Gregorian Chant Back in Style at Local Churches

Northwest Arkansas Times ^ | March 6, 2005 | Kirk Kramer

[murphE]

Why aren't you kneeling? You are made to stand? Is that what the GIRM says to do now?

[murphE]

sorry, I see that those questions were already answered.

[Coleus]

We're kneeling at that time. I think the new girm gives local bishops some options to change things in the mass. In one of the 5 dioceses in NJ they don't kneel at all during the consecration and communion, they stand, until after they receive Holy Communion then sit.

[Salvation]

**they don't kneel at all during the consecration and communion**

This has happened in some churches in our Archdiocese, and I understand that the Archbishop is on their case to GET ON THEIR KNEES during the Consecration!

Sorry about the Caps, but that is how the message is coming out from the Archbishop here!

[Salvation]

I guess each of us has things that we don't like and would like to have changed! God bless!

[rogator]

"...but that is how the message is coming out from the Archbishop here!"

" to GET ON THEIR KNEES during the Consecration!" and STAND from the Our Father until after the Communion. (the rest of the message from our archbishop)

[Coleus]

God bless!>>

thank you, you too.

[stands2reason]

How much of your music is a capella?

[Salvation]

When we get back from Communion, we all kneel down. And then sit down after the priest sits down before the final prayers and blessing.

[Quix]

Thanks.

[AnAmericanMother]

We're working on a capella! The new choirmaster is trying to wean the choir from having to be supported by the organ. The problem is, while he is seriously beefing up the choir with good musicians and singers, a lot of the long-time choir members got pretty lazy under the former director. They have never learned to read music and have never worked on their singing. I came to this church from an ECUSA church that supported its music program in a big way - I was a little shocked not so much that choir members couldn't read music, but that they made little or no effort to remedy that situation. . . just show up on Sunday and make a stab at it.

There are several chants that we do regularly (Lord's Prayer, Ave Maria) that we do a capella. And once in awhile the director will just give us the pitch and stand up from the organ bench . . . doesn't give folks time to get scared.

As the choir gets better and we get more members who are good musicians, there's going to be more and more a capella.

[k omalley]

Our interim choir director is really into a capella which makes me a little nervous. The organ can cover up a host of sins but there is no hiding mistakes with a capella. This past Sunday we sang Tchaikovsky's "Crown of Roses." I found it to be quite difficult and downright scary without the organ backing us up. We did OK but it could have been better.

[rogator]

Same here on the coast.
But there is something that seems (to me at least) incongruent and irreverent about standing during the priest's Communion and during the words:
"Lord I am not worthy to receive you, ...".
Not to mention remaining standing while everyone is receiving Communion.
I am not a big fan of our archbishop. He owns OCP and could correct the heresy and irreverence in their music. He has not done this.
I am not surprised that he, (one of Bernardin's first auxilliaries), would make a liturgical decision, (having the congregation stand during Communion), which would lessen belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

[Salvation]

I don't think this came from your Bishop alone; I believe it came from the new GIRM.

It has to do with Communion being a kind of Processional. Thus the singing should start immediately after the priest finishes his Communion.

Our choir will still not conform. We had a visiting priest here from Goa, India, doing a Mission, and the choir did it right that Sunday, but my hopes were dashed this last Sunday. (Guess they don't get the idea that they are serving at Mass by singing (and not performing)!!!

One of the things that irks me, can you tell?

BTW, I am not aware of any bishop "owning" OCP.

[murphE]

I had always taught my daughter that you remain kneeling after communion until the remaining Sacred Species is consumed or back in the tabernacle, and the vessels are purified, regardless of what anyone else is doing. Then however they started just leaving the vessels off to the side to be taken care of after mass.

The first time I took her to a TLM, after mass she said, "Mom my knees hurt", ;-) and I of course responded how my mother would have, "so, offer it up!" Now, however she is quite used to it.

[Salvation]

About OCP

Best I could find on their site about the founder!

[Salvation]

I am so fortunate that in a Novus Ordo Mass our priest follows exactly what you have taught your daughter -- we remain kneeling until everything is cleared off the altar and the priest is seated. THEN -- we can sit down!

[AnAmericanMother]

Wow.

Wouldn't want to sight read that alto part without hearing it first! But the soprano part holds firmly to the octave interval - and the basses are carrying it too. Should hold the middle parts together! (I'm an alto - love the moving tones for us in measures 19 and 23.)

I'm going to give a copy of this to our director and see if he'll bite.

[rogator]

"I believe it came from the new GIRM. "

Its not in the GIRM as such. It is a liberal interpretation.
I think the concept might have come from Mahony's "Gathering Faithfully Together", or some such document.


"BTW, I am not aware of any bishop "owning" OCP."

Our archbishop is the Publisher in Chief of OCP.
OCP is owned, one way or the other, by the Portland Archdiocese. The archbishop owns diocesan property.

[murphE]

Yes, you are. When we were leaving mass one day, by the side door through a kitchenette, I saw the wooden salad bowl ciborium, filled with remaining consecrated hosts left by the sink, uncovered, for dust and flies to land on, or for anyone of evil intent to desecrate.

When I brought this to the attention of a Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (because the priest was at the other door shaking hands) I got a "so what's the big deal" look.