Laetabundus -- the forgotten Christmas Sequence

In the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, there are four Sequences which in the Third Missal, precede the Alleluia, prior to that, they followed it as in the Extraordinary Form, they were "in sequence." However, in a Mass in the Ordinary Form, in a "Gregorian" manner with Gradual and Alleluia, it follows with the Sequence. With the Responsorial Psalm, it precedes the Gospel Acclamation as it is not truly in the manner of the Gregorian Alleluias. More ridiculous Novus Ordoisms. Two of these are mandatory, Victimae Paschalis of Easter and Veni, Sancte Spiritus of Pentecost, two are, sadly, optional; these are Lauda, Sion Salvatorem of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi and Stabat Mater on Our Lady of Sorrows, but not to the common tune that is sung as a hymn. In the Extraordinary Form they are not optional and there is one additional, Dies Irae in the Requiem Mass and funeral liturgy and it survives in the new Liturgy of the Hours for All Souls Day, which in the new Ordinariate Missal, returns to the Requiem Mass.

What is little known though is that prior to the Council of Trent, there was a Christmas Sequence known as Laetabundus. The Concilium created by Pope Pius V after Trent did not include it in our current traditional Roman Missal as it was not "Roman." They were extremely cautious about Sequences because there were so many in use in different Rites and on many Sundays and Feasts.

While this Sequence cannot be sung in the Mass, it can be done within it as a "hymn" or prior. 

Courtesy of Music Sacra is the text newly set in the Gregorian. I've included below the English translation and the video of the Laetabundus extremely well sung and with perfection by Cantori Gregoriani of Italy. Enjoy this beautiful piece of a liturgical past. 

Faithful people,

Sweeten all your song with gladness.

Alleluia.

Matchless maiden

Bringeth forth the Prince of princes:

O! the marvel.

Virgin compasseth a man,

Yea, the angel of the plan:

Star the Dayspring.

Day that sunset shall not close,

Star that light on all bestows,

Ever cloudless.

As the star, light crystalline,

Mary hath a Son divine

In her likeness.

Star that shining grows not dim,

Nor his Mother, bearing him,

Less a maiden.

The great tree of Lebanon

Hyssop's lowliness puts on

In our valley;

And the Word of God Most High

Self-imprisoned doth lie

In our body.

So Isaias sang of old,

So the Synagogue doth hold,

But the sunrise finds her cold

Hard and blinded.

Of her own she will not mark,

Let her to the gentiles hark;

For the Sybil's verses dark

Tell of these things.

Make haste, O luckless one,

Give ear to the saints bygone:

Why perish utterly,

O race undone?

He whom thy seers foretell

Born is in Israel:

Mary's little Son, O mark him well.

Alleluia.

Latin Mass Community in London moving to St. Thomas, Ontario

There is a growing and vibrant community of Catholics in the Diocese of London, Ontario worshipping the Lord according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The community is a combination of those who attended the Mass at St. Patrick's in Kinkora and various locations in London formerly served by a travelling priest from the FSSP.

For the last two years, the community has worshipped on Sundays at 2:00 PM in the chapel at Reginal Mundi College, just south of the City of London. The Chapel with a fine Casavant pipe organ in what is now a regular co-educational high school, was originally built as part of the College which was opened in the 1960's as a Minor Seminary. Similar to the School of Philosophy built in Toronto at St. Augustine's Seminary, it's mission collapsed in the wake of the chaos after the Second Vatican Council and the crisis of vocations. 

Beginning Sunday, August 2, the second of only two Traditional Latin Masses in the entire Diocese of London will move to Holy Angels Parish in St. Thomas, Ontario, 502 Talbot Street, St. Thomas, Ontario and is twenty minutes south of London. The Church, whilst renovated after the Council, is eminently suitable and dignified and the Pastor, extremely welcoming! The other Latin Mass community of St. Benedict recently had to move from the now closed Assumption Parish in Windsor, the oldest church in Canada west of Montreal and a national historic site.

The Mass in St. Thomas, Ontario will be at 1:30 P.M. with a potential change to an earlier time in the future. There are three diocesan priests from the Diocese of London providing pastoral care to this growing and vibrant community of Catholics.

