Colloquium 2009 -- Last Day

It is amazing to me how quickly the week has passed. Yesterday the polyphonic choir I sang with (under the direction of Wilko Brouwers from the Netherlands) had a wonderful time singing the Brudieu Requiem Mass. Wilko transcribed the music for us... and it was absolutely wonderful. I will post the recordings tomorrow.

In meantime, I have continued to add individual recordings all week as I had time between rehearsals and lectures. It has been an amazing week. This week we not only had Ordinary and Extraordinary form Masses during the week, but also a full orchestral Haydn Mass featuring Cynthia Nam as soloist for the Benedictus (see recording). My rather primitive recording equipment just doesn't do the music justice. You really would have had to be there to fully experience how beautiful the music for each liturgy was.

I plan to add more comments about the week after I get home... but suffice it to say that it was again a wonderful success and a great learning experience for all who came to the Colloquium this year.

There is already a YouTube video with short clips from the week... I'll post a link later.

Colloquium 2009 Mass with Cardinal George

This morning's Mass was at the Loyola University Chapel with Cardinal George as celebrant. The music was again heavenly... I have posted a couple of new recordings on the widget.

Enjoy...

Recordings uploaded... Colloquium 2009

Yes, we had our first Holy Mass this morning... it was wonderful and (as it happened the first time at Mass in the crypt in the Basilica in D.C.) it brought tears to my eyes to hear the beautiful sound emanating from that large group of humanity all singing the liturgy...

Check out the recordings on the right... only a couple so far... more to come as I can edit and upload.

Enjoy.

A few photos from today:

Colloquium 2009 Begins!

I am here in Chicago enjoying wonderful weather, renewed friendships, outstanding musical direction and anticipation of fabulous teaching and learning over this week.

Today kicked off with registration at Loyola University, during which time I was able to see most of the attendees as they signed in and was so pleased to see many I had met at past CMAA events. My room is very comfortable, clean and convenient to all the classes and activities. The staff here at Loyola is very nice and pleasant.

We began our first evening with a short reception, during which a lot of catching up on things with others took place... followed closely by dinner at the dining hall. At 7:00 pm the welcome session was kicked off by Father Pasley, our CMAA chaplain. We had a short session on singing the ordinaries for tomorrow's English Mass, after which we split up into groups for polyphony rehearsals. Most folks had a very difficult time deciding which group to choose... with so many outstanding directors and such wonderful music, it wasn't easy.

Night prayer followed, after which a weary group of attendees headed back to try to catch a few winks before Morning prayer comes upon us tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.

As the week progresses, I hope to be posting recordings and comments on the progress we make. We are all especially looking forward to singing for the Mass at which Cardinal George will be the celebrant (Wednesday).

More tomorrow...

General update

In the past two weeks, life has been busy. I have started the boys on their next grades so that we can keep on moving. They are both excited to have started another school year and to have moved up a level.

Here in Fort Worth it was interesting to watch the occurrences with the swine flu scare. It turned out to be a non-event, even though the schools were closed and many other activities were canceled. For us, the only real impact was the fact that the boys' soccer playoffs were postponed until this past weekend.

We have had lots of rain here in the past 2 weeks. My garden is looking very good. Plus, we put in one more raised bed. With this latest bed, we are trying out a technique called "square-foot gardening". We actually made a grid of the bed (in our case, with string) and planted various things in the different squares. The boys each got four squares to plant, so it will be a learning experience for them, too.

I recently found a very interesting local podcast by a guy who is a modern survivalist. I really like his podcast (some salty language, so beware), and especially his tips on gardening and making your backyard produce some food for you instead of just being one more thing to take care of. Check out his site here.... I have learned a lot from him about composting, square-foot gardening, companion planting, organic pest control, etc.

The Fort Worth Schola Gregoriana is doing well. We continue to get compliments on our singing at weekly Mass. Right now we are getting ready for four great feasts in the liturgical year: Ascension, Pentecost, Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, and Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). I have several propers that we are working on for those weeks that are sounding very good.

