O CHRISTMAS TREE!

A Christus Vincit WTF Award Ceremony

Can you believe our frickin' nitwit governor wants to omit Christmas altogether in this year's State House tree-lighting ceremony???!!! Yeah, we're talking Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican who turned Independent, the man who got in despite 65% of the voters voting against him (seven people ran; I voted for John Robitaille, a Republican, who came second). Chafee, son of the late great John Chafee who's probably rolling in his grave watching Linc's antics unravel, plans to call the Christmas tree a "holiday tree".

Now, just WTF is a holiday tree? And what holiday do we put this up for? Arbor Day? Valentine's Day (Look, honey, I got you a tree for Valentine's Day!)? Mother's Day (Look, mom, I grew this with my magic beans!)? How about Ides of March Day? That would be a hoot, wouldn't it?!

For cripes sakes, Governor, grow up! Your father would have never thought of these things when he was governor, or in the U.S. Senate. Who are you looking to suck up to? Certainly not the people of Rhode Island, the people you are supposed to be serving. Over 60% of Rhode Islanders are Catholic. They all celebrate Christmas. In fact, over 90% of the people in these great United States celebrate Christmas.

So, by the power invested in me, by me, and by the readers of this snarky little blog I write, I hereby award the (Dis)Honorable Lincoln Chafee, Governor of Rhode Island, the Christus Vincit WTF AWARD for December 2011. Oh, and um, Merry Christmas!

Incidentally, John DePetro of WPRO Radio (AM 630) is looking to start a flash mob to sing "O CHRISTMAS TREE" at the State House, 5:30 PM, Tuesday, December 6, the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas. If you're near the area, come join the mob!

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTMAS CONCERT IN WARWICK, RI

Saturday, December 10, 2011 - 7 PM - St. William Church, Warwick, RI

St. William Church will be putting on a Christmas concert on Sat. XII-10-11 at 7 PM. Featured choirs will be the Pro Cantare and the St. William Church Choir, both directed by organist (and old friend and mentor) Reuel Gifford, as well as the Chamber Singers of Rhode Island College, directed by Theresa Coffman.

My wife and I have gone to concerts directed by Reuel Gifford a number of times at St. William, as well as his previous parish, St. Mary in Providence. He does not disappoint. We will be there again!

BTW, after the concert, stop in the hall for munchies!

Directions here!

Peace,
BMP

DURING THE WEEK

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

Monday XI-28-11 at 10 AM / Funeral Mass

Procession to casket: Requiem aeternam / Mode VI
Procession to altar: H-415.1 Jesus, lover of my soul / "Aberystwyth"
Psalm 25: To you, O Lord, I lift my soul / Thompson/Gelineau
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory: Ave Maria / Schubert (requested)
- (Yeah, they specified Schubert this time, so I'll oblige.)
Sanctus and Agnus XVIII
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine / "Jubilate Deo"
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Lux aeterna / Mode VIII and H.223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
Commendation: I believe that my Redeemer lives / H. St. Louis
Recessional: In paradisum / Mode VII

Friday XII-2-11 at 6 PM / First Friday

Entrance: O Sacred Heart, O love divine
Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation / Proulx/Gelineau
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / BMP (adapt. from "Creator Alme Siderum", Mode IV)
Offertory: Creator alme siderum / Mode IV
Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
We proclaim your death, O Lord: Holy Angels Mass / BMP
Amen / Dresden
Communion: Veni, veni, Emmanuel / Mode I
Recessional: To Jesus' Heart all-burning

Peace,
BMP

FIRST TWO SUNDAYS OF ADVENT

Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, Rhode Island

MASS:
Alleluia: Alleluia for Advent Season / "Creator Alme Siderum", adapted by BMP

Sanctus and Agnus: Mass for Christian Unity / Vermulst
Memorial A: Holy Angels Mass / BMP

Amen: Dresden

First Sunday of Advent - November 27, 2011

Entrance hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"
Psalm 80: Lord, make us turn to you... / G. Evans
Offertory hymn: H-2 O come, O come, Emmanuel / "Veni, veni, Emmanuel" (Mode I)
Communion anthem: H-3 Wake, awake, for night is flying / "Wachet auf"
Meditation hymn: H-11 The King shall come when morning dawns / "St. Stephen"
Recessional hymn: H-1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus / "Stuttgart"

Second Sunday of Advent - December 4, 2011

Entrance hymn: H-5.2 Lo, he comes with clouds descending / "Helmsley"
Psalm 85: Lord, let us see your kindness... / BMP

Offertory hymn: H-10 On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry / "Winchester New"
Communion anthem: Veni, veni, Emmanuel (in Latin) / Mode I
Meditation hymn: H-7 Hark! the glad sound, the Savior comes / "Bristol"
Recessional hymn: H-9 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding / "Merton"

Peace,
BMP

THANKSGIVNG DAY MUSIC

9 AM - November 24, 2011 - Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

What's better than a big parade in front of Macy's on the day before Black Friday? The tranquility of an hour (well, maybe a little shorter) with God to give him thanks at Holy Mass at Sacred Heart Church, of course.

