The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has put together a catalogue of online resources for use during the coronavirus pandemic. The catalogue can be found here.
The resources are grouped as follows:
On March 25, 2020, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued two decrees affecting the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Traditional Latin Mass). The International Una Voce Federation (FIUV) has issued the following press release. More information about FIUV and its work can be found on its website, http://www.fiuv.org/. A copy of the press release may be downloaded here.
Press Release:
CDF Decrees on new Prefaces and Saints for the Extraordinary Form
From the President and Officers of the FIUV
26th March 2020
Yesterday the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), now exercising the functions of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, has issued two decrees, one on Prefaces to be added to the 1962 Missal (Quo Magis), and the other on the possibility of saints, canonised since 1962 to have Masses celebrated in their honour (Cum Sanctissima). (English summary here.)
The Federation was consulted on both issues, and we would like to thank the CDF for taking the views of our members into account in developing these decrees.
The Federation welcomes in particular the possibility of making a liturgical commemoration of saints canonised since 1962, without excessive disruption to the Sanctoral Calendar as it has come down to us. We wish, however, to issue some notes of caution.
On Prefaces, we note that the Note presenting the decree explains that while three of the seven newly permitted Prefaces are of the ‘Neo-Gallican’ tradition (of 18th century French origin), the other four are Prefaces used in the Ordinary Form, though not composed from scratch for the reformed Mass: ‘their central section(s), known as the “embolism”, appear in ancient liturgical sources’.
This implies that these ancient Prefaces have been adapted for use in the Ordinary Form, a process which makes them conform less, rather than more, with the spirit of the Extraordinary Form. If the value of these Prefaces lies in their antiquity, it is not clear what is to be gained by their being used in the Extraordinary Form in a redaction designed to make them conform to the themes and preferences of the Ordinary Form.
Further, we would like to appeal to priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form to bear in mind the great antiquity, theological importance, and centrality to the ancient Roman liturgical tradition, of the Preface of Trinity Sunday, and the Common Preface, whose use would become less frequent if the newly optional Prefaces were systematically employed. These two Prefaces have been of such centrality to the celebration of ancient Mass up to this point, that to downgrade them to mere options among others would be to make a fundamental change in the balance of texts and theological ideas which the Missal presents to the Faithful over the course of the year.
On the Saints, we note the list of saints celebrated as 3rd Class feasts, whose celebration remains obligatory. We recognise that in order to make possible the celebration of the new saints room must somehow be made for them, and we endorse the method proposed. We have reservations, however, about the composition of this list.
We note with particular dismay that the only male lay saints on the list are SS Cosmas and Damian: this seems an omission in need of correction, particularly as the excluded category include men central to the development of their countries: St Louis of France, St Stephen of Hungary, St Henry the Emperor of Germany, St Edward the Confessor of England, and St Wenceslas of Bohemia, outstanding examples of the vocation of the laity to ‘to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel’.[1]
Also completely absent are female founders of religious orders, such as St Angela Merici, St Juliana of Falconieri, and St Jane Francis de Chantal.
Although we are pleased to see two widows on the list—St Monica and St Francis of Rome—it would seem in general that non-clerical vocations, of the active or the religious life, which are richly represented in the ancient sanctoral calendar, have been set aside as of marginal importance.
Another category poorly represented on the list are Doctors of the Church. Some of the highest importance have been excluded: St Isidore, St John Damascene, St Bede, and St Irenaeus.
The imbalance represented by the list of obligatory saints appears to have been inherited from the list of non-optional Memorials found in the sanctoral cycle of the Ordinary Form, which it closely resembles. The lack of interest in the lay vocation and in the Doctors of the Church shown by the reformers of the 1960s should not be allowed to distort the presentation of the Church’s great patrimony of saints in celebrations of the Extraordinary Form today.
In choosing when to avail themselves of the option to celebrate newly canonised saints, we would like to appeal to priests celebrating the Extraordinary Form to consider carefully the balance of the categories of the saints, the importance of maintaining the connection to the distant past represented by the most ancient saints, and the value of the Marian devotional feasts also now rendered optional, such as Our Lady of Lourdes and the Presentation of Mary.