They want to debase the truth. It is an attack on Christ and His Sacrifice. It is an attack on the Eucharist!

What is behind the attempt by Kasper, Marx, Tagle and and the others who are attempting to change doctrine through pastoral practice and a talk of "mercy" as if it is something never practiced in two thousand years?

It is about sacrilege and debasing the Holy Eucharist. It is about denying that the Mass is the Sacrifice of Calvary and debasing it to be the reenactment of the Last Supper rather than a re-presentation of that Sacrifice. If the Eucharist is just a meal, who are we to judge or restrict by law those who want to come? If they want to come, they must do as all of us. Repent of your sins with a firm purpose of amendment. Period. It is that simple. Are any of us truly worthy? Of course not, that is why we pray the Centurion's prayer three times, or once if we're more worthy as in the modernist rite. When we pray, "only say the word" the word is said in the confessional when the priest says, "Ego absolve te!"  There is the healing. There is the mercy. 

The Ordinary Form of the Mass, the Novus Ordo Missae is a sacrificial offering, assuming the form, matter and intent is there on the part of the priest. Sometimes, it is illicit even if it is valid. More than often, it is a "banal" product as then Cardinal Ratzinger called it. It is not possible that it can convert and convict in the same way as the the traditional form for its prayers are deficient and its celebration often not sufficient. The Mass according to the latest books by St. John XXIII was nearly eliminated. It was banished by those modernists who were out to undermine the faith and are now at their zenith. This form of the Mass more fully expressed the Catholic faith and the Sacrifice and there is no denying it. It is as straight forward as 2 + 2 = 4 and those who say otherwise want you to believe that it really equals 5. 

They are at the height of their power now and they will come crashing down.

For your spiritual edification.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZurFnbV_2U&t=1338

"A Meditation on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass"  

By Michael Sestak

August 2014

Some days back, a viewer on YouTube forwarded a kind request, asking me to produce a film showcasing the beauty and richness of the Latin Mass. I started the project, but never imagined where it would lead.

I worked on the video each day after work from 7pm - 3am for five consecutive nights. It was a draining experience. But I am satisfied with the end result.

PURPOSE

"A Meditation on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" is not meant to be a mere inspirational drama, but a heartfelt prayer, a Catholic meditation.

It should be viewed as such: Focused. Silent. Penitent.

My sincere hope is that you will grow in your love for God, and your Faith will be strengthened.

SYMBOLISM

After previewing the movie for my family, they expressed concern about some of the symbolism, particularly the scene of the Kiss of Judas and the priest kissing the altar. Please know that I based everything on ancient Catholic teaching. For example:

"When the priest kisses the altar, he is kissing Christ, *faithfully,* in contradiction to the kiss of betrayal by Judas." In a sense, the priest is making atonement for the betrayal of Judas.

"The priest reading the Introit represents Christ being falsely accused by Annas and blasphemed."

"The priest going to the middle of the altar and saying the Kyrie Eleison represents Christ being brought to Caiphas and these three times denied by Peter."

"The priest saying the 'Dominus vobiscum' represents Christ looking at Peter and converting him."

"The priest saying the 'Orate Fratres' represents Christ being shown by Pilate to the people with the words 'Ecce Homo.'"

"The priest praying in a low voice represents Christ being mocked and spit upon."

"The priest blessing the bread and wine represents Christ being nailed to the cross."

"The priest elevating the host represents Christ being raised on the cross."

"The priest goes to the Epistle side and prays signifying how Jesus was led before Pilate and falsely accused."

"The priest goes to the Gospel-side, where he reads the Gospel, signifying how Christ was sent from Pilate to Herod, and was mocked and derided by the latter."

"The priest goes from the Gospel side again to the middle of the altar - this signifies how Jesus was sent back from Herod to Pilate."

"The priest uncovers the chalice, recalling how Christ was stripped for the scourging."

"The priest offers bread and wine, signifying how Jesus was bound to the pillar and scourged."

"The priest washes his hands, signifying how Pilate declared Jesus innocent by washing his hands."

