Sunday XXVII - October 7, 2007
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, Rhode Island
The Saturday Mass will end with a Marian procession.
I sing the mighty pow'r of God..."Ellacombe"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
If today you hear his voice...Peloquin
Alleluia...Murray
Lord of all hopefulness..."Slane"
Community Mass...Proulx
Lord's Prayer (in English)...chant
(Sunday) Lord, who at thy first Eucharist did pray..."Unde et Memores"
(Saturday) The Worship of God in Nature...Beethoven
Ave Maria/As I Kneel before You...Parkinson
- (Saturday as part of Marian procession, Sunday as meditation)
(Saturday) Fatima Ave (Marian procession)
(Sunday) Now thank we all our God..."Nun Danket" (recessional)
Peace,
BMP
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
CATHOLIC AND BLOGGING MEME
Stole the tag from the Catholic Caveman
1. Do you attend the Traditional Latin Mass or the Novus Ordo?
The parish I play for has three weekend Masses, but all Novus Ordo. The only Extraordinary form in Rhode Island is celebrated while I'm on my way home from my last Mass - a 45-minute drive. However, starting on Sunday 10/21, there will be an Extraordinary form celebrated monthly on Sunday afternoons at 5 PM. I have all intentions of being there - at the very least - for the first one.
2. If you attend the TLM, how far do you drive to get there?
This one I'll be attending on 10/21 is just minutes away.
3. If you had to apply a Catholic label to yourself, what would it be?
Roman Catholic.
4. Are you a comment junkie?
Not very often. Mostly a post and podcast junkie at this stage.
5. Do you go back to read the comments on the blogs you’ve commented on?
Sometimes.
6. Have you ever left an anonymous comment on another blog?
Not in a long time.
7. Which blogroll would you most like to be on?
Any good, Catholic blog.
8. Which blog is the first one you check?
It depends on my mood.
9. Have you met any other bloggers in person?
Yes. Rich at Catholic Lite, Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, and Domini Sumus. (As for other podcasters, I work for one.)
10. What are you reading?
Other people's blogs. Ho ho ho! That's exactly how I got this meme!
TAG, YOU'RE IT! Anyone who reads this who wants to play!
Peace,
BMP
1. Do you attend the Traditional Latin Mass or the Novus Ordo?
The parish I play for has three weekend Masses, but all Novus Ordo. The only Extraordinary form in Rhode Island is celebrated while I'm on my way home from my last Mass - a 45-minute drive. However, starting on Sunday 10/21, there will be an Extraordinary form celebrated monthly on Sunday afternoons at 5 PM. I have all intentions of being there - at the very least - for the first one.
2. If you attend the TLM, how far do you drive to get there?
This one I'll be attending on 10/21 is just minutes away.
3. If you had to apply a Catholic label to yourself, what would it be?
Roman Catholic.
4. Are you a comment junkie?
Not very often. Mostly a post and podcast junkie at this stage.
5. Do you go back to read the comments on the blogs you’ve commented on?
Sometimes.
6. Have you ever left an anonymous comment on another blog?
Not in a long time.
7. Which blogroll would you most like to be on?
Any good, Catholic blog.
8. Which blog is the first one you check?
It depends on my mood.
9. Have you met any other bloggers in person?
Yes. Rich at Catholic Lite, Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, and Domini Sumus. (As for other podcasters, I work for one.)
10. What are you reading?
Other people's blogs. Ho ho ho! That's exactly how I got this meme!
TAG, YOU'RE IT! Anyone who reads this who wants to play!
Peace,
BMP
CHRISTUS VINCIT SPORTS
From the Office of Good News...
Meet the new AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS!
Finally, for the first time in 12 years! YEE-HA!
The scores last night:
Red Sox 5, Twins 2 / Orioles 10, Yankees 9 (10 innings)
Peace,
BMP
Meet the new AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS!
Finally, for the first time in 12 years! YEE-HA!
The scores last night:
Red Sox 5, Twins 2 / Orioles 10, Yankees 9 (10 innings)
Peace,
BMP
Friday, September 28, 2007
AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
Our friend Kevin over at RPInet is looking for a catchy name for his traditional choir. His contemporary choir was named Agape long before he got there. Somehow later into the thread, Katherine jokingly figured: why not auction off names to big business, kind of like what pro sports do with ballparks, stadiums, and arenas. For example, the Providence Civic Center became "Dunkin Donuts Center Providence". The Houston Astrodome was replaced by a newer stadium, which was named "Enron Field" - well, until Enron screwed up and croaked - then it became "Minute Maid Park". You get the idea. Preparation H Arena, etc.
Anyhoo, Katherine came up with "The St. Francis Verizon Tones". Ah yes, Verizon - the big phone monopoly, well, until cable companies like Cox came up with a better product. "M Anon" came up with the "Chico's Bail Bonds Schola", inspired by the Bad News Bears, of course.
Chris Conroy, another good friend of ours (who sometimes comments on the snark blog), figured: well, what if one can't afford to sponsor a choir - how about Mass parts. "Our Tostitos Communion hymn is..." (Taste and see?)
So, in one of my later replies, I figured on Geritol sponsoring the introit (or entrance hymn) and BoPeeps Gentlemen's Club for the offertory (from the latest version of the Bad News Bears). So, what does one call the recessional? Well, figure your average congregation can't get the hell out of the lot fast enough, right? Road rage may ensue, possibly an accident. So, why not have Geico sponsor it?
But poor Kevin still needs a choir name. Someone help him out. :D
Peace,
BMP
Anyhoo, Katherine came up with "The St. Francis Verizon Tones". Ah yes, Verizon - the big phone monopoly, well, until cable companies like Cox came up with a better product. "M Anon" came up with the "Chico's Bail Bonds Schola", inspired by the Bad News Bears, of course.
Chris Conroy, another good friend of ours (who sometimes comments on the snark blog), figured: well, what if one can't afford to sponsor a choir - how about Mass parts. "Our Tostitos Communion hymn is..." (Taste and see?)
So, in one of my later replies, I figured on Geritol sponsoring the introit (or entrance hymn) and BoPeeps Gentlemen's Club for the offertory (from the latest version of the Bad News Bears). So, what does one call the recessional? Well, figure your average congregation can't get the hell out of the lot fast enough, right? Road rage may ensue, possibly an accident. So, why not have Geico sponsor it?
But poor Kevin still needs a choir name. Someone help him out. :D
Peace,
BMP
GREAT SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM NEWS IN RHODE ISLAND
My former boss will be celebrating 1962 Mass! WOOHOO!
I usually don't read the Pawtucket Times. Most of the time it's really only good for wrapping fish and lining litter boxes. But today I stumbled onto this front page write-up and I was very elated. (Links and snarky remarks added by yours truly)
Introibo ad altare Dei (I will go in to the altar of God)
PAWTUCKET - St. Leo the Great Church will be going back in time (Not really, but you have to understand, this is secular media that printed this article). Using a 1962 pre-Vatican II missal, the (Very) Rev. Kevin Fisette (my former pastor who I still consider a good friend to this day) will celebrate Sunday Mass in Latin on Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. (WOOHOO!)
The pastor will be wearing traditional vestments and during much of the Mass, will be standing with his back to the congregation. (When will the secular media around heree ever get it right? He will be facing the Lord, "to the East", the same direction as the congregation will be facing!) Worshippers will have to kneel to receive Holy Communion, and the host will be placed on the tongue.
In one other notable difference, Father Fisette will be assisted by altar boys - no girls allowed.
While this hasn't met with any resistance from parishioners, he did admit that one of his female altar servers, perhaps only half jokingly, responded with "Hey, that's not fair!" when told of the Latin Mass rules. (Quoting Fr. Fisette on my first Sunday at Holy Name, after I announced the hymns at the Latin Mass, obviously my still not knowing any better then, he asked me not to announce, and for good reason. "They didn't do that in '62," he told me. Same applies to the rule allowing altar boys and not altar girls - "They didn't do that in '62.")
St. Leo's, at 697 Central Ave., is the second church in Rhode Island to offer the Tridentine Mass. The other is Holy Name of Jesus Church in Providence (where I worked with Fr. Fisette for four of his seven years there, very happily, mind you), which has been offering the Mass for almost a decade by special permission from church authorities.
Earlier this year, Pope Benedict XVI lifted Vatican restrictions (Well, he really didn't "lift" the restrictions, but made clear that such restrictions never really existed, contrary to the belief of many bishops worldwide) on the celebration of the Latin Mass, paving the way for more parishes to offer the traditional rite. However, as Father Fisette pointed out, there are many specific rules and regulations associated with it, which have been outlined by the Most Rev. Thomas Tobin, Bishop of Providence.
"Bishop Tobin made it clear we can not mix rites, do a little of the old Mass and a little of the new," said Father Fisette (that is correct). "Everything will be just as it was in 1962." He added that Bishop Tobin has been "extremely supportive" of his plan. (God bless Bishop Tobin!)
Father Fisette said he is excited about offering the Latin Mass and hopes that it will generate enthusiasm among his own parishioners, and perhaps attract some that are new. (Like I mentioned in an earlier post - "Build it and they will come.")
Noting that weekly Mass attendance among Catholics has dropped about 40 percent in the last 40 years, Father Fisette said, "We have to do whatever we can to bring people back."
Father Fisette, who has been a priest for 26 years, said he realizes there are some who consider the practice a sign of the church going backwards. (A word to said skeptics, it's really just bringing back those sacred elements that somehow got lost in transition... well, and then some.)
He and other supporters of the Tridentine Mass view it as a return to a time of more sacred, traditional church values that were in place prior to the Second Vatican Council. "Sometimes, I think we have lost a sense of the sacred. It's all become very familiar," he said. "We would like to bring back the sense of mystery, if you will - back when people were more in awe of the Mass." He added that the Latin Mass celebration offers more in the way of "spiritual drama." (I've often sensed that in the sudden outbursts of "Nobis quoque peccatoribus", from the Canon of the Mass, and "Domine, non sum dignus", from the priest's Communion.)
Commenting on the longtime practice of the priest turning his back to the congregation, Father Fisette said that traditional thinking held that the old Mass was, essentially, the "priest's prayer on behalf of the people who were gathered."
In contrast, the new Mass is centered around the idea that all of the people celebrate the Mass with the priest. (Not to mention the stereotypical innovative liturgeist's definition of "Full, Conscious, and Active Participation")
Father Fisette said he sees the Latin Mass as providing parishioners with another option of a traditional Catholic Mass.
