Mother of God intercede for us.

V.As Mary the Virgin did accept the word of God with Joy;
R. Grant to us,O God, that we may accept our saviour with joy.
V. As thou didst look favourably on thy handmaiden;
R. Look upon us and all, O Father of mercy.
V. As the new Eve was obedient unto thy divine word;
R. Grant that thy will be done unto us.
V.May holy Mary succour the helpless, encourages the faint-hearted, and console those who sorrow.
R. May she pray for thy people, and for thy clergy, and intercede for all women consecrated to you.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

Collect

O God, who willed that thy word should become flesh in the womb of the virgin Mary, grant we beseech thee; that we may be conformed to his divine nature, whom we confess to be our salvation, both God and Man. Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son, our lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

-Amen.

Closing versicles

In private recitation:

V.May the Lord bless us, Keep us from all evil, and bring us to life everlasting.
R. Amen.

My Favorite Organ Music Part II

Sinfonia from Cantata 29, J.S.Bach.
This has to be my favorite! Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, from Solomon, G.F.Handel.
This explains why my transcriptions were always dry. I don;t have nay partners, so mine are for a single person
Festliche Music alla Händel, S.K. Elert. I've posted "Nun Danket" already. Fir the longest time, I though this was a transcription Elert made of some lost work of Handel!
Priere A Notre Dame, from the Suit Gothique, Leon Boellmann.This is about what it would sound like on the organ I practice on.
Elevation-Leon Boellmann. Can you guess where this would be used in the mass? Yep, buring the elevation. Oh for the days of a silent canon!
If it was'nt for the fact that I'm broke, and there's no money to go out and buy organ music. Donate please?
Not organ, but every Catholic blogger has to post this at least once!
Tantum Ergo!
And even his pronunciation of the latin is right!
Part three?
Maybe. I don't know.

Racial Stereotypes and the Priesthood.

WHOA SHOCKER!
Yes, but I've been thinking about this for a while.
I do hope to become a priest someday, but there's a big thing that scares me, having to do with my race and my view of liturgy.
Now, I'm African-American (Actually, Irish on my dad's side, but it's not physically evident) I'm also all for the reform of the reform. Now, as there are few black priests, most of the ones ordained go to predominantly black parishes, usually on the assumption that they are familiar with gospel music and other supposedly black christian practices. I am familiar with them, as I grew up with them, but I'm extremely far removed from them. So what's your average black parish like?

*Female altar servers
*drums, guitars,pianos, and other instruments Condemned by Pius X in Tra Le Sollecitudine
*Liturgical prancing-Um, dancing.
*Unsuitable vessels used in the Mass (glass,plastic,wood.)
*Gospel music and outdated music (Haughen,Haas, Farrel,etc.)
*Kinte cloth and other patterns in non-liturgical patterns.

Now, what do you think I like? Why,what the church has always supported!

*All male servers
*Organ only. (Orchestral masses ocassionally)
*Ad orientem,incense every Sunday
*Gold vessels,or gilded silver (Must be artistic)
*Chant,Polyphony, good choral music (Francis Poulenc being the only composer form the 1960's that I'll use.)
*Cloth of gold, good brocade or silk vestments. Fiddlebacks and birettas reccomended.

Se I'd agree with them on nothing. It'd be a total waste of time for the diocese, and only a cause of strife. It would be by far better that they send an aging liberal priest there, regardless of age, than to send a traditional priest there because he would be young and African-American. It would be like sending Bishop Williamson to St. Joan's. But I fear that the common generalisation that all black Catholics like gospel music and liturgical oddities will overrule yours truly being an obvious exception. Is it true that a priest must bury his own personality? Yes, but this would not at all be good for me, should I become a priest, or the parish I would pastor, should I become a parish priest.
I also find it quite ironic, that the National Black Catholic cobgress admits three things:
A) When gospel music was introduced into parishes in the 70's, parishes grew in size
B) Parishes that use gospel music now are not growing, but are made predominately of men and woman over 50.
C) Parishes that use gospel music are'nt producing vocations.
Wouldn't the logical decision be to try something else? No!,Of course not, you know how liberalism works. "If our method fails, then nothing will work." I also hate how they constantly refer to "The European model of worship." Chant,polyphony, organ music and traditional Catholic hymns are all "European", so don't use them. What a silly dichotomy! The church is universal, and the music of the church is univeral.(and chant, polyphony and organ are the organic music of the church. Anything else is an intrusion) How many people know how the st. Augustine mass goes? Comparatively with the reat of the church, not many. But how many millions know chant masses ( like the famous De Angelis, or Orbis Factor, or Genitator Alme for instance, )by heart? Latin is the language of the church, and anyone can learn how to pronounce it. It brings us together, while vernacular settings popular in a single area separates us. [/rant]

*

My Childhood is on Youtube!!

