MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXV (Ordinary Form) - September 20, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket, RI

In: "Lobe den Herren"...Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Psalm (The Lord upholds my life) and Alleluia: Alstott...from Respond and Acclaim
$: Gillard...The servant song (Quite nice. Heard it done here once while Paul still was with us.)
Sanctus, Memorial (Christ has died), and Amen: Proulx...from A Community Mass
Agnus: Isele...from Holy Cross Mass (alternate tune)
+: "Bicentennial"...You satisfy the hungry heart
Out: "Azmon"...The Spirit sends us forth to serve (key of G)

NUMBER BOARD: 27 / 379 / 322 / 386

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXIV - September 13, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church, Pawtucket, RI

Note the change in Mass times for Saturdays, effective 9/12/09:
4:30 in English / 5:45 en Español

Numbers refer to the music issue (OCP)

HYMN 730: "Crucifer"...Lift high the cross
Psalm 116 (I will walk before the Lord) and Alleluia: Alstott...from Respond and Acclaim
HYMN 492: Temple...Make me a channel of your peace
Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation (Christ has died), and Amen: Proulx...from Community Mass
Agnus Dei: Isele...from Holy Cross Mass
HYMN 356: Foley...One bread, one body
HYMN 26: "St. Elizabeth"...Beautiful Savior

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Sunday XXIII (Ordinary Form) - September 6, 2009
St. John the Baptist Church - Pawtucket, RI

Back to St. John's again, where I'll be once again serving as interim organist for the two English Masses.

Entrance: HYMN 448 O God, our help in ages past..."St. Anne"
Psalm 146/Alleluia: from Respond and Acclaim
Offertory: HYMN 590 The cry of the poor...Foley
- (His best work known to the users of OCP materials, IMO)
Sanctus/Agnus: from People's Mass
Christ has died/Amen: Danish
Communion: Stewards of Earth..."Finlandia"
Recessional: HYMN 417 For the fruits of this creation..."Ar hyd y nos"

Peace,
BMP

OH WELL - I MISSED IT

The Ted Kennedy "funeral", that is. Well, la de da!

I was busy with other things. As a result, I don't have much to complain about, from my own observations. From reading other reliable bloggers' observations and a letter from the Catholic Action League (via Jeff), however, I really thought Cardinal O'Malley had more class than to let such a debacle happen. Praising the Senator for championing gay rights during the General Intercessions? Allowing family members to line up to go up there and proclaim these one at a time like a First Communion class? Allowing eulogy after eulogy after eulogy, including one from the pro-abortion President Barack Sadaam Hussein Obama Bin Laden (who was reportedly thanked by the Cardinal afterwards)? In a beautiful church such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help ("aka Mission Church")?

I really thought there'd be just a little more class. What the hell was I thinking?!
Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time - August 30, 2009
St. Joan of Arc Church, Cumberland, RI

I had this weekend off at St. John the Baptist for reasons that will be explained later (rest assured, nothing negative). So I took my mom Mass at St. Joan's, where I haven't been since I started filling in for Paul Martin, who died after my first Mass at St. John's. The young curate at St. Joan's, Fr. Giacomo Capoverdi, was just transferred over to St. Leo's, where Fr. Kevin Fisette was removed due to an allegation from 27 years ago. You'll never convince me that someone who makes an allegation against a good man like Fr. Fisette and waits 27 years to tell the tale isn't full of shit. Now, when I say this, I have no intentions of taking away from Fr. Capoverdi, who, like Fr. Fisette, is a very good and holy priest of God who says Holy Mass like it's Holy Mass and not some game show, and has a very high appreciation for things traditional to the Church.

The pastor at St. Joan's, Fr. Norman Bourdon also says Mass with class. Unfortunately, we didn't get him for a celebrant either. Instead, we got the retired monsignor in residence, who ad libbed and added words to the Mass like it was a talk show.

