And now, as a treat,

Photos from liturgies at my parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, Philadelphia.

Midnight mass form this year is in there.

"Lo, a maiden hath bourne the Monarch whose name is Everlasting: she hath both the joy of a mother and the honour of a virgin: before her hath none been seen like her ,nor shall there be thereafter, alleluia."

-Third antiphon of lauds.

I sing of a Maiden.

King Jesu Hath a Garden!

Full of divers flowers.

On the feast of Stephen.

Carol.

Merry Christmas!

Well, it's been tiring.

At mass, we had the music as planned (hark the herald ( with fanfare and descant by Willcocks) Haydn mass in b flat, Chanted propers, Adeste fideles (Descant by Willcocks) and as the postlude, Toccata in G major.( Theodore Dubois, with the 32' reeds in the pedal and chamades in the manuals.)

For the first time ever, I did'nt go to the mass of Christmas day, and breaking the rules, I sang lauds when I got home from mass. Brunch with my mom and brother was later, and then presents. My brother and I made a trip downtown to get my mother certain type of necklace that she had wanted since we were little ones. Cue emotional hug. I helped make christmas dinner, but dessert was all storebought. (Candy cane ice cream, raspberry sorbet, and various cookies, all from Trader Joes.)

Then, I sang lauds again this morning, and after mass at Lourdes, another brunch.Then a trip in the snow to get some boots, since neither my brother or I have any boots.Yes. In a blizzard. We LEFT THE HOUSE.

Adam Lay Ybounden.

"Deus, qui hominem delapsum in mortem conspiciens, Unigeniti tui adventu redimere voluisti: praesta, quaesumus, ut qui humili eius incarnationem devotione fatentur,ipsius etiam Redemptoris consortia mereantur."

O God, who beholding man fallen into death, didst will to redeem him by the coming of thine only-Begotten: grant us, we pray thee, that as we profess his Incarnation with humility and devotion,we may likewise merit the fellowship the very same Redeemer."

Adam Lay Ybounden.

Happy Epiphany!

I just got back from the missa cantata. It wasn't what I expected. I figured it'd be low key: a cantor, three servers, M.C and celebrant, and that's it. There were four servers, some priests in choro, and the choir sang the Missa Secunda by Hassler in it's entirety again. Victoria's O Magnum Mysterium at the offertory and his Ave Maria as the communion anthem. The proper communion antiphon was sung with psalm verses again. I forget which publication it is that has the psalm verses for the introit and communion antiphons. I don't think it's the Graduale Triplex. I was conscripted into helping take up the collection, and missed most of the offertory. After mass, the recessional/postlude was the Gravement from BWV 572. Veneration of the bambino at the altar rail after mass. Same vestments as in the picture I posted for the announcement.

One qualm: I really wish that the booklets would print the directions for the postures at high mass. I did the low mass ones, because that's what we use and it's our default, but others don't know that.

One more qualm:
Is Christmas really technically over? We're only halfay through the octave in the new calendar, so we've got till the octave day on Sunday, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord to celebrate Christmas. Or, you could wait till the purification.

Vigil of the Epiphany.

A homily of S.Augustine:

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, dearest brethren, who in eternity is the Creator of all things, was as at this time born of a mother and became our Saviour. It was as at this time that he willed to be born for us in earthly time, so as to lead us to the Father's eternity. God is made man, that man may be made as God. That man may eat Angels' food, the Lord of Angels was as on this day made man.

Now is fulfilled that prophecy : Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness : let the earth open, and bring forth a Saviour. He who made all things is therefore himself made, that those who are lost may be found. It is even as man is made to testify of himself in the Psalms : Before I was humbled, I went wrong. Man sinned and became guilty. God is born man, that the guilty may be delivered. Man fell, but God descended. Man fell miserably, God descended mercifully. Man fell by pride, God descended with grace.

O my brethren, what a miracle! what a wonder! The laws of nature are changed concerning man : God is born, a Virgin conceiveth without an husband ; the Word of God is wedded to one who knoweth no man ; she is at once Mother and Virgin. A Mother, yet ínviolate : a Virgin having a Son ; knowing no man, ever sealed, yet not unfruitful. For he alone was born without sin. He alone was born without human embrace, begotten not of the will of the flesh, but of the obedience of the mind."

"In praesepio iacebat, et in caelis fulgebat; ad nos veniebat, et apud Patrem manebat."
"In the manger did he lay, and in the height shone bright as day: He did come to us, and yea, with the Father did he stay."

-Benedictus antiphon, Lauds.

