New Liturgical Movement

Photos of the Opening Mass of the CMAA Colloquium

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:43:00 +0000

Here are some photographs of the Opening Mass of the Church Music Association of America's Colloquium at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City earlier today. The Celebrant was the Reverend Robert Pasley, Chaplain to the CMAA.

Five Ways to Ruin the Mass

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:48:00 +0000

I'm at the Sacred Music Colloquium this week, and this article from Crisis today is the fruit of a few conversations. I limited my list to five but it could of course be expanded. Still, fixing these five common practices of the ordinary form would go a very long way toward restoring the true liturgical spirit in the Masses we attend on a regular basis.

We are getting ever closer to an improved liturgy in the English-speaking world. The new Missal gives us a more dignified language that more closely reflects the Latin standard. The hippy-dippy rupturism of the past is finally giving way to a more settled and solemn appreciation of the intrinsic majesty of the Roman rite.

A new generation of celebrants is moving past the politicized agendas of the past toward embracing the true spirit of the liturgy. Maybe it hasn’t happened in your parish but the trend is clear: better music, better vestments, better postures and rubrics.

And yet, we all know that things are not what they should be. It is an interesting experiment to travel and attend Sunday Mass at a random parish. You might find wonderful things. Or you might find something else entirely. Having experienced many of the latter, and talking with many other people about their experiences, I here list the top five ways in which the presentation of the liturgy can ruin the liturgical experience.

1. Improvisation of the Liturgical Texts
The problem of celebrants who make up their own words on the spot, in hopes of making the liturgy more chatty and familiar, continues to be a serious annoyance. It is obviously illicit to do so. Celebrants are permitted to break to explain parts of the Mass or provide other special instructions. But they are not permitted to replace liturgical texts with something that they dreamed up on the spot.

This abuse is extremely disorienting and draws undue attention to the personality and personal views of the priest rather than to the theology and ritual prescribed by the Church. It is also ridiculously presumptuous for any one person to imagine that he has a better idea than the liturgical text formed from 2,000 years of tradition.

I have my own theory on why it is so common for celebrants to just make things up on the spot. The older Missal translation dating from 1970 and onward was so casual, chatty, and plain that it encouraged the priest to enter into this world of casual communication. The formality just wasn’t there to encourage a more sober, careful, and accurate presentation. Also, many improvisers just had a sense that the text needed fixing of some sort.

This has changed with the new Missal, and this is all to the good. The new translation is very dignified and requires careful focus. But the habit of riffing around on the prayers remains among many priests.

This is truly tragic for everyone sitting in the pews. If the texts can just be ignored, why shouldn’t the faithful themselves feel free to take what they want and otherwise discard core teachings of the faith? This whole practices encourages a general disrespect for the ritual and even the faith itself.

Beauty Comes in Threes - From Assisi to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe

noreply@blogger.com (David Clayton) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Look at this photograph of St Clare's in Assisi, which is top in the series of photographs below, and at the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe New Mexico, which is second. The first is 13th century and second was completed in 1886.

If one takes in each case the lower section (containing the door) it is bigger than the second, containing a rose window, which in turn is bigger than the third containing a smaller round window. Even though the lower section is subdivided in the Santa Fe Basilica, the main door unifies the two elements into a single larger one. In both there is a rhythmical progression upwards so that the first is to the second as the second is to the first.

Both these churches have proportions in which there are three sections of different size in consonant relationships with each other. Proportion is defined as a consonant relationship between to two ratios. As a ratio is a relationship between two magnitudes, there is a minimum of three different magnitudes needed to create two ratios.The beauty of architecture therefore is analogous to the beauty of music in which three notes are needed to define a chord. If you have just two notes you can have pleasing relationships - harmonious intervals - but the full chord needs a third not so that we know if it is participating in, for example, a major or a minor chord. We have seen this musical connection to architecture before in consideration, for example, of the octave, here.

It is not just the principle of three that is important here, but the principle of harmony is one that is derived from relationship between three distinct objects. So there is no harmony and no chord when all three notes are identical. They have to be different. One immediately thinks, of course that this might give us a sense of how the Trinity, three distinct persons, is Beautiful.

This three tiered design principle can be applied to just about anything - below are couple of buildings. The first is the grand Attingham House in Shropshire (seen before in the octave article); the second is an 18th century house in Frederick, MD; the third is in Newburyport, MA.

In each of the buildings above there is very little decoration - the elegance is derived almost exclusively from the proportions.

On a recent visit to the Cloisters Museum in New York I saw the following beaker and even a plant cut to follow the same design principle. In this way the whole culture can participate in the liturgical form which is at its root.

Now compare with this modern house below. This is in Frederick, Maryland too and it looks to me as though the architect is trying to design something to complement the colonial architecture that dominates the town. Yet because he has even sized windows and stories, it lacks this elegance. He is using the pattern of three, but because the windows are evenly sized he is not following the traditional pattern of harmonious proportion.