As an indication of feasts which we regard as particularly worthy of continued celebration, we give the following, non-exhaustive, list.
14/01 St Hilary
10/02 St Scholastica
11/02 Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (of Lourdes)
17/03 St Patrick
18/03 St Cyril of Jerusalem
27/03 St John Damascene
4/04 St Isidore
27/05 St Bede
3/07 St Irenaeus
15/07 St Henry, Emperor
25/08 St Louis, King
30/08 St Rose of Lima
2/09 St Stephen, King
28/09 St Wenceslas, Duke and Martyr
8/10 St Bridget, Widow
13/10 St Edward, King
24/10 St Rafael the Archangel
15/11 St Albert the Great
21/11 Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25/11 St Catherine of Alexandria
[1] Second Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam actuositatem 5
– END OF PRESS RELEASE –
For more about the two decrees of the CDF, see:
By Mark Emerson Donnelly (Una Voce Canada Composer in Residence)
I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Una Voce Canada for promoting me and my work as a full-time composer of sacred music.
This is about my approach to liturgical composition. Others may disagree.
Those of you familiar with my name probably know that music has been a big part of my professional life. During the past forty years, I’ve not only sung in opera and on the concert stage, but earned the nickname “Mr. O Canada” for the way I sing the Canadian national anthem. Tripping on a carpet while singing the anthem AND skating garnered me over 3.3 million views on YouTube.
I have also conducted elementary, high school, and college choirs, and barbershop choruses, and have been a dramatic and music director for many stage productions, as well as a private voice instructor.
Despite all of this, the one musical constant in my life has been singing and conducting Gregorian Chant and sacred polyphony of the classical Roman School, mostly for the Catholic Church. I’ve also composed vocal music, off and on, for the same period of time, but more intensely for the last ten years. (That is, as intensely as I can, given that my wife Catherine and I have nine children.) I’ve written classical art songs, hymns, psalm settings, and LOTS of polyphony!
Recently, Catherine and I were talking about why I compose sacred music. It was a curious conversation; after thirty years of marriage she has a pretty good idea of why I do it. Yet, after the simple (but TRUE) response: For the greater glory of God and the sanctification of souls, the answer gets a little bit more complicated.
As time would have it, a couple of days later, Henry, a friend and mentor of mine, said, “Your music is NOT ONLY GOOD, BUT VITAL! You have to get it out there. People gotta hear it! And not just in your parish.” This echoed what a local pastor told me several years ago (after hearing my Missa Sicut cervus): “Your music doesn’t do anyone any good if nobody knows about it!”
As I said earlier, I’ve been doing this for decades, primarily as a parochial musician. All I’ve ever wanted to do was provide beautiful music for the Mass. I’ve written other stuff along the way, but church music has always been my focus and love.
To that end, let me try to answer the question which prompted Catherine’s and my discussion: Why do I write sacred music? To answer fully, I need to answer three more pointed questions:
1. Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Ratzinger) said in 2002 that “Christian art today is caught between two fires”: (1) the cult of the ugly, which rejects beauty as truth, and (2) the deceptive beauty, which does not bring human beings out of themselves toward the Divine, but only stirs up a desire for power and pleasure; a desire to possess things and others, rather than be possessed by Truth and Goodness.
In short, the Christian artist today must be vigilant in rejecting the ugly while embracing true beauty, not the deceptive beauty which cultivates inwardness, leading to narcissism and selfishness.
Taking the lead from St. Pius X (Tra le sollecitudini, 1903), the formula seemed easy: The more sacred music is like Gregorian Chant and classical Roman Polyphony, the better suited it is for Mass, and, thus, more likely to “bring human beings out of themselves toward the Divine.” So that’s what I did, and continue to do.
So, HOW do I do this? Traditional Functional Harmony!
Here’s a super simple way to understand Functional Harmony:
From the beginning of a piece of music, every note and chord leads the listener, in an unconscious way, to the end of the piece.
The degree of skill and inspiration of the composer determines how well he or she succeeds in producing something people want to listen to.