The new propers we will be singing in Gregorian chant are:

Ascension: Introit -- Viri galilaei
Pentecost: Introit -- Spiritus Domini
Alleluia: Veni Sancte Spiritus (from Chants Abreges)
Sequence: Veni Sancte Spiritus
Chanted Latin hymn: Veni Creator Spiritus (to be used during Offertory)
Corpus Christi: Alleluia -- Caro mea (from Chants Abreges)
Sequence: Lauda Sion (shortened version from Ecce panis...)
Communion: Qui manducat

Lately I have also been working on teaching the schola the Latin chants for the Latin Requiem Mass. I think it is very important that any schola learn those chants. The schola already knows the ordinaries and the In Paradisum/Chorus angelorum. We will continue to work on the propers as time permits.

For the last two Saturdays, I have also been singing for the children making their first Holy Communion at our parish. Each time, the church was absolutely packed. The children looked beautiful and were very excited.

This weekend the boys camped out in the backyard. Happily, they picked the only night that it didn't rain (Saturday). They and two neighbor boys were happily set up in the tent right next to the tree house... with plenty of snacks and drinks... much fun was had by all. We had a monitor out there so that we could monitor them and be sure they were safe... Finally, near midnight, we had to tell them that they really had to go to sleep and settle down... we listened to them say their prayers through the walkie talkies...

I'll do better on my updates in the future... really!

Whew! It has been a busy time...

From the lack of recent postings, you may have surmised that I have been extremely busy. With all the musical preparations for Holy Week, I was swamped... immediately following Holy Week and Easter, I was getting ready for our family girls' weekend. Girls' weekend has been an event planned every other year or so for all my sisters, Mother (and any nieces that are old enough to swill wine with us) to get together for a weekend of talking, catching up, fun activities, etc.

This year, it happened to be that we had it here in Fort Worth. All four of my sisters, my Mother, and one niece flew in for it. My one sister-in-law was supposed to have come, too, but had to cancel at the last minute due to my brother's flying schedule.

We had a great time... visiting the Ft. Worth Main Street Art Festival on Friday, hitting the Grapevine, TX Wine Festival on Saturday, Mass and Divine Mercy activities on Sunday... Monday everyone flew home.

Also on Monday, I had my usual kids' choir practice and the adult schola rehearsal in the evening. After that, I rushed home to load up so that our family could go with my husband on a business trip to Shreveport. We didn't want to miss a chance to see friends. I got to sing with the schola there on Tuesday night and share wine and conversation afterwards... also got to spend quite a bit of time with friends -- kids happily playing, catching up on activities.

We got home on Thursday evening... back to our own beds, catching up on emails, etc.... read a book today called the Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls (I really enjoyed it). Things are back to normal again.

This weekend we'll be singing the Communion proper in Gregorian chant for the 3rd Sunday of Easter -- Cantate Domino. We had a pretty light turnout at rehearsal this week, so I am hoping it will go well... we'll be working hard on it at the pre-Mass warmup.

Evangelism

Well, we had a wonderful Holy Week! At Mass, our pastor re-emphasized the fact that evangelism is needed throughout the world. He quoted from words of Pope Benedict XVI while he was in Cameroon to that effect.

My youngest son has taken it to heart. Using his newly purchased (with his own money saved up from selling Nintendo DS games on ebay) digital camera, he filmed Pope Benedict during his Easter Urbi et Orbi address. My husband just heard him showing the clip to two of his friends... and he was heard to say:

" That is Pope Benedict. He is a very holy man. He is very close to God. He can change wine and bread into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ!"

He heard the message... we should all be so bold in proclaiming the Word of God!