"The priest covers the chalice after the Offertory recalling how Jesus was crowned with thorns."

"The priest breaking and separating the host represents Christ giving up His spirit."

Taken from "The Catholic Church Alone: The One True Church of Christ" by the Catholic Education Company, New York, page 551. The book has been out of print for many decades; used copies sell for about $200.00 or more, but can be read freely on Google Books.

FINAL THOUGHTS by Fulton J. Sheen

Too many of us end our lives, but few of us see them finished. A sinful life may end, but a sinful life is never a finished life.

Our Lord finished His work, but we have not finished ours. He pointed the way we must follow. He laid down the Cross at the finish, but we must take it up. He finished Redemption in His physical Body, but we have not finished it in His Mystical Body.

He has finished the Sacrifice of Calvary; we must finish the Mass.

There is no such thing as a Sung Low Mass

I cannot count the numbers of Masses which I have attended and chanted as Cantor or Schola Master according to the more ancient use. I chant every Sunday and have personally organised over 30 Solemn or Sung Masses since Summorum Pontificum including a Mass in the Presence of a Greater Prelate. I say this not to boast but to indicate my level of experience. 

Never, ever have I heard of a Sung Low Mass, it simply does not exist. 

Here from the  Una Voce Toronto blog, the Toronto Traditional Mass Society.

Toronto Solemn Latin Mass - Ascension "THURSDAY" of the Lord.

While the Una Voce Toronto Schola Tridentina and all ready themselves for this, we have this important work for the Lord and His Church and people of Toronto to do on Ascension Thursday.

Traditional Mass banned in Costa Rica!

Below is the report from Una Voce Costa Rica.

A law is only as good as its enforcement.  

Official Communiqué: Tridentine Mass Banned in Costa Rica

[para la traducción al Castellano pincha aquí]

Official Communiqué

- To the Confused Catholics of Costa Rica and Abroad -

The purpose of this statement is to present a summarized report of the situation in Costa Rica, particularly in the Archdiocese of San José, in relation to the Mass of Ages, also called the Tridentine Mass, Traditional Latin Mass or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Una Voce Costa Rica, member of the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce, a federation with recognition from the Holy See, has been working in recent years for all Catholics in Costa Rica to enjoy what in the letter accompanying the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of His Holiness Benedict XVI was called "a precious treasure to be preserved " .

Former Archbishop 
 Hugo Barrantes

 

Archbishop Sample's Homily

Did Archbishop Sample let them "dress him up?" as we've been lectured to recently about Benedict XVI? 

There are those who will distort the truth and deny their own history; they proffer a Church that is a rupture with itself. Others, like Archbishop Sample understand the truth.

God bless this Archbishop.

The battle we face goes on, we will not give up. Long Live Papa Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Emeritus

Perhaps the professional clericalists that head universities and alleged Catholic cable networks which have the temerity to say "don't get me wrong, I loved Pope Benedict, but look at how they dressed him up" and then continue to affront others that actually have read him might want to view this 51 minutes by Father Calvin Goodwin, FSSP who quotes considerably from Joseph Ratzinger and says himself, "we should not underestimate the situation we are in."

While this writer in no way endorses the actions of any of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre, it does not mean that what they may say from time to time is not correct:

“But blind obedience is ridiculous! What are we lambs to do when the Shepherd is struck and the sheep are scattered ? Pretend all is well. and let ourselves be devoured by wolves in the name of obedience ? What can one say to such people? They are wilfully ignorant in the belief that wilful ignorance is a virtue! Where does such a mindset come from ? What error crept into the Church to make Catholics switch off their minds? Richard Williamson, SSPX

Epiphany of the LORD - Masses on January 6

While technically speaking, in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, Epiphany of the Lord falls on January 6, it is most often transferred to the Sunday nearest, thus we have the great Solemnity as early as January 2 and as late as January 7; absurd. 

Happily, in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, it is on January 6. This year in Toronto there are three Masses on Epiphany. The usual churches of St.Lawrence the Martyr at 11:00 AM and Holy Family at 11:30AM will offer the Read Mass for Epiphany (Low Mass). In the evening, a Sung Mass will be held at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church on  Yonge Street in Richmond Hill at 7:30PM.

Solemn Latin Mass in Toronto - Our Lady of the Rosary

Please join the Knights of Columbus of Blessed John XXIII Council 4976 and their guests from the  Knights of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; and the Toronto Traditional Mass Society-UNA VOCE TORONTO, as we gather to honour Our Lady and her victory at the Battle of Lepanto. The Mass will be held on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, Monday, October 7, 2013 at St. Cecelia's Catholic Church at 161 Annette Street, just east of Keele Street in Toronto. A public recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at 6:30 P.M and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be available with the Solemn Mass according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite following at 7:00 P.M. We are pleased to announce that the homilist is Father Raymond J. de Souza.

A collection will be taken to support the ongoing restoration at St. Cecelia's and this will be specifically granted to the church hall. Cheques may be made out to St. Cecelia's Catholic Church Building Fund.

Battle of Lepanto

On October 7, 1571, a great victory over the mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between "oared" ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world, a Moslem force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers. The patchwork team of Catholic ships was powered by the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, the holy pontiff, St. Pope Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. We know today that the victory was decisive, prevented the Islamic invasion of Europe, and evidenced the Hand of God working through Our Lady. At the hour of victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away at the Vatican, is said to have gotten up from a meeting, went over to a window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: "The Christian fleet is victorious!" and shed tears of thanksgiving to God.

What you may not know is that one of three admirals commanding the Catholic forces at Lepanto was Andrea Doria. He carried a small copy of Mexico's Our Lady of Guadalupe into battle. This image is now enshrined in the Church of San Stefano in Aveto, Italy. Not many know that at the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, one can view a huge warship lantern that was captured from the Moslems in the Battle of Lepanto. In Rome, look up to the ceiling of S. Maria in Aracoeli and behold decorations in gold taken from the Turkish galleys. In the Doges' Palace in Venice, Italy, one can witness a giant Islamic flag that is now a trophy from a vanquished Turkish ship from the Victory. At Saint Mary Major Basilica in Rome, close to the tomb of the great St. Pope Pius V, one was once able to view yet another Islamic flag from the Battle, until 1965, when it was returned to Istanbul in an intended friendly token of concord.

The Rosary

At Lepanto, the Victory over the Moslems was won by the faithful praying the Rosary. Even though they had superior numbers, the Turks really were overmatched. Blessed Padre Pio, the Spiritual Father of the Blue Army, said: "The Rosary is the weapon," and how right he was!

The Battle of Lepanto was at first celebrated liturgically as "Our Lady of Victory." Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716 (who canonized Pope Pius V in 1712).

And with that we are back to Fatima, Portugal where Our Lady, when asked her name, said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary." At Fatima, Our Lady taught us to pray the Rosary every day. Heaven presented its peace plan at Fatima and truly gave us hope for the world. Conversions were promised at Fatima: the conversion of sinners; the conversion of Russia; and what also appears to be the conversion of Islam. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Taken from:

Soul Magazine

© 2001 The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.

September - October 2001, page 6

For subscription information:

The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.

PO Box 976

Washington, NJ 07882-0976

Website: http://www.bluearmy.com

E-mail: service@bluearmy.com

or Phone Toll Free: 866-513-1917

Traditional Latin Mass to begin at London, Ontario!

On Sunday, July 7, 2013, the sixth anniversary of Summorum Pontificum the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite begins in London, Ontario under the pastoral care and kindness of His Excellency, Bishop Ronald Fabbro and the coordination and priestly zeal and service of Father Paul Nicholson, assisted by five other diocesan priests.  The Mass will be at 2:00 P.M. every Sunday and will be a full sung Missa Cantata utilising the St. Edmund Campion Hymnal. This is a tremendous grace from God to the people of the Diocese of London. May God bless abundantly Bishop Ronald Fabbro and Father Paul Nicholson

For more information, please visit the blog at:

www.latinmasslondonontario.blogspot.com

Te Deum laudamus!

O Felix Kinkora - Deo Gratias!