Anyhoo, here's the music:
"Bunessan"...Morning has broken
Alstott...The one who does justice / Alleluia
"Heismann"...All good gifts
- (This is the hymn We plow the fields and scatter, set to a tune by Kevin Keil. The music for the verses isn't too bad - maybe a little too simple for my liking, but not bad. The music for the refrain isn't so hot, IMHO. Too sing-songy. For a much better tune, I recommend "Wir Pflugen".)
Alstott...Sanctus / Christ has died / Amen ("Heritage Mass")
Agnus Dei XVIII
Haas...Blest are they (blech!)
"Grosser Gott"...Holy God, we praise thy Name
- (Always a favorite, but a bit rushed, almost as rushed as you'll hear at the 3-minute mark in this clip of Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass. I was hoping for a little more stately tempo, which can still be achieved without dragging.)

Peace,
BMP

Ya Gotta have the youknowwhateses, sometimes

So I just called the Catholic Schools office, regarding the music at the catholic school Mass each year. Since my kids were not part of the choir, I wanted to investigate. Now that I know how the omission happened, I'm grateful. My big mouth, I think. Early on, I'd mentioned to the principal and pastor that our kids are better off not having to sing the trashy music that's evidently presented at this yearly event.

When I asked if the organ was ever used, I got, "Oh, my, no!"

"Why not?" I queried.

"The directors at the schools don't use the organ" was the reply.

I started to get a bit terse, and then the shoe hit..... I should have seen it coming like the black plague that it is:

"The Bishop approved it. That's what he wants."

Such a short, short discussion. She only had to mention that last sentence early on and she'd been off the phone with me much earlier.

Please pray that someday, bishops and clergy alike, will recognize that children are far from stupid, and far from demanding trash for music in God's holy house.

I want to utter all sorts of expletives - oh, wait. I just did. I just don't know how to write them out. There aren't enough symbols on the keyboard of my computer for that sort of thing.

Glossalalia for cussers?

SteveO

Weekly School Mass at CTK, CC, TX

I wrote a note to Paula, who had responded to my last post. Our Cathedral hosted its annual Catholic school Mass yesterday (Wednesday). It was a pathetic venture into the banal, and my kids knew it. - Read the response/beef to see the entire diatribe.....

Tomorrow, we celebrate the memorial of St. Augustine. The kids are excited, because today was the memorial of St. Monica. It's rare - if ever, that we have Mom-son memorial masses!

Our music lineup is similar to Sunday, sans the singing of the psalm, gloria and credo. (Oops, we don't sing the creed...)

Kyrie, Sanctus, Mortem tuam, Agnus Dei - Jubilate Deo collection (Masses 16, 3, 18)
Entrance: O God, Beyond All Praising - Thaxted (three stanzas, St. Michael Hymnal)
Introit: Tone 8
Alleluia: Exultate Jubilate/Alleluia - Mozart
Communion: O God, You Search Me - Bernadette Farrell (the only one by her that I do)
Communion - Tone 8
After the Blessing: Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament -
Cantemos al Amor
Recessional: The Eternal Gifts of Christ the King - Deo Gracias (Agincourt Carol, sans alleluias)

Next Friday, the kids will have their first music exam from me - it's part of my instituting the RSCM scheme on a RC level. Much of the exam will deal with hymns, the tunes we've sung, the composers, authors, metre, tune names, and the centuries involved in those tunes and texts.

I've come up with a quick discipline tactic: At the beginning of every class, I write the words Bel Canto on the board. The goal is to keep all the letters up there. If there's misbehavior, lack of attention, unruliness, etc., a letter is erased....if there's bellyaching about a letter being erased, another one gets erased. That gets things quieted down right forth. Now, if all the letters were to disappear, it means that the entire class would have a 500 word essay due by the following week. If this happens on Friday, God help them, because it's due on Monday. They know that I will rarely, if ever, give out a homework assignment, other than to listen to a piece of music (heck, I don't want to spend my evenings grading papers!), so behavior is not a huge issue with me.

More later. Tally ho, everyone. Tomorrow's the end of the week.... for some people. I still have five Masses to get ready for!

SteveO

A GOOD PRIEST'S REPUTATION - HURT...

