Latin Songs

[Greenscapular]

Today at Mass, we sung two songs in Latin ( The Sanctus and the Agnus Dei. )
I was unsure of what the words to the songs were. ( I hummed along )
Despite being embarrassed and unprepared-- I thought they sounded beautiful, and would like to learn to sing them.
Can anyone provide a list of common Latin songs and prayers that may come up at mass for me?

Thanks,
Greenscapular

 

[mercygate]

Dear Green,

The two things you sang at Mass today are part of what is known as the “Ordinary” of the Mass – that is, the parts that never change. I assume you knew what the words meant because you know the Mass in English:

Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God . . .
Agnus Dei: Lamb of God . . .
The Kyrie is also frequently sung by the congregation: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy).
Less frequently, the Gloria and the Creed are sung.

Sacrosanctum Concilium, the first document published by the Second Vatican Council stated that pastors should see to it that the people under their care learn at least these parts of the Mass since they are such a deep part of our heritage.

It is sad that today, a Protestant choir member is more likely to know these parts of the Mass in Latin and in several different musical settings than the average Catholic in the pew . . .

Welcome to a wonderful, rich world of music in worship!

 

[Greenscapular]

mercygate:

Dear Green,

The two things you sang at Mass today are part of what is known as the “Ordinary” of the Mass – that is, the parts that never change. I assume you knew what the words meant because you know the Mass in English:

Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God . . .
Agnus Dei: Lamb of God . . .
The Kyrie is also frequently sung by the congregation: Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy).
Less frequently, the Gloria and the Creed are sung.

Sacrosanctum Concilium, the first document published by the Second Vatican Council stated that pastors should see to it that the people under their care learn at least these parts of the Mass since they are such a deep part of our heritage.

It is sad that today, a Protestant choir member is more likely to know these parts of the Mass in Latin and in several different musical settings than the average Catholic in the pew . . .

Welcome to a wonderful, rich world of music in worship!

Thanks, Mercy Gate!

I’ve heard it said that of all the Church’s Art, it’s music is supposed to be the cream of the crop.
Sadly, I didn’t know what the songs were until after Mass as I am just beginning to get the Mass in English. ( I didn’t know what they were in Latin, that is. )
I find it odd that if the Average Joe/Jane Catholic should know these songs in Latin, that so few do. ( From what I can tell most in my parish knew the songs. ) We seem to only use Latin in the daily mass, but not on the Vigil or Sunday masses.
Overall, I thought it was very beautiful and reverent, however.
One of our RCIA ’ Field Trips ’ will be to a Latin Mass, so I’d like to know what to expect song wise.

Yours in Christ,
Greenscapular

 

[Jamie_Burns]

Greenscapular:

Today at Mass, we sung two songs in Latin ( The Sanctus and the Agnus Dei. )
I was unsure of what the words to the songs were. ( I hummed along )
Despite being embarrassed and unprepared-- I thought they sounded beautiful, and would like to learn to sing them.
Can anyone provide a list of common Latin songs and prayers that may come up at mass for me?

Thanks,
Greenscapular

1. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus,
   Dominus Deus Saboath.
   Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
   Hosanna in excelsis.
   Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
   Hosanna in excelsis.
2. Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
   Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
   Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Jamie Burns

 

[tee_eff_em]

Greenscapular:

Can anyone provide a list of common Latin songs and prayers that may come up at mass for me?

A wonderful resource is the Thesaurus Precum Latinarum (Treasury of Latin Prayers). If you poke through it looking for the ordinary of the Mass, eventually you might get to the 1970 Ordo Missae at the Catholic Liturgical Library. The hymns sung at your Mass would be found there in the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

tee,
Latin lover :bounce:

 

[Jamie_Burns]

There is a story that during the Second Vatican Council, one cardinal who was very opposed to mass in the vernacular said “at least keep the Kyrie. Give them at least that much Latin.”