Iconographer and artist Wojciech Strahl with his latest creation

On one of the buttresses of the north wall of St. Patrick's Catholic Church at Kinkora in the Diocese of London is a plaque remembering a recent benefactor, the late Joseph Murray with the title "O Felix Kinkora." Some dear souls of this bucolic place keep asking, "Who's Felix?"

As the story goes, there was a financial crisis brewing due to the niggardly practice of the locals (I'm sure Vox Pobuli Kinkora will now accuse me of calling them racist). The pastor, Father Paul Nicholson, invoked unceasing prayers of intercession to the Blessed Pope, Pius XII for a significant sum to pay off the debt of the parish from before his arrival made necessary by engineering restoration due to the church being built on a swamp. The holy Pope did not fail and the debt was paid, the plaque is a tribute to that happy benefactor, may he rest in the peace of Christ for his love and generosity and his legacy. Over the entrance to the church from the sacristy on the south side is a medallion of the famous image of Blessed Pius XII in thanksgiving for prayers answered.

Four years ago, this parish became a new home for the traditional Latin liturgy made free by our beloved Benedict XVI. From three people at that first Mass, the community has grown and shown its stability and its promise. Some Sundays there are eight young men and boys serving at the Altar of God!

Next Sunday, June 16 will be Father Nicholson's last Sunday at Kinkora and its sister parish, St. Vincent de Paul in Mitchell. The Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite begins at 12:00 Noon. After Mass, this Icon, a gift from another benefactor, will be blest as it takes up its new home with the new Latin Mass Community for London. The work has begun, we leave Kinkora not with a heavy heart but with a mission to proclaim the Lord and the beauty of the Latin Church's venerable Rite in the City. Father Nicholson begins his new ministry as a preacher for the New Evangelistation inside and out of the Diocese of London. May the Lord be with him always. May our Blessed Mother keep him always under her mantle. May St. Michael the Archangel guard him always.

In July and August, Mass will be in the chapel at John Paul II Catholic Secondary School in London. In September, it will move to its new permanent home at Regina Mundi College, originally built as a minor seminary. The Missa Cantata will be at 2:00 P.M. and will be celebrated on a rotation by six diocesan priests from the Diocese of London under the encouragement and support of Bishop Ronald Fabbro, CSB.

On a personal note, I have been so greatly blest and privileged by God to work with this priest and the good people of  Kinkora and Perth East and its regions for the last two and a one-half years. In that time, I've seen the numbers triple in attendees at the Mass, on some Sundays there were eight altar boys and the collections nearly exceeded that of the rest of the parish. To sing this Holy Mass as intended is a joy. To sing it in a church as beautiful as St. Patrick's Kinkora is something I could never have anticipated. I will make the journey to London. As Father said on Sunday, "this is no time for sentimentality, we have a mission to the City."

When I first began my work at Kinkora, I did not think of something else-- that one of the last acts of Father Nicholson and indeed my own in this beautiful church would be a wedding, my own! On Saturday, Father Nicholson assisted by a Deacon and Subdeacon will preside at the Solemn Nuptials between Miss Frankie and the Vox. It will be a glorious affair "Te Deum" for his blessings and all praise and honour is to Him and His Mother.

This beautiful Gothic edifice will ring with St. Anthony's Chorale from a theme of Haydn's by Brahms, Veni Creator Spiritus, the Byrd Mass for Five Voices, Ave Maria by Robert Parsons, Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus, Salve Regina and a very special Ave Maria at the presentation to Our Lady by the late Rt. Rev. John Edward Ronan, founder of Toronto's St. Michael's Choir School.

Please consider making the trip to Kinkora this Sunday for the Holy Mass, (of course, the wedding Mass itself is open to anyone as well) the blessing of the new Icon of St. Michael the Archangel and the singing of the Te Deum to give thanks to God for Benedict XVI and Summorum Pontificum, the pastoral care provided by Bishop Ronald Fabbro and in particular for the spiritual work of Father Paul Nicholson over the last six years and the munificence of Joe Murray; both of whose legacy will live on in Kinkora for generations to come.

God bless you all.