"The Church is certainly big enough for different types of Masses. It is big enough for everybody's spirituality," he said. "We have guitar Masses and Gregorian chants, why not the Latin Mass?" (After all, Cardinal Arinze once said, "I will not now, nor will I ever say, 'Never guitar'". The problem is not so much the guitar as it is the music that the stereotypical "liturgical guitarist" uses at Holy Mass. Let me remind you that the beloved Christmas carol Stille Nacht, Heilege Nacht got its premiere on guitar, as the organ at the composer's church had broken down.)
Before arriving at St. Leo's, Father Fisette was pastor of Holy Name Church, where he celebrated the weekly Tridentine Mass for seven years. He said that at Holy Name, there was a great deal of interest in the Latin Mass, even attracting a younger segment of the parishioners. (We had really good turnouts at that Mass. And don't let Fr. Fisette's being a diocesan priest ordained in 1981 fool you. He can say/chant the Mass in the Extraordinary Form just as well as any of the other well-trained priest in that form, and with class.)
Father Fisette admits he is no Latin scholar, having only taken a couple of years of the ancient language in high school. However, when he was assigned to Holy Name in 1997, he decided to learn it himself. He said he used his mother's old missal and watched a videotape as a guide. "I was tongue-tied at first, but I found that it was fairly easy to learn," he said. (I took a similar route - I did one year of French in eighth grade, then took Latin in my first two years of high school. When I got involved in church music in my late teens, I had to do some converting - mainly in pronunciations, as the high school I attended was a public high school and the Latin was Classical Latin - so I had to learn to convert all my pronunciations to Ecclesiastical Latin. I try not to show conceit, but I have to say it paid off well for me, and for Father Fisette as well.)
He said he still intends to deliver his homily in English, however. (That is fine. That is usually the custom, as well as re-reading the Epistle and Gospel in English just before the homily.) Because of all the different rules and practices involving the Latin Mass, Fisette said he plans to hold an instructional session for parishioners on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. in St. Leo's Church. (Big time kudos!)
Following the inaugural Mass on Oct. 21, Father Fisette plans to celebrate a 5 p.m. Latin Mass on the third Sunday of each month for one year, to see if it catches on with parishioners. "I feel optimistic that it will," he stated. (I feel it will too.)
BTW, I plan on being there for (at the absolute least) the October 21 Mass. St. Leo the Great Church is on 697 Central Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Looks a little modern on the outside, but looks more traditional on the inside.
Peace,
BMP
I usually don't read the Pawtucket Times. Most of the time it's really only good for wrapping fish and lining litter boxes. But today I stumbled onto this front page write-up and I was very elated. (Links and snarky remarks added by yours truly)
Introibo ad altare Dei (I will go in to the altar of God)
PAWTUCKET - St. Leo the Great Church will be going back in time (Not really, but you have to understand, this is secular media that printed this article). Using a 1962 pre-Vatican II missal, the (Very) Rev. Kevin Fisette (my former pastor who I still consider a good friend to this day) will celebrate Sunday Mass in Latin on Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. (WOOHOO!)
The pastor will be wearing traditional vestments and during much of the Mass, will be standing with his back to the congregation. (When will the secular media around heree ever get it right? He will be facing the Lord, "to the East", the same direction as the congregation will be facing!) Worshippers will have to kneel to receive Holy Communion, and the host will be placed on the tongue.
In one other notable difference, Father Fisette will be assisted by altar boys - no girls allowed.
While this hasn't met with any resistance from parishioners, he did admit that one of his female altar servers, perhaps only half jokingly, responded with "Hey, that's not fair!" when told of the Latin Mass rules. (Quoting Fr. Fisette on my first Sunday at Holy Name, after I announced the hymns at the Latin Mass, obviously my still not knowing any better then, he asked me not to announce, and for good reason. "They didn't do that in '62," he told me. Same applies to the rule allowing altar boys and not altar girls - "They didn't do that in '62.")
St. Leo's, at 697 Central Ave., is the second church in Rhode Island to offer the Tridentine Mass. The other is Holy Name of Jesus Church in Providence (where I worked with Fr. Fisette for four of his seven years there, very happily, mind you), which has been offering the Mass for almost a decade by special permission from church authorities.
Earlier this year, Pope Benedict XVI lifted Vatican restrictions (Well, he really didn't "lift" the restrictions, but made clear that such restrictions never really existed, contrary to the belief of many bishops worldwide) on the celebration of the Latin Mass, paving the way for more parishes to offer the traditional rite. However, as Father Fisette pointed out, there are many specific rules and regulations associated with it, which have been outlined by the Most Rev. Thomas Tobin, Bishop of Providence.
"Bishop Tobin made it clear we can not mix rites, do a little of the old Mass and a little of the new," said Father Fisette (that is correct). "Everything will be just as it was in 1962." He added that Bishop Tobin has been "extremely supportive" of his plan. (God bless Bishop Tobin!)
Father Fisette said he is excited about offering the Latin Mass and hopes that it will generate enthusiasm among his own parishioners, and perhaps attract some that are new. (Like I mentioned in an earlier post - "Build it and they will come.")
Noting that weekly Mass attendance among Catholics has dropped about 40 percent in the last 40 years, Father Fisette said, "We have to do whatever we can to bring people back."
Father Fisette, who has been a priest for 26 years, said he realizes there are some who consider the practice a sign of the church going backwards. (A word to said skeptics, it's really just bringing back those sacred elements that somehow got lost in transition... well, and then some.)
He and other supporters of the Tridentine Mass view it as a return to a time of more sacred, traditional church values that were in place prior to the Second Vatican Council. "Sometimes, I think we have lost a sense of the sacred. It's all become very familiar," he said. "We would like to bring back the sense of mystery, if you will - back when people were more in awe of the Mass." He added that the Latin Mass celebration offers more in the way of "spiritual drama." (I've often sensed that in the sudden outbursts of "Nobis quoque peccatoribus", from the Canon of the Mass, and "Domine, non sum dignus", from the priest's Communion.)
Commenting on the longtime practice of the priest turning his back to the congregation, Father Fisette said that traditional thinking held that the old Mass was, essentially, the "priest's prayer on behalf of the people who were gathered."
In contrast, the new Mass is centered around the idea that all of the people celebrate the Mass with the priest. (Not to mention the stereotypical innovative liturgeist's definition of "Full, Conscious, and Active Participation")
Father Fisette said he sees the Latin Mass as providing parishioners with another option of a traditional Catholic Mass.
"The Church is certainly big enough for different types of Masses. It is big enough for everybody's spirituality," he said. "We have guitar Masses and Gregorian chants, why not the Latin Mass?" (After all, Cardinal Arinze once said, "I will not now, nor will I ever say, 'Never guitar'". The problem is not so much the guitar as it is the music that the stereotypical "liturgical guitarist" uses at Holy Mass. Let me remind you that the beloved Christmas carol Stille Nacht, Heilege Nacht got its premiere on guitar, as the organ at the composer's church had broken down.)
Before arriving at St. Leo's, Father Fisette was pastor of Holy Name Church, where he celebrated the weekly Tridentine Mass for seven years. He said that at Holy Name, there was a great deal of interest in the Latin Mass, even attracting a younger segment of the parishioners. (We had really good turnouts at that Mass. And don't let Fr. Fisette's being a diocesan priest ordained in 1981 fool you. He can say/chant the Mass in the Extraordinary Form just as well as any of the other well-trained priest in that form, and with class.)
Father Fisette admits he is no Latin scholar, having only taken a couple of years of the ancient language in high school. However, when he was assigned to Holy Name in 1997, he decided to learn it himself. He said he used his mother's old missal and watched a videotape as a guide. "I was tongue-tied at first, but I found that it was fairly easy to learn," he said. (I took a similar route - I did one year of French in eighth grade, then took Latin in my first two years of high school. When I got involved in church music in my late teens, I had to do some converting - mainly in pronunciations, as the high school I attended was a public high school and the Latin was Classical Latin - so I had to learn to convert all my pronunciations to Ecclesiastical Latin. I try not to show conceit, but I have to say it paid off well for me, and for Father Fisette as well.)
He said he still intends to deliver his homily in English, however. (That is fine. That is usually the custom, as well as re-reading the Epistle and Gospel in English just before the homily.) Because of all the different rules and practices involving the Latin Mass, Fisette said he plans to hold an instructional session for parishioners on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. in St. Leo's Church. (Big time kudos!)
Following the inaugural Mass on Oct. 21, Father Fisette plans to celebrate a 5 p.m. Latin Mass on the third Sunday of each month for one year, to see if it catches on with parishioners. "I feel optimistic that it will," he stated. (I feel it will too.)
BTW, I plan on being there for (at the absolute least) the October 21 Mass. St. Leo the Great Church is on 697 Central Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Looks a little modern on the outside, but looks more traditional on the inside.
Peace,
BMP
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
ADOREMUS INTERVIEWS JEFF OSTROWSKI
The October 2007 edition of the Adoremus Bulletin has an interview with Jeff Ostrowski that is well worth reading. Jeff Ostrowski is the composer of the Chabanel Psalm Project, from which we drew our Responsorial Psalm settings for the previous two Sundays at Holy Ghost. Jeff writes excellent music for his antiphons and uses a Psalm Tone (usually) for the verses. The accompaniments for the Psalm Tones are also very good. Although I'm going with a Gelineau (Worship III) setting for this Sunday coming, last Sunday will definitely NOT be the last time I use one of the Chabanel settings. Like I've said before - forget OCP's Singing the Psalms or GIA's Celebration Series/Psalms for the Church Year. Jeff Ostrowski has probably THE best in English Psalm settings since Gelineau.
RSCT to Lyn the Organ-ic Chemist. (BTW, Lyn is a friend of the snark trio, who also frequents the RPInet boards, who finally moved her blog over to Blogger.)
Peace,
BMP
RSCT to Lyn the Organ-ic Chemist. (BTW, Lyn is a friend of the snark trio, who also frequents the RPInet boards, who finally moved her blog over to Blogger.)
Peace,
BMP
FATHER P AND BUBBA
These two guys are kind of like a redneck Abbott and Costello. Check out this conversation. (RSCT to the Catholic Caveman)
Bubba: You know, cousin... I was wondering about that "Latin Mass" that you talk about so much. Mind if I ask you a few questions?
Father P: Go right ahead, Bubba.
Bubba Ray: Is it true that you ask folks in heaven to pray for you?
Father P: Sure do.
Bubba: What part?
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: Who?
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: No, I mean the part when you talk to the folks in heaven.
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: I don't know no girl named Gloria.
Father P: No. I'm telling you that when we ask the Saints in heaven to pray for us, that's the Gloria.
Bubba: Gloria who?
Father P: *Sigh* We'll talk about that later. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?
Bubba: Matter of fact, I do. Just exactly when do you start speaking to The Lord Himself?
Father P: Christe Elesion.
Bubba: Christy who?
