What I like about the new English translation of the Roman Missal

It's gentle, and not so 'casual'. I'm glad "And also with you" is replaced. Probably there are limits on what you can do with English, because I think the casualness and equality are important concepts in everyday life in America. But the language and the culture I brought up, 'reverance' and 'respect' are more important. So the language reflects that. For example, there are different ways of addressing to different people, and you cannot use the same pronouns and verb endings as well as other parts of the speech that you use for your children to you parents. So it sometimes still bothers me when my children use the same 'you' that they use to their dog to me. Even in school, I found it's very hard to teach and expect the children to show 'respect' to the teachers. I even feel that their concept of 'respect' is dfferent from what I learned. So in CCD class, when we can talk about 'love,' I think the children get it. God loves us so we show love. But when when they hear the word 'reverance,' their face looked puzzled. It's a hard concept for them. I hope the new translation helps us and the next generation learn 'reverance' and that God is still above us even if he came to earth as a human being.

February Schola Calendar

At OLPH (practice on Mondays at 7:30)
Saturday Mass (8:15AM) (Warm - up starts at 7:40)
Feb 6, 20

Kyrie XI (Feb.6)
Kyrie XVII (Feb.20)
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Ubi Caritas et Amor (Feb 6)
Ave Verum Corpus (Feb.20)
Ave Regina Caelorum


At Resurrection Church (practice on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM)
Satruday Mass (9AM) (Warm-up starts at 8:30)
Feb.13,27

Kyrie XI (Feb.13)
Kyrie XVII (Feb.27)
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Ubi Caritas et Amor (Feb 13)
Ave Verum Corpus (Feb.27)
Ave Regina Caelorum


Children's schola (practice on Mondays at 1:30 at OLPH)
First Friday Mass, Feb.5
OLPH 8:15 AM (warm up starts at 7:45 AM)

Ave Maria (prelude)
Kyrie XVI
Alelluia
Veni Creator Spiritus
Sanctus XVIII
Mysterium Fidei and Amen
Agnus Dei XVIII
Jesu Dulcis Memoria

Holy Hour and Benediction at St. Benedict, Feb.21, Sunday

Chant List for Holy Hour and Benediction

1. Anima Christi (Children sing, during Preparation of the Holy Hour)

2. O Salutaris Hostia (everyone)

Prayer (priest)

3. Adoro te devote (children and men)
4. O Panis Dulcissime (children)
5. Ave verum Corpus (women)
6. Jesu Dulcis Memoria (Adults and children)

Scripture Reading

7. Veni Creator Spiritus (children)
8. Ubi caritas (adults & children)
9. Adoramus te Christe (Adults)

Prayer for Vocations

10. Salve Regina (Solemn tone, Adults)
11. Ave Regina caelorum (men)

Scripture Reading

12. Ave Maria (Mode VI, children)
13. Ave Maria (Mode I, children)

Benediction

14. Tantum Ergo (everyone)

Priest: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis
Response (all): Omne delectamentum in se habentem

Prayer (priest)

Divine Praises (chanted by cantor/everyone)

Final chant (schola)

15. Christus vincit

Children's schola: Monday Jan.18. 2010

We are working on Jesu Dulcis Memoria (communion hymn for Feb. Mass) and reviewing Veni Creator Spiritus (offertory).
We also talk about bowing when we sing Holy Trinity (for example, last verse of Veni Creator). It is said that you receive a special grace while you are doing it, and some saints also felt deeply of giving themselves to God while they bow to Holy Trinity. (explained in The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chapter VI the "Gloria Patri"). Although it is an option for a schola to bow for the reason of being heard, I decided to have them bow whenever possible, because it is a good practice for them, learning the reverance and being reminded of the Holy Trinity. (Sometimes I peek and get amazed, because they look very sincere when they do that. It's so wonderful to see young people show such a humble gesture.)

We started a new chant that we would like to sing at the Holy Hour for Vocations at St. Benedict. O Panis Dulcisimme (P.92). I hope you get to review verses 1 and 2. I don't believe this is in any of your CD, but it's a very simple, but beautiful, chant. (Good one to learn note names too.) I will be having a short meeting with the pastor next Sunday for details. Then I can send you the list of chants and flyer. He is very very looking forward to it.

We also sang the entire Gloria (P.9) at the request of Matt Hill, who also started the beginning part for us. It was a big WOW! (I never heard such a strong start of this wonderful hymn of Glory!)

We are having such a wonderful time in the chant class. Hope to see you all next week.

Mia

Wednesday, January 06, 2010, Clergy Conference in Rome: Address of Msgr. Guido Marini, Papal Master of Ceremonies

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/clergy-conference-in-rome-address-of.html

Music and the Historical Imperative

Music and the Historical Imperative from New Liturgical Movement
by Jeffrey Tucker

"...Vast amounts of our liturgical life are devoted to retelling a historical narrative, celebrating events such as the birth of Christ, the visit of the Magi, the Baptism of Christ, various miracles, and so on. This illustrates something unique about Christianity. It is not just an abstract theological perspective. It is deeply rooted in empirical events - a real history that we revisit every week forever. But what about music? Shouldn't it partake of the same historical imperative? Why should it be so commonly believed that any music and any text is suitable and that there is nothing we owe to our deep history here? Surely the music should be as rooted in history as the liturgical subject matter is. ..

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/music-and-historical-imperative.html

A great chant website and children's schola news

Hello, everyone. I thought I wanted share this email not only with children's schola but also with other homeschooling parents. First of all, if you are interested in, there's a great website you might want to keep in your computer handy. (This is the most amazing site for me.)

http://musicfortheliturgy.org/

This site has almost all the Chant Mass settings (with the beautiful home page), as well as Propers, both music scores AND audios. That means you can look at the music and sing along with the audio file.
For example, if you want to learn Kyrie XVII, which the children's schola started to learn today and will be singing from next month, and I'd like to invite you to sing with us if you come to the first Friday Mass on February 5, click on the top wheel on the right, St.Daniel. Then you will see the list of the Mass settings. So click on the Mass setting XVII, then click on Kyrie B. (Not Kyrie A). The MP#2 has a beautiful singing by Monks. Very very spiritual.

Many of them have beautiful monks' singing as well as one person singing for practice. This site is made by dedicated musicians to sacred music, and it is keep improving. So keep eye on them.

Also, I wanted to tell you that I'm very proud of the schola children that they learn to sing solfeges of all the notes(complete series of Do re, mi, with hand signs). We learn the new chants Jesu Dulcis Memoria in Solfege.
I don't know whehter you can understand my excitment, but today was a big day for the chant class ! All the fun songs and games we did in the class were done for this goal. (those were music excercises done in a fun way.) We really took a big step today in learning music, and I had the best class ever.

The Pope (Pius X) wanted the simple beauty of the Church’s own music to be brought back, so that when the people heard it and sang it, their hearts would be lifted up to higher things and they would not be distracted in their worship—

Happy Chanting everyone! I'm so glad our Holy Church safeguarded this beautiful sacred music so we can still sing and listen to them.

In Christ,
Mia