Candlemas in the Extraordinary Form - southern Ontario

Down with the rosemary, and so

Down with the bays and the mistletoe;

Down with the holly, ivy and all,

Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas Hall

Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

"Ceremony upon Candlemas Eve"

This Saturday is the final feast of the great Christmastide, Candlemas; from the Anthem, Lumen..."A light unto the Gentiles." 

There will be four Masses in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite in the Archdiocese of Toronto plus a Sung Mass at St. Patrick's Kinkora in the Diocese of London at 10:00AM. and St. Aloysius in the Diocese of St. Catharines at 9:00AM.  

TORONTO ORATORY at HOLY FAMILY, Parkdale

Read Mass at 8:30AM

ST. LAWRENCE THE MARTYR, Scarborough

Read Mass at 10:00AM

ST. MARY IMMACULATE, Richmond Hill

Solemn Mass at 10:30AM 

ST. ISAAC JOGUES, PICKERING

Read Mass at 11:00AM 

What's the difference in the terms for the traditional Latin Rite?

From the blog of UNA VOCE TORONTO...

In the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the ars celebrandi, if not the theology, has often been described as "horizontal." By this, it is generally meant that it is more focused on community than the Divine; for example, in his great work The Spirit of the Liturgy, Pope Benedict XVI calls Mass facing the people as a "community turned inwards on itself." When one attends an Mass in the new Rite, the music is generally banal and inappropriate and while the new GIRM clearly desires all of the Mass to be sung, it is still a mish-mass of this and that. Few realise that Gregorian chant is proper to the new liturgy. To a large degree, this is due to the 1967 document, Musicam Sacram, which; thankfully given paragraph 28 of Universae Ecclesiae, does not apply to the Roman Missal 1962. Let us observe carefully this paragraph; "Furthermore, by virtue of its character of special law, within its own area, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum derogates from those provisions of law, connected with the sacred Rites, promulgated from 1962 onwards and incompatible with the rubrics of the liturgical books in effect in 1962." This is very important and in specific terms means, anything that came after which conflicts is not permitted. No Altar Girls, no communion in the hand, no communion standing (unless incapable to kneel), no Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, no lay Lectors and no Sunday Anticipated Masses on Saturday evenings. It is important to note that in connection with this, the Vigil Mass of Christmas, for example, is the Mass of December 24 (an Advent Mass in violet vestments) and the same would apply to the other Vigil Masses such as the Vigil Mass of Pentecost in the 1962 Missal. These are not evening Masses anticipating the next day, they are the Mass of the day prior. In the OF Missal  the Vigil Masses are of a different nature and they can be celebrated after Vespers (4:00PM) and be anticipated for the next day. In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, there are clearer definitions and certainly fewer options. 

Some rubrics were modified during the legitimate liturgical movement of the first half of the 20th century. They were not so much a change in the liturgy but a change in the approach. For example in 1923, the first permission was given by Pope Pius XI for the "Dialogue Mass." Later, the earlier desires of St. Pius X in Tra le sollecitudini and again Pope Pius XI with the early Dialogue permissions and recommended by Bl. Pius X in Mediator Dei and De musica sacra et sacra liturgia and again by Blessed John XXIII in Rubricarum instructum (English here) were implemented. Truly, those that came after 1958 are less well known. There was no internet after all and parishes and people did not rush out to buy new Missals or even consider reading the version then of the GIRM.

Some questions that have been asked of us and arise are the simple terms of the Mass in the old rite and connected with these there are some important rubrics. Let us look at a simple guideline based on all of the documents above as to the names and their general rubrics relating to music and the spoken word:

A priest's first Mass in the Solemn Form with an "Assistant Priest"

Solemn Mass -- Known in Latin as a Missa Solemnis, this is the norm for the Mass with priest, deacon and subdeacon. All parts, Ordinary and Proper must be sung, incense is required. Propers should be sung in Gregorian melisma but can be sung in psalm-tone or recto-tono if necessary or they can be sung in polyphonic style or a drone could be used under the chant. A Pontifical Solemn Mass is when a bishop presides and while there are additional ceremonials, the musical requirements are the same.