The entire Council started laughing, including that cardinal when he remembered the Kyrie is in Greek.

 

[mercygate]

WOW! Your RCIA group is going to a LATIN MASS!!!:clapping: :dancing: The pastor of our parish has forbidden the music director EVER to use ANYTHING in Latin. You are blessed.

 

[Greenscapular]

Thanks Jamie and tee_eef_em for the help!

And mercy_gate, no music with Latin, at all?
That has to hurt…

Yours in Christ,
Greenscapular

 

[CatholicNerd]

mercygate:

WOW! Your RCIA group is going to a LATIN MASS!!!:clapping: :dancing: The pastor of our parish has forbidden the music director EVER to use ANYTHING in Latin. You are blessed.

The pastor of my summer parish had a similar mindset. Unfortunately I didn’t know that Latin had been banned until it was too late to do anything other than Mass IX for the feast of the Assumption. Oops. He was happy to hear Latin being used at Mass again but told me that “the damage has already been done… Latin’s dead here and there’s nothing we can do.” I respectfully voiced an objection and stated that I would be willing to offer classes during the year where people can come and learn what the Church really says about liturgy and sacred music. I think it’s especially appropriate now that we’ve lost six families to the SSPX… Perhaps you and the music director could make presentations, submit them to your diocesan bishop for approval, and then present them at your parish. That’s what I’m going to do. My pastor cannot reject a presentation with an Imprimatur! LOL

 

[Audrey]

Occasionally my parish (St. Bede the Venerable in Holland, Pennsylvania - Bucks County) sings the Agnus Dei in Latin. I enjoy it because it reminds me of my childhood. I was in 7th grade when Latin was discontinued, so I do have vivid memories of the Latin Mass. And I still remember most of it - although I did take two years of Latin in high school which probably helps. By the way, the Latin prayers can be found in the back of the Missalette.

 

[mercygate]

CatholicNerd:

The pastor of my summer parish had a similar mindset. Unfortunately I didn’t know that Latin had been banned until it was too late to do anything other than Mass IX for the feast of the Assumption. Oops. He was happy to hear Latin being used at Mass again but told me that “the damage has already been done… Latin’s dead here and there’s nothing we can do.” I respectfully voiced an objection and stated that I would be willing to offer classes during the year where people can come and learn what the Church really says about liturgy and sacred music. I think it’s especially appropriate now that we’ve lost six families to the SSPX… Perhaps you and the music director could make presentations, submit them to your diocesan bishop for approval, and then present them at your parish. That’s what I’m going to do. My pastor cannot reject a presentation with an Imprimatur! LOL

This is great advice and might actually work in a parish where (like yours) the priest is sympathetic. Our pastor was a Christian Brother before going to seminary about 15 years ago, where he learned NO Latin. The Liturgical Coordinator is too young to remember any Latin, but too old to think of it as a good thing. The priest is scared to death of it and therefore hostile. We ain’t goin’ nowhere in Latin as long as he’s in charge.

 

[akemner]

Greenscapular,

You could look into getting a subscription to Magnificat, a monthly magazine that has readings and propers for Mass for every day, as well as morning and evening prayers &c. It also contains the text for the Mass, both in English and Latin (all of this is for the current Mass).

www.magnificat.net

In Chrsit,
Adam

 

[kmktexas]

Greenscapular,

I second the Magnificat. If you don’t want to (or can’t afford right now) spend the subscrition price, you can often find them as single copy sales at Catholic bookstores. I also think Magnificat will send you one copy free as a sample.

Try looking in your Missal or Music issue. Ours has the Latin prayers buried in the very back of the Music book. We use the Latin Kyrie, Agnus Dei, Memorial Acclamation and “Lord I am not worthy” every year during Lent. It annoys me that we have to flip between two books to follow the Mass. The music leader doesn’t tell anyone where they are either. She is very liberal and doesn’t like doing the “old” prayers. Father insists however that they be sung.