...by someone who waits over a quarter of a century
to claim he was abused!

Fr. Kevin Fisette, who I had the pleasure of serving as his organist/music director at Holy Name of Jesus Church for four years, and as his organist for the monthly Extraordinary Form Mass at St. Leo the Great Church for another year, has been accused of sexual abuse.

State police investigated the allegations that date to 1981-82 in April and found that “they were credible,” said Capt. David Neill, state police detective commander.

OK - now I'm going to ask a lovely question here? If Fr. Fisette really did such a thing, why wasn't this investigated in 1981-82 instead of 27 years later, in 2009? Why would someone wait so freakin' long to file a complaint, except for one of two reasons: either a personal vendetta on Fr. Fisette, or the vision of dollar signs from the Diocese of Providence? Or perhaps both? One may argue that many dioceses (including our diocese) were hiding things back then. However, if the diocese truly was hiding such a fact as a sexual allegation, shouldn't the parent(s) of the alleged victim, or the alleged victim himself if old enough, have had the state meddle in at that time??? Sounds like a scam to me!

In my experience working with Fr. Fisette, I cannot picture him doing this. I just can't. He has always been a good holy priest as long as I've known him. Suddenly some creep is going to file a molestation complaint 27 FREAKIN' YEARS AGO???!!! And the state finds it "credible"? If I was that investigator from the State of Rhode Island, I would be the first to say the following:

"I hate to say this, but you're full of shit. Where were you 27 years ago, or even 20 years ago, to say something then? Why didn't you tell your parents? You're hurting a good holy man who's busted his butt to get where he's been. Instead you've decided to ruin his reputation."

My whole family knows Fr. Fisette. Myself, my wife, all four of my kids, my mom. To see his reputation go to the shitter because of some money/vengence-hungry creep just makes me completely sick. How the hell do people like this sleep at night? Even if Father IS cleared, will any pastorate for him be safe from those who look at him as the freak? Sadly, I must say "doubtful".

Now, here's another blurb that's enough to make the most immune living thing puke:

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) issued a statement criticizing Bishop Thomas J. Tobin for not notifying the public sooner.

“For almost six months, Bishop Tobin and his staff recklessly and callously chose silence over warning and opted to alert no one about a credible allegation of child sexual abuse against a Catholic priest,” Barbara Dorris, director of SNAP, said.

She added, “Tobin had a moral and civic duty to promptly warn the public and his parishioners about this serious allegation.”

How quick these people from SNAP are in making a "SNAP judgement". Before Bishop Tobin could do anything, he had to make sure said allegations were legitimate. He's not going to just "out-of-the-blue" blab "FATHER SO-AND-SO IS A PEDOPHILE!" the minute someone says "boo!" The Bishop was by no means reckless in his actions. He too had to go through the proper channels. It sounds to me like some arrogant species trying to make an arrogant statement in an ill-fated attempt to screw the Church once again.

Father Fisette, if you are reading this from wherever you are right now, please rest assured that you have the support of the good people of St. Leo's, as well as my family and myself. You are in our prayers. Justice will be served via Almighty God.

Peace,
BMP

This week in CC TX

Thought I'd share with you what we do at our 8am weekday Mass. It's the only Mass offered, and is always preceded by Morning Prayer. The hymn chosen for the office is not necessarily the best choice - I don't spend time pouring through the psalmody and the lection of the day to choose the hymn. Although for specific days, I manage to choose a hymn that fits really well. For example, this morning, the feast of St. Bartholomew, warranted a newer hymn text and tune, which the people really seem to enjoy singing: The Eternal Gifts of Christ the King, sung to Deo Gracias (Agincourt Hymns, sans the Alleluia section). The school kids were "sort of" miffed with me after Mass, when they discovered that they had missed the singing of this hymn - it's turned out to be their favorite thus far!!!! And I'm happy about that. They are anxiously awaiting the time when I tell them we will use the tambour and finger cymbals (All Saints).