St. Joseph's Name Added to All the Canons

noreply@blogger.com (Gregory DiPippo) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:31:00 +0000

Fr. Zuhlsdorf reports that an official decree has been issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship, adding the name of Saint Joseph to the Second, Third and Fourth Eucharistic Prayers, as it was added to the Roman Canon by Bl. Pope John XXIII. The decree mentions that this was approved already by Pope Benedict XVI, and has now been formally promulgated by Pope Francis. Fr. Z. has also posted a copy of the decree in English; it is dated to May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, and gives the official Latin version of the text to be added to each of the three canons.

St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus, by Guido Reni, ca. 1635

Power Ballads or Hymns?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:07:00 +0000

Glad to see the American Spectator comment on a controversy in Christian worship. The article is long on what's wrong but short on what's right. But that's ok; that's our job.

When the power ballad fell out of fashion, it found a home among the “praise bands” of “Christian Rock.” Where power ballads go, praise bands follow. That unabashedly Christian lyrics can be heard on FM radio is a good thing, but that power ballads also enabled praise bands to displace so many church choirs ought to give us pause. Power ballads are not hymns. That is precisely the problem with singing them during church services, even — perhaps especially — services aimed at younger people.

The Sign of Peace (part 2) - A Liturgical Commentary Set to Music

noreply@blogger.com (Gregory DiPippo) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:10:00 +0000

Just for fun, friends. You might need give the video a few moments to get started. Thanks to Mr. David Williams, the creator of this montage.

(Click on these links for explanations of very British cultural references: Thora Hird and Harry Secombe.)

Is the Sign of Peace a Problem?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:04:00 +0000

Fr. Jan Larsen of Seattle offers the following thought on the Sign of Peace:

The greeting of peace is still a part of our liturgical prayer, really a kind of blessing that we exchange with those nearby, and this attitude of prayer and blessing ought not to take second place to other praiseworthy impulses. Thus care must be taken that the sign of peace does not become a sort of “time out” from the liturgy so that people can chat and socialize. That the sign of peace reflects a certain composure and restraint also applies to everyone else in the liturgical assembly. The church’s norms describe the sign of peace as the rite “by which the Church asks for peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament…”

(h/t PrayTell)

I'm happy to see some discussion about this topic. In most parishes I've been to, things are not quite all terrible at the Sign of Peace. There is a period time that lasts perhaps 10 to 15 seconds, and Catholics mostly try to make the best of it, even if it is a bit uncomfortable. in general, it seems relatively harmless and perhaps it even makes some people feel a sense of charity toward each other -- a good thing but one that needs to be balance against what often seems like a disruption in the course of the prayer during the most solemn part of Mass.

Maybe your parish is different. I recall being in a college chapel in which the sign of the peace involved milling around for several minutes or longer, including loud talking, catching up on the events of the day, and so on. If someone feels a bit funny about this, that person is made to have an awkward sense that he or she is aloof or unsocial or unfriendly. I've read other reports about celebrants coming down from the altar and going into the congregation to shake everyone's hand. At some point, the Sign of Peace, because it is not clearly defined in rubrics, can look much like an abuse.

So it is good to understand the difference between what the rubrics say and what has emerged as popular tradition. Here is what the General Instruction says about the rite of peace:

82. There follows the Rite of Peace, by which the Church entreats peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.

As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by the Conferences of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. However, it is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest.

So here we have it. There is no need for walking around and socializing, or even for waving across the parish to another person. If someone is not right nearby, there should be no pressure for anyone to seek out others. It should be quiet, contain, and short. It should not involving anything other than saying "peace be with you" or responding "amen." It is possible to do this with dignity.

The Roman Missal itself makes it clear that the ritual is fully accomplished when the priest says: "The peace of the Lord be with you always" and the people respond: "And with your spirit." There is no necessary need for anything else. In fact, the Missal says that the celebrant "may add, when appropriate: Let us offer each other the sign of peace."

In other words, the congregational peace exchange can be eliminated completely -- and I'm quite certain that may people will feel a sense of relief over this. I am among them.

At the same time, Brandon Harvey, a theology student at Stubenville, writes as follows:

This distraction, felt by many, has led some priest to react by deeming it never “appropriate” to show the sign of peace. But one must reflect on the teaching of Benedict XVI, pope emeritus, “It should be kept in mind that nothing is lost when the sign of peace is marked by a sobriety which preserves the proper spirit of the celebration, as, for example, when it is restricted to one’s immediate neighbors.”

Of course in the extraordinary form, matters are very different and solemn. There is no assigned time for the faithful to engage in what often seems like a "meet and greet." In fact, I've had protestant friends of mine come to Mass and be slightly disoriented during this period of the Mass since it reminds them of the horizontal and social elements of their own services, and not in a good way.

Another option to eliminating it completely is to solemnize it by singing the rite itself. The sound alone makes it clear that this is not a break in the liturgy but a part of it, thereby inspiring a more liturgical approach from the people in the pews.

I'm curious about other people's experiences. Does the sign of peace make enough of a contribution to the liturgy to justify the risks that it gives rise to disruption? In general, I would say no it does not.