Collect:
"Grant, to thy people, we beseech thee O Lord, an inviolable firmness of faith: That, as they confess thine Only-begotten Son with thee eternally in thy glory, and truly born of our flesh of the Virgin Mary, they may be delivered from present adversities, and so attain the joys which remain."

Late, I know, but I had some bad congestion today and didn't feel well. The good news is that I don't have to watch my five obnoxious,rambunctious little anklebiters five lovely, well-behaved nieces and nephews tomorrow like I thought. The bad news is that I'll probably be so congested and coughing so much, I'll have to stay home. The cough medicine I used today worked well enough, but I'm out and the only store that sells it is halfway across the city in University City.

More Goodness.

From the divine office:
"Sancta et intácta Virgo Deum nobis génuit, téneris indútum membris, quem lactáre méruit: omnes ipsum adorémus, qui venit salváre nos."

"The holy and intact Virgin hath borne for us God, endued with tender members,whom she hath merited to suckle:Therefore, adore we all him, who hath come to save us."

-Magnificat antiphon, Vespers of the Holy Innocents.

Ritual Notes.

This is midnight mass and Christmas day.

Midnight:
There were less poinsettias than last year, and I could see the relics among them on the high altar.There were carols before mass (Including my two favorites: "See Amid the Winter's snow", Away in A Manger" sung to 'cradle song', and "Of the Father's Love Begotten".) The vestments were the same set as last year. (The set identical to this one), the cope of which set was worn during the procession.The creche was blessed and a short few minutes of prayer said before it before the procession. The hymn was "Hark! the herald angels sing", with some glorious organ improvisations before and after the last verse. versicle and collect at the high altar, then the ministers put on their maniples, the celebrant his chasuble, and mass began.

I just want to say that I almost died every time the choir sang a portion of the mass. The gloria and the benedictus were the best. (And it was the first time I've ever heard the long version of the gloria, either in life or a recording. And one more comment: How exactly does Haydyn define "Brevis"? The sanctus and benedictus required the priest to wait before continuing the mass, I'll give him that the Kyrie was a good length, but he more than made up for it.)

Going on:

Fr.Joseph gave the homily, and sat in choir with someone else who I've seen around,but don't know.At the offertory, 'Adeste,Fideles" was sung after the offertory antiphon, and the offertory was taken up at the 'orate,fratres'.There were six red torchlights at the consecration. Fr.Joseph helped to give communion, so it went faster than last year.Mozart's "Laudate dominum" and "O magnum mysterium".The blessing was sung, and the recessional was "Joy to the world". The postlude was one of Bach's preludes on "In dulci Iubilo" (There are three, and I don't know which BWV number if was yet.)
I only have one very selfish and Wrong comment: The church was full, and with all the people inside,(Ergo,soft surfaces) the acoustics got deadened. So that lovely reverb we usually get to shape the choral and organ music and make it sound ethereal was gone.

That said, not only was it great, but it was shorter than last year by at least 15-20 minutes, even with a Haydyn mass setting.)

Christmas day:

Not as many people as at last night. In fact, most of the servers did'nt come. The mass was still nice though: The chasuble stole, and maniple from last night's set, and the M.C. wore a surplice matching the celebrant's alb.The processional was the same as from last night, all the propers were sung (No cutting of the introit this year) the mass setting was "de angelis" with credo III .The responsorial psalm was okay I guess, but the alleluia was great. At communion (Of the Father's Love Begotten" was sung after the proper antiphon and psalm. The recessional and postlude were the same as last night.

Christmas day.

A sermon of S.Leo the Great

"Dearly beloved : Unto us is born this day a Saviour. Therefore let us rejoice. Sadness should find no place amongst those who keep the Birthday of Life. For as of this day Life came unto us dying creatures, to take away the sting of death, and to bring the bright promise of joy eternal. And no one is excluded from sharing in this our gladness. For all mankind hath one and the same cause thereof, to wit, that our Lord, the Destroyer of sin and death, because he findeth no one free from condemnation, is come to set everyone free. Rejoice, O saint, for thou drawest nearer thy crown! Rejoice, O sinner, for thy Saviour offereth thee pardon! Rejoice, O Jew, for Messias is come. Rejoice, O Gentile, for God calleth thee to life! Now is come the fulness of time, fixed by the unsearchable counsel of God, when the Son of God took upon him the nature of man, that he might reconcile it to its Maker. Now is come the time when the devil, the inventor of death, is met and beaten in that very flesh which hath been the field of his victory.