Here’s a slightly more involved way to understand Functional Harmony:
Pretty well every note and chord has its purpose; it has a function in the greater whole of a given work, as it proceeds from beginning to end.
This is how Palestrina and Mozart composed. It took centuries to refine.
However, after Beethoven (d. 1827), and all the way up to the present day, most composers write notes and harmonies in an increasingly non-functional way, creating music that is either (1) dissonance without resolution (an extreme example being atonal music) or (2) harmonies primarily intended to create an ambience, resulting in a dreamy, sentimental or melancholy disposition in the listener, as with Romantic (19th century), jazz and pop music.
The latter of these can be affecting or pretty, but it is not always conducive to bringing the listener out of himself (for example, As Time Goes By, Yesterday, Every Breath You Take; need I go on?!). It is music that fosters what St. Augustine refers to as an “incurvatus in se,” a turning inward upon oneself rather than outward towards God and others. This is Benedict XVI’s second fire, the “deceptive beauty”; it coddles and flatters the listener’s feelings and affections rather than edifying and elevating the person.
Sadly, when composers use these more modern compositional techniques in church music, they can rob their listeners of this truly edifying or elevating experience. To avoid this tragedy, I reject these techniques in my liturgical music. I can use them, and sometimes do in my secular compositions and devotional pieces for concert (listen on Spotify to my “Ballad of the King and the Innocents,” verse 6, or “Silent Night,” verse 3, from my CD Carol of the Bells), BUT NOT FOR CHURCH. I see functional notes and harmony as integral to worthy liturgical music, because it is this compositional practice that can most effectively lead people out of themselves and point them heavenward.
2. Is it VITAL? I see someone’s hand up in the back. Yes? Your question is: “Mark, I get why you write the way you do, but with all the great sacred music already available, why bother spending time and energy creating new stuff, AND seeking patrons? Aren’t there other more pressing causes to support?“
To answer this entirely valid question, I’m going to turn, again, to the wisdom of Benedict XVI and also another current Catholic scholar. Benedict said, in 2010:
“An art that has lost the living root of transcendence would not be oriented to God … And a faith that had art only in the past would no longer be faith in the present.”
In other words, for the faith to remain current, we cannot simply rely on the past for our artistic expression. We must have art, which is an expression of the eternal truths of the faith, but created now. We see that with the other arts. Why should music be different?
Cantate Domino canticum novum!
Sing ye to the Lord a new song!
(Psalm 97:1)
Just as the sublime music of William Byrd was undoubtedly a product of the dark times for the Catholics of Elizabethan England, so also, I think, we need a musical expression of the Faith in our current times of turmoil and apostasy.
A music in these times but not of them.
(cf. 1 John 2:15-17)
Dr. Roberto de Mattei, author, historian, and president of the Lepanto Foundation has said:
“Tradition grounds the past, present, and future in timelessness. [And] … it is only through Tradition that our present can have a future.”
So, with regard to art today (most vitally for liturgical art), as the past informs and guides us in our practice and creativity, what we do and create in the present will inform future generations. We need to be the tradition of the future. HOWEVER, if we do not ground ourselves by emulating tradition as both source and practice, we banish ourselves to irrelevance for the future. For the sake of our children, and our children’s children, we must not break the continuity with our forefathers.
Now to the final but just as important question:
3. HOW DO I KNOW IF THE MUSIC I CREATE TODAY IS ANY GOOD?
I may be a coward, but it is not my point in this article to disparage the music of any particular contemporary composer. If you know me personally, you know I have very definite opinions on music. However, with regard to current liturgical music, I would prefer to reserve any judgment for a private discussion or public forum, where the participants have a chance to respond to any of my assertions, and I to theirs. It’s not my goal here to stir the pot. Thus, I shall only try to show the effect my music has had on others.
Now, assuming I’m following the principles I’ve briefly touched on in sections (1) and (2) above, here’s what some individuals have said:
“I wanted my mother’s funeral mass to inspire and awaken her family and friends to the depth of mystery, beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. With this hope in mind, I asked Mark Donnelly if he would sing his Requiem Mass [for Soprano and Tenor (2015)] for Mom’s funeral. The performance by Mark and his daughter, Colleen, gave one reason to believe that there is a God.”
– Gemma Cowhig, Holy Family Parishioner, Vancouver, BC
“After receiving communion and returning to my pew, I heard this luminous music [O Sancta Trinitas ( 2019)]! I wanted to know who the composer was, thinking it was Palestrina or one of his contemporaries. After consulting the bulletin, I was blown away to see that it was written by our own choir director, Mark Donnelly!”
– Mazoe Kaufman, professional sacred artist
“Mark Donnelly’s liturgical motets are truly beautiful and very well written for all voices. They hark back to the Renaissance in style, though at times one can sense they are written in this century … This well-crafted music was certainly written with love and devotion; I would be very happy to have my choir sing this music at my parish!”
– Peter-Anthony Togni, award-winning composer, conductor,
performer, broadcaster [petertogni.com]
“Mark’s work is of the highest quality. More people need to hear his music. It will change and move them in a very positive way. Beautiful music, extremely well-crafted.”
– Peter Allen, award-winning composer for film and television [peterallanassociates.com/site]
“I have experienced Mark’s sacred music for many years. In both spirit and quality, he is truly keeping the great Catholic musical tradition alive. His composing is certainly worthy of any and all patronage and support.”
– Most Rev. J. Michael Miller, CSB, Archbishop of Vancouver, BC
Now, you may not consider these words validation of my position. However, they do help bolster my commitment to compose the way I do, knowing that others consider this style of music conducive to the spiritual life.
NOTE: This is the first of a regular series of music articles for Una Voce Canada. Along with what was discussed in this issue, topics will include: Gregorian Chant, sacred polyphony, and anything else that touches on liturgical music. Stay tuned and God bless! MED
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To learn more about the compositions of Mark Emerson Donnelly and how you can support his work, visit his website markemersondonnelly.com.
His current project, the trailer Mark Emerson Donnelly: Composer, and five music videos, is in production at Motet Films. Filming and recording has already taken place (the rough edits are outstanding!), and Mark is very excited that he is close to reaching the financial goal for this project!
RELEASE DATE: Second quarter 2020
Una Voce Canada is graciously providing tax receipts to Canadian donors giving to his work through UVC.
Interac e-Transfer to composer@unavocecanada.org
NOTE: Please include your email and mailing address to receive a tax receipt.
Cheque: Made out to “Una Voce Canada,” Memo: composer. Mail to:
Una Voce Canada
P.O. Box 30027
North Vancouver, BC V7H 2Y8
Thank you to all who have supported this grand endeavour. If you have any questions, please contact Mark:
604-339-4435 (text or voice)
markemersondonnelly@gmail.com
Watch for the release of my videos!
Per JMJ – med
The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has issued the following statement. More information about the Society and its work can be found on its website: www.lms.org.uk or email info@lms.org.uk. A copy of this statement may be downloaded here.
LATIN MASS SOCIETY
3rd MARCH 2020
The Bishops of England and Wales have issued ‘Guidelines’ (dated 27th February 2020) on steps to be taken in parishes in relation to the possible spread of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus).
While noting that these guidelines do not take the form of a decree with the force of canon law, we welcome them. We should like to make the following clarifications on their application to celebrations of the Extraordinary Form and other traditional Rites and Usages of the Latin Church, such as the Dominican Rite.
1. In these celebrations the Sign of Peace is not given among members of the congregation; the Precious Blood is not distributed to the Faithful (from the Chalice); and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not employed. In these respects these celebrations already adhere to or render unnecessary recommendations given in the Guidelines for a heightened level of hygiene necessary in the case of a more serious outbreak of the virus.
2. In these celebrations Holy Communion (the Host) may not be distributed in the hand, according to the universal liturgical law applicable to them. Should the spread of COVID-19 necessitate the suspension of the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, this would mean the suspension of the distribution of Holy Communion to the Faithful in these celebrations.
