Grace Notes: Septuagesima Sunday

The joyful seasons of Christmas and Epiphany are behind us, and we will soon enter the penitential season of Lent. The season of Septuagesima bridges the three weeks between the Epiphany Season and Lent. Dom Guéranger, in The Liturgical Year, tells us how the Church now gives us these three weeks to prepare for “…the solemn warning she is to give us, at the commencement of Lent, by marking our foreheads with ashes.”

We now also leave behind the joyful hymn, the Gloria, and the joyful word, Alleluia. The Gloria will be sung on Holy Thursday, and feast days, but the Alleluia will be strictly avoided until the mass of the Pascal Vigil. So, of course, we will refrain from singing hymns that contain the word Alleluia.

The hymns we choose during Septuagesima will generally have a penitential character, but we still have much to celebrate. So, for example, we will sing Immaculate Mary (with the Lourdes refrain) in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes, which feast we celebrated last week.Recall our rule of thumb that if the priest is wearing green, we will likely sing Mass XI. There is another rule of thumb: If the priest is wearing purple, we will usually sing Mass XVII. But it would be premature to sing Mass XVII during Septuagesima because Mass XVII is to be used for Lent and Advent. The book that gives us much guidance regarding the Liturgy, the Liber Usualis, doesn’t give us an option for the commons, prescribing Mass XI. So, we have the interesting case where the priest is wearing purple, but we are singing Mass XI – and of course, we will sing it without its Gloria.

Grace Notes: The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

This is the fifth Sunday after Epiphany – the last Sunday after Epiphany for this year. The priest will be wearing green and so, again, according to our rule of thumb, we will be singing Mass XI, and Credo I.

Importantly, this is the last Sunday in which it is permitted to use the word Alleluia, which will be scrupulously avoided beginning with Septuagesima (next) Sunday and continuing until Easter. We have the period of Septuagesima and Lent coming up, and the music we choose then will reflect the penitential nature of those seasons.

But that is for next Sunday! This Sunday, we still rejoice! Along with Mass XI and Credo I, we will once again sing the propers from the third Sunday after Epiphany.It is the month of the Holy Name of Jesus so we will sing the Vespers hymn from the Feast of the Holy Name, Jesu Dulcis Memoria at the offertory. Otherwise, our hymns will be rather more generic in nature as we move from the joyous seasons of Christmas and Epiphany to the more somber seasons of Septuagesima and Lent.

Grace Notes: The Feast of the Purification

This day is, most importantly, the Feast of the Purification, but it is also the Feast of the Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple, and it is Candlemas. Because it is primarily a Marian Feast, we will sing Mass IX, the Mass for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. We will also choose hymns that honor Our Lady. The propers are those of the feast. For the blessing of Candles, we will sing Lumen ad revelationem gentium. For the procession, we will sing a suggested antiphon, and the Magnificat.

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

This year, there will be five Sundays after Epiphany, before Septuagesima Sunday. This, of course, is determined by working back from where Easter will fall. There can be as few as one, or as many as six Sundays after Epiphany. When there are more than three, the sung propers for subsequent Sundays are the same as for the 3rd Sunday. So, this Sunday, we will be singing the propers we didn’t sing last Sunday, since we had a low Mass.The priest will be wearing Green, and so we will, according to our rule of thumb, be singing Mass XI, and Credo I. This is the first Sunday of the month, the Sunday on which them men of the Holy Name Society honor the Holy Name of Jesus, and so we will sing the vespers hymn from the Feast of the Holy Name, Jesu Dulcis Memoria.

Grace Notes: The Third Sunday after Epiphany

For any given Sunday or feast, we have to decide what will be sung. This means choosing the propers, the commons, the Credo and the hymns. Many different factors influence our choices. Among other things, we consider:

  • The liturgical feast
  • The liturgical season
  • The readings and propers of the day
  • The calendar month

We also have to take into account the availability of choir members, how well the congregation knows the music, how well the various pieces work together musically, and how much time there will be to sing a hymn. And believe it or not, sometimes it comes down to personal preference.

Saint Anthony’s congregation has a rich repertoire in terms of which Mass commons we can choose. We’ve been singing Mass II (two), which is appropriate for the heart of the Christmas season, since it is intended for solemn feasts. 

We’ve now entered the period after Epiphany. It’s a good general rule that if the priest is wearing green (which means the Sunday is a second-class feast), then Mass XI (for Sundays throughout the year) is the right choice. Musically speaking, Credo I goes nicely with Mass XI and so we will be singing Mass XI and Credo I for the next several Sundays.

