Wednesday, April 30, 2025

III EASTER at 8:00 and C'EST LE MOIS DE MARIE

C'est le mois de Marie, French for This is the month of Mary, was a hymn often heard in churches in Woonsocket, including Precious Blood (where I was music director for eight years).  Each Sunday in May there will be at least one hymn or motet dedicated to Mary.  These may be lesser-known and will be sung during Communion, but Mary-themed just the same.

This week's Communion is Daily, daily, sing to Mary.  The tune is "Omni Die Dic Mariae", also known in German as "Alle Tage Sing und Sage", which is used in most American hymnals that include Daily, daily.  I will be singing the verses in English in alternation with verses in Latin.  In the United Kingdom, there is a tune simply titled "Daily, Daily", which is used for the same hymn.  I will improvise on that tune as part of the prelude and postlude at both Masses this weekend.

Last Sunday before Mass we rehearsed two short acclamations: the Memorial Acclamation We proclaim your death, O Lord and the Amen.  These are adapted from a Mass setting published in Italy in 1938, Missa Cristo Risusciti, based on an Italian hymn of the same name.  The tune is known in most hymnals here by its German title, Christ ist erstanden and is found in the Breaking Bread hymnal at #173 with the hymn Christ the Lord is ris'n again.  It should also be noted that at the time this Mass setting was published, there was no such thing as a "Memorial Acclamation" nor big triple Amen or "Great Amen", so I made this adaptation a few years ago for my other parish and took the liberty of bringing them here.

That said...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Entrance hymn: #178 At the Lamb's high feast we sing ("Salzburg") (Listen)
- NOTE: The tune is the same as "Songs of thankfulness and praise", which we sang for three weeks back in January.
Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (Listen) or recited
Psalm 30: R./ I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me (Theodore Marier)
Alleluia "O Filii et Filiae" (Mode II/arr. and verse music by BMP)
- NOTE: The alleluia itself is the same as the one we sang last week with the hymn "Ye sons and daughters".
Offertory hymn: #369 Shepherd of souls ("St. Agnes") (Listen)
Sanctus: #874 Heritage Mass (Owen Alstott)
Memorial Acclamation and Amen: Missa Cristo Risusciti (Luigi Picchi, adapted by BMP)
Agnus Dei: #879 Heritage Mass (Owen Alstott)
Hymn during Communion: Daily, daily, sing to Mary ("Omni Die")
- I will sing this in English and Latin, alternating.
Meditation hymn: #191 Be joyful, Mary, heav'nly Queen ("Regina Caeli, Jubila")
Recessional hymn: #180 Christ the Lord is ris'n today ("Llanfair") (Listen)
- Not to be confused with "Jesus Christ is ris'n today", which we sang the past two Sundays to the tune "Easter Hymn".

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

Friday, April 25, 2025

LOW SUNDAY / QUASIMODO SUNDAY / DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY / II EASTER (all at 8:00)

Here is the explanation to all those names for this Sunday within the Octave of Easter as I posted last year for Sacred Heart Church in West Warwick (where I play a 5 PM Saturday Mass and a 10 AM Sunday Mass), followed by an explanation of the hymns of the day from the same post, adapted for St. Eugene's.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

This Second Sunday of Easter, the eighth day of the Easter Octave, is traditionally known as “Low Sunday.”  The origin of the name is unknown, but is meant to contrast between that first and final days of the Octave, between the high feast of Easter Sunday (and its Great Vigil) and the finale (Low Sunday) (source: newadvent.org).

Another name traditionally given is “Quasimodo Sunday,” after the first word of the Introit in Latin: “Quasi modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite” (Like newborn babes, crave for pure spiritual milk).  Incidentally, the names “Gaudete Sunday” (for the Third Sunday of Advent) and “Laetare Sunday” (for the Fourth Sunday of Lent) are also after their respective Introits’ first words, both meaning “Rejoice.”  (The lead character in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, incidentally, is reported to be named after this day, as it is the day Frollo found him abandoned at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.)

Today we name this day “Divine Mercy Sunday,” as decreed by Pope John Paul II in 2000 upon the canonization of St. Faustina Kowalska, who had received revelations from Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Divine Mercy (source: ewtn.com).