San Mateo Parish Triduum

On Holy Thursday, my family attended Mass at San Mateo parish in Ft. Worth. Ours is a very small church, simple in its decorations and in the way liturgies are celebrated. I got to be a regular parishioner in the pews this time. My oldest boy was an altar server... my husband was one of the men in the parish who had his feet washed. They do something I have not seen at other parishes here. Perhaps it is a custom in the parishes in Mexico... there are 'apostles' robes that the men put on over their clothing for the Mandatum.

The liturgy was a bilingual Mass -- half in Spanish, half in English. Our parish uses bilingual missalettes from WLP, so it is very easy to follow along, whichever language is being used at the time. My Spanish is improving just from reading and checking the translation as the words are said. During the procession to repose the Blessed Sacrament, we sang the Pange lingua (in English), Adoro te (in English and Spanish) and Tantum Ergo (in Latin).

Last night, at the Good Friday service, our schola sang. I was very happy with the results, all in all. We sang the Popule meus (Reproaches) for the Veneration of the Cross in Latin from the Gregorian Missal. I am sorry to say that I started on a pitch slightly too high -- I had to apologize to my altos afterward. For Holy Communion, we sang the Pater, si non (Proper Communion for Palm Sunday), followed by the Anima Christi. I had another couple speak to me about joining our group.

Tonight will be another bilingual Mass. I'll be singing the first part of the Exultet in English; Fr. Bob Strittmatter will sing the rest in Spanish. Then, he and I will alternate chanting the Responsorial Psalms in English and Spanish. At San Mateo, all of the readings are read and all psalms are sung for the Holy Saturday Vigil Mass.

Tomorrow morning, The Fort Worth Schola Gregoriana will sing for the 10:00 am Mass for Easter morning. I am pleased that we will sing all Latin ordinaries, including the Vidi aquam for the sprinkling rite during the Easter season. We will also sing the Easter sequence (Victimae paschali) and a simplified Alleluia (from the Chants Abreges collection). Because of all this Latin, we will try to balance it with English hymns for opening, offertory, Communion, and Closing. The choices for these will be:

Opening: Christ the Lord is risn'n today
Offertory: O Sons and Daughters (O Filii et Filiae)
Communion: Humbly We Adore You (Adoro te)
Closing: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (Te Deum)

A happy Easter to all...

Fort Worth Schola Gregoriana Palm Sunday

Holy Week is here! This morning the Fort Worth Schola Gregoriana sang for Mass at San Mateo Parish in Fort Worth at 10:00 a.m. I was very proud of our group. Here is our list of music that we sang today.

Hosanna filio David (Antiphon prior to blessing of palm branches)
All Glory, Laud and Honor (procession in to Church)
Responsorial psalm (simple chanted Mode VIII - English)
Offertory -- Chanted hymn -- Gloria Laus
Sanctus XVIII
Agnus Dei XVIII
Communion: Proper Communion chant -- Pater, si non
Post Communion: Anima Christi
Closing: O Sacred Head Surrounded

The church was more full than usual this morning and our schola got several very nice compliments. One person expressed an interest in joining our group today also. So, we may be adding another voice.

We'll be rehearsing again on Tuesday evening for the Good Friday service and Easter Sunday Mass. I think the schola is very well prepared, so it should be a matter of polishing things up. To anyone who hasn't either sung in or directed a Gregorian chant schola, you may not realize how wonderful it is that we are being able to progress in this way as quickly as we have been allowed. We are all volunteers and have been able to gradually implement the use of Latin ordinaries and chanted Latin seasonal hymns and several different Latin propers from the Gregorian Missal. Since the beginning of the Liturgical year, we have sung every Sunday Mass. I have to keep reminding myself of just how fortunate we have been, how welcoming the parishioners have been, how enthusiastic the schola members have been...

