Pentecost!

Happy birthday Church!

And now, some music:

Come Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire.*

Come Down O Love Divine.

Confirma Hoc Deus

Prelude, Adagio, and Chorale Varie on Veni Creator: One, Two, Three.

*Have I ever admitted how jealous I am of St. Peter's Parish and their excellent choir? But if you have that kind of money, that's what you can have. *Sigh*

Novena to the Most Blessed Trinity.

Litany to the Most Holy Trinity.

Mary, Queen of Apostles.

"The perfect model of this spiritual and apostolic life is the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Apostles, who, while she lived on earth the life common to all, filled with labours and care of her family, was always most closely joined with her Son, and cooperated in the work of the Saviour in an entirely singular way. Moreover now, assumed into heaven 'by her motherly love she takes care of the brothers of her Son who are still on the way [to their eternal home] and who are involved in dangers and difficulties, until they are led to the blessed Fatherland.' Let all most devoutly honour her, and commend their life and apostolate to her motherly care."

Apostolicam Actuositatem,Chapter 1.

In the Kalendar, before local feasts were suppressed, there was a feast of Our Lady, Queen of Apostles, that was celebrated on this date.( The Saturday within the octave of the Ascension.)

Though the office for that feast had been supressed, in a way, it has been brought back in the new breviary. It's collect was revived in 1968 as an optional collect in the Common of the Blessed Virgin during eastertide:

"Deus, qui Apóstolis tuis, cum María matre Iesu orántibus, Sanctum dedísti Spíritum, da nobis, ut, ipsa intercedénte, maiestáti tuæ fidéliter servíre et nóminis tui glóriam verbo et exémplo diffúndere valeámus. Per Dóminum."

In the 80's, the mass was also restored in the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Which same, alsp has the mas of Our Lady of Mercy, patroness of our Order.)

Caelos ascendit hodie

Iesus Christus Rex Gloriae!

Coelos Ascendit gloriae, Stanford.

And more, God is Gone up, Finzi.

And even more, Let God Arise, Howells.

"Make us, O Almighty God, to rejoice with holy joy and pious thanksgiving, for the ascension of Christ thy Son is is our advancement, and where the glory of the head has preceded, even to that hope is called the body. "

-collect of the day.

" At length he came upon Eve, the mother of all the living. She was that vineyard whose enclosure her own hands had enabled death to violate, so that she could taste its fruit; thus the mother of all the living became the source of death for every living creature. But in her stead Mary grew up, a new vine in place of the old. Christ, the new life, dwelt within her. When death, with its customary impudence, came foraging for her mortal fruit, it encountered its own destruction in the hidden life that fruit contained. All unsuspecting, it swallowed him up, and in so doing released life itself and set free a multitude of men.

He who was also the carpenter’s glorious son set up his cross above death’s all-consuming jaws, and led the human race into the dwelling place of life. Since a tree had brought about the downfall of mankind, it was upon a tree that mankind crossed over to the realm of life. Bitter was the branch that had once been grafted upon that ancient tree, but sweet the young shoot that has now been grafted in, the shoot in which we are meant to recognise the Lord whom no creature can resist."
- St.Ephrem

Our Lady's Month of May.

"Eve wept, but Mary laughed. Eve's womb was big with tears, but Mary's womb was big with gladness. Eve gave birth to a sinner, but Mary gave birth to the sinless One. The mother of our race brought punishment into the world, but the Mother of our Lord brought salvation into the world. Eve was the foundress of sin, but Mary was the foundress of righteousness. Eve welcomed death, but Mary helped in life. Eve smote, but Mary healed. For Eve's disobedience, Mary offered obedience; and for Eve's unbelief, Mary offered faith.

Let Mary now make a loud noise upon the organ, and between its quick notes let the rattling of the Mother's timbrel be heard. Let the gladsome choirs sing with her, and their sweet hymns mingle with the changing musick. Hearken to what a song her timbrel will make accompaniment. She saith: My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden, for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is Mighty hath magnified me. The new miracle of Mary's delivery hath effaced the curse of the frail backslider, and the singing of Mary hath silenced the wailing of Eve."