Father P: No, not Christy... CHRISTE!
Bubba: Christy who?
Father P: No, no, no!! Not Christy... CHRISTE!
Bubba: I don't know no girl named Christy. But I know the family... the Ellisons. Ain't we kin to them on your momma's side? Didn't they use to live o'er by the Piggly-Wiggly? (Man, I haven't seen a Piggly-Wiggly since I was about seven years old! Though the funniest supermarket name award at this point would be the Moo and Oink!)
Father P: You're not listening, Bubba. Christe Elesion is Greek for...
Bubba: (Interrupting) Stop, stop, stop.... the only Greeks I knowd is when I got throwd in jail in Athens, Georgia. And why you keep tellin' me all 'bout these people I don't know?
Father P: No Bubba, I'm trying to tell you about the Mass. Like when we ask The Lord God to accept out sacrifices;
Bubba: An' what's that part called?
Father P: Hanc Igitur.
Bubba: AGAIN YOU TELLIN' ME 'BOUT PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN KNOW! I don't know no Hank, and I sho' don't know no Iggyture family!
Father P: *Sigh* We're getting nowhere fast, Bubba.
Bubba: No, don't quit on me yet, cousin. Can you tell me about all them doo-dads you got up there with ya?
Father P: Sure! Well, there's the candlesticks, the chalice, the burse, the...
Bubba: (Interrupting) Whoa, cuz. You got a ladies carry-all up there with ya?
Father P: What in the world are you talking about, Bubba?
Bubba: You said you got somethin' called a burse. Remember Aunt Tootie, the one with the hairlip? Buckshot's momma. She use to call it a burse too. Then again, she also say bocketbook.
Father P: No, Bubba! That's not what I meant at all! You're totally confusing things wit.... oh, forget it.
Bubba: Don't lose patience with me yet. I just want to know when your service is over.
Father P: I tell the congregation "Ite, missa est."
Bubba: Eat a mess a what?
Father P: No. Ite, missa est.
Bubba: Eat a mess a what?
Father P: ITE, MISSA EST!!!
Bubba: EAT A MESS A WHAT!!?? A whole mess a fried catfish, BBQ, snap beans and cornbread? I ain't never did hear of food called "est"? Is that some kinda Catholic food?
Father P: Cousin, I think this conversation is about over.
Bubba: Can I ask just one last question?
Father P: (exasperated) Why not!!
Bubba: Is there any part of your service where you ask God to forgive you of your sins?
Father P: Absolutely. During the Confiteor Dei.
Bubba: During Confederate Day!!?? That's the only thing you've said that's made any sense to me at all!!
Peace,
BMP
Bubba: You know, cousin... I was wondering about that "Latin Mass" that you talk about so much. Mind if I ask you a few questions?
Father P: Go right ahead, Bubba.
Bubba Ray: Is it true that you ask folks in heaven to pray for you?
Father P: Sure do.
Bubba: What part?
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: Who?
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: No, I mean the part when you talk to the folks in heaven.
Father P: Gloria.
Bubba: I don't know no girl named Gloria.
Father P: No. I'm telling you that when we ask the Saints in heaven to pray for us, that's the Gloria.
Bubba: Gloria who?
Father P: *Sigh* We'll talk about that later. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?
Bubba: Matter of fact, I do. Just exactly when do you start speaking to The Lord Himself?
Father P: Christe Elesion.
Bubba: Christy who?
Father P: No, not Christy... CHRISTE!
Bubba: Christy who?
Father P: No, no, no!! Not Christy... CHRISTE!
Bubba: I don't know no girl named Christy. But I know the family... the Ellisons. Ain't we kin to them on your momma's side? Didn't they use to live o'er by the Piggly-Wiggly? (Man, I haven't seen a Piggly-Wiggly since I was about seven years old! Though the funniest supermarket name award at this point would be the Moo and Oink!)
Father P: You're not listening, Bubba. Christe Elesion is Greek for...
Bubba: (Interrupting) Stop, stop, stop.... the only Greeks I knowd is when I got throwd in jail in Athens, Georgia. And why you keep tellin' me all 'bout these people I don't know?
Father P: No Bubba, I'm trying to tell you about the Mass. Like when we ask The Lord God to accept out sacrifices;
Bubba: An' what's that part called?
Father P: Hanc Igitur.
Bubba: AGAIN YOU TELLIN' ME 'BOUT PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN KNOW! I don't know no Hank, and I sho' don't know no Iggyture family!
Father P: *Sigh* We're getting nowhere fast, Bubba.
Bubba: No, don't quit on me yet, cousin. Can you tell me about all them doo-dads you got up there with ya?
Father P: Sure! Well, there's the candlesticks, the chalice, the burse, the...
Bubba: (Interrupting) Whoa, cuz. You got a ladies carry-all up there with ya?
Father P: What in the world are you talking about, Bubba?
Bubba: You said you got somethin' called a burse. Remember Aunt Tootie, the one with the hairlip? Buckshot's momma. She use to call it a burse too. Then again, she also say bocketbook.
Father P: No, Bubba! That's not what I meant at all! You're totally confusing things wit.... oh, forget it.
Bubba: Don't lose patience with me yet. I just want to know when your service is over.
Father P: I tell the congregation "Ite, missa est."
Bubba: Eat a mess a what?
Father P: No. Ite, missa est.
Bubba: Eat a mess a what?
Father P: ITE, MISSA EST!!!
Bubba: EAT A MESS A WHAT!!?? A whole mess a fried catfish, BBQ, snap beans and cornbread? I ain't never did hear of food called "est"? Is that some kinda Catholic food?
Father P: Cousin, I think this conversation is about over.
Bubba: Can I ask just one last question?
Father P: (exasperated) Why not!!
Bubba: Is there any part of your service where you ask God to forgive you of your sins?
Father P: Absolutely. During the Confiteor Dei.
Bubba: During Confederate Day!!?? That's the only thing you've said that's made any sense to me at all!!
Peace,
BMP
CATHOLIC CARNIVAL 138
...is up and running at Domestic Vocation. Our contribution, the last one listed in this Veggie Tales-themed Carnival (I also sent it in late), was the post about Holy Family Church in NYC (aka "The United Nations Parish") and their excellent music.
Peace,
BMP
Peace,
BMP
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
SPEAKING OF MISCHIEF...
...Here are a couple of cats for ya!
Got these two guys from my son Chris via e-mail...
The "gathering song" was All Are Welcome. No wonder he was pissed.
Shamus is taking this little guy to a special sound proof room so he doesn't have to hear All Are Welcome.
This little guy just heckles like the two old guys in the balcony on The Muppet Show when he hears All Are Welcome and other such hideous hits. Just click on his belly to listen to him.
Peace,
BMP
Got these two guys from my son Chris via e-mail...
The "gathering song" was All Are Welcome. No wonder he was pissed.
Shamus is taking this little guy to a special sound proof room so he doesn't have to hear All Are Welcome.
This little guy just heckles like the two old guys in the balcony on The Muppet Show when he hears All Are Welcome and other such hideous hits. Just click on his belly to listen to him.Peace,
BMP
EXTRAORDINARY FORM FAQ
OK, these may look like the Baltimore Catechism (not a bad thing at all) in terms of format, but the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have come up with an FAQ of sorts on the rules for music in the Extraordinary Form of Holy Mass. Well done (hey, so was the Baltimore Catechism)!
Music FAQ for High Mass
Music FAQ for Low Mass
RSCT to Jeffrey Tucker at NLM
Peace,
BMP
Music FAQ for High Mass
Music FAQ for Low Mass
RSCT to Jeffrey Tucker at NLM
Peace,
BMP
Monday, September 24, 2007
EXTRAORDINARY TRAINING IN ROME
From Father Z:
"One of the very interesting things I have learned is that the Pontifical North American College, the seminary where most of the men from the USA live and receive their spiritual formation, is going to be … wait for it…
training seminarians to celebrate also using the 1962 Missale Romanum.
We will need to see what exactly is going to be done in this regard, of course. But if this actually happens it is a matter of real joy."
This is great news (so far), especially knowing one of the seminarians there personally. Dylan, who I've gotten to know over my years at Holy Name, is a seminarian there, and will be ordained as a deacon in Rome next month, and as a priest in Providence in June of 2008. Dylan (as least as long as I've known him) is a big fan of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, so this will be right up his alley. I personally think (and have thought since his entering the seminary) that he will make a great priest.
Peace,
BMP
"One of the very interesting things I have learned is that the Pontifical North American College, the seminary where most of the men from the USA live and receive their spiritual formation, is going to be … wait for it…
training seminarians to celebrate also using the 1962 Missale Romanum.
We will need to see what exactly is going to be done in this regard, of course. But if this actually happens it is a matter of real joy."
This is great news (so far), especially knowing one of the seminarians there personally. Dylan, who I've gotten to know over my years at Holy Name, is a seminarian there, and will be ordained as a deacon in Rome next month, and as a priest in Providence in June of 2008. Dylan (as least as long as I've known him) is a big fan of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, so this will be right up his alley. I personally think (and have thought since his entering the seminary) that he will make a great priest.
Peace,
BMP
Sunday, September 23, 2007
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
Sunday XXVI - September 30, 2007
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, Rhode Island
There's a wideness in God's mercy..."In Babilone"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
Praise the Lord, my soul...Proulx/Gelineau
Alleluia...Mode VI/verses: Tone 6f
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven..."Lauda Anima"
Jubilate Deo (Sanc/Mem/Amen/Ag)...Chants
Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
(exc. 10:30) Lord, you give the great commission..."Abbot's Leigh"
(10:30 only) O sacrum convivium...Remondi
Faith of our fathers, living still..."St. Catherine"
Peace,
BMP
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, Rhode Island
There's a wideness in God's mercy..."In Babilone"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
Praise the Lord, my soul...Proulx/Gelineau
Alleluia...Mode VI/verses: Tone 6f
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven..."Lauda Anima"
Jubilate Deo (Sanc/Mem/Amen/Ag)...Chants
Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
(exc. 10:30) Lord, you give the great commission..."Abbot's Leigh"
(10:30 only) O sacrum convivium...Remondi
Faith of our fathers, living still..."St. Catherine"
Peace,
BMP
Saturday, September 22, 2007
AN UPDATE IN PORTSMOUTH
Father Z has reported via an e-mail he received that Bishop Hollis of the Portsmouth (UK) Diocese has pulled the Q&A piece written by Paul Inwood. It will NOT be published after all.
Good job, Bishop!
Peace,
BMP
Good job, Bishop!
Peace,
BMP
SIOUX FALLS KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT TOO!
Bishop Swain's excellent letter on Summorum Pontifucum
This is in .pdf form, but it's an excellent read. Check it out!