THREE SONGS OF THOMAS

In today’s Gospel, the Apostles revealed to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.”  Thomas replied that he will not believe it until he has put his finger into the nail marks or touch his hands or his side.  Jesus replied, “You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me!  Blessed are those who have not seen me but still believe!” (also repeated in today’s Alleluia verse).  Three of today’s hymns reflect this.

Ye sons and daughters (Breaking Bread hymnal, #184) – At the Offertory, we will skip the first three verses today and go right to the Gospel allusion, which begins with verse 4, which directly depicts the scene I mention in the above paragraph (which goes from verses 4 through 8).

Godhead here in hiding (Breaking Bread, #370) – This hymn, which will be sung during Communion, has a couple of allusions.  I call your attention to a couple of verses in particular, verses 2 and 4:

  2. Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived;
      How says trusty hearing? That shall be believed;
      What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;
      Truth himself speaks truly, or there’s nothing true.
 
  4. I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see,
      But I plainly call thee Lord and God as he.
      This faith each day deeper be my holding of,
      Daily make me harder hope and dearer love.

Incidentally, the hymn text in Latin comes from another Thomas, that is, St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), author of several Eucharistic hymns, including the beloved Tantum Ergo.

We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight (Breaking Bread, #483) – The title here is self-explanatory.  Here, while not calling out Thomas directly, we still “call out” his doubt in singing these words (Verses 1 and 2 are as follows):

   1. We walk by faith and not by sight; No gracious words we hear
       Of him who spoke as none e’er spoke, But we believe him near.
  
  2. We may not touch his hands and side, Nor follow where he trod,
      But in his promise we rejoice, And cry, “My Lord and God!”

This is our recessional hymn today, which will be sung to the more familiar tune, “St. Anne,” most commonly used with the hymn, O God, Our Help in Ages Past (instead of the tune in the hymnal).  The author is Henry Alford, who also gave us the beloved Thanksgiving hymn, Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.

And now, without further ado...

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Entrance hymn: #194 Jesus Christ is ris'n today ("Easter Hymn") (Listen)
Psalm 118: R./ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love is everlasting (Owen Alstott)
Alleluia: O Filii et Filiae (Mode II/BMP) (PDF)
Offertory hymn: #194 Ye sons and daughters ("O Filii et Filiae") (Listen)
- NOTE: We will begin with verse 4, from which the depiction of the day's Gospel begins.
Hymn during Communion: #370 Godhead here in hiding ("Adoro Te Devote") (Listen)
Meditation hymn: #191 Be joyful, Mary, heav'nly Queen ("Regina Caeli, Jubila")
- REMINDER: This is the Marian antiphon for the season of Easter.
Recessional hymn: #483 We walk by faith ("St. Anne")
NOTE: As stated in my above article, we are singing this to the tune most often associated with "O God, our help in ages past", not the tune written in the hymnal.  You will want to mind the words, yes, but not the music.

Blessed Low/Quasimodo/Divine Mercy Sunday, and a most blessed Paschaltide!

Quod scripsi, scripsi!
BMP

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS (at 3:00) and EASTER SUNDAY (at 8:00)

April 19 - Stations of the Cross (Good Friday) (3 PM)

Entrance hymn: #159 O sacred Head surrounded ("Passion Chorale") (Listen)
Verses at each station sung to the tune "Stabat Mater"
- Little known fact about the "Stabat Mater": "Stabat Mater", or "At the Cross her station keeping" is actually a sequence prescribed for September 15, the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary (now known as "Our Lady of Sorrows").  Until 1969, the sequence was required for that date.  Since 1969, it is merely optional.  Also, before 1969, the Seven Sorrows, if on a Sunday, superseded any numbered Sunday after Pentecost, unlike today.
Recessional hymn: 
#154 Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory ("Pange Lingua") (Listen)
- This will be sung a capella, as we did at the 8:00 Mass on Palm Sunday.

We now move from a day of great sorrow to a day of great joy...