-S.Fulbert of Chartres.

Alleluia!

Surrexit a mortuis Christus Dei Filius, Pastor nobis de sepulchro, Alleluia!

Surrexit a mortuis, C.M. Widor.

Don't say anything about the music choice, It's GLORIOUS! It's proper. Happy easter, blessed paschaltide to everyone!

And here's some more organ music for you.

And here's some more choral music for you.

I'm kind of happy that the triddum is almost over ('Almost' because it does'nt technically end till vespers tonight.) I love it though. Passiontide and Holy week are my absolute favourite part of the entire liturgical. I'll miss it, since this was my last passiontide at home at my own parish. We did it up right though: Glorious choral music, well performed ceremonies, nice vestments, excellent preaching. All the right things. Thanks be to God, the bishop loved the music on Good Friday, and everyone loved the passion. I'll admit, that was my first time singing in front of people since I was 11, and I was scared witless. My knees were knocking, my hands were shaking, my heart was doing donuts in the driveway and I'm not entirely sure I was breathing at all for the first 5 minutes. If I sounded any good, all the credit goes to Colin Mawby and Stephen Cleobury. It was their choirs that I used to imitate to get a high, clear voice. I don't know if I succeeded, but I hope I did.

Spy Wednesday.

"Tráditor autem dedit eis signum, dicens : Quem osculátus fúero, ipse est, tenéte eum."

-Benedictus antiphon, Spy Wednesay.

Iudas mercator pessimus.

(Image credit)

"Who is Christ if not the Word of God? "n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" This Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among us. He had no power of himself to die for us: he had to take from us our mortal flesh. This was the way in which, though immortal, he was able to die; the way in which he chose to give life to mortal men: he would first share with us, and then enable us to share with him. Of ourselves we had no power to live, nor did he of himself have the power to die.
In other words, he performed the most wonderful exchange with us. Through us, he died; through him, we shall live.
The death of the Lord our God should not be a cause of shame for us; rather, it should be our greatest hope, our greatest glory. In taking upon himself the death that he found in us, he has most faithfully promised to give us life in him, such as we cannot have of ourselves."

-S.Augustine, homily, matins of Monday in Holy Week.

Liturgical and music Schedule for Holy Week, 2011

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, West Philly.

MAUNDY THURSDAY
Solemn mass, the maundy, and procession to the altar of repose at 7:30 PM

Entrance: Lift High the cross (Crucifer)

Kyrie and Gloria: Simple, after organ improvisation, organ is silenced till the vigil.

Psalm: Mode VIII
Acclamation: After mass XI

Mandatum:
Proper antiphons from the Roman Gradual
Antiphons for the Maundy, Gregory A. Glenn

Offertory:
Ubi Caritas, M.Durufle
As Thou at Thy First Eucharist Didst Pray (Unde et Memores)

Sanctus: Simple chant.
Agnus Dei: David Isele, Holy Cross mass (In four parts)

Communion:
Psalm with antiphon, Simple Gradual.
Panis Angelicus, Palestrina

Procession: Pange Lingua Gloriosi

Stripping of the altars: Antiphon 'Diviserunt' with psalm 21, monotone. (Tenors and basses)

GOOD FRIDAY:
Mass of the Presanctified at 3:00 PM

Psalm: Mode 2d
Gradual: Christus Factus est, Felice Anerio
The Passion: Tomas Luis de Victoria
Veneration of the cross:
O Crux Ave Spes Unica (Palestrina)
Improperia, Victoria
Crux Fidelis (Chant)
If needed: Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle.
Procession from the altar of repose:Adoramus te Christe, Palestrina
Communion:
Crucifixus for 8 voices, Antonio Lotti
Ave Verum Corpus, William Byrd.

EASTER VIGIL:
Vigil and first solemn mass of Easter at 8:00 PM

Psalms and canticles after the readings:The Canticle of Moses, sung to the gregorian tone 2.d. The Canticle of Isaiah, sung to tone 8.c. Psalm 19, sung to tone 2.d Psalm 42, sung to tone 7.d.