Grace Notes: The Second Sunday after Epiphany

Music is, of course, an important part of the Mass. Some parts are sung only by the priest. Other parts are sung by the congregation. And other parts are sung by the Schola Cantorum. 

A Schola Cantorum can only consist of males. It is their role to sing the Propers of the Mass, and in doing so, they fulfill a liturgical role and a clerical office, which is why they dress in cassock and surplice. They also sing hymns, and they lead the congregation in singing the Commons and hymns, but in doing so, they are not fulfilling a clerical office.

For singing polyphonic hymns, we also have a mixed choir, consisting of males and females. Their role is not liturgical, as hymns are not part of the Mass, per se, but rather serve to embellish the Mass.

For such a small congregation, we are blessed to have a choir that has a fairly rich repertoire, and we put it in the service of praising God (and edifying the faithful) whenever we can.

One of our many considerations in choosing hymns is the availability of singers. The music the choir sings, polyphony, typically requires 2 sopranos, 2 altos, 2 tenors and 2 basses. And each must know the piece thoroughly well. 

It can happen that we plan for the choir to do a certain piece, say, at communion, but we have to change our plans if it turns out that we don’t have all the singers we need. But when everything comes together nicely, you will hear some of the most beautiful music ever written, all for the greater glory of God!

Grace Notes: The Feast of the Holy Family

The 12 days of Christmas are behind us, but Christmastide continues until the Catholic Feast that we know as – Groundhog Day! It’s true! European Catholics brought the celebration to the United States in the late 1800s. It is based on customs from Candlemas, which is also the feast of the Purification, and the Presentation. Here’s a rhyme that was customary and shows the origins of Groundhog Day:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,

Winter will not come again.”

Since we’re not done with Christmas yet, we’ll be singing Christmas music for a while more. It’s also the Season of Epiphany, and so we will also continue to honor the Three Kings.

Grace Notes: The Octave of Christmas and the Feast of the Circumcision

The feast fell on a weekday this year so there is no Asperges. We would normally then sing the Introit as the processional. Since a plenary indulgence is offered for singing (or reciting) the Veni Creator on January 1st, after the processional, Father intoned and we all sang the Veni Creator. Otherwise, we continue to sing Mass II (two) because it is the Christmas season, and we sing Christmas songs for all of the hymns.

The Epiphany

The processional and recessional are in honor of today’s feast of the Epiphany. The popular carol, We three kings is not in the hymnal so we provide a handout for your use.

In some cases, depending on how the various feasts fall during the week, when there is a Sunday between the Circumcision and the Epiphany, that Sunday is Holy Name Sunday. This year, that did not occur, so the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus was observed on January 2nd. To honor that feast, we will sing Ecce nomen Domini.

Today is also the first Sunday of the month, and on this day, the Men of the Holy Name Society receive communion together as a body and recite the Holy Name Pledge after Mass.  And to again honor the Holy Name, we will sing Jesu Dulcis Memoria, taken from Vespers on the feast of the Holy Name.

Grace Notes: Why we sing what we sing

The Octave of Christmas and the Feast of the Circumcision

The feast fell on a weekday this year so there is no Asperges. We would normally then sing the Introit as the processional. Since a plenary indulgence is offered for singing (or reciting) the Veni Creator on January 1st, after the processional, Father intoned and we all sang the Veni Creator. Otherwise, we continue to sing Mass II (two) because it is the Christmas season, and we sing Christmas songs for all of the hymns.

The Epiphany

The processional and recessional are in honor of today’s feast of the Epiphany. The popular carol, We three kings is not in the hymnal so we provide a handout for your use.

In some cases, depending on how the various feasts fall during the week, when there is a Sunday between the Circumcision and the Epiphany, that Sunday is Holy Name Sunday. This year, that did not occur, so the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus was observed on January 2nd. To honor that feast, we will sing Ecce nomen Domini. Today is also the first Sunday of the month, and on this day, the Men of the Holy Name Society receive communion together as a body and recite the Holy Name Pledge after Mass.  And to again honor the Holy Name, we will sing Jesu Dulcis Memoria, taken from Vespers on the feast of the Holy Name.

Grace Notes: Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

In keeping with the custom of singing Marian hymns at the Offertory, the choir will sing Alma Redemptoris Mater. This is one of the four seasonal liturgical Marian antiphons sung at the end of Compline (the other three are Ave Regina cælorum, Regina cœli and Salve Regina). As you can see, the other three emphasize Our Lady’s queenship. Alma Redemptoris Mater speaks to her maternity. It is sung at Compline from the first Sunday of Advent until the feast of the Purification, February 2nd. 

After the long wait, it’s now finally time for Christmas music!