Notre Dame comes to Westminster

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 09:56:00 +0000

Notre Dame is celebrating its 850th anniversary this year in fitting style: a new set of bells was commissioned for the Jubilee which you can read about over at FrZ and a new updated console has been installed in the organ tribune. I had the honour of playing it earlier this year and I took this photograph:

The console is beautifully laid out and very comfortable to play, boasting a wealth of playing-aids. (For any organists reading, my favourite feature is the 'any piston acts as advancer' setting.) The sound of the instrument remains every bit as thrilling as before and it is an absolutely incredible experience to play. The view is spectacular too:

Since the death of the legendary organist Pierre Cochereau in 1984, Notre Dame has had three Titular Organists who rotate the duties between them. One of the three Titulaires, Olivier Latry, will be giving a recital at Westminster Cathedral soon, playing music by former organists of Notre Dame. The programme includes a transcribed improvisation for organ and percussion by Pierre Cochereau and a work by one of the other current Titulaires, Jean-Pierre Leguay. He will also play Carillon de Westminster by Louis Vierne, a piece with an interesting story: in 1924, Vierne played one of the inaugural recitals of the Grand Organ at Westminster Cathedral. During the recital Henry Willis, the builder of the organ, brought him a theme on which to improvise. Willis was rather taken aback to discover that Vierne was practically blind and unable to read the theme, the chimes of the clock at the Houses of Parliament. Somewhat flustered, Willis hummed him the theme incorrectly (it's easy to do!) and mixed up the chimes. Vierne used this improvisation as the basis for his famous Carillon de Westminster, dedicating it ‘à mon ami Henri Willis, facteur d’orgues à Londres’. The chimes remain the wrong way round in perpetuity, but the anomaly does not detract from this magnificent piece. The full programme is available in this brochure. The recital is on Wednesday 26 June at 7.30pm. Admission is free with a retiring collection.

The Liturgy at Notre Dame has long been adorned by the French tradition of organ improvisation, so it is fitting that Olivier Latry, one of its greatest exponents, will conclude his recital with an improvisation. If you are unable to hear him play at Westminster, or indeed Notre Dame, here is a video of him improvising a Prelude to the main Sunday Mass at the old console at Notre Dame:

Olivier Latry Improvising and playing the Entrance Hymn to Mass at Notre Dame in Paris from Joe Vitacco on Vimeo.

Compendium of the 1961 Revision of the Pontificale Romanum - Part 11.2: The Crowning of an Image of the Virgin Mary (1961)

noreply@blogger.com (Gregory DiPippo) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:00:00 +0000

After the blessing of an image of the Virgin Mary, the revised Pontifical of 1961 adds a ceremony that is not included in the Pontifical of Clement VIII, an “Order for Crowning an Image of the Virgin Mary.” The custom of placing crowns on important pictures and statues of the Virgin is a hugely popular one, especially in Italy; many of them also have a crown on the Infant Jesus whom She is holding. To give an idea of just how popular the custom was: in 1636, an Italian count, Alessandro Sforza Pallavicini, left to the Chapter of St. Peter’s Basilica an endowment to pay for golden crowns to place on especially venerated images of the Mother of God. Requests were to be submitted for the Chapter’s approval by local churches; if the approval was given, a painting of the image with the crown on it was then sent back to the Chapter, which now has over 3000 such images in its collection. There were a variety of rituals and local traditions observed at these crownings, and the ritual of the revised Pontifical is not added to the prejudice of other customs.
For the crowning according to the new order of 1961, the bishop wears a white cope and “auryphrigiata” mitre. The bishop blesses the crown (or crowns, if the infant Jesus is in the image) on the altar, with the following prayer, preceded by “Adjutorium nostrum” and “Dominus vobiscum”.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose most merciful dispensation all things are created of nothing, we humbly pray Thy majesty, that Thou may deign to + bless these crowns (or this crown) made to adorn the sacred image of (Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and His Mother) the most blessed Virgin Mary. Through (the same) Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

(The words in the red parentheses are said if the infant Jesus is also present in the image.) The bishop sprinkles the crown or crowns with holy water, then imposes incense in a thurible and incenses them. He then kneels before the altar and intones the Salve Regina, or in Eastertide, Regina caeli, which are sung in the more solemn tone.
As the bishop then places the crown or crowns on the image, he says before that of the Christ, “As Thou art crowned by our hands on earth, so also may we merit to be crowned by Thee with glory and honor in heaven.” As he crowns the Virgin, he says “As Thou art crowned by our hands on earth, so also through Thee, may we merit to be crowned by Thy Son Jesus Christ with glory and honor in heaven.” (The former is of course omitted if the image shows only the Virgin.)
He then adds these versicles

V. A golden crown upon her head.
R. Wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honor: a work of might. (Sirach, 45, 14)
V. Thou hast crowned Her, Lord.
R. And set Her over the works of Thy hand. (Psalm 8, 6-7)

and the following prayer.

Grant, o merciful Father, through the invocation of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom Thou didst will to take on the flesh for the salvation of the human race, while preserving the integrity of the Virgin Mary; that all who shall strive humbly to honor the Queen of Mercy before this image, may be delivered from present dangers, obtain forgiveness of their sins, merit in this present life to obtain the grace which they desire, and rejoice in perpetual salvation in the next. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The bishop intones the Te Deum, which is continued by the choir, after which he says “Dominus vobiscum”, and the following prayer, the prayer normally said when the Te Deum is recited as a public act of thankgiving.