We have the St. Michael Hymnal in our pews. While it's a very nice hymnal, it has what every hymnal has when it's being put together and published and sold: AN AGENDA. The agenda of the SMH is not political, however. It is, however, a personal pietistic sort, though, and that has a tendency to rankle my feathers a bit. It wouldn't have done that, except that "they" changed the final stanza, and, in my most humility-laced opinion, NOT FOR THE BETTER!!!!! Just what were they thinking, man? Anyway....

The Hymn which was sung was The Martyrs, Saints of God, authored by Becket G. Senchur, who must be a monk at St. Vincent Archabbey. The tune is very singable, if not predictable, but not bad at all. Of course, the kids love this one, too. We sang both of them Friday 8/14, the memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe at the school Mass.

What we've been doing for the hymn at Mass, is singing stanza one as the priest and servers enter the sanctuary. Then Father Bossman wants the introit, so we chant it, usually to Tone VIII. It's really kind of a downer, singing two entrance hymns, both of which are truncated to the point of high ridiculousity. Be that as it may.... on Feast days, we chant the Gloria (III). The psalm is read, although we'll begin chanting the refrain in a few weeks, and second semester, the students will chant the psalm entirely. The rest of the music for the ordinary is the same as Sunday.

At Holy Communion, after the older kids are back in their pews, we sing the concluding stanzas of the first hymn. At least the poetry isn't totally marred, and the response is very good from the kids as well as the adults.

We have adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every day from 9am to approx 9pm. After the final blessing, the priest and servers move to the front of the altar and the bell rings for the Angelus. At the conclusion of the Angelus, the priest moves to the tabernacle. That's when we begin singing this really pretty Spanish/Mexican hymn, Cantemos al Amor de los Amores. The sing it very well. This gives the procession time to reposition the Blessed Sacrament and return to the sanctuary. A brief organ improvisation follows - or if prepared or fitting, a composed piece.

I'm happy with most of what is happening with the kids, musically speaking. But there is just not enough class time to get everything done. So I need to plan more carefully.

Like last Tuesday when one of the boys sneezed all over me.... yep, it went flying. That kid is going to have to carry a Kleenex box with him everywhere..... my immune system is still very susceptible to such quickly airborne pathogens....so my day off and the following were spent in isolation.....

Tomorrow's lineup:

Hymn: O God, You Search Me and You know Me. It's the only Bernadette Farrell piece that I will do - unless she comes up with something nice again, without interweaving her music with noxious anti Roman Catholic theological stances..... (I chose this, because tomorrow's Psalm at Mass is Psalm 139.)

Have a great week.

SteveO
living in Corpus Christi TX where we've well passed 90 days of 90+ degree temperatures!

A TOP TEN LIST OF SORTS

CanticaNOVA Publications, home of my own Around the Throne, a Glorious Band setting, presents this great article by Kevin Orlin Johnson - The Ten Most Common Liturgical Abuses and Why They're Wrong.

One of the things that drew me to the Church of St. John the Baptist is that these things just don't happen there. Thank God!

(Note: I skipped a couple of sections so I can stress what I've seen in my own experience. Go read the article itself to see what you've seen.)

1. Disregarding the prescribed text of the Order of Mass
One very common example the author cites is the parish (or at least the priest) who deliberately omits the word "men" in the line "for us men and for our salvation" in the Creed. Normally (in my observations) it's the priest who omits "men" (probably because he isn't man enough to say it), simply creating a dead spot for that split second, rejoining the people for "and for our salvation".
Another example the author cites here is one that I used to hear in another Pawtucket parish I once served, the priest who would "wing it through the Eucharistic Prayer". TWO of the three priests there (the pastor and a resident priest from the Columban Fathers) at the time used to do this. In fact, one of them tried it, and as a consequence, lost his place, thus saying the second EP up to the Mysterium Fidei, and saying the third EP from there on. Thankfully, these two priests are now retired. Ironically, it was the curate that drove me out of that parish. He was just plain miserable - he bitched about EVERYTHING! He's now a pastor himself (I pray for the parish he's in).