Well, not literally. But searching youtube, I found that almost every T.V. show that I loved as a kid is there. Oh yeah, you know them:
Muppet Babies

Eureka's Castle!

The Busy world of Richard Scarry!

Gullah Gullah Island!

Rupert bear! (By far, my number 2 most favorite show)

Little bear! (My number one favorite show. I loved this more than any other show)

Now, I was much too young to remember anything about it, but my parents tell me that as a teeny tiney baby, we would watch Maya the Bee.

Now, those are just the ones I watched as a baby till I was a todler. When I was six or seven, my tastes expanded to:

All That

In the ninties, every kid watched this. If you did'nt, you were a nerd.Everyone rembers the conversational french lessons that told you how to insult people, and the lunchlady that loved peas and would assault you if you did'nt.
Now, I did'nt watched this, but since my sister watched us after school, shoe would turn to Clarissa Explains it All.
But even now (Because it stoll does come on) I love Rocko's Modern Life. It wa'snt until now that I've grown a bit that I realized that some bis were a little um....adult. (Like the episode where Rocko is being deported because he's an illegal immigrant, but he marries his best freind Filburt so that he can stay in the states.Yeah, gay marriage.) I was'nt much into it, but I did watch AAH! REAL MONSTERS! But I did love Tiny Toon Adventures ! Now who could'nt love that song? It's so addicting. And we all know that Elmyra had mental problems. She was'nt just a pain, she needed medication. And some time in a good institution.
Now of course, everyone watched Rugrats. I hope God gets full revenge on whatever nitwit decided that they should be all grown up. They definitely suck now.
There was Doug, which I which they would bring back! (Of course, there's many more there!) I can;t find any vids of the Angy beavers, But I still remember the episode where they went into one of their favourite Halloween movies for the Halloween special, and that hilarious dialogue:
*Lady running with the beavers from a monster, falls*
"Ow! My ankle! It's sprained!"
*The beaver brothers make her run, holding her. She falls and slows them down again.*
"OW! My other ankle!*
*Brothers carry her again. She falls, the monster draws near*
"OW!BOTH MY ANKLES*
Dagget: "Maybe we should just cut the damn things off!"
*Norbert drags the lady along*
Of course, theres MUSCULAR BEAVER!!!!111ONE!!
But most of them are gone. You can still see some of them in the summer during th eafternoon, and some still come on in the early morning (3 AM to watch Rocko anyone?)
I guess this video sums up everything I watched as a kid. What happened to nickelodeon?! There's nothing good, and I miss my old shows! If anyone knows of anyway that I can get DVD's of any of those shows ,contact me! (in the combox or by my e-mail)
Have I forgotten anything? What do you remember?
Ol, good Nickelodeon: Requiescat in Pace.
(If I find anymore, I'll definitely make another post!)

Lord of the sacristy III: the return....

Of the white mozetta.Formerly worn during easter season, we have'nt seen it since paul VI. Noe Papa Bene's brought it back! Viva il Papa!

Surrexit Dominus Vere!

I encourage you all to visit Fr. Z's blog to read our holy father's inspiring homily for the easter vigil.
I'm so tired, after serving the easter vigil, then waking up to say matins (Thank God, Eastertide means an office of three lessons for the octave) then was thurifer for the great mass of Easter day. Nothing like smoking up the church to show the joy of Easter. (Look at that Chasuble! Real Gold!)I went to Easter dinner with the family (Lovely roast) I continued an ongoing debate with some one on gaia about many,many things. He's very random, and changes the subject very often. He adores walls of text . He tries to point out non-existing contradictions by setting up strawmen, and twisting words. Anyhow, I could'nt say vespers, so I'll say the Regina Caeli at compline tonight. I decorated the home altar with flowers, got rid of the Lenten veils, and put back the lamps. Also, last week at a garge sale, I came across two very beautiful images of the Sacred Heart and Our mother of Perpetual Help. They're handcarved, and gilded, but look very,very old (perhaps eighty or so years!) I'll need to work on them.
And I'm sure you've seen Papa Bene in the white Mozetta! Amazing! Talk about continuity, those vatican closets are getting plenty of air.

why can't many protestants understand what this verse means......