I'll be going solo Thursday morning for the 9:00 Mass, and I got the hymns from Father just after the 11:15 Mass this morning. So, here's the final list.

M-315 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing / "Kremser"
Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever / Alstott
Alleluia / Murray (verse of the day to Psalm Tone 8G)
M-137 Come, ye thankful people, come / "St. George's Windsor"
Sanctus, Memorial, and Agnus / Roman Missal, 2010
Amen / adapted from the Sanctus from Mass VIII
Sing to the Lord of harvest / "Wie Lieblich Ist Der Maien"
W-488 Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All / "Sweet Sacrament"
M-276 Now thank we all our God / "Nun Danket"

Peace,
BMP

TONIGHT IN BOSTON...

(click the picture so you can read it!)

At St. Cecilia Church, 30 St. Cecilia St. (corner of Belvedere), right behind Berklee College of Music's Mass. Ave. building, Boston, MA. Beautiful church with a majestic four-manual organ by Smith and Gilbert.

Peace,
BMP

CHRISTUS REX AT SACRED HEART

Christ the King - November 20, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Our brass trio (trumpet, flugelhorn, and French horn) will be with us at the Saturday 5:00 Mass and the Sunday 9:00 and 11:15 Masses.

W-493 Rejoice, the Lord is King / "Darwall's 148th"
Gloria: Roman Missal, 2010
Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd / O. Alstott
Alleluia: A. G. Murray (verse of the day: tone 8G)
W-500 Christ is the King, O friends rejoice / "Gelobt sei Gott"
Sanctus and Memorial A: Roman Missal, 2010
Amen: adapted from the Sanctus of Mass VIII
Agnus: Roman Missal, 2010
Christus Vincit / BMP (see below)

W-497 To Jesus Christ, our sovereign King / "Ich Glaub an Gott"

BENEDICTION (at all Masses celebrated by the Pastor)
W-756 O Salutaris / Duguet
W-757 Tantum Ergo / "St. Thomas"
W-524 Holy God, We Praise Thy Name / "Grosser Gott"

Peace,
BMP

INTERESTED IN A QUALITY MUSICAL EDUCATION FOR YOUR SON?

Then look no further than the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School at St. Paul Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They raise the bar (and then some) when it comes to music in Catholic worship! I finally had a couple of chances to attend the 11:00 Mass there (February and March 2011) before finally returning to parish work myself. These guys really are a cut above the rest. So, if you have a son who loves to sing and you want to nurture that love in a liturgical and educational environment that is a cut above the rest, consider BACS. Below is a flyer I got from music director John Robinson. You can click on it to make it bigger.

Peace,
BMP

SUNDAY DIRTY TREE

Sunday XXXIII of Ordinary Time - November 13, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

Ah yes, the tale of the Dirty Tree. NO, this isn't the Gospel passage for Sunday. It's part of an episode of Men from Maine that I was listening to on WROR-FM (105.7 Boston). "Lem" is at a job interview at this drugstore in Bangor, ME, when the boss gave him a test.

Boss: OK now, without using actual numbers, represent for me the number 9.
(Lem scribbles)
Boss: You just drew three trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cuz tree, plus tree, plus tree, equals nine.
Boss: Alright, alright. Represent for me the number 99.
(Lem scribbles once again)
Boss: You just drew smudges over all those trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cus dirty tree, plus dirty tree, plus dirty tree, equals ninety-nine.
Boss: Oh, alright. Just... show me the number 100.
(And again, Lem scribbles)
Boss: You just drew poop in front of all those trees.
Lem: That's right, 'cus dirty tree and a turd, times tree, equals a hundred.

Anyhoo, here's the music for Sunday 33:

H-398 We love the place, O God / "Quam Dilecta"
Gloria: Roman Missal, 2010
Blessed are those who fear the Lord / Batastini/Gelineau
Alleluia: Murray
H-573 Go, labor on! spend and be spent / "Angel's Song (Song 34)"
Sanctus and Memorial / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Agnus / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Ave Verum / Perosi
H-223 Jesus, Son of Mary / "Adoro Te"
H-600 Ye holy angels bright / "Darwall's 148th"

Keep your trees clean!
Peace,
BMP

AND TO TOP IT OFF, THE WEEKEND!

Sunday XXXII of Ordinary Time - November 6, 2011
Sacred Heart Church, West Warwick, RI

H-5.2 Lo, He comes with clouds descending / "Helmsley"
Gloria / Roman Missal chant, 2010
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord, my God / R. Rice
Alleluia / A. G. Murray (verse: Tone 8G)
H-4 Rejoice, rejoice, believers / "Greenland"
Sanctus and Memorial / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Amen / adapted from "Sanctus VIII"
Agnus / Roman Missal chant, 2010
Pie Jesu / G. Faure
H-223 Jesus, son of Mary / "Adoro Te Devote"
H-539.2 Soon may the last glad song arise / "Truro"

UPDATE 11/2/11: Request from the pastor, since he loved the Pie Jesu so much at the All Souls Masses that he asked me if we could repeat it this Sunday. Absolutely!

Peace,
BMP