Peace,
BMP
This is in .pdf form, but it's an excellent read. Check it out!
Peace,
BMP
Thursday, September 20, 2007
WTF??? OH WELL, I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED!
Renowned "composer" Inwood: Ix-nay on Otu-may Oprio-Pray
That's right, kids! Paul Inwood, the director of liturgy for the Portsmouth diocese in the UK, as well as world renowned composer of schlock that liturgeists pass off as sacred music, has asked the people of his diocese not to ask for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.
Catholics in the diocese of Portsmouth are to be told that most of them are not allowed even to ASK for the traditional Latin Mass, which has just been restored to full parity with the newer form of Mass by Pope Benedict. The reason? According to Paul Inwood, Portsmouth’s lay “director of liturgy”, the Pope’s own ruling does not permit them to.
(Attention to Fr. Erik --- let's give Inwood a big Bat Shit Crazy Award for that last sentence!)
(UPDATE: Fr. Erik left very good reasons in this post's combox why a Bat Shit Crazy Award should be denied to Mr. Inwood.)
In other words, the diocese – with the apparent backing of its liberal bishop, Crispian Hollis (never heard of him) – is grotesquely misrepresenting Pope Benedict’s apostolic letter on the traditional liturgy, Summorum Pontificum, which says pretty much the opposite of what Inwood claims it says. Does he seriously think he is going to get away with it? The piece is not due to appear until the October issue of the diocesan newspaper, but already Catholics in Britain, America and Rome are outraged. (That's riiiiiiiiiight!)
Fr John Zuhlsdorf, the world’s leading traditionalist Catholic blogger, has the details here. There will also be a full report in the forthcoming Catholic Herald, in which Hollis suggests he agrees with Inwood’s stance.
Fr Z begins by saying: “Let us pray to God and all the angels and saints that this piece is corrected or, even better, trashed and not published at all … This is the stupidest of all diocesan statements about Summorum Pontificum I have seen to date.”
(Big time kudos to Fr. Z., who (as per usual) knows where it's at, as does Damian Thompson, who wrote this article as you see it in italics.)
I’ll second that. The Portsmouth article is based around an interpretation of the papal document that is so obviously biased and wrong that one wonders how on earth it came to be written.
According to Inwood, “people cannot now decide that they want a Tridentine Mass and ask for it”: they must have already have declared their attachment to the older liturgy. (Balderdash to the fullest extent of the word!)
This is utter nonsense. Summorum Pontificum says no such thing. As Fr Z correctly notes, “a brand new group of people can form, who have never gone to the older Mass, and they can make a request.” In any case, the diocese has no say in who can or cannot ask for the extraordinary form.
Almost unbelievably, Inwood brings up the subject of child protection, of all things, saying that any priest who comes into the diocese to say the older form of Mass must have been cleared by the authorities. To quote Fr Z again: “WHAT? If serious, this would merely be a blatant tactic to block priests who are willing and able to say the older form of Mass… This is an exercise in intimidation.”
I blogged yesterday about the risible political correctness of the Portsmouth diocesan bureaucracy. But this is not risible: it is a very serious matter to misrepresent, even unintentionally, the contents of an apostolic letter to the people of a diocese. As, I think, Bishop Hollis will soon discover. (Let's hope!)
Now that you've seen that one - I kind of followed a set of links, you see. I surfed the NLM blog and found this post by Jeffrey Tucker, which led to the Damian Thompson article you'll see below, which led me to his article which I printed above (btw, snarky remarks and emphases mine). This next article, also by Mr. Thompson, goes into Mr. Inwood's ditties, called "liturgical music" by Liturgeist Central and certain big-time publishers of what is supposed to be Catholic music.
I’m learning interesting things about the powerful subculture of ageing trendies who control Catholic worship in many dioceses. Paul Inwood, the Portsmouth "director of liturgy" who wants to ban churchgoers from asking for the traditional Mass, turns out be a composer by trade. Indeed, he is the composer of many of the mind-blowingly banal ditties that the English bishops have been forcing on congregations for years. And he makes a jolly nice living out of it.
(The weird thing is that Mr. Inwood had some really good settings of the Psalms and what not in an early 1970's version of the Simple Gradual in English. The stuff of his that has made the infamous OCP Music Issue over the past couple of decades, well... not half as good.)
You can find excerpts from Inwood’s music here (click on “compositions”). Warning: your toes will curl. Yet his music has featured in more TV and radio broadcasts of Catholic liturgies than that of any other living composer. (That might be in the UK, but in the US, that dishonor goes to Marty Haugen.) And he also sits on the liturgical formation sub-committee of the Bishops’ Conference.
Inwood has received very substantial patronage from the Catholic Church in this country. The evidence is here, on the website of his own company, Magnificat Music, which describes itself as “the leading independent publisher of sheet music for Catholic churches in the British isles”. Interestingly, it gives its address as Park Place Pastoral Centre in Wickham, which also houses much of the Portsmouth diocesan bureaucracy.
Inwood has recently been commissioned to write Masses by the dioceses of Plymouth and Shrewsbury, and has conducted “thousands of workshops” in Britain and America. Fair enough, you might say. (We need better composers to grab hold of what may just be the new Mass translation and get working on real settings thereof, before guys like Inwood, Haugen, and the like start infesting the English-speaking Church with their latest jingles.)
Except for one detail. The guy has a certain technical facility, but his melodies are staggeringly banal. Listen carefully to the excerpts on the website. The tunes are formulaic and unmemorable – and I’m not saying that because I dislike his whole approach to the liturgy. This is bad music, full stop.
A typical Inwood tune meanders up and down the scale, jumping the same intervals, supported by droopy harmonies. Many of the melodies are virtually indistinguishable from each other: you could programme a computer to write something very similar. (As an experiment, I have just sung the instructions on a packet of soap powder to an Inwood-style melody – it’s very easy to do.) (As one local good friend and mentor of mine once said, "A first year harmony student wouldn't get away with writing stuff like that!")
How much money, I wonder, has the Catholic Church spent on this dreary stuff over the years? There is a real problem here. There is nothing illegal or unethical about what Inwood is doing, but we are confronted by a problem that Thomas Day identified in his book Why Catholics Can’t Sing, a stinging attack on the trendy Catholic musical establishment.
As Day says, many professional Catholic liturgists are also composers. They push dioceses and congregations towards the style of music that they themselves compose and publish. How very convenient. (Thus, crap!)
This morning I spoke to a distinguished musician employed by the Catholic Church. He told me: “There’s a cosy relationship between dioceses and the composers and publishers of what is basically bad pop music. Watch out for the new English translation of the Mass [expected in 2009]. I bet that various ‘approved’ composers are already preparing settings that will be commissioned the moment the new texts appear. It’s incredibly galling.” (Go back to my snarky remark three paragraphs up. And, btw --- I don't want no stinkin' commission. I just want to be able to share what I would hope is a decent musical setting of Holy Mass.)
Indeed it is. And what are we going to do about it?
(Start writin'! That's what!)
Great set of articles, Mr. Thompson!
Peace,
BMP
That's right, kids! Paul Inwood, the director of liturgy for the Portsmouth diocese in the UK, as well as world renowned composer of schlock that liturgeists pass off as sacred music, has asked the people of his diocese not to ask for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.
Catholics in the diocese of Portsmouth are to be told that most of them are not allowed even to ASK for the traditional Latin Mass, which has just been restored to full parity with the newer form of Mass by Pope Benedict. The reason? According to Paul Inwood, Portsmouth’s lay “director of liturgy”, the Pope’s own ruling does not permit them to.
(Attention to Fr. Erik --- let's give Inwood a big Bat Shit Crazy Award for that last sentence!)
(UPDATE: Fr. Erik left very good reasons in this post's combox why a Bat Shit Crazy Award should be denied to Mr. Inwood.)
In other words, the diocese – with the apparent backing of its liberal bishop, Crispian Hollis (never heard of him) – is grotesquely misrepresenting Pope Benedict’s apostolic letter on the traditional liturgy, Summorum Pontificum, which says pretty much the opposite of what Inwood claims it says. Does he seriously think he is going to get away with it? The piece is not due to appear until the October issue of the diocesan newspaper, but already Catholics in Britain, America and Rome are outraged. (That's riiiiiiiiiight!)
Fr John Zuhlsdorf, the world’s leading traditionalist Catholic blogger, has the details here. There will also be a full report in the forthcoming Catholic Herald, in which Hollis suggests he agrees with Inwood’s stance.
Fr Z begins by saying: “Let us pray to God and all the angels and saints that this piece is corrected or, even better, trashed and not published at all … This is the stupidest of all diocesan statements about Summorum Pontificum I have seen to date.”
(Big time kudos to Fr. Z., who (as per usual) knows where it's at, as does Damian Thompson, who wrote this article as you see it in italics.)
I’ll second that. The Portsmouth article is based around an interpretation of the papal document that is so obviously biased and wrong that one wonders how on earth it came to be written.
According to Inwood, “people cannot now decide that they want a Tridentine Mass and ask for it”: they must have already have declared their attachment to the older liturgy. (Balderdash to the fullest extent of the word!)
This is utter nonsense. Summorum Pontificum says no such thing. As Fr Z correctly notes, “a brand new group of people can form, who have never gone to the older Mass, and they can make a request.” In any case, the diocese has no say in who can or cannot ask for the extraordinary form.
Almost unbelievably, Inwood brings up the subject of child protection, of all things, saying that any priest who comes into the diocese to say the older form of Mass must have been cleared by the authorities. To quote Fr Z again: “WHAT? If serious, this would merely be a blatant tactic to block priests who are willing and able to say the older form of Mass… This is an exercise in intimidation.”
I blogged yesterday about the risible political correctness of the Portsmouth diocesan bureaucracy. But this is not risible: it is a very serious matter to misrepresent, even unintentionally, the contents of an apostolic letter to the people of a diocese. As, I think, Bishop Hollis will soon discover. (Let's hope!)
Now that you've seen that one - I kind of followed a set of links, you see. I surfed the NLM blog and found this post by Jeffrey Tucker, which led to the Damian Thompson article you'll see below, which led me to his article which I printed above (btw, snarky remarks and emphases mine). This next article, also by Mr. Thompson, goes into Mr. Inwood's ditties, called "liturgical music" by Liturgeist Central and certain big-time publishers of what is supposed to be Catholic music.
I’m learning interesting things about the powerful subculture of ageing trendies who control Catholic worship in many dioceses. Paul Inwood, the Portsmouth "director of liturgy" who wants to ban churchgoers from asking for the traditional Mass, turns out be a composer by trade. Indeed, he is the composer of many of the mind-blowingly banal ditties that the English bishops have been forcing on congregations for years. And he makes a jolly nice living out of it.