.......But an atheist I know can understand it? I'm talking about a verse in Corinthians that I use as evidence for purgatory, but most protestants wil disagree saying that that interpretation us hermeneutically errant. But randomly wandering around the Extended Discussion section of gaiaonline ( Yes, I have an account. And I use it all the time) and what do I see in a topic about "bible thumpers"? Speaking of not being charitable, he says:

"Does it being a sin negate salvation? It's mentioned in another part of the new testament that one's works will be tested in fire and all at life's end- and that those who built their lives from (figurative) straw and such would survive only as those escaping through flame. This interprets, in my mind, that after salvation one does not lose salvation to sins, but is simply made to feel a bit o' pain and suffering before they go on to heaven. (Similar to the Catholic idea of purgatory mayhaps?)"

Wow. Catholic hermeneutics still rule.

Tired..can't go on...*Dies*

I'm so tired. I woke up at three A.M. Thursday, said tenebrae, got my clothes ready and did some seasonal changes with the home altar. 6:20 P.M., I went to the church to get ready for the Maundy Thursday Mass/Procession/Stripping of the altars. Then some time in adoration at the altar of repose. Did I mention that I was the thurifer? Did I mention that we used the honking big three-ton brass one? By the time the gospel was being chanted by the priest acting as deacon of the mass, my arm was killing me.Then I had to stand up for the maundy, as they needed my bench for the twelve men (No women.) And I had to carry the bench to and form the altar. Then, at the canon, there were six torchbearers and the blessed sacrament was incensed. Guess who got stuck kneeling on the cold, hard marble floor? Then there was the procession. Luckily, the bothers stripped the altars this year, Deo gracias.
Today I woke up at Five, said tenebrae, go my other clothes, said prime,some devotions, and then terce. Then I got on the computer, and here I am. I still have to go to the altar servers holy hour, the mass of the presanctified, and stations of the cross at St. Charles Borromeo. So far, the triduum has been extremely tiring.

confession lines..

I went to confession yesterday, because, Cardinal Rigali and other priests were there. And I was shocked. I came early, examined my conscience, saw a friend get conditionally baptized, and waited for the confessors to arrive. There weren't many of us there. At least then. By the time I was ready, there were already lines for the confessionals, and by the time that I went to the altar rail to do my penance, the lines went all the way to the back of the church. There were people in the pews waiting, because there wasn't any room to make a line. And when I left, there were still people coming in. It's great to know that besides the fact that I'll get thousands of new brothers and sisters in Christ this Easter, and even greater to know that those who already are my brethren are coming into easter reconciled with the lord. Maybe it was the jokes that we should find some sinners and bring them to church. Or maybe, it was the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of his people.
either way, I have more posts to put up today, and they aren't at all serious.

Holy week schedule and Ordo Musicae at Lourdes

The folks at The New Liturgical Movement Have put up a post about Our Lady of Lourdes' holy week schedule. I posted it in the combox, but I will also provide the ordo musicae that will ne use. Please come if you're in the area! we want a big turnout!

Palm Sunday, March 16th

Mass - Saturday 4:00 PM; Sunday 7:30 AM (Tridentine Mass), 9:00 AM,
10:30 AM (solemn sung Latin), 12:15 PM (solemn procession) and 8:00 PM.

Wednesday, March 19th

Confessions - 7:00-8:30 PM (Cardinal Rigali and other priests)

Holy Thursday, March 20th

Mass of the Lord's Last Supper - 7:30 PM.

Adoration in Church until Midnight

Good Friday, March 21st

Church opens at 8:00 AM
Tenebrae (Recited) - 9:00 AM
Confessions - 12:00 PM-2:30 PM.
The Passion; Veneration of the Cross & Holy Communion - 3:00 PM
Outdoor Stations of the Cross at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary - 7:30 PM

Holy Saturday, March 22nd

Tenebrae (Recited) - 9:00 AM.