During Advent, we sang O come, O come, Emmanuel several times as the processional. Now, we will sing O come all ye faithful. At the Communion, the choir will sing Tomás Luis de Victoria’s setting of O Magnum Mysterium, which, as you will recall, is the responsory to the 4th lesson from Matins of Christmas.

We will sing the propers for the Sunday, and will sing Mass II (two), which is customary during Christmastide.

Grace Notes: Why we sing what we sing

Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity

In keeping with the custom of singing Marian hymns at the Offertory, the choir will sing Alma Redemptoris Mater. This is one of the four seasonal liturgical Marian antiphons sung at the end of Compline (the other three are Ave Regina cælorum, Regina cœli and Salve Regina). As you can see, the other three emphasize Our Lady’s queenship. Alma Redemptoris Mater speaks to her maternity. It is sung at Compline from the first Sunday of Advent until the feast of the Purification, February 2nd. 

After the long wait, it’s now finally time for Christmas music!

During Advent, we sang O come, O come, Emmanuel several times as the processional. Now, we will sing O come all ye faithful. At the Communion, the choir will sing Tomás Luis de Victoria’s setting of O Magnum Mysterium, which, as you will recall, is the responsory to the 4th lesson from Matins of Christmas.

We will sing the propers for the Sunday, and will sing Mass II (two), which is customary during Christmastide.

Grace Notes: 4th Sunday of Advent

Part of singing the Divine Office is to chant The Magnificat each evening at Vespers. And, of course, an antiphon is chanted both before and after. Beginning on December 17th, and continuing until December 23rd, seven very particular and very ancient antiphons are used. They are referred to collectively as the Great Antiphons. Each starts with the exclamation, O, and then refers to Our Lord by a particular title (for example, O Wisdom, or O Dawn). For this reason, they are also known as the O Antiphons. (Note that these antiphons form the basis for the popular hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.)

Customarily, at the Offertory, we sing hymns dedicated to Our Lady, but at the Communion, we would normally only sing hymns dedicated to Our Lord. Today, we will do otherwise. The O Antiphon for today, December 23rd is O Emmanuel. We will sing that antiphon, then sing The Magnificat, then, naturally, we will repeat the antiphon. Taken together, they are too long for the Offertory, and so we will sing them at the Communion.

The Vigil of the Nativity

Given that the Vigil of the Nativity does not fall on a Sunday, we will not sing the Asperges. And since we will not sing the Asperges, we will be able to commence immediately with the Introit, which we will sing in lieu of a processional. It is the final day of Advent, so we will sing Mass XVII for the last time (until Lent). And, of course, the organ will not be used.

Unlike during Lent, that other penitential season, the Alleluia is sung on Sundays and Feasts during Advent. On most other days during Advent, however, there is no Alleluia, and the rubrics for today’s Mass specify that the Alleluia is to be sung only when the Vigil of the Nativity falls on a Sunday. Thus, we will proceed directly from the Gradual to the Gospel.

The Nativity

Since Christmas does not fall on a Sunday, the Asperges is not sung, and so the Introit will be sung as the processional. We will leave Mass XVII behind until Lent, and will sing Mass II (two), which we will sing throughout the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. During that same period, we will sing Credo III, which, musically speaking, works nicely with Mass II.

Because Christmas is such a great feast, the choir of mixed voices will sing polyphonic pieces at both the Offertory, and the Communion. Noteworthy: At the Communion, we will sing the great piece O Magnum Mysterium, by Tomás Luis de Victoria. This piece takes its text from the Responsory that is sung after Lesson IV of Matins.It is customary at St. Anthony’s, to sing Angels we Have Heard on High as the recessional, and so we will continue with that tradition.

Grace Notes: 3rd Sunday of Advent

The Third Sunday of Advent

Today, known as Gaudete Sunday (because Gaudete is the first word of today’s Introit), is one of only two days during the year when the priest wears rose-colored vestments – the other being Laetere Sunday, during Lent. Normally, the organ is not used during Advent and Lent, but it is permitted on these same two days, Gaudete Sunday and Laetere Sunday.

Our main consideration in choosing hymns for today is the liturgical season, which, of course, is Advent. English-language hymns are not permitted during a sung Mass but they are permitted for the processional and recessional (neither of which is during the Mass), so we will sing O come, O come, Emmanuel as the processional, and Hark, a Herald Voice is Calling as the recessional.

The offertory antiphon is quite short today, which leaves a bit of time for a longer hymn. The Schola will sing Rorate, Caeli Desuper.At the Communion, the mixed choir will sing a version of Veni, Veni, Emanuel that alternates between the Gregorian and a 4-part harmony.