(The weird thing is that Mr. Inwood had some really good settings of the Psalms and what not in an early 1970's version of the Simple Gradual in English. The stuff of his that has made the infamous OCP Music Issue over the past couple of decades, well... not half as good.)
You can find excerpts from Inwood’s music here (click on “compositions”). Warning: your toes will curl. Yet his music has featured in more TV and radio broadcasts of Catholic liturgies than that of any other living composer. (That might be in the UK, but in the US, that dishonor goes to Marty Haugen.) And he also sits on the liturgical formation sub-committee of the Bishops’ Conference.
Inwood has received very substantial patronage from the Catholic Church in this country. The evidence is here, on the website of his own company, Magnificat Music, which describes itself as “the leading independent publisher of sheet music for Catholic churches in the British isles”. Interestingly, it gives its address as Park Place Pastoral Centre in Wickham, which also houses much of the Portsmouth diocesan bureaucracy.
Inwood has recently been commissioned to write Masses by the dioceses of Plymouth and Shrewsbury, and has conducted “thousands of workshops” in Britain and America. Fair enough, you might say. (We need better composers to grab hold of what may just be the new Mass translation and get working on real settings thereof, before guys like Inwood, Haugen, and the like start infesting the English-speaking Church with their latest jingles.)
Except for one detail. The guy has a certain technical facility, but his melodies are staggeringly banal. Listen carefully to the excerpts on the website. The tunes are formulaic and unmemorable – and I’m not saying that because I dislike his whole approach to the liturgy. This is bad music, full stop.
A typical Inwood tune meanders up and down the scale, jumping the same intervals, supported by droopy harmonies. Many of the melodies are virtually indistinguishable from each other: you could programme a computer to write something very similar. (As an experiment, I have just sung the instructions on a packet of soap powder to an Inwood-style melody – it’s very easy to do.) (As one local good friend and mentor of mine once said, "A first year harmony student wouldn't get away with writing stuff like that!")
How much money, I wonder, has the Catholic Church spent on this dreary stuff over the years? There is a real problem here. There is nothing illegal or unethical about what Inwood is doing, but we are confronted by a problem that Thomas Day identified in his book Why Catholics Can’t Sing, a stinging attack on the trendy Catholic musical establishment.
As Day says, many professional Catholic liturgists are also composers. They push dioceses and congregations towards the style of music that they themselves compose and publish. How very convenient. (Thus, crap!)
This morning I spoke to a distinguished musician employed by the Catholic Church. He told me: “There’s a cosy relationship between dioceses and the composers and publishers of what is basically bad pop music. Watch out for the new English translation of the Mass [expected in 2009]. I bet that various ‘approved’ composers are already preparing settings that will be commissioned the moment the new texts appear. It’s incredibly galling.” (Go back to my snarky remark three paragraphs up. And, btw --- I don't want no stinkin' commission. I just want to be able to share what I would hope is a decent musical setting of Holy Mass.)
Indeed it is. And what are we going to do about it?
(Start writin'! That's what!)
Great set of articles, Mr. Thompson!
Peace,
BMP
A MORON IN EVERY CROWD
Even in Missouri
Ya can't win'em all - not even in Missouri, the state with two of the nation's greatest prelates (Burke and Finn). Here's a letter from a Benedictine who is pastor at St. Joseph Church in Springfield, MO (I auditioned in Springfield once, not long before Holy Ghost hired me, but it was Immaculate Conception, not St. Joseph, thank God). Clearly this Benedictine is full of $&!+.
RSCT to Gerald. Keep a barf bag nearby.
Peace,
BMP
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PASTOR’S REFLECTION by the Rev. Denis Dougherty
I think that Pope Benedict’s recent decree reviving the old Latin Mass was a step backwards in the implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, which were approved and promoted by Pope Paul VI. The Council never intended there to be two forms of the Roman rite existing simultaneously. Latin at Mass, yes, but the old rite stemming back to the 16th Century, clearly no. To keep a group of objectors in the Church, Pope John Paul gave permission to have the old Mass on a very limited scale in 1984 despite the nearly unanimous opposition of the bishops throughout the world. Now, Pope Benedict has given permission to go over the heads of the bishops as long as a “stably existing” community requests the old Mass and the pastors can prevent a disruption in their communities. The Council clearly wanted to give such power to the bishops, but in this too the Council’s teaching is being reversed. (Well, let's see - the extraordinary form was never done away with to begin with. The Holy Father clearly stated that. Further, if the ordinary form wasn't toyed with by progressive liberal liturgeists by innovating new things that Pope Paul VI never called for, like liturgical dance and the use of insipid music, maybe there wouldn't be such a call for the extraordinary form to begin with.)
I don’t anticipate having a Latin Mass problem in our parish [Surprise! Sorry, I couldn't help myself], although a group of people who formerly sought to introduce such a Mass here has sought to do so again. We will follow (you mean, "go against") Pope Benedict’s instruction and not introduce the Latin Mass here because we do not have a stable (longstanding) group of active parish members requesting it. You are aware that to be an active member of our parish requires current registration, regular Mass attendance, and tithing to support the parish, as I have told you at least once a year. Very few of those suggesting the Latin Mass here are active members of the parish. (Build it and they shall come. You might surprise yourself.) The vast majority clearly do not qualify as a stable existing group of parishioners. I also perceive that the group would he disruptive if they came here with the idea of ‘gritting their teeth (as one described it) until they could dominate the parish again. (Ah yes, the sign of true arrogance! If a group comes and protests against your little agenda, they're disruptive. How typical!) Also, should we ever be required to introduce a Latin Mass in the future, such a Mass would fall under the supervision of the pastor and the appointed Liturgical Committee, like all other liturgical matters, not under the direction from some other group requesting it. (I can just picture a typical liturgy committee scrambling to innovate ways to blatantly screw up the extraordinary form.)
We should all ask ourselves questions like the following: Do we really want to introduce a liturgy emphasizing sin and its expiation in preference to the celebration of the paschal mystery centering on the death and resurrection of Christ. (Let me ask you something: Are you THAT afraid of acknowledging that we are sinners that need to reform? Yes, the Mass needs to center on the death and resurrection of Christ. But don't we need to be cleansed and freed from sin in order to enter that place in heaven that Christ has prepared for us?) Do we really want to exclude women from the sanctuary, go back to the old lectionary, which had only a one year cycle of readings rather than the three year cycle we enjoy now; Do we really want to go back to the celebration of a Mass in which we do not understand the language in which the priest is praying and reading, and doing so with his back to us. (This is why most Missals have parallel English and Latin pages - so one can know what's going on. With a little time and practice they'll get used to it. And the priest facing the Lord along with the people, which you downplay as "having his back turned to the people" isn't such a bad thing. After all, he prays to the Lord, too, ya know.) Do you really want to reintroduce the disruption the parish previously experienced from some of the very people now requesting the old Latin Mass? (And what the hell is so disruptive about the extraordinary form? And I suppose all that hootenanny music that publishers, composers, and liturgeists, and a certain supporting society all pass off as liturgical music ISN'T disruptive? I beg to differ.)
The old Mass has been called the “traditional” Mass but that is erroneous because the tradition of the Church from the most ancient times was to celebrate the Mass in the language understood by the people. That is the reason the Mass, probably first celebrated by Jesus in Aramaic, was soon celebrated in Greek, and then in the 4th or 5th Century celebrated in Latin in the Roman Church. The “tradition” of the fathers of the Church was to celebrate the Mass in the language of the people. The fathers of the Second Vatican Council were simply returning to this traditional Catholic practice in providing us with the Mass in the various languages which we understand. (And many of us, myself included, stress once again - the fathers of the Second Vatican Council NEVER did away with Latin. They merely allowed the use of the Vernacular, while stressing the need to preserve the Latin language. If you took some time and read at least some of Sacrosanctam Concilium, you'd grasp this.)
So we at St. Joseph’s will follow the ancient tradition of the Church and continue to celebrate the Mass in the language of the people, as we follow the practice given us by Pope Paul VI and the Vatican Council and in doing so we will not be violating the decree of Pope Benedict because we do not have a request from of a “stably existing” community and our parish and because the pastor doesn’t feel we can do so in a non-disruptive way.
I just thought I would explain.
God bless you all!—Fr. Denis
(God bless you too. I'll pray for your reform.--BMP)
Ya can't win'em all - not even in Missouri, the state with two of the nation's greatest prelates (Burke and Finn). Here's a letter from a Benedictine who is pastor at St. Joseph Church in Springfield, MO (I auditioned in Springfield once, not long before Holy Ghost hired me, but it was Immaculate Conception, not St. Joseph, thank God). Clearly this Benedictine is full of $&!+.
RSCT to Gerald. Keep a barf bag nearby.
Peace,
BMP
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PASTOR’S REFLECTION by the Rev. Denis Dougherty
I think that Pope Benedict’s recent decree reviving the old Latin Mass was a step backwards in the implementation of the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, which were approved and promoted by Pope Paul VI. The Council never intended there to be two forms of the Roman rite existing simultaneously. Latin at Mass, yes, but the old rite stemming back to the 16th Century, clearly no. To keep a group of objectors in the Church, Pope John Paul gave permission to have the old Mass on a very limited scale in 1984 despite the nearly unanimous opposition of the bishops throughout the world. Now, Pope Benedict has given permission to go over the heads of the bishops as long as a “stably existing” community requests the old Mass and the pastors can prevent a disruption in their communities. The Council clearly wanted to give such power to the bishops, but in this too the Council’s teaching is being reversed. (Well, let's see - the extraordinary form was never done away with to begin with. The Holy Father clearly stated that. Further, if the ordinary form wasn't toyed with by progressive liberal liturgeists by innovating new things that Pope Paul VI never called for, like liturgical dance and the use of insipid music, maybe there wouldn't be such a call for the extraordinary form to begin with.)
I don’t anticipate having a Latin Mass problem in our parish [Surprise! Sorry, I couldn't help myself], although a group of people who formerly sought to introduce such a Mass here has sought to do so again. We will follow (you mean, "go against") Pope Benedict’s instruction and not introduce the Latin Mass here because we do not have a stable (longstanding) group of active parish members requesting it. You are aware that to be an active member of our parish requires current registration, regular Mass attendance, and tithing to support the parish, as I have told you at least once a year. Very few of those suggesting the Latin Mass here are active members of the parish. (Build it and they shall come. You might surprise yourself.) The vast majority clearly do not qualify as a stable existing group of parishioners. I also perceive that the group would he disruptive if they came here with the idea of ‘gritting their teeth (as one described it) until they could dominate the parish again. (Ah yes, the sign of true arrogance! If a group comes and protests against your little agenda, they're disruptive. How typical!) Also, should we ever be required to introduce a Latin Mass in the future, such a Mass would fall under the supervision of the pastor and the appointed Liturgical Committee, like all other liturgical matters, not under the direction from some other group requesting it. (I can just picture a typical liturgy committee scrambling to innovate ways to blatantly screw up the extraordinary form.)