Blessing of Easter Baskets and Food - 3:00 PM
Confessions - 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Easter Vigil Mass - 7:30 PM (Adult Choir)

Easter Sunday, March 23rd
Mass - 7:30 AM (Tridentine), 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM (solemn sung Latin) and 12:15 PM
Music:
Holy Thursday:
Entrance: As Thou at Thy first Eucharist Didst Pray
Mass for three voices;William Byrd
Gloria: Gloria de angelis
Ubi Caritas, Maurice Durufle
Communion:Hoc Corpus (Chant)
Hymn: O Food of exiles Lowly
Procession: Pange Lingua (Chant)

Good Friday:
Gradual:Christus factus est pro nobis
Reproaches: Popule Meus, Tomas Luis de Victoria
Communion: Adoremus te, Christe; Theodore Dubois
Hymn:Draw near and take the body of your lord
Vexilla regis prodeunt

Easter Vigil:
Isaiah 5:1,2 (Graduale Romanum)
Sicut Servus, G.P. da Palestrina
Aperges: Vidi Aquam,(Graduale)
Communion: Pasha Nostrum,(Graduale)
Regina Caeli, Gregor Aichinger
Recessional: Be joyful, Mary.
[rant]Of course, a certain person going by the name of 'stigmatized' had to comment. He loves to make hasty generalizations about the archdiocese, and when given counterexamples, simply ignores them and keeps his old point. He complains about the liturgy everywhere, even in the places where they do use polyphony. So, when countered with OLL, he simply nitpicked. "the thurifer isn't wearing gloves in one of those pictures.", he says. "They shouldn't be using a cross from the 14th century.", he says. "They put lots of flowers on the Easter altar. They look ugly.",he says. Not finding anything significant to complain about, he points out small, insignificant details. Then he has the audacity to insult our thurifers, I especially. So apparently, when hasty generalizations and red herrings don't work, try our new personal insults! Now with 25% more fallacious reasoning! I'll have him know, he may insult my intelligence, but he may not insult my duties as a thurifer. I can do 180's, 360's figure eights, among other things. I can turn sharp corners easily, and an stop a swinging thurible with ease. Before he can have the right to complain about how liturgy isn't done just to his liking, let's see what he's done:
Working with the choir? Nope
Preparing servers?Nope.
Buying vestments? Nope.
How about creating floral arangements? Nope.
Does he have a better large cross that he's willing to give us? I doubt it.
[/rant.]

Palm Sunday at St.Peter's

You can see today from these images, thaty they really are opening the closets and bringing out old things for papal celebrations. Both the dalmatics and the papal cross date from around John XXIII 's pontificate (Though the cross may have belonged to Leo XIII. No one's sure.) I really did'nt like the music though. A lot of it seemed kind of sappy or like broadway music. Not to mention they used a setting for a festal mas for palm sunday, which just isn't right.

I don’t know if this signals the complete retirement of Pope John Paul II’s staff or not.


Mons. Marini in another nice surplice. You can kind of see the pontifical dalmatic.

Palm branches are'nt universl. Often, you will see other branches, such as olive.

Fancy Woven palms. I like these.

Cardinal deacons in the afore mentioned dalmatics. I'm not sure where the cope is from.

The deacons who sang the passion:

As I said, I think these are John XXIII's dalmatics:

I actually like the choral parts of the passion. The other parts, not so much. But I still loved it and want to hear the passion sung in my church.

More prelates (Cardinals and Bishops) In attendance In Choro:

Brovo Cardinal!

Cardinal Rigali spoke recently about his implementation of Summorum Pontificum, in our archdiocese, specifically in the seminary. It's very promising. A side note, I found out that the pastor of my parish is also learning to celebrate the tridentine mass. In the sacristy on Laetare Sunday, he was speaking to the sacristan and to the servers about how much was lost with the implementation of the Pauline mass. Anyways, there's going to be a large group of priests in the archdiocese, both religious and secular, and seminarians from throughout the country who'll now know how to celebrate the mass of the 1962 missal. Deo Gracias.
(Comments by Fr. Z)

*UPDATE*

Fr. Z's blog is back, deo gracias. I nearly had a heart attack. Hey that rhymes! I do it always!
Darn.That did'nt rhyme. Oh well.

What the Heck is going on?

One of my favorite blogs is (Was?) What Does the Prayer Really Say? Yes, I can admit it. I think Fr. Z is funny. Anyway, here comes yours truly, minding his own business, going to visit the blog, so I click This And, well, obviously that is'nt his blog. That's not even A Blog! I don;t want to buy an apartment,or a house, or a used car! I don;t want to go to a dating site and meet some person who's really a 45 year old stalker with a foot fetish! I don;t want to go to Las Vegas, or Hawaii, or buy any kind of accessories! I want to go to Frickin' Fr z's blog, and read some Frickin' posts about moving St. Joseph's day to another date too Frickin' late for anyone to know. And this is what I see.
Next thing, they'll cancel the Big O, my favorite old anime. OH wait, they did that already.(emo)

I'M SERIOUS...NO REALLY OK...I want my eclair.