I know, from anecdotal evidence, that it doesn't usually go this smoothly. At many places where an effort has begun to try to add more Gregorian chant to the Mass, much resistance has been received. The resistance at other parishes may often come from many different quarters: 1) the parishioners in the pews who may a) have an aversion to Latin or b) just prefer the more contemporary music, 2) the Parish Director of Music [ our parish doesn't have one, so no problem there], 3) lack of support or welcome from the pastor [ Our pastor is absolutely wonderful -- welcomes us and also is very sensitive to the needs of the parishioners in the pews]. In short, all things have converged here to make this effort fruitful. We thank God for the blessings!

Seven Quick Takes (vol. 6)

I have been absent from the 7 Quick Takes Crew for a few weeks... but will try to put seven thoughts together on this beautiful morning. Check out Jennifer's Friday offerings over at Conversion Diary.

1. Yesterday was such an unbelievably windy day here in the north Texas area. Apparently it affected plane landings/takeoffs at DFW. And, it did affect us. I had big plans to go pick strawberries to freeze and to make jam. The strawberry patch is only open 3 days/week for picking; Tuesday it was too muddy -- we found out after driving all the way over there; Thursday was waaaay too windy; do we dare try it on Palm Sunday afternoon?

I must say I am very tempted to load up the boys after Mass and go for it. I have missed the availability of fresh (self-picked) fruit since moving over here. I love making jams and jellies. My extended family likes it, too.

2. My little garden is growing well. We have eaten a whole row (admittedly not huge rows, given the size of my garden) of radishes and are beginning to work on row two. From the photo, you may be able to see how well the onions are doing. I also planted four tomato plants, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, green beans and peas. This is all experimental, since my main attempt at growing things to eat has been limited to herbs in past years. I like the small size of my little raised beds. I can easily keep them weeded and planted. I'll keep you posted on our progress.

3. We were part of a slightly smaller group at morning Mass today. Perhaps folks are saving themselves for all the upcoming Holy Week liturgies. My oldest boy is getting very good at being the sole altar server, although today he did forget about holding the book for the intercessory prayers before helping to prepare the altar. Our priest is very kind... gave him a little pat on the arm to let him know it was OK.

4. I have printed up Mass programs for Palm Sunday and Good Friday in preparation for Holy Week. I still need to finish up the special edition for Easter Sunday and then the Easter Season following.

I had a bit of extra space available on the back of the booklets for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, so I have started including a few little excerpts from the CMAA publication Frequently Asked Questions on Sacred Music. These questions are typical questions such as: " What is Sacred Music", "Why should we regard Gregorian chant as the ideal?" and "Isn't this just a matter of taste?". The answers are well-documented and feature many quotes from Pope Benedict XVI, Pope John Paul II, Paul VI, Pius X, etc. They also give the references from various Church documents. I am hoping some of the folks at Mass will take the time to read a bit about it. Maybe we will gain some more supporters of the cause.

5. I am amazed at the many ways our new government is intruding upon our lives and the freedoms we have. In recent weeks, we have seen attacks on the unborn, amazingly high governmental expenditures (all in the name of saving our economy), an attempt to restrict freedom in organic farming, bullet casing recycling, etc. The first two items I am sure no one can escape knowledge of... other things seem to be happening quietly and behind the scenes.

Here is some information about the organic farming issue:

House and Senate are about to vote on a bill that will OUTLAW ORGANIC FARMING-- the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 (bill HR 875). There is an enormous rush to get this into law within the next week before people realize what is happening.

Main backer and lobbyist is Monsanto – chemical and genetic engineering giant corporation (and Cargill, ADM, and about 35 other related agri-giants) . This bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by the newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply". This may include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales.

If this passes then NO more heirloom clean seeds but only Monsanto genetically altered seeds.

I find this very disturbing... not just the fact that it will impact organic farmers who grow for sale to grocery stores, etc., but also because it will affect the backyard gardener who brings his excess to sell at farmers' markets. The biggest concern of all, though, is the idea of the reduction of the availability of heirloom seeds. I don't know if, as a practical matter, many folks are aware that many of the wonderful hybrid seeds we happily buy and use for our home gardens will not produce seeds that we could save and use in future years. Heirloom seeds offer that possibility.