The Communion of the Faithful is in no way necessary to the validity or liceity (in such circumstances) of the Mass. Should prudence dictate the necessity for such a step, the Faithful should be encouraged to make a ‘Spiritual Communion’. One form of words for making such a Spiritual Communion is given below.
3. We wish to observe, however, that the distribution of the Host in the hand does not appear to be less likely to spread infection than the distribution on the tongue. On the contrary, distribution on the hand has the result that the Host touches possibly infected surfaces, the palm of the left hand and the fingers of the right hand of the communicant, which is avoided in distribution by a priest directly onto the communicant’s tongue.
The Guidelines state:
When giving communion in the hand seek to ensure you place the host in the hand of the recipient in such a way that you do not touch their hands.
In the same spirit the distribution of the Host on the tongue should never involve the touching of the communicant’s tongue by the priest.
Instruction and training on the correct manner of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue, to those not used to this manner of distribution, may be useful in this context.
Issued by the Chairman and Officers of the Latin Mass Society 3rd March 2020
Further information
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire to receive thee in my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee as if thou wert already there, and unite myself wholly to thee. Never permit me to be separated from thee. Amen.
Text by Oleg-Michael Martynov; photos by Olga Zhuravleva
The Most Reverend Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mary Most Holy in Astana (Kazakhstan), was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 22 and 23, 2019. His Excellency spoke live on Radio Maria, covering both the situation of the Catholics in Kazakhstan and the recent events worldwide. On November 23, the feast of St. Clement of Rome, who is the patron saint of Una Voce Russia, he celebrated a Pontifical High Mass in the church of Our Lady of Lourdes. With Moscow boasting the only Traditional Latin Mass in Russia celebrated every Sunday (either a Sung Mass or a Low Mass) and St. Petersburg still struggling, with varied success, to have at least one TLM in a month, a High Mass – especially a Pontifical one, celebrated by a bishop – is a very rare event in this country. The previous Pontifical High Mass, also arranged by Una Voce Russia and celebrated by Bishop Schneider, took place in Moscow in 2011. Continue reading
Una Voce Canada held its 2019 annual general meeting on Saturday, October 12, at Holy Family Parish, a personal parish in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia, dedicated to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and in the care of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter since 2008. The board of directors was elected by acclamation. Serving for the coming year are David Reid, president; Frank Chow, vice president; Lynn Reid, treasurer; Margie Mackey, corresponding secretary; Matthew Kutarna, webmaster; and Arnold Wiegert, Claire Phillips, Kenneth Lieblich, and Alexander Dyakowski, directors.
We were privileged to have as our guest speaker Dr. John Pepino, professor of Latin, Greek, Patristics, and History at the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska. The title of his talk was “The Roman Mass from the Eve of Trent to the Present and Beyond: An Overview.” It is our great pleasure to be able to bring you a recording of his complete talk and the question-and-answer session that followed. A transcript of the talk can be viewed here.
Dr. John Pepino
Upcoming Sunday Masses
Our next Traditional Latin Mass will take place at 3 p.m. on October 20, the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 554 15th Street East, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 1X3 (phone: 519-376-0778). Fr. McGrath will hear confessions before Mass, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to a potluck social at St. Mary’s Parish Hall after the Mass.
The remaining Masses for 2019 will take place on November 17, the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, and December 15, Gaudete Sunday.
Feast of St. Hubertus
All are also cordially invited by the Fraternitas Sancti Huberti to a Solemn High Mass in honour of the feast of St. Hubertus, patron of hunters, at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 3. A special blessing of arms and hounds will be given following the Mass. We will then have a wild game potluck feast in the hall of the St. Ignatius Deemerton Retreat Centre, 186 Sideroad 20 N, Mildmay, ON N0G 2J0.
Archery and clay and target shooting will be hosted after lunch, at the Allen Farm. Maps will be provided. RSVP with number of adults and children and what food you will bring, to Jonathan Allen at StHubertusBGOS@gmail.com.
Text by Vince Pfanmuller, Una Voce Prince George, a chapter of Una Voce Canada; photos courtesy of Claire Phillips
Sunday, September 15, 2019, was a historic day for the Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia.
