This morning was a great day in the diocese... our new bishop, Michael Duca, took his place in the cathedra and gave us a great homily, exhorting us to take within us Christ to the world in our words and actions.
The traditional knocking at the door, entry and sprinkling by the bishop began the day's liturgy, after which the Mass began. I sang the short version of the Sequence before the Alleluia. It actually flows in the Mass at that point very well, although it is supposed to be sung after the Alleluia according to the missal.
After the reception of Holy Communion, the bishop led a procession with the Blessed Sacrament around the cathedral. It was something great to see... 8 torch bearers in robes, the bishop, 2 priests, our deacon and all the parishioners. They carried the Blessed Sacrament under a canopy... but even that bit of shade can't have made it very cool carrying the monstrance in all those vestments... it is hot and muggy here in Shreveport just now. After the procession, we had the Benediction.
While I was waiting for the procession to return, one parishioner came up and asked me about the sequence. Apparently, she had never before heard it... I was so happy to have the chance to spread the word about all the beautiful chant that is ours for the using...
Here is some information that I provided to her about the Sequence for Corpus Christi, Lauda Sion... it was written by St. Thomas Aquinas and is one of the three sequences that are listed in my Gregorian Missal for the Novus Ordo (ordinary) form of the Mass (The other two are: Veni, Sancte Spiritus -- Pentecost and Victimae Paschali -- Easter). Read more about Lauda Sion here. I have actually sung one other, the Dies Irae, which is used for funerals.
My shortened version (beginning with Ecce Panis Angelorum) can be found here; you can hear the monks in Brazil singing the entire long version of it here.
The traditional knocking at the door, entry and sprinkling by the bishop began the day's liturgy, after which the Mass began. I sang the short version of the Sequence before the Alleluia. It actually flows in the Mass at that point very well, although it is supposed to be sung after the Alleluia according to the missal.
After the reception of Holy Communion, the bishop led a procession with the Blessed Sacrament around the cathedral. It was something great to see... 8 torch bearers in robes, the bishop, 2 priests, our deacon and all the parishioners. They carried the Blessed Sacrament under a canopy... but even that bit of shade can't have made it very cool carrying the monstrance in all those vestments... it is hot and muggy here in Shreveport just now. After the procession, we had the Benediction.
While I was waiting for the procession to return, one parishioner came up and asked me about the sequence. Apparently, she had never before heard it... I was so happy to have the chance to spread the word about all the beautiful chant that is ours for the using...
Here is some information that I provided to her about the Sequence for Corpus Christi, Lauda Sion... it was written by St. Thomas Aquinas and is one of the three sequences that are listed in my Gregorian Missal for the Novus Ordo (ordinary) form of the Mass (The other two are: Veni, Sancte Spiritus -- Pentecost and Victimae Paschali -- Easter). Read more about Lauda Sion here. I have actually sung one other, the Dies Irae, which is used for funerals.
My shortened version (beginning with Ecce Panis Angelorum) can be found here; you can hear the monks in Brazil singing the entire long version of it here.
2 comments:
I was glad to hear you sing the sequence. I wish they would have put something in the misalette, though. Sequences are uncommon, and I don't know how many people knew what was going on. I also think that it would have been good if they printed or referenced a translation in the hymnal.
Yes, in fact, because the Director of Music had not included it in the program we almost cancelled the singing of it. Fr. Peter would have preferred that we had a translation for folks in the pews...
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