O God, of whose mercies there is no number, and the treasure of whose goodness is infinite, we give thanks to Thy most gracious majesty, for the gifts Thou hast bestowed upon us, ever beseeching Thy clemency, that as Thou grantest the petitions of those that ask Thee, Thou never forsake them, but prepare them for the rewards to come. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

A view of the Polish Chapel in grotto of St. Peter’s Basilica. The mosaic copy of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa on the reredos was decorated with two crowns on the morning of April 2, 2005, placed there by Cardinal Marian Jaworski at the behest of Pope John Paul II, who died on the evening of that day. The crowns are decorated with jewels offered by the faithful at the famous shrine in Częstochowa, Poland, where the original image has been venerated for centuries; both crowns have the Papal motto Totus tuus written along the bottom.

Ordinariate Evensong at the Little Oratory

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:25:00 +0000

On Thursday evening the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham celebrated Choral Evensong and Solemn Benediction at the Little Oratory in London. The service preceded a talk entitled 'The Future of Christianity in Britain' given by Charles Moore, organised by the Friends of the Ordinariate.

The Office was sung by the Choir of the London Oratory directed by Patrick Russill and the organ was played by Felix Yeung, the Pettman Organ Scholar at the Oratory and also a member of the Personal Ordinariate. The music included the Preces and Responses by Ayleward, the Short Service by Orlando Gibbons, and Almighty and Everlasting God also by Gibbons.

After Evensong, the large congregation knelt as Monsignor Keith Newton, the Ordinary, presided over Solemn Benediction. During the devotions the O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo were sung to vernacular settings known to those familiar with the Anglo-Catholic tradition. (Photos: Charlotte Bromley Davenport)

Fr.Anthony Uy's Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving - Vancouver

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Yanke) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 01:52:00 +0000

Recently in Vancouver, Canada, Fr. Anthony Uy, FSSP, was ordained at the seminary in Nebraska, and on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, celebrated is Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving in his parish. I understand that Archbishop of Vancouver J. Michael Miller preached and sat in choir.

A hearty NLM congratulations to Father Uy on the occasion of his recent ordination and Mass of Thanksgiving!

A close up of the beautiful vestments

A close up of the chair the Archbishop used during Mass, presumably containing his personal coat of arms.

Pontifical Mass from Saarlouis, Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Ben Yanke) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:25:00 +0000

Our most recent post brings us to Saarlouis, Germany, where Bp. Athanasius Schneider celebrated a Solemn Pontifical Mass in a church run by the FSSP.

St Anthony of Padua

noreply@blogger.com (David Clayton) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

To mark the Feast Day here are paintings of Anthony of Padua by Sir Anthony Van Dyck. Van Dyck was a pupil of Rubens. A star at a young age (his portraits painted when he was a teenager are remarkable), he moved to the protestant patron Charles I in England. I was told when I was studying in Florence that he is the father of the English portrait school which traces a line from him through figures such as Reynolds and Thomas Lawrence and then those who painted the American founding fathers, such as Gilbert Stuart. Although better known for his portraits (especially the famous triple study of Charles 1) he did a number of works of sacred art that I like very much. Both the inset (featuring the legend of the mule) and the large image below are by Van Dyck.

Each has all the shadowy qualities of baroque art that are often lacking in modern naturalistic styles of sacred art. Most of the painting is rendered in monochrome and loose focus with the sharp detail and naturalistic colour saved for the main areas of interest so the eye is drawn naturally to them. St Anthony is shown with Virgin and Child. I have just been reading through his life in the Catholic Encyclopedia and it recounts how, shortly before he died he had a vision of Our Lord as a child. Although I have not found references to Our Lady being present as well in the accounts that I read, paintings of this vision do seem always to depict her presence too. The book I think with which he is always portrayed indicates that he is Doctor of the Church.

And to support this, h.Here is a pen and ink from the 17th century by and Italian called Canini of the the Virgin and Child appearing to St Anthony of Padua and a hermit. We can see in this monochrome rendering how the baroque period is characterised by the rendering of form by tone rather than by line (which characterises the iconographic and gothic far more).

The Miraculous Responsory of St. Anthony of Padua

noreply@blogger.com (Gregory DiPippo) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:48:00 +0000

R. Si quaeris miracula,                      R. If you ask for miracles
Mors, error calamitas,                             Death, error, all calamaties
Daemon, lepra fugiunt,                           Leprosy and demons fly,
Aegri surgunt sani.                                       And health succeeds informities.
* Cedunt mare, vincula:                         * The sea obeys, and fetters break,
Membra resque, perditas                        And lifeless limbs thou dost restore
Petunt et accipiunt                                   Whilst treasure lost are found again,
Iuvenes et cani.                                        When young and old thine aid implore.
V. Pereunt pericula,                             V. All dangers vanish at thy prayer,
Cessat et necessitas:                              And direst need doth quickly flee
Narrent hi, qui sentiunt,                          Let those who know thy power proclaim,
Dicant Paduani.    Let Paduans say, “These are of thee.”
rep. Cedunt... Gloria Patri. Cedunt.         repeat The sea obeys... Glory be. The sea obeys.