When the Almighty Lord entered this field of battle against the devil, he did so in great and wondrous fairness. For against our cruel enemy he opposed not the armament of his uncreate Majesty, but the lowliness of our flesh. He brought against him the very shape and the very nature of our mortality, with this difference only, that he was without sin. For his birth is not like that of the ordinary run of men, of whom there is the saying : No one is clean from stain, not even the day-old babe. In this birth alone no desires of the flesh had place. In this birth alone no consequence of sin had part. A Virgin of the kingly lineage of David was chosen to be the Mother who grew heavy with the sacred Child. She was chosen to conceive this divine and human offspring in her body because already she had conceived him in her soul. And that the unwonted events ordained by the counsel of God might cause her no alarm, she was taught them beforehand when the Angel announced that what was to be wrought in her was of the Holy Ghost, and that to become the Mother of God was not to forego her virgin modesty.

Wherefore, dearly beloved, let us give thanks to God the Father, through his Son, in the Holy Ghost : who for his great love, wherewith he loved us, hath had mercy on us ; and even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, that in him we might be a new creature, and a new workmanship. Let us then put off the old man with his deeds. And, having obtained a share in the Sonship of Christ, let us renounce the deeds of the flesh. Acknowledge, O Christian, thine own dignity, who hast been made partaker of the divine nature, and change not back my misdoing into thy former baseness. Bethink thee whose Body it is whereof thou art made a member, and who is its Head. Be mindful that he hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into God's light and God's kingdom."

Merry Christmas!

Though, apparently not for the Holy Father. I wonder if it was the same lady as last year?
With the pope walking round down on the ground like that, among the crowds, this kind of stuff is an inevitable evil. Oh well, there's nothing that can be done about that. (except for the Solution that Must Not Be Mentioned.)I just sang first vespers (among much distraction. Thanks mom and brother.) I spent most of Monday and Tuesday making garlands for the house (Only real greenery will do! Besides, since the pine,boxwood,and holly come from Cobbs Creek, it's free.) and I spent last night and this morning cleaning and hanging decorations. I decorated my home altar after None, with a gold tablecloth, the usual four candlesticks, and two candelabras. Minus the votive lites, there's 12 candles there. And I have two vases with pine, holly, red and white roses, paperwhites, red poppies, and some little white berries. (I'm avoiding poinsettias this year at all cost.)
And I just heard the choir at King's College, Cambridge, singing Advent Lessons and Carrols on Sirius. Gawd, it's awesomeness X2. The
I'll say matins at home, and be at Lourdes for the procession and high mass at 12:00 midnight.
Also:
A guy from Verizon was suppossed to come today to install a new line, but never showed. So around three, my dad called Verizon to find out why. Turns out, the man came past at 8:30 A.M. (And I was up at 7) to see if he fing the electrial box. He saw that my neighbor's dogs were in the lot nextdoor, and so he left without talking to us or even letting us know that he came by. Wow. What happenned? Did he see dogs and say "Goody! Now I get the whole day off! Sure, I could knock on the door and see if the box is even back there in the first place, then go through the house to the backyard, but that would take, like, effort."

P.S. :

Here's your festal music:

In Dulci Iubilo, S.Karg-Elert

Solemn Vespers, Brompton Oratory.

O Magnum Mysterium, Tomas Luis de Victoria

And the piece de resistance, the great one, the long-waited for thing:

Kyrie, Missa 'O magnum Mysterium', T.L. de Victoria. Sung by Westminster Cathedral Choir, my favorite Catholic choir.

Vigil of Christmas.

"Crástina die delébitur iníquitas terræ: et regnábit super nos Salvátor mundi."
"Tomorrow the iniquity of the earth shall be done away, and the Saviour of the world shall reign over us."
Third antiphon, Lauds.

"And the Lord of hosts shall make unto all people in this mountain, a feast of fat things, a feast of wine, of fat things full of marrow, of wine purified from the lees. And he shall destroy in this mountain the face of the bond with which all people were tied, and the web that he began over all nations. He shall cast death down headlong for ever: and the Lord God shall wipe away tears from every face, and the reproach of his people he shall take away from off the whole earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And they shall say in that day: Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have patiently waited for him, we shall rejoice and be joyfull in his salvation. "

"Compléti sunt dies Maríæ ut páreret Fílium suum primogénitum."
"Complete are the days of Mary to give birth to her first-born son."
Benedictus antiphon, lauds.

"Festína, quæsumus, ne tardáveris, Dómine Iesu, ut advéntus tui consolatiónibus sublevéntur, qui in tua pietáte confídunt. Qui vivis."
"Make haste, we beseech thee, O Lord Jesu, that they may be lifted up by the consolations of thy coming, who confide in thy mercy."

A Christmas Prayer.