For the first time since the implementation of the Missal of Pope Paul VI in 1970, a Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Missal of Pope John XXIII was offered in the mother church of the diocese, Sacred Heart Cathedral, in the presence of Most Reverend Stephen Jensen, Bishop of Prince George. We were blessed to be immersed once again in the ancient tones, movements, and forms of our beautiful liturgical inheritance, thanks to the support of Bishop Jensen; the generous efforts of Prince George vicar general Very Reverend Rectorino Tolentino Jr., who was the subdeacon at the Mass; and the expertise of a contingent from Holy Family Parish in Vancouver: parish priest Fr. Daniel Geddes, FSSP (celebrant), parochial vicar Fr. Ralph Oballo, FSSP (deacon), and Mr. Matthew Palmer, who provided training to the altar servers.
We are most grateful to the people of Holy Family Parish for such a gift. Fr. Geddes brought with him everything needed to transform our sanctuary for the once-familiar ad orientem form of worship – candles, crucifix, altar cards, missal, as well as the traditional vestments. We offer our thanks also to the servers and schola members for their hard work in preparing for this beautiful day. The Mass was recorded and video will be posted online for others to view.
Prior to the Mass, Fr. Geddes offered an excellent catechesis on the Mass, with special emphasis on how our liturgy and our faith must be the “blood that runs through our veins” rather than a “jacket that we put on when we are cold and take off when we are hot” if it is to be transmitted to the next generation. In his sermon, he further explained the purpose and power of the Offertory to remind the faithful what they must bring from their daily lives to the Lord at the altar.
The Mass was attended by about 200 faithful from around Prince George, and indeed from elsewhere in the diocese and beyond. People came from Mackenzie, Chetwynd, Quesnel, Cache Creek, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers, Terrace, and Kitimat, some of them travelling for many hours. A very well attended potluck dinner and reception truly had the feel of a joyful diocesan event.
Text courtesy of Joseph Vautour; photos courtesy of Latin Mass Society of Kelowna
The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is making a steady comeback today. It has returned to many dioceses, and the communities formed around it are growing in number and size. This can certainly be felt in the Diocese of Nelson, British Columbia, where the Latin Mass is now celebrated weekly for the first time in a very long while.
The High Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 2019, was especially memorable for Immaculate Conception Parish in Kelowna. Celebrated by parish priest Fr. Cerlouie Jimenez in the presence of His Excellency Bishop Gregory Bittman, it was the much-awaited fulfillment of the dreams of many who put a great deal of work and prayer into making such an event possible. Preparations had begun months beforehand, as a crew of talented individuals was formed to manage everything from the altar serving and sacristan work to preparing for the reception following the Mass. We were even blessed with the help and talents of people from outside of Kelowna who brought their experience and skill to the parish.
I had the privilege of witnessing this event up close from the altar, along with eight other altar servers, and I can say without a doubt that it spoke to the young people, who today are so bombarded with mediocre Catholicism. It was a sign of the true revolution the young generation seeks, not a revolution against that which is old but against what is false; a revolution to find the unvarnished truth, which it seems those with power are trying to dispense with.
Bishop Bittman, whose twenty-third anniversary of priestly ordination was also celebrated on this day, perhaps touched on this topic when he said in his homily that the majority of our assumptions are bad things. They convolute our knowledge of the truth with false preconceived ideas. However, there was one true Assumption, that of the Blessed Virgin, who assumed to Truth itself. The Truth does not age, because it does not change. The Assumption of Our Lady gives us reason to meditate on the Church and her never-changing doctrine, which assumes our minds to Christ.
It is interesting to note that the Traditional liturgy cannot be reborn on its own. By nature, it also reforms all other aspects of the surrounding community. This change was felt in many ways. The altar serving was different from before, many of the faithful learned to participate in a new and beautiful way, and the choir sang music that was new and mystical, a surprise for many unfamiliar with Gregorian chant. Indeed, a person cannot join in the liturgy and remain the same, for to join in the liturgy is to be united to God, and that experience is without parallel in this world.
