Chant Café

Some may object that I am paying too much attention to the small details, to the minutiae, of the Sacred Liturgy. But as every husband and wife knows, in any loving relationship the smallest details are highly important, for it is in and through them that love is expressed and lived day after day. The ‘little things’ in a marriage express and protect the greater realities. So too in the liturgy: when its small rituals become routine and are no longer acts of worship which give expression to the realities of my heart and soul, when I no longer care to attend to its details, when I could do more to prepare and to celebrate the liturgy more worthily, more beautifully, but no longer want to, there is a grave danger that my love of Almighty God is growing cold. We must beware of this. Our small acts of love for God in carefully attending to the liturgy’s demands are very important. If we discount them, if we dismiss them as mere fussy details, we may well find, as sometimes very tragically happens in a marriage, that we have ‘grown apart’ from Christ—almost without noticing.

–Robert Cardinal Sarah, today. 

From the Roman Missal

O God, to whose commands all the elements give obedience,
we humbly entreat you,
that the stilling of fearsome storms may turn a powerful menace
into an occasion for us to praise you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Stop wasting your time with Solitaire or Death of the Galaxy (I just made that one up)!

Sharpen your ear and/or your smarts with Theta Music Trainer. I like to think I’m a pretty smart cookie. Well, I’m tuning up my rusty interval recognition – and feeling like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.

There are a zillion games and a wonderful way to take a break from whatever you’re really supposed to be doing and still be able to justify it.

Enjoy!

Early this century I worked as the Saturday evening cantor at a little parish, with some fun extra duties besides, like giving days of recollection to liturgy volunteers.

An elderly priest, retired then and long since passed away, used routinely to take the Saturday evening Confessions. He would stop in my office where I was usually working on some flyer or another, and as he unrolled his purple stole he would complain about how perfect all the parishioners are, since they never go to Confession. Always at Communion–never in the confessional.

This is not what one sees in parishes with the Extraordinary form, or even with a more solemn and careful celebration of the Ordinary form. In those parishes, people know they are sinners. You can tell they know because the lines for Confession are long every week, and in very devout parishes, every day.

In contrast, those attending more casual celebrations of the Mass might go for years on end without even hearing anything whatsoever about the sacrament of Confession, apart from the announcement twice a year that Advent and Lenten penance services will be held next Tuesday at 7:30.

I once worked at a parish that had 21 scheduled times every week for Confession, and people came. The priests would leave as soon as the line ended, so it was important for people to show up on time. There were 4 times each Friday. One popular time was before one of the Sunday Masses. And the lines were very long on Saturday evenings, and every priest was scheduled.

Once upon a time, when cars had bumpers, there was a bumper sticker that said, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see a revitalized use of the sacrament of mercy throughout the Church!

Jesus, Walking to His City 

Jesus, walking to His city,
To the cross and death and grave,
Shows His chosen three apostles
God the Father’s pow’r to save:
Glorious upon the mountain,
Christ appears in light arrayed.

God once showed Himself to Moses,
Passing by the rocky height.
To Elijah, too, in whisper,
Not in storm or quake or might.
Now on Tabor, Law and Prophets
See their God in splendor bright.

Sign of all the prophets promised,
Christ in radiance glorified;
Sign of God the Father’s wisdom,
Which the Law long testified;
Sign of God the Holy Spirit:
Lord and Light and living Guide.

To the dazzling heights of wonder,
Call us, too, O Christ, today.
Let us see the hope of glory
Shining on our pilgrim way.
Lead us through Your Crucifixion
To Your bright and lasting day.

Copyright © 2005 CanticaNOVA Publications. Duplication restricted.
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.7 Suggested tune: Regent Square, or others:
Dulce carmen Oriel Saint Thomas (Wase)
Komm, O komm Pange lingua Westminster Abbey
Lauda anima Picardy
http://www.canticanova.com/catalog/products/g_hymns_lit_year.htm

September lies in wait after August. It’s time to think about the singing that lies ahead, whether you’re in front of the choir or in front of the director.  

And what’s a rehearsal without a warm-up?

The ascending five-note warm-up is the old grey mare in the singer/director/s stable!

Remember your first voice placement screening? Indeed, most of us start on a comfortable low note and go up by half-steps until the some alto puts her foot down or our own voice gives out.

Well, as many of us get ready for the fall choir season, why not try something new! Instead of going up and then down.

GO DOWN AND THEN UP!

And if that isn’t heretical enough, instead of working your way up by half-steps, 

GO DOWN BY HALF-STEPS!