One other little known fact of a small, but rather insidious change since Pres. Obama took the reins of power: He recently put out an executive order prohibiting the sale of spent brass casings collected at military shooting ranges to U.S. armaments manufacturers for use in reloading and sale to the public.

Up until now, it has been (from what I have heard) fairly common practice to have all brass casings collected from the ranges and sold to these bullet manufacturers. It greatly lessens the cost of ammunition to the general public for the particular caliber bullets that would apply. Well, military installations are no longer allowed to sell them to U.S. manufacturers. They must sell them to Chinese manufacturers now. I don't know if those Chinese manufacturers would be allowed to sell these products in the U.S. at all, so perhaps the intent is to lessen the supply to U.S. consumers. Just check it out to see if you can find any ammunition to buy for an AR-15. It isn't to be found currently.

Update: A friend corrected my info. This executive order only lasted a week. Here is a news release:

http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/NewsReleases.aspx?ID=12244

6. I am reading a book I just received by Pope Benedict XVI: The Spirit of the Liturgy. It was recommended very highly by many different MusicaSacra forum participants. I am about 20% into the book and am finding it absolutely wonderful. As with Pope Benedict's other books, I find the amount of information about the historical aspect of things and especially as it relates to the Jewish history gives so much depth to the writing.

This is not a quick read... but well worth the effort.

7. I am appalled that Notre Dame has invited Pres. Obama to speak at their commencement and give him an honorary law degree. I signed the petition against it online... along with many others. I don't have much hope that any of the outcry will touch the heart of Fr. Jenkins, but we should all pray for him.

For a bit of consolation, read this letter sent to Fr. Jenkins by one of our fearless bishops with a few extra comments by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (in red):

March 31, 2009

Reverend John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President
University of Notre Dame
400 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556

Dear President Jenkins:

I wish to express in my own name and on behalf of the Catholic community of this Diocese, my dismay and outrage [goes a little beyond the soft-peddling "disappointment", right?] at your decision to invite the current President of the United States to address the 2009 graduates of the University of Notre Dame and to receive an honorary degree.

This decision of your flies in the face of the expressed directive of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in the year 2004, that Catholic institutions not so honor those who profess opposition to the Church’s doctrine on abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

I would ask that you rescind this unfortunate decision and so avoid dishonoring the practicing Catholics of the United States, including those of this Diocese. [He is sticking for his flock.] Failing that, please have the decency to change the name of the University to something like, “The Fighting Irish College” or “Northwestern Indiana Humanist University.” [simply.too.good] Though promotion of the obscene is not foreign to you, [! This refers to Fr. Jenkin’s relationship to the play The V. Monologues ] I would point out that it is truly obscene [i.e., this is worse yet] for you to take such decisions as you have done in a university named for our Blessed Lady, whom the Second Vatican Council called the Mother of the Church.

I sign myself

Very truly yours,
The Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D.
Bishop of Rockford

h/t Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I wish any readers the very best for this coming Holy Week and Easter!

A worthy rating...

A very low score, all in all.

h/t Scelata

Learn to Link

This week on the CMAA forum, I was reading an article that was linked about learning to link. It reminded me of just how far I have come. Just two short years ago I began my journey into learning about singing Gregorian chant in earnest. While that in itself has been a wonderful education into a largely-heretofore-unknown world for me, the journey took me to places I never expected along the way. Once I discovered the wonderful world of chant music that was being made available online, I had to develop more online literacy in order to access it.

Prior to that time, I certainly knew how to use email and process online orders, and search for things online. I never had really entered the world of blogging, html, hyperlinks, web page design or things of that nature. I had never felt the need.