April 20 - Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord (10 AM)

Entrance hymn: #177 Alleluia, alleluia! Let the holy anthem rise ("Holy Anthem") (Listen)
Gloria: Holy Angels Mass (BMP) (Listen)
Psalm 118: This is the day the Lord has made... (Owen Alstott)
Sequence: Christians, to the Paschal Victim (Mode I)
Alleluia "O Filii" (Mode II/BMP) (PDF)
Rite of Sprinkling: Vidi Aquam (from the Liber Cantualis, 1983)
Offertory hymn: #176 The day of Resurrection ("Ellacombe") (Listen)
Sanctus through Agnus: Heritage Mass (Owen Alstott)
Responsory during Communion: Psalm 118, Christ our Pasch... (BMP) (PDF)
Meditation hymn: #191 Be joyful, Mary, heav'nly Queen ("Regina Caeli, Jubila")
- Throughout the year, there is what is known as a Marian Antiphon.  From Advent until the Presentation of the Lord (February 2), the antiphon is "Alma Redemptoris Mater".  From February 2 and throughout Lent, it is "Ave Regina Caelorum".  Throughout Easter season, the antiphon is "Regina Caeli", from which "Be joyful, Mary" is translated.  Finally, from the day after Pentecost to the last day before Advent, it is "Salve Regina".  "Be joyful, Mary" will be our meditation hymn throughout Eastertide, including Pentecost.
Recessional hymn: #194 Jesus Christ is ris'n today ("Easter Hymn") (Listen)

Happy and blessed Easter!

Quod scripsi, scripsi! (What I have written, I have written! ~ P. Pilate, according to St. John)
BMP

Thursday, April 3, 2025

PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD at 8:00

April 9 - Parish Mission (7:00 PM)

Theme: The Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Entrance hymn: #705 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
Responsorial Psalm (Daniel 3): Glory and praise for ever (BMP) (PDF)
Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB)
Offertory hymn: #159 O sacred Head surrounded ("Passion Chorale") (vv. 1a-3a) (Listen)
In your spare time, listen to the hymn, then listen to Paul Simon's "American Tune".  Yes, Paul Simon based his "American Tune" on the hymn tune "Passion Chorale". ;)
Sanctus: #874 Heritage Mass
Memorial Acclamation: #12 (on page 17) Save us, Savior of the world (Official ICEL chant)
Amen: single Amen found on page 22.
Agnus Dei XVIII: #846
Communion: organ improvisation
Meditation hymn: #162 Were you there (Spiritual)
Recessional hymn: #154 Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory ("Pange Lingua") (Listen)

Stations of the Cross (Fridays in Lent at 6:30 PM)

Entrance hymn: #159 O sacred Head surrounded ("Passion Chorale")
For each station: the aforementioned Stabat Mater verses in English provided in the Stations booklet
Recessional hymn: #705 Lift high the cross ("Crucifer") (Listen)
- Should be familiar, but I think the organ fanfare at the beginning in this link is quite nifty.

April 13 - Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (8:00 AM)

I'm always amazed at the mood change within the Palm Sunday Mass.  We begin with the Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  There will be a prelude, and the liturgy begins with the blessing of the palms, the palms that were touted by the people that welcomed Christ the King.  The triumphant hymn  to Christ the King, All glory, laud and honor, is sung.  But then (thud!)  The mood swings from triumphant to solemn and somber.  We now go from the Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his Passion and death.  And hymns range from O sacred Head to Were you there to Sing my tongue ("Sweet the nails and sweet the wood, laden with so sweet a load!" sings verse 2, describing the Cross of Christ).

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Entrance chant: Hosanna to the Son of David (page 101, #21)
Processional hymn: #142 All glory, laud and honor ("St. Theodulph") (Listen)
Psalm 22: R./ My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (BMP) (PDF)
Gospel Acclamation: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ, King of endless glory (Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB)
Offertory hymn: #159 O sacred Head surrounded ("Passion Chorale") (vv. 1a-3a) (Listen)
Sanctus: #874 Heritage Mass
Memorial Acclamation: #12 (on page 17) Save us, Savior of the world (Official ICEL chant)
Amen: single Amen found on page 22.
Agnus Dei XVIII: #846
Communion hymn: Vexilla Regis Prodeunt (Mode I)
- Translated: The royal banners forward go
Meditation hymn: #162 Were you there (Spiritual)
Recessional hymn: #154 Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory ("Pange Lingua") (Listen)
- NOTE: This will be sung a capella.  Further, there will be no postlude afterwards.

Quod scripsi, scripsi! (You'll soon hear those words in the Good Friday Passion - that is, What I have written, I have written!)
BMP

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