as compared with the stale competition. And it also offers the possibility of much stronger participation since a parish can sing the same Ordinary week after week until they own it.I don’t know about the “new” and “exciting” part, except that chant belongs to that collection of music that does not so easily tire the ear with repetition. Some of it was not written with congregational singing in mind, though.It’s all a question of degree. I think we’ll definitely be hearing more chant in more parishes. I get the sense that a lot of scholas are starting up. I also get the sense that the grass roots energy today is in the chant/polyphony camp. It’s NEW and EXCITING
She probably has no idea that she is off-key, nor that she is being courageous.
Amen! The priest who married us loves it and often has it, along with incense, bells and beautiful vestments for himself and all servers. It is glorious in its overall experience. So very reverent. It becomes a holy place.
It is definitely coming in my parish and eventually for the rest of the Archdiocese. Our new Director of Worship for the Archdiocese is working to implement it throughout the entire diocese. Our music director (also music director for the Archdiocesan masses) just bought the Graduale Simplex to use which contains more simple chants for the congregation and choirs which aren’t as musically adept. The DW pointed him to that direction of using this book for easier implementation. The chant propers will eventually become a must for all of our parishes through different workshops for all music directors and our parish’s model of use. Coincidentally, we already use chant in our masses at our parish and have been doing so for years. I will also need to get the book in order to learn all the propers especially for weddings and funerals, as they will also be working towards using them for those special masses.
Well that’s one way to accomplish the wishes of the Holy Father and the Bishop’s Synod.
I think we should be open to whatever our bishop wants. And bringing some form back is not new only to those who never did. After all we all used to genuflect and those that didn’t so they can learn it and should try to understand why it was so important at one time. If you never learned how to ride a bike does that mean you should never learn? Chant can be beautiful and is really another form of communication like a prayer. We haven’t started yet but our director is more open.
There are some of our brothers that only become solists by virtue of their ordination.
Yes, but it doesn’t mean we HAVE to use Gregorian chant. Other forms of music are also acceptable.
If they exist, of course she’d more than welcome them to take over. Heck, I know she’s been playing for so long, she’d take any volunteer. However, Gregorian chant mandate, would push her over the edge.
This of course is the exception. The majority of parishes in the United States, don’t use Gregorian Chant. Heck, most don’t ring the bell during the consecration.
Yeah, we had a visiting priest (one of our nearby Vincentians) do this on Easter… with similar results. He chanted the Collect and the people barely knew how to respond “Amen”. He chanted the Prayer over the Offerings with similar results. He mercifully refrained from chanting the Preface dialog (the part you mentioned above). I mentioned it to him after Mass and he said he was a bit surprised no one knew how to respond!
This self-deprecating “convert” false dichotomy is a bit depressing to read over and over again. Cradle Catholics and converts are, generally speaking, unfamiliar with chant to the same degree.
Chant should get its fair share of use; that is, its “pride of place” should be honored. How unfair it is to the musical treasure and heritage of the Church to simply ignore centuries and centuries of Her music!