"HAIL and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing col. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires,through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ and of his blessed Mother. Amen."

To be said 15 times daily from the feast of S.Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas. It is piously believed that whoever does so will obtain what is asked.

The Holy Mother of God.

"As the bush which Moses saw unconsumed, even so preserved is thy laudable virginity. O Mother of God, intercede for us!"
- Last antiphon, vespers of the feast.

A sermon by St. Leo the Pope:

Dearly beloved brethren, whosoever will keep this day's festival with true reverence and due honour, must neither think falsely of the Lord's Incarnation, nor meanly of the Godhead. For as there is danger of not realizing the truth of Christ's humanity, so is there no less danger of failing to recognize his equality in glory with his Father. Wherefore, when we try to contemplate the mystery of Christ's birth, wherein he was born of a Virgin Mother, we must soar above the clouds of earthly imagination, and with the eye of enlightened faith pierce through the fog of earthly wisdom.

The authority on which we believe is the authority of God himself ; and the teaching which we follow is the very teaching of God himself. Therefore it is true, whether we lend an ear to the testimony of the Law, or to the sayings of the Prophets, or to the trumpet of the Gospel. This latter did John the Son of Thunder sound, when, filled with the Holy Ghost, he proclaimed : In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ; the Same was in the beginning with God ; all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made. True also is the witness of John when he saith : The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father.

The Person of the Son of God therefore remaineth unchanged and one, though he hath two natures, keeping his own, and taking ours. He cometh on earth as man to be the restorer of man, but abideth all the while in his unchangeable Godhead. That Godhead which he shareth with the Father was not a whit the less almighty, nor did the form of a servant touch the form of God to derogate from it. The Most High and Everlasting Being, bending down for man's salvation, took the Manhood into his glory. Yet he ceased not to be that which he is from everlasting. Hence we see the only-begotten Son of God in one place confessing that the Father is greater than he, and in another declaring that he and the Father are One. This is an evident proof of the distinction of his two natures, and the unity of his Person. For he is inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood, and yet equal to the Father as touching his Godhead. Albeit, though he be God and Man, he is not two, but One Christ.

"When thou wast born all ineffably of a Virgin, then were the Scriptures fulfilled; thou camest down like the dew upon the fleece of wool, to bring salvation unto all mankind ; we praise thee, O our God."
- Second antiphon, Vespers.

"O God, who by the child-bearing of a pure Virgin hast bestowed upon all mankind the rewards of everlasting life : grant, we beseech thee ; that we may know the succour of her intercession, through whom we have been found worthy to receive the Author of life, even Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord : Who liveth and reigneth with thee."
-Collect of the day.

Solemn Vespers.

I'm going to Lourdes tonigt or solemn vespers and benediction, wit te singing of te te deum. That's an indulgenced act you know. publicly singing or reciting the te deum at the last day of the calendar year.
So is publically singing or reciting the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, rendered in English as the familiar Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest. I would hope we could sing the veni crator either in Englis or Latin tomorrow, but I'm afraid I don't think it's gonna happen.

*EDIT*
I ended up going bowling afterwards with a family that I know. I suck at bowling. A lot. A WHOLE lot. My best game was only 28. I'm such an embarrassment to humanity and sports. I'm going to go crawl up in a corner and eat butter cookies. 'ktnxbai.[/notseriousselfdeprecation]

St.Thomas of Canturbury

"He who gives up his life in this world will possess it forever in everlasting life."
Antiphon for the commemoration at lauds, Liturgia Horarum.

"O God, who gave to blessed Thomas the Martyr, to courageously give up the life of his soul for the sake of justice, grant us by his intercession, that we for Christ may lose our lives in this world, and, finding them in heaven, we may possess them forever."*

*Yes, I'm such an extreme amateur at Latin, so that's the best I could do this time. I couldn't get the first phrases to make sense, so I had to paraphrase them a bit.

St.John's day.

Third day in the octave.
"This is John, to whom Christ on the cross commended his Mother, the Virgin to a virgin."
-Second antiphon, Lauds of the office of St.John

"O God, who didst open the secrets of thy Word to us through blessed John the apostle, grant we beseech thee, That what he poured into our ears in so excellent a manner, we may grasp with the learning of a competent mind."
-Collect of the day, Liturgia Horarum.

Go Here.

NOW.

St. Stephen's day.

Second day in the octave.

"Grant to us, we beseech thee, O Lord, to imitate what we worship. That we may learn to love our enemies, for we celebrate the birthday to eternal life of him who knew also to pray for is persecutors."
-Collect of the day, Liturgia Horarum.

Go Here.