*Note: All mispellings were done purposely, because I think mispellings are hilarious.*

Ok,so theres this guy, and he's got a baby, and the baby was like "you dude! get me some McNuggtes!" and the dude was like "Hey! you put the 'e' in thw wrong place in mcnuggets!" and the bay was like "You, I wants meh McNuggtes! Now or I's gonna ea tchoo! AND THERE'S NO 'W' in 'the'" and then, this lady was like playing a harp made of colorful candies, and there was some random slice of bacon next to the dude and the baby is was like "I can has Candies!?" and she was like ":Sorry your not my type." and the bacon was all emo, so he went to Wendy's and got made into a Baconator which was eaten by pam anderson. Ok , so back to the baby: he like got the mcnuggets, but they were hot, so he made them dance for him till they colloed off, and they were like " Is the tv on?" but they ignored him so he was liek "IS THE TV ON!?" AND THEY WERE LIKE "NO!" But they were watching the brady bunch, and troy woke up in pee the next morning. Ok, so Queenies the bog like popped out of the sofa, and the aunt was like "QUEENIE NO!! MAH BEYBEH!1!!!11!ONE! AH QUEENEH! " And she was deppressed. So next, troy got mad because harpo beat her, she got him back. And then Mr. tried to make Shug breakfast, but he blewed up the kitchen with kerosenes and the food was nasty, so the stove-lady was like "I AINT NEVER DUN NOTHIN TO YOU PEOPLZ!!!!1" and soBrown was like "But you ain't never done nuthin for diddy!" and cora was shouting, so that girl fell in the coffin, and there wasd a cake.
Ok, back to the baby: He gets pancake disease, and he turns into a pancake, and was liek "Run run as fast you can! you can;t catch me because I'm similar to the Pancake man, but he's copywrighted!" and then a fast saketboard dude caught him and ate him. So liek, Wayne brady was like "I make Bryant Gumbo look like Malcolm X, and Dave got shot, so here comes some guys in Cassock-Albs, but they got struck down because it says in II Ecclesiantice 1:22 "Cassock-Albs are an abomination unto the LORD. I shall Smite thine children, even unto the fourteenth generation if thou shalt ever wear them.Likewise polyester and any music written after 1970 that was'nt written by Colin Mawby are abominable unto the LORD thy God." Ok, so because of that, like a certain priest who's a liberal gets struck down liek firty five times, but I won;t say Father O'Leary's name to protect his identity. Ok so like the baby was like IM INTO NUGGETS YO!" and the baconator came alive and was like "YOU BOY GET OVAH HERE!" and the baby was like"boy is a white racist word!" and then Rick james was like "SPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAM!!!111!!ONE!" and then Pam Anderson said "You're not from monty python!" and Rick was like "Yeah, well that's why you got divorced and you're fat!" and then I was all serious and saind "No serious WHERE'S MY ECLAIR." AND BO-Bobo was getting all stabby, so we died, and The baby threw up the McNugets. The End.

Passion sunday

(Veiled statues on Good Friday Tenebrae)
Today is the Fifth Sunday of lent, traditionally the First Sunday of the Passion. It is on this day that the church changes focus from penance, to the passion of Christ. That's why we veil statues,crosses and holy images in the church,so as to keep focus on Christ's passion, and not on the saints. The office changes: In the old office, the gloria patri is removed from the responds at matins, the hymns focus on the cross, and the passion of Jesus. The homilies at matins and the scripture passages for lauds, vespers, and the little hours are also of our lord's passion. It's almost the same in the liturgy of the hours, save the omission of the gloria patri. Besides holy week, we have the feast of our lady's sorrows in passiontide coming.
At mass today, I realized just how much fun it is when your parish has lots of young families. Because there's nothing better than the sound of Five crying children throughout mass. But hey, at least we have five crying childre. There are some parishes with no young families, or very few children.

O SNAP....

I went to a requiem mass today by accident!
No really. Instead of our usual Saturday Salve mass, there was a requiem for the repose of the soul of Fra' Andrew Bertie, prince and grand master of the knights of malta.
The ordinary of the mass was taken from the requiem mass of the kyriale, and the propers- yes, Propers, were taken from the roman gradual for the requeim mass. Including the gradual, which replaced the responsorial psalm. But there's more! Fr. Rutler of the Church of Our Saviour in New York was the celebrant. I almost kind of met him, as we were both knelling at the altar rail after mass, and I waved a little. Then I went home, bough two gallons of water, tried to carry them and an umbrella at the same time, picked them up again when the bags broke, ran after the umbrella when the wind blew it, canceled my organs lessons for today, and said Terce. All before 11 in the morning. Oh yeah, I got bit by a crane*

*LIE. But it would have been funny had that happened.