I soon found out that I had to learn to navigate this online world to get to things I needed. I also had to learn how to make it available to others (who had less motivation than I to learn this stuff). So... I began by learning about hyperlinks. I learned how to cut and paste pdf files in order to create new documents with specific musical informaton I needed (I did not find the pdf tools to be all that intuitive -- it took me awhile to figure out how to use the tools to do what I wanted to do). I learned how to create my own pdf files using a free pdf package which I learned about from a friend from CMAA.

I found that I needed to purchase a font package that would allow me to transcribe things into chant notation. Even now, more than a year later, I am still learning tricks about formatting and the proper use of the font that I didn't know. My chant transcriptions are looking much better these days.

It also became apparent to me that, although the online recordings that were available online to aid people in the learning of Gregorian chant were very nice to listen to, they were not as good for trying to learn new chants. The simple recording of a single voice allows a person to hear the small nuances of the phrasing, the proper pronunciation, etc. At least that was my opinion. So... early on, I purchased a little digital recorder to use for that purpose. Then, I had to learn how to burn CD's with music. I found out my recorder used a different than standard format. I needed to purchase another software package that would convert my files into mp3 files. Then, I learned to do simple editing with a free software package I was able to download.

I discovered the world of blogging. Reading the thoughts of others with similar interests and finding out about their own particular opinions, experiences, and trials gave me the interest in starting a blog of my own. I also had the motivation of being able to make recordings available to my schola from an online location. I began a blog and had to learn all the little things that go into that.

I soon discovered that blogs don't usually offer a way to host music files. You can link your blog to files that are stored somewhere else on the web, but that didn't really fit what I was hoping for. I discovered the world of web hosting, including the web host I currently use. I've tried two different companies... both free.

Here I am -- knowing far more than I did two years ago about this online world. It has become apparent to me that I should now learn to navigate the html world. I have relied on the user-friendly blog hosting sites and their nice software, easy hyperlinking with Word and other MS Office software. It is time to grow up and really learn about the underlying code. My book from Amazon is on the way now.

I would never have thought that just the need for more information about Gregorian chant and how to sing it would lead me off into this world of computer nerds. Yes... I'm becoming more nerdy by the minute. No regrets.

Idiot's Guide to Square Notes...

Need a refresher on reading the Gregorian chant notation? Here is an excellent reposting of the article by Jeffrey Tucker and Arlene Oost-Zinner from the Crisis 2006 article.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0929.htm

h/t Catholic E

Chabanel Site Offers More Free Psalms

Check out Aristotle Esguerra's post at the Recovering Choir Director... Jeff Ostrowski, and others have been outdoing themselves offering us a wonderful selection of psalm choices -- plus a sung example of settings. It is a thing of beauty!

To go to the Chabanel Psalm site, see the tool bar on the right side of the blog...

An Interesting Problem...

This past week, I received a call from a Catholic woman who wanted some help with some religious songs she had composed. I didn't know her, but felt compelled to help her if I could. So, I met with her and she showed me what she had. It was a folder full of words to songs she had come up with over the past 30 years or so.

She doesn't read or write music at all herself, and doesn't play an instrument, so we were left with her singing the songs for me while I looked at the words. That way, I could get an idea of the type of song, etc. It was an interesting situation. She brought me this entire array of the very type of music I don't think is ever appropriate for the liturgy and asked my help in getting them transcribed, recorded and published for the benefit of others (and also in the hope of earning some money for herself). As I listened to 3 or 4 songs, all of which seemed to be tunes taken from other songs and set to her words, I was wondering just what to do for her.

So... I told her to get a simple digital recorder and record the tunes (her singing them) and that I would transcribe the melody line for her (and that I don't have time to do more). She seems to feel that she is being called to share her music with others, so I'll do a little to help her.