Semi- Solemn Mass -- Unbeknownst to many, in 1963 a universal permission was granted for a Semi-Solemn Mass without a Subdeacon. The Deacon sings the Epistle and assumes many of the function of the Subdeacon except for the holding of the paten in the humeral veil. The Church was clearly interested in breaking out of the Low Mass Sunday manner of celebration so prevalent. Most parishes had at least two priests and one could have served as a Deacon for the principal Sunday celebration.



Sung Mass or Missa Cantata with the Gregorian Schola and Servers

Sung Mass -- The Missa Cantata is an exception. As referred to above, the Solemn Mass is the norm. The Missa Cantata was and remains a substitute as a Solemn Mass is not always possible and a Read Mass is not the ideal for the LORD's Day. The Sung Mass is without a deacon or subdeacon and the same musical rubrics apply as the Solemn Mass. Until 1962, incense was only used at a Solemn Mass but now is optional in a Sung Mass and often depends on the number of Servers. If there are sufficient, then even

Torchbearers can be used during the Canon. In a Missa Cantata, all parts must be sung, Proper, Ordinary, Lesson, Epistle, Gospel and Responses.

Read Mass with one Server

Read Mass  -- Often referred to by the unfortunate term "Low Mass," generally speaking, no music is permitted in a Read Mass and no incense is used except at the prescribed part of a Requiem and one Server is all that is required. As confirmed in Universae Ecclesiae 26, the Lessons, Epistle and Gospel may be read aloud in the vernacular without first reading them in Latin, but only, in a Read Mass. In a Sung or Solemn Mass, Latin is required and they must be sung.

Read Mass with Music -- In 1958, the Sacred Congregation of Rites allowed applied certain norms and discipline to the rubrics in response to varied styles of providing music from parish to parish. No Propers (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Tract, Sequence, Offertory or Communion) may be sung, the Gloria and Credo may not be sung. The Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei may be sung, if short. A hymn in Latin may be sung at the Entrance but must end before the Introit is recited. A motet or hymn may be sung at the Offertory and at Communion in Latin or in the vernacular, provided it has something to do with the liturgical action of each; gifts, offering and at Communion, the Eucharist or thanksgiving. A recessional hymn may be sung or the organ may be played at these parts. This is not to be confused with a Sung Mass or Missa Cantata as above and the Propers must be proclaimed audibly and must never be covered with music. The organ may be played at any parts but may not cover the said Propers.

Dialogue Mass -- In 1923, 1947, 1958 and reaffirmed in 1962, the Holy See encouraged the Dialogue Mass and in the latter two years, applied four levels. These range from simple responses of "et cum spiritu tuo" to the Ordinary and all the responses of the Server, specifically the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar to even, believe it or not, the reciting of the Proper Antiphons with the priest; the latter being reserved from those communities and individual capable of doing so.



Solemn Requiem held during Lent

Requiem Mass -- No organ is to be used at any Requiem Mass except to support the singing, if absolutely necessary. No prelude, no postlude, period!  A Requiem Mass' organ rules are the same as Lent and Advent, no organ solos. The Mass may be Read, Sung or Solemn in which case the norms above apply.



Rubrics are important. They keep us all on the same page and ensure that dignity and that we follow the Holy See's desires for Her liturgy. To quote from Universae Ecclesiae 24; "The liturgical books of the forma extraordinaria are to used as they are. All those who wish to celebrate according to the forma extraordinaria of the Roman Rite must know the pertinent rubrics and are obliged to follow them correctly." We must humble ourselves to the rubrics and not go our own way. Mixing the rubrics is not anticipated by the Church. Holy Mother Church gives us the guide, it is our duty to follow.

Let us all be educated in these important matters to serve loyally and faithfully. Let us not make the mistakes either out of ignorance or intent as so often found in the Ordinary Form; "I did it, my way." Let us also respect though, the established norms of existing communities of faithful and the customs to which they or their priests have maintained. The dialogue. for example, should not be forced on any individual, where it is not the custom; on the other hand, neither should anyone be chastised for engaging in it.

The Toronto Traditional Mass Society--UNA VOCE TORONTO will enthusiastically assist any priest or server or individual with gaining a greater understanding of the ars celebrandi of this venerable Rite. You may write us at unavocetoronto@rogers.com.