Gloria: Mass in B flat ('Little organ mass'), Franz Josef Haydn

Alleluia:Roman Gradual and psalm 118 in English.

At the baptisms: Faith,Hope, and Love, Alexander Peloquin.

Renewal of baptismal promises and sprinkling: Sicut Cervus, G.P. da Palestrina

Offertory: Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabriel Faure.

Communion:
Proper antiphon and psalm,
Hymn: The Strife is O'er,
Ego sum Panis Vivus, Josef Surzynski.

Antiphon to Our Lady: Regina Caeli, Gregor Aichinger

Recessional: Jesus Christ is Ris'n today.

Postlude. Worthy Is the Lamb (Handel, adapted from The Messiah)

OH MY GOOOOOOOOO-

OOOOSH!

I've been upgraded. Instead of singing in the chorus for the Victoria passion, now I'm singing the Chronista. :D I'm so excited and also scared. I mean, I Do want to do it, but I'm afraid to make a mistake in front of the pastor, my superior, the master of postulants, all the other brothers, the Bishop, and of course, a church with 200+ people. D:

But still, excited. I'll post the full holy week schedule and music schedule in about an hour.

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

At the blessing of the Palms:
Ant: Hosanna to the Son of David

Let us pray.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God,we pray thee, sanctify and bless + these palms with thy benediction, that we, who exultantly follow Christ the King,may through him arrive at the eternal Jerusalem.
Who liveth and reigneth.
Second prayer:

Let us pray.
INCREASE, we pray thee, O God, the faith of thy devoted people, and mercifully give ear to their humble supplications; that, they who this day honour the triumph of Christ by the carrying of palms, may through him offer unto thee the the fruit of good works.Who liveth and reigneth.
The palms are sprinkled and incensed.

V.Let us, imitating the acclaiming crowds, proceed in peace.
R.In the name of Christ. Amen.

Ant.Pueri Hebraeorum..portantes.

Ant.Pueri Hebraeorum...vestimenta

Hymn: Gloria, laus, et honor.

Responsory: Ingrediente Domino
Collect of the mass:

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hast given to mankind an example of humility to follow in Our Saviour's taking upon him flesh and suffering the death of the Cross: mercifully grant that by following the example of his patience, we may also merit to be made partakers of his resurrection. Through the same

Passion Tuesday.

And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of prayers: and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son, and they shall grieve over him, as the manner is to grieve for the death of the firstborn.
-Zacharias 12:10

En acetum, fel, arundo

Lo, with gall His thirst He quenches!
see the thorns upon His brow!
nails His tender flesh are rending!
see His side is opened now!
whence, to cleanse the whole creation,
streams of blood and water flow.

Faithful Cross!
above all other,
one and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom,
none in fruit thy peers may be;
sweetest wood and sweetest iron!
Sweetest Weight is hung on thee!

Lofty tree, bend down thy branches,
to embrace thy sacred load;
oh, relax the native tension
of that all too rigid wood;
gently, gently bear the members
of thy dying King and God.

Tree, which solely wast found worthy
the world's Victim to sustain.
harbor from the raging tempest!
ark, that saved the world again!
Tree, with sacred blood anointed
of the Lamb for sinners slain.

Blessing, honor, everlasting,
to the immortal Deity;
to the Father, Son, and Spirit,
equal praises ever be;
glory through the earth and heaven
to Trinity in Unity. Amen.

-En acetum, fel, arundo(Hymn for lauds during passiontide) Translated by Fr.Caswall

Passiontide.

(Since people seem to like this one, I'll re-post it. And by 'people', and mean the two people who read this who both said they liked it.)