We should all ask ourselves questions like the following: Do we really want to introduce a liturgy emphasizing sin and its expiation in preference to the celebration of the paschal mystery centering on the death and resurrection of Christ. (Let me ask you something: Are you THAT afraid of acknowledging that we are sinners that need to reform? Yes, the Mass needs to center on the death and resurrection of Christ. But don't we need to be cleansed and freed from sin in order to enter that place in heaven that Christ has prepared for us?) Do we really want to exclude women from the sanctuary, go back to the old lectionary, which had only a one year cycle of readings rather than the three year cycle we enjoy now; Do we really want to go back to the celebration of a Mass in which we do not understand the language in which the priest is praying and reading, and doing so with his back to us. (This is why most Missals have parallel English and Latin pages - so one can know what's going on. With a little time and practice they'll get used to it. And the priest facing the Lord along with the people, which you downplay as "having his back turned to the people" isn't such a bad thing. After all, he prays to the Lord, too, ya know.) Do you really want to reintroduce the disruption the parish previously experienced from some of the very people now requesting the old Latin Mass? (And what the hell is so disruptive about the extraordinary form? And I suppose all that hootenanny music that publishers, composers, and liturgeists, and a certain supporting society all pass off as liturgical music ISN'T disruptive? I beg to differ.)
The old Mass has been called the “traditional” Mass but that is erroneous because the tradition of the Church from the most ancient times was to celebrate the Mass in the language understood by the people. That is the reason the Mass, probably first celebrated by Jesus in Aramaic, was soon celebrated in Greek, and then in the 4th or 5th Century celebrated in Latin in the Roman Church. The “tradition” of the fathers of the Church was to celebrate the Mass in the language of the people. The fathers of the Second Vatican Council were simply returning to this traditional Catholic practice in providing us with the Mass in the various languages which we understand. (And many of us, myself included, stress once again - the fathers of the Second Vatican Council NEVER did away with Latin. They merely allowed the use of the Vernacular, while stressing the need to preserve the Latin language. If you took some time and read at least some of Sacrosanctam Concilium, you'd grasp this.)
So we at St. Joseph’s will follow the ancient tradition of the Church and continue to celebrate the Mass in the language of the people, as we follow the practice given us by Pope Paul VI and the Vatican Council and in doing so we will not be violating the decree of Pope Benedict because we do not have a request from of a “stably existing” community and our parish and because the pastor doesn’t feel we can do so in a non-disruptive way.
I just thought I would explain.
God bless you all!—Fr. Denis
(God bless you too. I'll pray for your reform.--BMP)
MORE GREAT ANSWERS...
...from Bob Grant out in Costa Mesa.
The question:
In your experience and in your professional opinion, are charismatic music and the instruments it makes use of suited to a truly Catholic liturgy?
Bob's answer:
No. They are eminently suitable for personal use, or for a prayer meeting, or a festival of praise, but they have no place in Catholic liturgy, which is solemn and sacred. There should not be individuals just composing anything and singing it in church. This is not right at all. No matter how talented the individual is. The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what se sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore, it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used. But music should nourish faith, burst from our faith and should lead back to the faith. It should be a prayer. Entertainment is quite another matter. We have the parish hall for that, and the theater. People don’t come to Mass in order to be entertained. They come to Mass to adore God, to thank him, to ask pardon for sins, and to ask for other things that they need. Those are the reasons for Mass. When they want entertainment, they know where to go: Parish hall, theater, presuming that their entertainment is acceptable from a moral theological point of view. If one truly understands the Faith and the liturgy through the Church's eyes, he will see this. As Catholics we believe that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church, therefore we should be yearning to do what our Mother asks and to love what She loves.
Perfect! This guy obviously knows where it's at!
Peace,
BMP
The question:
In your experience and in your professional opinion, are charismatic music and the instruments it makes use of suited to a truly Catholic liturgy?
Bob's answer:
No. They are eminently suitable for personal use, or for a prayer meeting, or a festival of praise, but they have no place in Catholic liturgy, which is solemn and sacred. There should not be individuals just composing anything and singing it in church. This is not right at all. No matter how talented the individual is. The local church should be conscious that church worship is not really the same as what se sing in a bar, or what we sing in a convention for youth. Therefore, it should influence the type of instrument used, the type of music used. But music should nourish faith, burst from our faith and should lead back to the faith. It should be a prayer. Entertainment is quite another matter. We have the parish hall for that, and the theater. People don’t come to Mass in order to be entertained. They come to Mass to adore God, to thank him, to ask pardon for sins, and to ask for other things that they need. Those are the reasons for Mass. When they want entertainment, they know where to go: Parish hall, theater, presuming that their entertainment is acceptable from a moral theological point of view. If one truly understands the Faith and the liturgy through the Church's eyes, he will see this. As Catholics we believe that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church, therefore we should be yearning to do what our Mother asks and to love what She loves.
Perfect! This guy obviously knows where it's at!
Peace,
BMP
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I'M UPCHUCKING, LORD, KUMBAYA
I'd be puking my brains out if I ever heard this at Mass. Ed Sullivan can have them!
RSCT to the Curt Jester.
Peace,
BMP
RSCT to the Curt Jester.
Peace,
BMP
WHICH CLASSICAL COMPOSER ART THOU?
RSCT to Domini Sumus, who scored as Handel.
Peace,
BMP
 | You scored as Mozart, You are appreciated for your expressiveness. Where you are is a product of your talent, determination...and weakness. But fortunately, you have friends that keep you going.
Which classical composer are you? created with QuizFarm.com |
Peace,
BMP
CHORAL WEDDING THIS SATURDAY
September 22, 2007 - 2 PM
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI
This will be the second wedding at Holy Ghost where the choir will be singing (under my direction anyways). Last year, two of our choir members got married (Mike and Christina). Sadly, they moved to Maine after, but I'm very happy for them. Mike was the only one from my predecessor's choir that stayed on under my baton, even with people calling him a traitor - and he did very well with us. The following year, his now-wife joined as well. Wonderful people, sadly missed.
This time around, the nephew of two of our sopranos (Maria and Ana) is getting married. What's nice is that they're doing a Marian Consecration in lieu of that tacky "candle ceremony". We're doing Latin ordinary, mainly because of the Portuguese folk that will be in attendance that aren't too fluent in English. Here's the program:
The Prince of Denmark's March...Clarke
- (often attributed as "Trumpet Voluntary...Purcell")
O blessed are those who fear the Lord...Gelineau
Alleluia...Murray
Ave Maria/As I kneel before you...Parkinson
Panis Angelicus...Franck
Jubilate Deo (Sanctus/Memorial/Amen/Agnus)...chants
Ave Verum...Mozart
Trumpet Tune...Purcell
Peace,
BMP
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI
This will be the second wedding at Holy Ghost where the choir will be singing (under my direction anyways). Last year, two of our choir members got married (Mike and Christina). Sadly, they moved to Maine after, but I'm very happy for them. Mike was the only one from my predecessor's choir that stayed on under my baton, even with people calling him a traitor - and he did very well with us. The following year, his now-wife joined as well. Wonderful people, sadly missed.
This time around, the nephew of two of our sopranos (Maria and Ana) is getting married. What's nice is that they're doing a Marian Consecration in lieu of that tacky "candle ceremony". We're doing Latin ordinary, mainly because of the Portuguese folk that will be in attendance that aren't too fluent in English. Here's the program:
The Prince of Denmark's March...Clarke
- (often attributed as "Trumpet Voluntary...Purcell")
O blessed are those who fear the Lord...Gelineau
Alleluia...Murray
Ave Maria/As I kneel before you...Parkinson
Panis Angelicus...Franck
Jubilate Deo (Sanctus/Memorial/Amen/Agnus)...chants
Ave Verum...Mozart
Trumpet Tune...Purcell
Peace,
BMP
Monday, September 17, 2007
WHILE I'M ON A ROLL WITH PRAISING PEOPLE'S WORK...
Here's a gem from New York City!
From a modern edifice comes great music. Here is the Church of the Holy Family in New York City, aka "The United Nations Parish".
Though modern in architecture (1965), this church - not exactly huge, at least according to these pictures - houses a five-manual organ of 76 ranks built by Robert M. Turner, 1996, and an organist/music director, Paul Murray, who is excellent. Checking the numbers given to the hymns in the worship leaflet, the parish uses Worship III. Checking out the worship leaflet itself, it's great to see a Catholic church of modern build using chant, polyphony, other good anthems, solid hymnody, and well-written Mass Ordinary and Psalms in English. You will NOT hear music from Glory and Praise, Gather, Celebration Series, Singing the Psalms, or any of that stuff that NaPalM and other refugees from Liturgeist Central pass off as liturgical music.
Here's an audio of the noon choral Mass. Mind you - it's in English, but it's some of the best liturgical music written in English! Their only strike is that they use the term "Gathering" hymn at the Entrance. Otherwise, really good stuff!
Incidentally, the organ has a cool floating reed (every division except the Swell) called the St. Thomas Trumpet. Stop list here.
Peace,
BMP
From a modern edifice comes great music. Here is the Church of the Holy Family in New York City, aka "The United Nations Parish".
Though modern in architecture (1965), this church - not exactly huge, at least according to these pictures - houses a five-manual organ of 76 ranks built by Robert M. Turner, 1996, and an organist/music director, Paul Murray, who is excellent. Checking the numbers given to the hymns in the worship leaflet, the parish uses Worship III. Checking out the worship leaflet itself, it's great to see a Catholic church of modern build using chant, polyphony, other good anthems, solid hymnody, and well-written Mass Ordinary and Psalms in English. You will NOT hear music from Glory and Praise, Gather, Celebration Series, Singing the Psalms, or any of that stuff that NaPalM and other refugees from Liturgeist Central pass off as liturgical music.
Here's an audio of the noon choral Mass. Mind you - it's in English, but it's some of the best liturgical music written in English! Their only strike is that they use the term "Gathering" hymn at the Entrance. Otherwise, really good stuff!
Incidentally, the organ has a cool floating reed (every division except the Swell) called the St. Thomas Trumpet. Stop list here.
Peace,
BMP
GOOD NEWS FROM MISSOURI
At least from the east and west ends
Gerald has a story about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass being celebrated by Bishop Finn of the Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese and the adding of the Extraordinary Form on Fridays at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as declared by Archbishop Burke of St. Louis. On alternating Fridays at the seminary, the Latin Ordinary Form will be celebrated.
Some great stuff going on in Missouri!
Peace,
BMP
Gerald has a story about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass being celebrated by Bishop Finn of the Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese and the adding of the Extraordinary Form on Fridays at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as declared by Archbishop Burke of St. Louis. On alternating Fridays at the seminary, the Latin Ordinary Form will be celebrated.
Some great stuff going on in Missouri!
Peace,
BMP
Sunday, September 16, 2007
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
Sunday XXV - September 23, 2007
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, Rhode Island
Hail, Redeemer, King divine..."St. George's Windsor"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor...Ostrowski
Alleluia...Murray; verse: tone 8G
Godhead, here in hiding...Adoro Te Devote
Community Mass: Sanctus, Memorial, Amen, Agnus...Proulx
Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
You satisfy the hungry heart...Bicentennial
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow...Old Hundredth
The Psalm for this week and for last week come from the Chabanel Responsorial Psalm Project by Jeff Ostrowski. Well-written antiphons with Psalm tones for verses, and the texts are faithful to the Lectionary. Throw out Singing the Psalms! Deep-six Celebration Series! Mr. Ostrowski is the cat who knows where it's at when it comes to singing the Mass.
Peace,
BMP
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, Rhode Island
Hail, Redeemer, King divine..."St. George's Windsor"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor...Ostrowski
Alleluia...Murray; verse: tone 8G
Godhead, here in hiding...Adoro Te Devote
Community Mass: Sanctus, Memorial, Amen, Agnus...Proulx
Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
You satisfy the hungry heart...Bicentennial
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow...Old Hundredth
The Psalm for this week and for last week come from the Chabanel Responsorial Psalm Project by Jeff Ostrowski. Well-written antiphons with Psalm tones for verses, and the texts are faithful to the Lectionary. Throw out Singing the Psalms! Deep-six Celebration Series! Mr. Ostrowski is the cat who knows where it's at when it comes to singing the Mass.
Peace,
BMP
WOOOOOOOOOOHOO!
Finally, my wife came home from the hospital this afternoon!!!
Lost, but now found? (today's Gospel reading) :D
Drawback - she'll be on Coumadin for the rest of her life. Ouch! Hey - if it'll let me keep her, sure!
Peace,
BMP (looking to see whose fattened calf I can kill)
Lost, but now found? (today's Gospel reading) :D
Drawback - she'll be on Coumadin for the rest of her life. Ouch! Hey - if it'll let me keep her, sure!
Peace,
BMP (looking to see whose fattened calf I can kill)
Friday, September 14, 2007
WIFE UPDATE
Some good news - my wife should be home from the hospital either Wednesday or Thursday if all goes right. The plan now is that they're going to get her out of ICU and into a regular room (they're waiting for an available bed). To me, that's a great sign. Prayer is powerful! God is great! Thanks again for the prayers.
UPDATE 9/12/07: Ann finally got a regular room last night (YAY!). Would have posted it then, but I was getting ready for choir rehearsal.
UPDATE 9/13/07: Of course, there has to be a freakin' catch! The doc is still working on getting Ann's Coumadin levels up to snuff. They want it up to 2.0 and she's at 1.4. Worse, she started developing pains in her groin area, to the right, just before noon today. She went for a cat scan but they won't have an answer till tomorrow whether or not she may have gotten kidney stones. When it rains it pours. So, she may not be let loose at this point till Saturday or Sunday. *sigh*
UPDATE 9/14/07: Today we have some good news. Ann's got her Coumadin level up to 1.8 - AND - no kidney stones. The doc had been treating it as a urinary tract infection, and sure enough, he was right. The groin pains have gone way down and she's been able to walk around pretty near the entire fourth floor (well, her wing anyways). Sunday is still the projected day she gets let loose, according to the doc. Let's just hope that it's no later! :)
Peace,
BMP
UPDATE 9/12/07: Ann finally got a regular room last night (YAY!). Would have posted it then, but I was getting ready for choir rehearsal.
UPDATE 9/13/07: Of course, there has to be a freakin' catch! The doc is still working on getting Ann's Coumadin levels up to snuff. They want it up to 2.0 and she's at 1.4. Worse, she started developing pains in her groin area, to the right, just before noon today. She went for a cat scan but they won't have an answer till tomorrow whether or not she may have gotten kidney stones. When it rains it pours. So, she may not be let loose at this point till Saturday or Sunday. *sigh*
UPDATE 9/14/07: Today we have some good news. Ann's got her Coumadin level up to 1.8 - AND - no kidney stones. The doc had been treating it as a urinary tract infection, and sure enough, he was right. The groin pains have gone way down and she's been able to walk around pretty near the entire fourth floor (well, her wing anyways). Sunday is still the projected day she gets let loose, according to the doc. Let's just hope that it's no later! :)
Peace,
BMP
HEY KIDS!
Do you know what day it is?
Yup, you guessed it!
Now, go and celebrate Mass secundum Missam Papam Joannem XXIII.
Peace,
BMP
Yup, you guessed it!
Now, go and celebrate Mass secundum Missam Papam Joannem XXIII.
Peace,
BMP
Thursday, September 13, 2007
TO CLAP, OR NOT TO CLAP?
Fr. Erik rightfully points out via his latest post title:
"Note: When musicians are applauded at Mass, something bad is going on."
Then in the post itself, he mentions that a friend of his had visited a neighboring church and...
The choir (music group, whatever you want to call it) was up front and elevated in a prominent place. At the end of Mass, the entire congregation gave them a rousing round of applause. Paul, on the other hand, had to fight back the urge to ask the priest, "Father, the performance was great. When the heck is Mass?"
Don't-cha just love it when people think that the purpose of Holy Mass is to "gather, eat, and be entertained"? I had heard a while back that my predecessor used to pound it into her choir's heads that their work was "performance". Never mind sung prayer. Never mind sung Mass. Simply "performance". Entertain the people. Get your standing O at the end of Mass. It took 26 years before they finally had sent a pastor in his right mind enough to put a stop to such nonsense. (My predecessor lasted 28 years overall! Can you believe it?)
Entertain outside of church for cripes sakes! Sheesh!
Peace,
BMP
"Note: When musicians are applauded at Mass, something bad is going on."
Then in the post itself, he mentions that a friend of his had visited a neighboring church and...
The choir (music group, whatever you want to call it) was up front and elevated in a prominent place. At the end of Mass, the entire congregation gave them a rousing round of applause. Paul, on the other hand, had to fight back the urge to ask the priest, "Father, the performance was great. When the heck is Mass?"
Don't-cha just love it when people think that the purpose of Holy Mass is to "gather, eat, and be entertained"? I had heard a while back that my predecessor used to pound it into her choir's heads that their work was "performance". Never mind sung prayer. Never mind sung Mass. Simply "performance". Entertain the people. Get your standing O at the end of Mass. It took 26 years before they finally had sent a pastor in his right mind enough to put a stop to such nonsense. (My predecessor lasted 28 years overall! Can you believe it?)
Entertain outside of church for cripes sakes! Sheesh!
Peace,
BMP
Sunday, September 9, 2007
DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND
(Or Parody Thereof)
Got this from our friend Joe over at the RPInet boards. Intended tune: C.H.H. Parry's Repton. Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways;
For most of us, when asked our mind, admit we still most pleasure find
In hymns of ancient days, in hymns of ancient days.
The simple lyrics, for a start, of many a modern song
Are far too trite to touch the heart; enshrine no poetry, no art;
And go on much too long, and go on much too long.
O, for a rest from jollity and syncopated praise!
What happened to tranquillity? The silence of eternity
Is hard to hear these days, is hard to hear these days.
Drop Thy still dews of quietness till all our strummings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress of always having to be blessed;
Give us a bit of peace, give us a bit of peace.
Breathe through the beats of praise-guitar Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let drum be dumb, bring back the lyre, enough of earthquake, wind and fire,
Let's hear it for some calm, let's hear it for some calm.
Got this from our friend Joe over at the RPInet boards. Intended tune: C.H.H. Parry's Repton. Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways;
For most of us, when asked our mind, admit we still most pleasure find
In hymns of ancient days, in hymns of ancient days.
The simple lyrics, for a start, of many a modern song
Are far too trite to touch the heart; enshrine no poetry, no art;
And go on much too long, and go on much too long.
O, for a rest from jollity and syncopated praise!
What happened to tranquillity? The silence of eternity
Is hard to hear these days, is hard to hear these days.
Drop Thy still dews of quietness till all our strummings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress of always having to be blessed;
Give us a bit of peace, give us a bit of peace.
Breathe through the beats of praise-guitar Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let drum be dumb, bring back the lyre, enough of earthquake, wind and fire,
Let's hear it for some calm, let's hear it for some calm.
BIG NAME GUESTS AT HOLY GHOST LATELY
Just a week ago, I got to meet Rich over at Catholic Light.
This Saturday just past, Holy Ghost Church was host for A Day with Scott Hahn. Yes - Dr. Scott Hahn came over, and drew quite the turnout. I didn't get to see him - I landed up covering a funeral that morning at St. Thomas More Church in Narragansett, just minutes from the renowned Scarborough Beach. The 1872 Hook and Hastings tracker organ (II/11-ish) is in great shape for its age, though I thought the bench was a little wobbly. But it was also that afternoon that I landed up rushing Ann to Miriam Hospital (the same hospital I was in just two weeks ago). Anyhoo - many who came to see Dr. Hahn also stuck around for 4:30 Mass that afternoon, and these people RAISED THE ROOF! I don't remember when I've heard such bold and vigorous singing at Holy Ghost, or any other parish I've ever stepped foot in. All I could say was... WOW!
On October 6, we'll have another big name - podcaster extraordinaire Greg Willits, who, with his wife Jennifer, hosts and produces the Rosary Army Podcast and That Catholic Show. The topic at hand? Sure enough - rosary making. Rosary Army - make them, pray them, give them away!
Peace,
BMP
This Saturday just past, Holy Ghost Church was host for A Day with Scott Hahn. Yes - Dr. Scott Hahn came over, and drew quite the turnout. I didn't get to see him - I landed up covering a funeral that morning at St. Thomas More Church in Narragansett, just minutes from the renowned Scarborough Beach. The 1872 Hook and Hastings tracker organ (II/11-ish) is in great shape for its age, though I thought the bench was a little wobbly. But it was also that afternoon that I landed up rushing Ann to Miriam Hospital (the same hospital I was in just two weeks ago). Anyhoo - many who came to see Dr. Hahn also stuck around for 4:30 Mass that afternoon, and these people RAISED THE ROOF! I don't remember when I've heard such bold and vigorous singing at Holy Ghost, or any other parish I've ever stepped foot in. All I could say was... WOW!
On October 6, we'll have another big name - podcaster extraordinaire Greg Willits, who, with his wife Jennifer, hosts and produces the Rosary Army Podcast and That Catholic Show. The topic at hand? Sure enough - rosary making. Rosary Army - make them, pray them, give them away!
Peace,
BMP
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
Sunday XXIV of Ordinary Time - September 16, 2007
Lift high the cross..."Crucifer"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
I will rise and go to my father...Ostrowski
Alleluia...Murray
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound..."New Britain"
Community Mass (Sanctus, Memorial, Amen, Agnus)...Proulx
Lord's Prayer (English)...Chant
Our blessing cup...Page
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee..."Hymn to Joy"
Peace,
BMP
Lift high the cross..."Crucifer"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
I will rise and go to my father...Ostrowski
Alleluia...Murray
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound..."New Britain"
Community Mass (Sanctus, Memorial, Amen, Agnus)...Proulx
Lord's Prayer (English)...Chant
Our blessing cup...Page
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee..."Hymn to Joy"
Peace,
BMP
Saturday, September 8, 2007
HOSPITAL BLUES
Well, I get let loose from the hospital for about a week and a half, and now my wife is in the hospital. I landed up bringing her in about 1:30 this afternoon as her heart was beating hard and fast - too fast, that is. It turns out she's actually got good sized blood clots in her lungs - talk about some scary stuff. She's at least one night, possibly two, in ICU. There's a filter inserted inside of her that will try to eat up and dissolve any blood clots that come that way.
Any prayers will be most appreciated. 43 is too young to be a widower!
Thanks much.
Peace,
BMP
Any prayers will be most appreciated. 43 is too young to be a widower!
Thanks much.
Peace,
BMP
Lafayette priests: the new Keystone Cops
As the faithful await a regular schedule of Masses celebrated from the 1962 missal, it seems that the men in black in the Diocese of Lafayette are busy boinking each other over the head with billy clubs and running around in circles. What clever little boys they are, so amusing, so humorous, so utterly moronic. Here is an email I received from the old "Tridentine Committee" regarding the implemenation of the motu proprio in the Diocese of Lafayette. The first letter is from the pastor of the church where the old rite is currently celebrated once monthly. The question that initiated the email was primarily in search of a regular Mass time on Sunday mornings. Notice the Mass time he suggests. You think Jason is getting out of bed at 2am in Youngsville and driving to Carencro for a 5am Solemn High? Truth be told, it's more likely that Benedict 17 will be a woman, than I flip the switch on my Bunn-o-matic at 2am. The second letter is from me to James. I'm laying it on the line. Simply, because it's starting to get annoying watching the men in black bickering about what is blatently obvious. I like the words of the angel: "Men of Galilee, why stare you into the heavens?" The Keystone Priests are wondering about the word "stable" in the text. I am too. Not what "stable" means, as the Keystone Clerics, but who in the samhell put the word in in the first place. I know Benedict didn't. I can just find the word "coetus" in his text. I've been searching for "stabilis" somewhere in the original, but, no dice. A little Latin study goes a long way, esteemed Fathers. It really looks like the Clown Clergy who proudly touted back in the 70's that "We don't use Latin anymore" are now trying to muddle things up to save face. They've thrown in a bit of spin and a good measure of agenda. All the while, they're huddled in their tight, cozy sacristies gawking at the 1962 missal and saying, "oh shit, what the hell do we do now?" Should have learned those conjugations and declensions back in school, boys....
Dear James:
I have not received anything from His Excellency, yet. I received the minutes from the Council of Priests meeting for August and Summorum Pontificum was discussed. St. Peter's was mentioned as already having the 1962 Mass once a month. There was also a statement that the Bishop would be "amenable" to a request to the pastor of St. Peter. But still I have not received official word.
There has been confusion about the document. Two documents were issued with the same title, but slightly different wording. This wording problem is to be clarified. As far as I can see, it should be no problem to set up weekly Masses after I receive word from the Bishop. A priest is allowed from September 7th onward to celebrate the 1962 Mass privately at his own discretion. A priest is not allowed to initiate the public celebration of the Mass. Public celebrations are to be the result of a "stable" group requesting the Mass, which is our case.
I am sorry about the delay and I did not mean to be curt with my last message. I was planning to leave on a short vacation and pilgrimage to Minnesota and Our Lady of the Snows in Illinois and I was short on time.
Because we are already busy on most Sundays in the afternoon, how about a 5 AM Mass on Sunday mornings? I know it is early, but doesn't disrupt the rest of the schedule.
God bless,
Father Bill
You know, James, I'm sick and tired of these priests with no Latin knowledge whatsoever who are arguing ridiculous points from bad English translations. This is EXACTLY what invited such liturgical abuse into the Mass of Pope Paul VI. The original Latin text does NOT say "stable". In fact, there is no adjective at all that describes the group. The word used by Benedict 16 is simply "coetus", an assembly or simply "a group". I know they are priests, ordained by God yada yada yada, but they are being led in the wrong direction by misleading information instead of going straight to the horse's mouth: the Latin text. This is a major rule of academic research: go to the primary source. Logical, right? Now that we have the motu proprio, I have a feeling the whole thing will be just as screwed up as the Mass of Paul VI, mainly because these priests were too damn lazy to do their Latin homework back when they were students.
Are they just idiots or what? This is the same thing as giving directions through Lafayette using a map from 1920. Has anyone else ever told the men in black that the emperor has no clothes, or am I the only one who sees a pack of bumbling morons in Roman collars?
Frustrating.
Dear James:
I have not received anything from His Excellency, yet. I received the minutes from the Council of Priests meeting for August and Summorum Pontificum was discussed. St. Peter's was mentioned as already having the 1962 Mass once a month. There was also a statement that the Bishop would be "amenable" to a request to the pastor of St. Peter. But still I have not received official word.
There has been confusion about the document. Two documents were issued with the same title, but slightly different wording. This wording problem is to be clarified. As far as I can see, it should be no problem to set up weekly Masses after I receive word from the Bishop. A priest is allowed from September 7th onward to celebrate the 1962 Mass privately at his own discretion. A priest is not allowed to initiate the public celebration of the Mass. Public celebrations are to be the result of a "stable" group requesting the Mass, which is our case.
I am sorry about the delay and I did not mean to be curt with my last message. I was planning to leave on a short vacation and pilgrimage to Minnesota and Our Lady of the Snows in Illinois and I was short on time.
Because we are already busy on most Sundays in the afternoon, how about a 5 AM Mass on Sunday mornings? I know it is early, but doesn't disrupt the rest of the schedule.
God bless,
Father Bill
You know, James, I'm sick and tired of these priests with no Latin knowledge whatsoever who are arguing ridiculous points from bad English translations. This is EXACTLY what invited such liturgical abuse into the Mass of Pope Paul VI. The original Latin text does NOT say "stable". In fact, there is no adjective at all that describes the group. The word used by Benedict 16 is simply "coetus", an assembly or simply "a group". I know they are priests, ordained by God yada yada yada, but they are being led in the wrong direction by misleading information instead of going straight to the horse's mouth: the Latin text. This is a major rule of academic research: go to the primary source. Logical, right? Now that we have the motu proprio, I have a feeling the whole thing will be just as screwed up as the Mass of Paul VI, mainly because these priests were too damn lazy to do their Latin homework back when they were students.
Are they just idiots or what? This is the same thing as giving directions through Lafayette using a map from 1920. Has anyone else ever told the men in black that the emperor has no clothes, or am I the only one who sees a pack of bumbling morons in Roman collars?
Frustrating.
JP
Friday, September 7, 2007
ONE OF THE BEST LETTERS ON SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM YET!
This comes from Bishop Burbidge of Raleigh, North Carolina. He's interpreted Summorum Pontificum right on the money. Father Z has the letter, and his own commentary. And if Father Z likes it, it's GOT to be good! ;-)
Peace,
BMP
Peace,
BMP
Thursday, September 6, 2007
RIP Pavarotti
Deutsche Welle was reporting at 3:30 am ET that Luciano Pavarotti has finally succumbed to the pancreatic cancer from which he had been suffering. (I was up with the baby at the time, but I haven't been able to post until now, even though it's not really news anymore.)
Here is a clip from 1998 in Paris of "Nessun Dorma"
~nb
Here is a clip from 1998 in Paris of "Nessun Dorma"
~nb
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
SOME EXCELLENT LITURGY AND MUSIC ARTICLES
AS OF LATE...
WHY LATIN?
Fr. Martin Fox gives his parishioners the answers, via his recent homily.
RSCT to Argent. Excellent!
Peace,
BMP
RSCT to Argent. Excellent!
Peace,
BMP
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
LITURGICAL REFEREE
The Curt Jester has done it again by introducing a great new position, Liturgical Referee! Stop over there for complete details.
Peace,
BMP
Sunday, September 2, 2007
CHRISTUS VINCIT SPORTS FLASH!
Last night, rookie Clay Buchholz pitched a no-no in just his second major league start, leading the O'Malley Red Sox to a 10-0 smokeshow over the Keeler Orioles. Though Buchholz is the 17th Red Sox pitcher to pitch a no-hitter (and the 11th to do so at Fenway), he's the first Red Sox ROOKIE to do so. Too bad they didn't call him up from the minors when the Sox were in New York earlier in the week!
Peace,
BMP
MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS
Sunday XXIII - September 9, 2007
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI
O God, our help in ages past..."St. Anne"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
In every age, O Lord...Tone 8G
Alleluia...Murray/verse to Tone 8G
Take up your cross, the Savior said..."Erhalt uns, Herr"
People's Mass (Sanctus)...Vermulst
Community Mass (Memorial, Amen, Agnus)...Proulx
The Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
As the deer longs for flowing streams..."O Waly Waly"
At the name of Jesus..."King's Weston"
Peace,
BMP
Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton, RI
O God, our help in ages past..."St. Anne"
Gloria VIII...Mode V
In every age, O Lord...Tone 8G
Alleluia...Murray/verse to Tone 8G
Take up your cross, the Savior said..."Erhalt uns, Herr"
People's Mass (Sanctus)...Vermulst
Community Mass (Memorial, Amen, Agnus)...Proulx
The Lord's Prayer (in English)...Chant
As the deer longs for flowing streams..."O Waly Waly"
At the name of Jesus..."King's Weston"
Peace,
BMP
FROM THE MAKERS OF THE "FOR DUMMIES" SERIES
For those who still need to be reminded that cocky and clueless do not mix!RSCT to Fr. Gonzales.
Peace,
BMP
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