2. Interrupting the Mass
In the same parish that I've heard the two thankfully-now-retired priests wing the Eucharistic Prayer, the pastor got a nice rude interruption in the middle of a homily he once preached. I didn't pay attention to the homily itself, but it started with a mention of the "School of the Americas" or something like that. And a few minutes within, I suddenly hear from the pew stand up and holler, "EXCUSE ME! THAT'S A POLITICAL STATEMENT! WHY DON'T YOU STICK TO THE BIBLE!" A couple of minutes later, another outburst came from the same jerk, prompting many from the pew to tell him "sit down and shut up!" Eventually, he walked out, and the remainder of the people gave him a "standing O".
Mr. Johnson rightfully points out that "The priest has no more right to interrupt the Mass from the sanctuary than you have to interrupt it from the pews". One fine example comes from a church in Attleboro, MA, where I once attended Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday 2008 -
The offertory was Amazing Grace (played with a hacked gospel revival feel), but not before the pastor's big announcement calling for more "eucharistic ministers" (you mean, "extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion", Father) and that there was a class for them at a church a couple of towns north, followed by his other big announcement that he recently acquired a "new pet" - a "robot puppy".
Further: No one may stop the Mass for extra homilies (CSDW, Liturgicae Instaurationes 2(a)) and certainly not for other activities that are themselves unlawful, like skits or "liturgical dance. That means NO freakin' eulogies at Funeral Masses. Save them for the wake or the burial. There is ample time at either. I might have mentioned at one time the eulogy I had to put up with where this one dame babbled on about how the deceased told her that she had too much to drink. As for liturgical dance - this article might just piss off some MahonyFest (that is, the Los Angheleeze Religious Misedumacation Congress) liturgical coordinators.

3. Omitting the Penitential Rite
The second paragraph in this section pertains to the optional "sign of peace". If the priest does include the "sign of peace", "the priest is not allowed to leave the sanctuary to exchange it with the congregation" (GIRM 136). I've been to many a parish where one would go up half the center aisle. In the case of the above mentioned Attleboro parish, the pastor went ALL THE WAY up the center aisle, and back, like a Las Vegas showman.

4. Replacing or omitting the homily
No guest speakers, unless they're bishops, priests, or deacons. And again, no eulogies!

5. Dictating posture
This section directs basically to the anti-kneeling kooks, as well as the kooks who like to make the Tabernacle "it" in a game of hide and seek.

6. Dictating the manner of reception of the Eucharist
This is for the anti-tongue kooks, namely this Cumberland parish I went to, where the only good thing going was the organist. From my post:
The worst of it all was during Communion, when I went to receive. As I got to the Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, with my hands tightly folded, the EMHC said to me, "I'm sorry, I can only give it in the hand." WTF???!!! SINCE FREAKIN' WHEN???!!! Since freakin' when can one not receive our Lord Jesus Christ in the way that the Holy Father has clearly expressed his preference to receive Him? I didn't bother to make a scene. I received and consumed, and decided to save my rant for here. I don't know if this is the pastor's policy, or the EMHC's own little pet peeve, but it's definitely WRONG WRONG WRONG!
Mr. Johnson affirms my last sentence:
Still, universal Church law does not permit reception of the Sacrament in the hand, and John Paul II disapproves of the practice. (Note: the article was originally written in 1999, still in the time of Pope John Paul's pontificate). The indult that allowed it specified that reception in the hand "must not be imposed" (CSDW, En réponse, 1969). Absolutely no priest or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may refuse to administer the Eucharist on the tongue.
(emphasis mine).
BAM!

8. Holding hands during the Our Father
Ah yes, the old custom that originated from AA meetings. The sad thing is that I know some people who cling to Catholic teachings for dear life, yet still perform this practice. Yes, I've had some of these in my former choirs. If someone tries to hold your hand, give him/her this fine item.

9. Performing liturgical dance
Another BAM! See the last paragraph of my take on section 2.

10. Closing the holy water fonts at some seasons
...or filling it with rocks. Big time wrong!

Peace,
BMP