It's almost time.
Time is running short, and soon, our lenten disciplines will come to an end. It almost seems too short, really. We've spent these last days preparing for the greatest festival of the church year, the festival that the whole year anticipates.
But even before it, we have a mini-season for further preparation. We call it 'passiontide'. In it, we should seek to the best of our ability so draw away from the world and spend time with our lord, waiting with him as he prepares to fulfill all that was told of him. We have a week left to grow closer to our savior, and more importantly, to grow close to him in his passion, lest the horror and desolation of Good Friday and holy Saturday overtake us too much. And mother church assists us in our devotion.
For all the year, for all of lent, we've had the crucifix displayed as a help to our meditation on our Lord's passion, but now it is veiled. Now we must draw on the experience of a past life of prayer, without the aid of a visual reminder. In sorrow, the Queen of Saints and her court veil themselves to mourn our beloved Jesus, soon to die for us all.

Almost suddenly, the mass and divine office speak of the suffering of our lord rather than our lenten fasting and other disciplines. At the office, we sing the hymn 'Vexilla Regis Prodeunt' at vespers, and 'Pange Lingua Gloriosi...Certaminis' broken into parts for matins and lauds.
The short chapters at lauds and vespers speak of christ "Like a gentle Lamb led to slaughter"(Monday, Lauds) "suffering ouside the gate" and "bearing abuse" (Thursday, Vespers) and that "he was marred beyond human apearance"(Friday,Lauds). Even more, we are told that we "shall mourn, looking upon him whom they have pierced" (Tuesday, lauds)

And we hear more of why the chief priests and the crowds wanted to kill him. At Wednesday, the antiphon at lauds tells us that they wanted to kill him because he taught the truth. But who wants to suppress truth? What man of God would desire to suppress what is of God? Why would they not listen? As our lord asks in the antiphon at Friday's vespers, for which of his good works do they want to kill him? Christ himself explains, saying quite bluntly that the reason they do not listen and want to kill him because they are not of God.(Thursday, lauds)

And on Friday, we are given the tender commemoration of our sorrowful mother Mary, standing the foot of the cross. In the collect of this day in the new roman missal, which asks that we may imitate blessed Mary in devoutly contemplating Christ Crucified, we pray 'Grant we beseech you, the intercession of the same Virgin,that we might in these days adhere more firmly to your only Begotten Son, and come at last to the fullness of grace.' In some places, permission is even given to sing the Stabat Mater at the office.
These days. These last days before our lord is "offered as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to the father". (Wednesday, vespers.)
So the almost halcyon days of lent are fading away, and the more turbulent times of passiontide are nigh.
"O good cross, made beautiful by the body of the Lord, long have I desired thee, ardently have I loved thee, unceasingly have I sought thee, and now thou art ready for my eager soul. Receive me from among men and restore me to my Master, so that He, who redeemed me through thee, shalt receive me through thee. Amen."
-S.Andrew the apostle, before being crucified.

Lady Day.

(From the Nuremburg Chronicles)
ch

O God, whose word deigned to receive true human flesh in the womb of the Virgin,grant, we beseech thee, that as we confess him to be our Redeemer, God and man, we may therefore merit ot be sharers in his divine nature. Who livest and reignest with thee.

So I've decided,

That instead of doing a really deep spiritual passage as a reflection daily for you guys, I'll just go the easy way and put a good translation of the day's collect and some edifying artwork for you.

That, and I've decided to go back to ritual notes. I'm sure there's someone out there who misses hearing about the liturgical doings of Our Lady of Lourdes,though I can't figure out who or why.

See, see, the word is incarnate!

Orlando Gibbons.

Happy Epiphany.

(Though we here in the U.S. observed it on Sunday. At Lourdes, (At the Latin mass) we had the Victoria O magnum Mysterium that was'nt sung on Christmas, Something by Rheinberger at the offertory (Venite Populi for soprano and alto chorus) the proper chants and: 1) The First Nowell (Descant on the last verse) 2) What Child is This? (One harmonised verse) We missed out on the toccata from Widor's 4th symphony, and got the In Dulci Iubilo from Bach's Orgelbuchleine.

And now,

Some Festal Music.

Usually, we get this in Epiphany as our postlude, but this year we just got something from Bach's Orgelbuchliene

Can I just add that, despite it's popularity, my favourite movement from this symphony is neither the Toccata nor the equally popular Allegro Vivace, but the much more interesting Allegro Cantabile.

Happy Feast day!

Today, of course, is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus,