Music at Mass

[Sanctus]

Tomorrow I’m going to attend our base church’s music selection/choir practice. For the last few weeks we’ve been singing songs written by wesley, luther, and the likes. Now we have the Adoremus hymnal just sitting there in the pews…unfortunantly, it being a military base the chapel is dual use and the “organist” (electronic panio player) is a contracted worker who, to my amazment, isn’t Catholic…anyway she invites us to help with the choir. I’ve been told she uses the songs from the Oregon Catholic Press hymnal (I think that’s what it’s called) because they publish a bullitin helping her put together songs for Mass…

My plan was to go and suggest songs to sing for this Sunday from the Adoremus Hymnal like:

Ave Verum Corpus–for the offertory
Panis Angelicus–for Communion
Holy God we Praise thy Name–for the Recessional

But I can’t think of one for the Processional…can anyone help? One of her complaints (apparently) about the Adoremus hymnal is that it is dosen’t give enough variety to use.

Anyone else know any good songs to suggest for future use? How should I approach this whole situation?

 

[La_Chiara]

Many hymnals are organized or cross-indexed by the occasion for which they are suited. You might also talk to the priest, as he might have suggestions or preferences for music. Good for you that you see a need and are getting involved!

 

[Sanctus]

All went well…this coming Sunday we’re singing:

Faith of our Fathers
Oh Sacred Head Surrounded
Tantum Ergo
Holy God We Praise Thy Name

…little did I know that making a little suggestion can get you volun-told be the Cantor and chant the Kyrie…next week we’re going to be singing Motzart’s Ave Verum. On another note, has anyone ever heard Tantum Ergo outside of Benediction? I had suggested Panis Angelicus or Ave Verum for the Communion Hymn but they also saw Tantum Ergo in the Hymnal and loved it.

 

[thann]

Sanctus, your non-Catholic keyboardist might like to have you as a regular resource to plan songs for upcoming Masses. Sounds like she was using OCP only because it has that liturgical planner. With a resource like you, she can play better hymns from Adoremus rather than much of the insipid stuff from OCP.

I wish my parish had Adoremus, but it just purchased OCP’s Glory and Praise a couple of years ago and won’t be in the market for a new hymnal for some time.

As for Tantum Ergo, I don’t see a problem with using it as a communion hymn – the words are certainly suited for it.

'thann

 

[TAS2000]

Sanctus, You said the base, so I assume you are military. In that case I can’t believe you haven’t figured out yet that this is eqivalent to saying “I’d love to be in charge of this…”

…little did I know that making a little suggestion can get you volun-told