A parish’s immersion in Gregorian chant – YES, it can be done.

It can be done. All we have to do is try.


1600 views when posted

Sacrosanctum Concilium says:

116. Ecclesia cantum gregorianum agnoscit ut liturgiae romanae proprium: qui ideo in actionibus liturgicis, ceteris paribus, principem locum obtineat.

The Church recognizes Gregorian chant as a characteristic mark of the Roman liturgy:  which, therefore, in liturgical celebrations, other things being equal, must occupy the first place.

There isn’t a way around it.

It’s an identity thing.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

10 Comments

  1. chantgirl says:

    Corpus Christi Watershed is an extremely helpful site. They have practice files for the propers and the ordinaries of the EF:

    http://www.ccwatershed.org/goupil/

    At a previous parish, Jeff Ostrowski actually came and taught a group of interested parishioners how to follow chant to sing the ordinary, and he did well teaching people who were not professional vocalists.

    Also, the ICKSP is holding their second chant conference in St. Louis this coming April, and has slots for beginners and those with more experience singing chant:

    Chant Workshop 2018
    April 20-22
    Canon Wulfran Lebocq
    Mr. Nicholas Botkins
    We are pleased to announce that the Second Chant
    and Sacred Music Workshop, with Canon
    Wulfran Lebocq and Mr. Nicholas Botkins, will
    be offered at St. Francis de Sales Oratory on April
    20-22, 2018. The workshop will start for all participants
    on Friday, April 20, evening with Benediction
    and dinner at 5:30pm. The Friday day
    classes will offer intensive teaching and practice
    for experienced singers only. Registration information
    and material will be available at a later
    date, but please mark your calendars now.
    Pricing:
    $95.00 (general)
    $145.00 (advanced)

    I went last year and learned a lot, even though I have been singing chant since 2007. There is always more to learn!

  2. grumpyoldCatholic says:

    Great start. Now they need to dump the picnic table and do the pre Vatican II EF Mass at the main altar.

  3. teomatteo says:

    I gave chant a try. It’s hard. I could only repeat the real chanters around me. My echo was a distraction to them. Only way for me would be one on one lessons. Maybe when i retire i can delve more seriously into it. God willing.

  4. acardnal says:

    Dear grumpyoldCatholic: They DO celebrate the TLM/EF Mass! They were one of the first parishes in the diocese to do so. HERE

    As an aside, Fr. Chris Pollard has a brother, Marcus, who is also a priest in the diocese of Arlington.
    This parish was served previously by Fr. Paul Scalia, too.

  5. acardnal says:

    The altar shown in the video is the “main” altar. As noted in the video, it is a church of “modern architecture” that was built between 1954-56 as a church in the round (unfortunately). It is what it is; but it hasn’t stopped the pastors from celebrating the TLM/EF and teaching Latin and singing Gregorian Chant. “Brick by brick.”

  6. grumpyoldCatholic says:

    Dear acardnal. thank you for sending me the link to your church. And may I wish you a peaceful Christmas. I looked through the bulletin. Are you guys part of the diocese ? A couple things caught my attention One is that January first is CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD and a Holy Day of Obligation. and the shortened version of the Confiteor. Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Ioánni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres: quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Ioánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos, fratres, orare pro me ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum. The other prayers look good . Keep up the good work

  7. acardnal says:

    grumpyoldCathoic,
    I lived in the diocese of Arlington (VA) for many years but now live in the mid-west (USA). The parish is a part of the diocese.

    January 1, 2018 is NOT a holy day of obligation in the USA according to the USCCB website because it falls on a Monday. See page 7, item 7, HERE

    Merry Christmas.

  8. thymos says:

    Father Z – thanks for posting. That’s my Parish! We are blessed to have EF and OF Masses, a good choir/schola, as well as the (featured) girls’ choir that my daughters are in.

    Regarding 01 January – as the USCCB website says: Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.

  9. davidvu999 says:

    Father what translation of SC is this?

  10. grumpyoldCatholic says:

    acarnal,
    I guess I am old school. I only go to traditional Mass and also use the traditional ordo. V2 changed the whole calendar and in doing so left out many feast days of saints and vigil Masses. I still can’t wrap my arms around ordinary time? I see you have moved to the Midwest. May I ask where and did you find a church there yet? Maybe this site will help you understand my thinking a little more. There is a traditional directory for the EF and also a calendar on the site. http://www.traditio.com/
    there is also this
    http://www.traditio.com/office/masstext.htm

Comments are closed.