V. Ora pro nobis, beate Antoni. R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.
V. Pray for us, blessed Anthony. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Oremus. Ecclesiam tuam, Deus, beati Antonii Confessoris tui atque Doctoris solemnitas votiva laetificet, ut spiritualibus semper muniatur auxiliis, et gaudiis perfrui mereatur aeternis. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.

Let us pray. May Thy Church, O God, be gladdened by the solemnity of blessed Anthony Thy Confessor and Doctor: that she may be evermore defended by Thy spiritual assistance and merit to possess everlasting joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Si quaeris miracula is the eighth and final responsory of the Franciscan Office of St. Anthony of Padua, whose feast is kept today, the anniversary of his death in the year 1231. It is traditionally known as the “miraculous” responsory, from the once-common custom of reciting it to ask for St. Anthony’s miraculous intervention. English-speaking Catholics today perhaps think of him principally as the Saint to call upon when something is lost, for which there is a well-known rhyme, “St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come down: something is lost and cannot be found.” In his own lifetime, however, and for centuries after, Anthony was principally known for his extraordinary learning and his skill as a preacher; he was the first Franciscan to study at a university and teach.

He was also known for a variety of highly spectacular miracles. The 39th chapter of The Little Flowers of Saint Francis tells the story of how he preached before the Pope and cardinals in consistory, and was understood by them all,

Greeks, Italians, French, Germans, Slavs and English, and other languages… as if he had spoken in their own languages … and it seemed that that ancient miracle of the Apostles at the time of Pentecost was renewed, when they spoke by the power of the Holy Spirit in every tongue. And they said to each other with admiration, “Is this man who preaches not a Spaniard? And how do we all hear our own language as he speaks?”

By an interesting coincidence, St. Anthony’s feast day is also the last day possible on which the feast of Pentecost can occur. He was canonized within a year of his death by the Pope in whose presence this miracle took place, Gregory IX (1227-1241), who also referred to him publicly as the “ark of the covenant, and the treasure-chest of the Divine Scriptures”; this is sometimes said to be the fastest canonization ever, but that honor actually belongs to the Dominican St. Peter Martyr. On the occasion of his canonization, Pope Gregory intoned in his honor the Magnificat Antiphon for Doctors of the Church, “O Doctor Optime”, a title which was formally confirmed in 1946 by Pope Pius XII.

The Franciscan Office of St. Anthony of Padua was composed by a German member of the order, Julian of Speyer, roughly ten years after the Saint’s death: one of the best known examples of a later type of Office known as a “rhymed office”. Rhyme itself was not used by the ancients, and where it occurred it was considered a blemish on poetry. Verse was formed by the alternation of long and short syllables in regular patterns; the iambic pentameter used so much by Shakespeare is broadly similar. (His type of English poetry is however much freer than Latin verse.) An example of this type of poetry in the liturgy is an antiphon found in the Office of St. Peter in Chains on August 1st.

Solve, jubente Deo, terrarum, Petre, catenas,
Qui facis ut pateant caelestia regna beatis.

Release at God’s order, o Peter, the earthly chains
Who make the kingdom of heaven open to the blessed.

These two lines are written in dactylic hexameters, the same metrical form used in the epic poetry of Homer and Virgil; they were composed by Pope St. Leo I, (440-461) and inscribed on a wall of the ancient church of St. Peter.

As the Latin language evolved into the modern Romance languages, the vowel quantities on which ancient poetry was based came to be less and less perceptible, leading over the centuries to the emergence of rhyme as we understand it today. (The older forms, on the hand, never ceased to be used.) By the High Middle Ages, this new type of poetry had become extremely popular in the liturgy. Four of the five sequences in the Tridentine Missal (“Lauda Sion” on Corpus Christi, “Veni Sancte Spiritus” on Pentecost, “Stabat Mater” on the feast of the Seven Sorrows, and the “Dies irae” of the Requiem Mass) are all in rhyme.

Likewise, whole Offices were routinely composed in which all of the proper musical parts, (antiphons, hymns and responsories), are rhymed. Julian of Speyer is considered one of the great masters of this type of liturgical composition, and the rhymed offices which he wrote for St. Anthony and St. Francis were widely imitated from his own time (he died in about 1250) until the Tridentine liturgical reform, when rhymed offices fell out of favor. Many continued to be used by the older religious orders, and churches which maintained their own proper Offices, but the newer orders, in the spirit of the Tridentine reform, preferred to base their proper Offices on Scriptural quotations. Thus, for example, the five antiphons used by the Oratorians at Lauds of St. Philip Neri are all quotations from the Bible, while the proper hymns are all written in thoroughly classical meter. (The Jesuits, unsurprisingly, do not even have a proper Office for St. Ignatius.)

The disfavor into which rhymed offices fell is also a by-product of the increasingly common habit in the Tridentine period of reciting the Office in choir recto tono, i.e. singing everything on a single note, rather than with its longer, proper notation. This manner of saying the Office makes the sing-song quality of the medieval rhyme schemes far more obvious; most people would agree that the “Dies irae”, for example, sounds much better when sung then when read. This recording of the Miraculous Responsory shows very nicely how the proper musical notation transcends the rhyme scheme.

What is a Baculus Cantoralis and why do you need one?

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:56:00 +0000

The Baculus Cantoralis, to give it one of its many names, is a large staff held by a Choirmaster or Cantor which originates in Benedictine Monasteries of the 10th and 11th centuries. It is sometimes called a Baculus Choralis or a Baculus Praecentoris. At Solesmes, where it is still in use, it is referred to as Le Bâton de Chantre. When I was there recently I saw it being used at Vespers on Trinity Sunday. It can be seen beside the Cantors just to the right of the Eagle, resting on a stand:

At the top of the Baculus is a small ivory carving of St Peter, the patron of Solesmes Abbey, imparting a blessing and holding the Basilica of St Peter in Rome:

Its use is purely ceremonial nowadays, although in medieval times it was reportedly used as a 'corrective' instrument when dealing with inaccurate singers. (I wonder where I might acquire one...) The photograph below shows Dom Umberto Bertini of Farnborough holding a Baculus. The photograph was taken before Solemn Vespers at Clairvaux before the First World War.

I came across an article from 1940 about Dom Uberto Bertini in the Catholic Herald's online archive. Do go and read it if you have a moment: he was an extraordinary man. My thanks to the Monks of Farnborough for providing the photograph.

Comment Etiquette and Comment Rules

noreply@blogger.com (NLM Webmaster) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:22:00 +0000

Here is a reminder to commenters about the proper use of the comment box, posted here in 2009 by NLM founder Shawn Tribe:

I need to inform readers that, while I have not made the decision yet, I am quite seriously considering turning on full comment moderation. Full comment moderation, if it were turned on, would mean that no comments would be posted until reviewed and approved.

Needless to say, this is not, in my view, an ideal state of affairs from a few angles, not the least of which because it takes a great deal of time, and second of all because it can delay the good discussions as well.

I should note that there are many very good comments and commenters here, and they should continue on. They add a great deal to the NLM, and are very valuable. Thank you to them.

But there has also been something of a swell of inappropriate comments in the past weeks and months, no doubt because of continuing growth. These must cease and therefore, expect more liberal comment deleting beginning now and, if need be, bans. All NLM writers have the power here to delete comments and to ban commenters, and I will send them a note to accordingly feel quite free in this regard.

Whether we will turn on full comment moderation will depend upon the response to this reminder, and how the comments are manifest in the next while.

The preferred moderation, however, is self-moderation, and the exercise of some self-discipline.

It seems to be time for a reminder of the NLM combox rules:

Critique Principles not People.
Be Discriminating, but don't Nitpick.
Be Academic not Acerbic.
Be Principled but not Polemical.

What is not acceptable then:

Rants
Personal Attacks
Name-calling
Finger-pointing

What is acceptable:

Constructive critique
Charitable debate
Challenging, but in a friendly way, and with good reasons.

Asking questions (without accusation) about whether something is being done correctly in the liturgy, or what a rubric is is also fine -- this is a liturgical site after all, and can be a good resource for those interested in those matters; I do not want to discourage that, but I would in so asking, ensure you do not go on the attack, nor lose sight of the good. All the difference in the world can be made by how such matters are raised and by keeping an overall perspective.

If you are stating a personal position and opinion, that is also fine, but then make sure you make that clear and don't turn it into an absolute if the Church hasn't; make your case for your position and principles.

The comboxes can add a great interactive dimension on a blog, particularly the debates, but not if it is reduced to mere complaints, attacks or nitpicking.

A further note:

It has become evident that sometimes some people also pass comment while having evidently not fully read (or only skimmed) an NLM post or comment thread. This means they often miss nuances, context, qualifications or otherwise that may be crucial to understanding a point.

This can be an issue as well, for it not only can lessen the value of a comment, it can also increase the possibility of misunderstandings that can turn into comments that need to be moderated.

Therefore, if you are going to comment, please ensure you have adequately read and tried to understand what you are going to comment upon, before commenting upon it. And if you aren't sure you are understanding correctly, then state that, making a caveat in your critique, or take the time to ask for clarification.

A Final Note

There are 100's and 100's of comments which are posted here everyday, and there are also thousands of readers. Accordingly, it is difficult to micro-manage them so long as full comment moderation is not on.

Accordingly we need your help in identifying problematic comments. Please email me if you see a comment that you believe is a problem, or a comment thread that you believe has lost control.

If you live on the West Coast USA, get thee to Salt Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:30:00 +0000

It's all happening this coming week in Salt Lake City -- the most beautiful Roman Rite liturgy you might ever experience. Here is a round up of what you can attend.

Benedict XVI and the Roman Missal

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:54:00 +0000

This month the Four Courts Press will publish Benedict XVI and the Roman Missal, edited by Janet E. Rutherford and Monsignor James O’Brien. It is the proceedings of the Fourth Fota International Liturgy Conference and looks to be an excellent contribution.

What I find especially impressive is the integration here between liturgy and music of the liturgy. It really isn't possible to speak complete of one without a thorough consideration of other. Separating the two leads to problems and unnecessary tensions. The music problem really is a liturgical problem, and the answer to the issue of liturgy needs to concern itself with the musical issues.

CONTENTS:

D. Vincent Twomey: Verbum Domini: word and rite in Ratzinger’s sacramental theology
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke: Ius Divinum and the sacred liturgy

Paul Gunter OSB: Sacerdos paratus and populo congregato: the historical development of the Roman Missal

Manfred Hauke: The ‘basic structure’ (Grundgestalt) of the eucharistic celebration according to Joseph Ratzinger

Dieter Böhler SJ: The Church’s Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, Israel’s sacrifice: reflections on Pope Benedict’s axiom ‘Without its coherence with its Old Testament heritage, Christian liturgy simply cannot be understood’

Cassian Folsom OSB: The Roman Missal in Summorum pontificum

Sven Leo Conrad FSSP: Liturgy as ‘a transcending movement’ (J. Ratzinger): reflections on the form and theology of the opening rites in the Roman Missal

Lauren Pristas: The post-Vatican II revision of the Sunday collects of Paschaltide: an overview

William Mahrt: Music and the sacrality of the two forms

Janet E. Rutherford: The Anglican patrimony

Daniel B. Gallagher: What has language to do with beauty? The philosophical foundations of liturgical translations

Uwe Michael Lang CO: Translating the Missale Romanum: towards a sacral vernacular

George Cardinal Pell: Why a new translation of the Missal?

Arthur Serratelli: The new Roman Missal: a moment in the Church’s liturgical renewal

Helmut Hoping: The Ordo Missae of 1965: the Latin-German altar missal and liturgical renewal

Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke: APPENDIX: Homily for Pontifical High Mass on the fourth Sunday after Pentecost 2011 (Romans 8:18–23; Luke 5:1–11)

Dr Janet E. Rutherford is Secretary of The Patristic Symposium, Maynooth. James O'Brien is an Official of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Registration now open for Musica Sacra Scotland

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:26:00 +0000

You can now register online for the Musica Sacra Scotland Conference which is being held in Glasgow on Saturday 9 November 2013. From the Musica Sacra Scotland website:

The programme content has been designed to meet the needs of diocesan clergy and ordinary parishes, offering learning opportunities for Catholic church musicians at all levels of ability - regardless of educational background, prior knowledge or training. The conference presenters combine the highest level of musical expertise with vast experience of workshop and adult education events. They will be available to answer questions and offer practical demonstrations throughout the day.

The conference programme will run from 10am – 5pm at Turnbull Hall, the Catholic Chaplaincy of Glasgow University. Individuals and groups wishing to take part are required to register online and submit the £15 registration fee before the conference. Sign-in on the day will open at 9.15am. A buffet lunch and other refreshments will be provided to conference participants at no extra charge.

All participants will receive a programme featuring the musical material to be covered in the workshops, as well as articles and advice on free sources of information and opportunities for ongoing liturgical formation. The conference will close with a celebration of Vigil Mass at 6pm in the University Memorial Chapel.

Programme content will include…

WELCOME FROM THE UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN – FR JOHN KEENAN

OPENING ADDRESS FROM CONFERENCE DIRECTOR, JAMES MACMILLAN CBE

IN-DEPTH SESSIONS ON SINGING TECHNIQUE AND CHORAL DIRECTION WITH REBECCA TAVENER (CAPPELLA NOVA)

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: ‘POPE BENEDICT XVI AND THE LITURGY’ – FR GUY NICHOLLS

BEGINNERS AND ADVANCED CHANT WORKSHOPS WITH FR GUY NICHOLLS AND JOSEPH CULLEN

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MASS PROPERS WITH JOSEPH CULLEN

AN INTRODUCTION TO CHANT NOTATION WITH FR GUY NICHOLLS

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE ON FREE MUSICAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE

OPPORTUNITIES TO REHEARSE MUSIC FOR THE CLOSING VIGIL MASS, DRAWING ON REPERTOIRE FROM ACROSS THE CENTURIES TO THE PRESENT DAY

SESSIONS FOR CLERGY ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CHANTS OF THE MASS….. AND MUCH MORE!

A full programme with a detailed schedule will be available to download soon. The Vigil Mass is open to all members of the public.

Academy of Sacred Music: Masterclass with Joseph Cullen

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:14:00 +0000

News Item: In a significant milestone in the development of the Academy of Sacred Music, world-class choral maestro, Joseph Cullen, marked the official launch of The Academy's Masterclass Series with a 2 hour Masterclass in Adelaide's, Bath St, on 8th June 2013.

Mr. Cullen came to Glasgow to coach the Choir of the Academy in advance of their performance of Vivaldi's Gloria and Britten's A Hymn to the Virgin, in November 2013. Three members of the Choir were also given the privilege of individual coaching, described by one parent as a "...unique situation for youngsters such as (our daughter). She could go through the rest of her music career without this type of tuition, so it was a fantastic experience and one which she is very aware of and grateful for.

The Masterclass was also attended by several aspiring members of the Academy Choir, who have all since indicated their intention to join.

Academy Director, Joan Dillon, described Joseph Cullen's contribution as "outstanding, and of considerable value to the development of The Academy, and to its future performances - for our young members to have received coaching and direction at such an incredibly high level is almost a unique situation."

On closing the Masterclass, Mr. Cullen described the Academy of Sacred Music as "a most significant development in the area of sacred music, and in music in general", comments which reflect back to the launch of the Academy, during which composer James MacMillan emphasized the need for sacred music in our culture, to restore a sense of beauty.
Joseph Cullen, a conductor and tutor of the highest standing, has done the Academy, and its young members, a great service in this mission.

60 Minutes on Antoni Gaudí and the Sagrada Família.

noreply@blogger.com (Gregory DiPippo) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:03:00 +0000

And speaking of modern churches… I recently had a conversation about St. Peter’s Basilica with a woman who just had been to Barcelona, in the course of which she told me that she found Antoni Gaudí’s famous church of the Holy Family (‘Sagrada Família’ in Catalan) “hideous”. I cannot judge myself, since I have never been to see it; from the pictures, I cannot decide if I particularly want to see it. In any case, today I stumbled on this interesting video from 60 Minutes about the church, its lengthy and on-going (131 years and counting!) construction, and its famous architect, who devoted nearly his entire life to the project. Underneath the main video on the program’s website are links to four supplementary videos: in the first, the reporter gets a tour of the construction zone on the roof from the current executive architect, New Zealander Mark Burry, who has been involved with the project since 1977. There follow three interview pieces on Gaudí himself with his biographer Gijs van Hensbergen, who also appears in the main story.

More on Sacra Liturgia 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:58:00 +0000

With the date of Sacra Liturgia quickly approaching (I'm excited to be speaking at this event), here is an interview with Dom Alcuin Reid in the Catholic World Report.

Excerpt:

It’s now clearly up to us to build on the foundations Pope Benedict laid, to promote authentic liturgical renewal and sound scholarship as a basis for the life of the Church in the twenty-first century and beyond, to stand on our own feet as it were. Each of us, as Pope Benedict himself did in his turn, has a role to play in that renewal to a smaller or greater extent. We can’t expect the Pope to do everything! Clergy, religious, laity, and above all bishops, must take up the torch lit (or re-lit) by Benedict XVI and hand it on. Our conference seeks to facilitate that and encourage people in this work. Perhaps one could call Sacra Liturgia 2013 a “first step” in building the post-Benedict XVI liturgical movement.

Some have seen Pope Francis’ apparently different liturgical tastes as a rebuke of his predecessor’s concern for the liturgy. This is superficial. To date the Holy Father has not spoken at length on this subject, but it is very difficult indeed to think that there could be substantial differences between them in such a fundamental theological and ecclesiological point as the nature and role of the Sacred Liturgy. I cannot see the Holy Father reversing any of the acts of his predecessor or discouraging ongoing authentic renewal in the liturgical life of the Church. We need to give Pope Francis the freedom to get on with what he judges are the best areas for his attention whilst continuing the liturgical movement given such great momentum by his predecessor.

St Philip's Day at the Oxford Oratory

noreply@blogger.com (Charles Cole) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:40:00 +0000

St Philip's Day Mass at the Oxford Oratory was celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Dom. Cuthbert Brogan OSB, Abbot of Farnborough. The mass setting was Missa Vestiva i Colli by Ruggiero Giovanelli.

During the Offertory, the choir sang a new setting of the prayer of Baronius, 'Respice de cælo Sancte Pater' by John Caldwell, former professor of music at the University and a regular parishioner, who composed it as a gift to the Oratory. More photographs and the text of the Abbot's sermon are available on the Oxford Oratory's website. (Photos: Tessa Caldecott)

Course Teaching About the Christian Traditions in Art - good for Artists, Patrons, Catechists and Enthusiasts! Still a Few Places Left

noreply@blogger.com (David Clayton) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Just following on from my posting a couple of days ago about the Russian art school in Florence that teaches the naturalistic tradition and has a Christian ethos, I remind our readers of the Maryvale Institute's course Art Beauty and Inspiration from a Catholic Perspective. This course is the perfect complement to study at a place such as the Russian school, the Ingbretson Studio in Manchester, New Hampshire; or serving as an apprentice with James Gillick in Louth, Lincolnshire in England. The Maryvale course gives information about our traditions that no other teachers offer and it directs you to original sources to discover more. I understand that there are still a few places left for the first residential weekend in Kansas City, Kansas, in July. Those interested should contact Kimberly Rode at ecat2@archkck.org

What is a catafalque and why is it used?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Tucker) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:20:00 +0000

The catafalque is either an empty casket or a wooden form made to look like a casket that is covered by the black pall and surrounded by six unbleached (orange) candles (when they are available); it is a symbolic representation of the deceased. When it is present, the priest sings the absolution for the deceased as if the body was present. The body was the Temple of the Holy Spirit and must be shown the greatest respect, even symbolically.

More from Fr. Robert Pasley at the ChantCafe.com