I'm serving mass on Holy thursday........

...But I'm not sure what I'm doing. Now, I'm Josiah Ross. I'm guessing that (c) Means candles, (+) means cross, and (i) means incense. So I see the acolytes, the crucifer, and the servers with six torches for the consecration/procession.But then there would be three thurifers, and the only time we use more than one thurifer is on Corpus Christi, when we have four or so. So could this be the magic moment when we use more than one thurifer on a festival? Don't know.
From the e-mail:
March 20, 2008, Holy Thursday: L. Uhlmann (c), J.P. Hare (c), J. Hare (+), John Shiiba (i), JR Brice (i), Josiah Ross (i); J. Tate, N. Furton, T. Shiiba, D. Stewart, M. Shiiba, H. Trahan (all Torchbearers); *all other young men will be taking part in the Eucharistic Procession

S.Thomas Aquinas

Today, being his feast in the 1962 breviary. Of course, he's one of my patron saints, so,from the legend of the feast:

Being let down from a window, Thomas escaped out of the castle of Monte San Giovanni, and returned to Naples. Thence he went first to Rome, and then to Paris, in company of Brother John the German, then Master-General of the Friars Preachers. At Paris he studied Philosophy and Theology under Albert the Great Doctor. At the age of twenty-five years he took the degree of Master, and gave public disquisitions on the Philosophers and Theologians with great distinction. He never set himself to read or write till he had first prayed, and when he was about to take in hand a hard passage of the Holy Scriptures, he fasted also. Hence he was wont to say to Brother Reginald his comrade, that whatever he knew, he had learnt, not to much from his own labour and study, as from the inspiration of God. At Naples he was once kneeling in very earnest prayer before an image of Christ Crucified, when he head a voice which said : Thomas, thou hast written well of me. What reward wilt thou that I give thee? He answered : None other, Lord, but thyself. He studied most carefully the works of the Fathers, and there was no kind of author in which he was not well read. His own writings are so wonderful, both because of their number, their variety, and the clearness of his explanations of hard things, that his rich and pure teaching, marvellously consonant with revealed truth, is an admirable antidote for the errors of all times.
Ant. O Doctor óptime, * Ecclésiæ sanctæ lumen, beáte Thoma, divínæ legis amátor, deprecáre pro nobis Fílium Dei.

(O Doctor right excellent, * O light of Holy Church, O blessed Thomas, lover of the divine law, entreat for us the Son of God.)

I served my first mass today!

Yes, more exclamation points.
Well, I did,unexpectedly. I came with my hand missal and my manual of pryaers, expecting to stay in the pews as usual. But one of the servers couldn't come, because he had a football game. (Don't ask me why football is a valid reason to miss mass!) So I was the thurifer, which is good because that's the only thing I'm good at!
So I out on my violet cassock, and embroidered surplice, and gloves. Then off to the sacristy to stand awkwardly around whilst the choir warms up, and I wait for the coals to light. Then more awkward standing as we wait for the service leaflets to be passed out. So the sacristan pulls the bell, Father says the Verse and response (V. Procedamus in pace! R. In nomine Christi,Amen) and yours truly leads out with incense to "The master came to bring good news." Unfortunately, I forgot the parish rule to take the procession slowly so that there's time to repeat the introit of the day.Other than that, I struck the bottom step of the altar with the thurible at the first incensing, and forgot to button the final button of my cassock.
Otherwise, everything was great,music especially. A good anthem and a good motet, one by Byrd, the other by some random guy whose name I forget. And another hymn that I've never heard of (Called simply, "Forgive us our sins.")
Did I mention that today was going to be the day that I was going to tape the mass to put on youtube? Oh well, the choir will be singing again on either the fifth Sunday of lent or palm Sunday. (Second Sunday of the passion) So I led out at the end of mass, got to the back for the other verse and response (V.Prosit! R. Pro omnibus et singulis.) and then wait for the final hymn to finish to go back to the sacristy, de-vest, and go round the church picking up service leaflets and hymnals to put away.
But all in all, it was very spiritually uplifting, better than serving for stations of the cross and benediction which I did last Friday. Sorry, I hate to say it, but it was a real pain.

*Gasp!*

Organists!
THIS is how you play this hymn.
Choirs:
THIS is how you sing it. Yes, I've always loved St Anne, it's one of the most majestic tunes to play on a nice big organ with screaming reeds and 16' s on the manual.