Fr. Jimenez and Bishop Bittman (centre) with Fr. Edwin Neufeld, chaplain of the Kelowna Latin Mass community (left), and altar servers after the Mass
On a simpler note, many were also surprised by the turnout for the Mass. Not only were the sheer numbers exciting but people from all over the Okanagan and beyond came together in prayer – from Penticton, Cache Creek, Abbotsford, and Vancouver, to name just a few. In fact, there were enough people present who were familiar with the Traditional liturgy that we were able to have a second High Mass on the following Sunday on very short notice – what an incredible blessing!
Text courtesy of Maria V for Una Voce Canada; photos courtesy of Ryan Bjorgaard, BC Sacred Music Symposium
Panel discussion at the 2019 BC Sacred Music Symposium
Restoration of our beloved musical heritage in the liturgy has proceeded with renewed vigour in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia with the second annual BC Sacred Music Symposium, held at Sts. Joachim and Ann Parish in Aldergrove, on August 2-4, 2019. It was an opportunity for musicians across the province, and some from the United States, to learn, share advice, network, and compare and contrast their own experiences with those of others. This year’s symposium was a huge success, with over one hundred participants and more classes, teachers, and ceremonies than last year. The complete experience was unique to this conference, with participants receiving training from professional musicians according to their skill level, learning polyphonic pieces as well as how to sing Gregorian chant. This year saw the addition of a chant immersion class, allowing for greater depth of learning and more intensive training. Besides acquiring knowledge that could be applied in their own parishes, participants promptly put it into action by contributing to the music of the Masses – in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms – celebrated on Saturday and Sunday. Besides this, there was the Liturgy of the Hours in both English and Latin, including sung Lauds, Vespers, and Compline, with accompanying instruction on how to sing the psalm tones.
This year’s keynote speaker was Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth from the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), who also officiated at the ceremonies. Msgr. Wadsworth also spoke about his work with ICEL, particularly the commission’s current project translating hymns for the Revised Liturgy of the Hours that are faithful to the original Latin. Participants could also choose from other presentations, including a study of liturgical vesture, its history and symbolism; the theology and praxis of Vespers; the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI on the Sacred Liturgy; and an overview of the history of Gregorian chant. Participants had a unique opportunity to ask questions, make their concerns heard, and express their opinions during the panel discussion on the first day and throughout the conference. Appropriately, the High Mass in the Extraordinary Form was the highlight, being the most elevated form of the Mass, but a purpose of the conference was also to demonstrate to the faithful how the Mass can also be said reverently and properly in the Ordinary Form, what that looks like, and especially what it sounds like.
Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth gave the keynote address …
… and celebrated the final Mass of the symposium
What is sacred music?
In order to improve the situation of music in the liturgy, one must first understand what is meant by sacred music, including its origin, idea, and end. First, sacred music is a liturgical action. Therefore, a false understanding of the liturgy will lead likewise to one in its musical apparel. If the sole purpose of the liturgy is the worship of God, then it is done for the glory of God, and not for our own personal satisfaction. In the words of Msgr. Wadsworth, “the liturgy is a gift we receive from the patrimony of the Church, not something we make for ourselves.” Therefore, sacred music must be based upon what Christ wants, as taught through the Church. Our obligation is to know what the teachings are and then to carry them out.
Second, if sacred music is by its very nature a liturgical action, this means that music is integral rather than incidental to the liturgy, specifically the Sung Mass and the Divine Office. It is not something added, but it is the Mass in its most elevated form. As the saying goes, “we must sing the Mass, rather than sing at Mass.” The texts of the Mass themselves are meant to be sung, in contrast to the Protestant alternative of surrounding everything with music, where we have a veritable “hymn sandwich,” regardless of the good intentions and good taste of the musicians. This also means that music must not hinder the ceremonies it accompanies. It is not an intermission between parts of the Mass, but rather is the parts of the Mass, and must flow smoothly with the ceremonies. It must also avoid becoming a performance, but instead focus our attention on the Sacrifice.