She seemed very shocked that I recognized the melodies in her tunes. She was convinced they were all 100% original compositions of her very own. I refrained from mentioning the Good Friday piece that sounds like The Theme from Gilligan's Island or the fact that Here I Am is a straight theft from the Brady Bunch Theme. When I told her that it is almost impossible to compose anything that has no elements of other compositions, it seemed to make her feel better. But she said something that made me stop... she said her music was very like most of the music she has been hearing at Mass since V2. She didn't see anything inappropriate in it for use in the liturgy at all (I suggested it may be nice for youth groups to sing or for children's choirs -- a couple of them sounded like you could quite easily put hand motions to it).

My point is -- Catholics have not had their musical consciences formed at all in the past 40 years. Is it any wonder folks are confused? Plus, all the work that so many very talented and highly trained CMAA composers are doing and making freely available to others is contrasted by this poor woman with no musical background to speak of who envisions earning significant money by the copyright and publication of her compositions. I wanted to be kind to her and to help her if I could, but it did make me pause. I have just focused on trying to do my best to bring back Gregorian chant to one little corner of the world. In a way, it brought me back to the realization that we still have so much to do.

So what was the lesson I should learn from this? How can I best follow God's Will in this situation? It is a puzzle.

It's a crazy world we live in... thank goodness for Gregorian chant.

Quis non amantem -- Corpus Christi Watershed

h/t Jeff Ostrowski at Corpus Christi Watershed. Take a look at this video and listen to the lovely music. Great stuff!

Are you considering the Colloquium?

Here is a wonderful link to the music that was sung at the Colloquium last summer. Take a listen and then put in your registration... this has to be shared!

See also my post here: http://voxfeminaesacra.blogspot.com/2009/01/colloquium-2009-in-my-future.html

Poor Clare Monastery Recordings re-posted

I had a request to put the Poor Clare recordings up again... so they are there on the sidebar. If you are ever in Roswell, NM, attend Mass with them at 7 am. If you are wondering why the brilliant purple widget color... it is for Lent!

If you would like to hear the Sugar Land, TX recordings, go to this link:

http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/02/sugarland-sessions.html

Enjoy!

When the Family Pet Dies...

Yesterday we noticed our dog seemed less excitable than usual... more calm, quiet, sleeping more, eating and drinking less... Yet, there were no big indications that she was near the end of her life. The day was beautiful... she was happily sunning herself out on the grass yesterday afternoon when we called her in before going to pick my husband up from work.

Later, when we arrived home, she greeted us with a wag of the tail... she quietly moved here and there around the house, tending to her watchdog duties as usual...

When it became close to bedtime and we needed to let her outside one last time, she was not able to get up. We are assuming she had a stroke. She would not try to eat or drink and seemed very lethargic. After we gave her a few ice chips and an aspirin, she perked up a bit, but it wasn't a sign that she would really improve.

We sat up with her, feeding her ice chips and trying to keep her comfortable... but she died early this morning. It is especially hard on my boys, who have had her around their entire lives. Of all the dogs we have had over the years, I can't say she was my favorite... she was always a bit too high-strung and prone to bark at everything (very loudly). But it doesn't make it any easier.

Seven Quick Takes (vol. 5)

Another Friday is near... the second Friday of Lent. I'll take a little time out to see if I can put together seven thoughts... Check out Jennifer's blog over at Conversion Diary.

1. It is finally nice and warm again. Yesterday the temp got into the mid '80's. The boys were happy to play outside. We have a fairly steep driveway, that seems to be perfect for riding scooters and flying turtles at breakneck speed and narrowly missing the live oak tree at the edge of the drive before careening off onto the grass... I keep saying it looks too dangerous to me... my husband says it is just what boys like to do. So, I insist they wear their helmets and try their best to avoid the tree and try not to look.

2. I've received my 5 copies of Sing Like a Catholic. One copy went to my pastor... one went out on loan to a schola member. Two are packaged up to send off to my parents and former pastor. One is marked up with pencil markings where I found a few more corrections I missed before the first printing. Happily, they weren't earth-shatteringly bad... just little minor things... even things that could be considered a matter of taste.

The Church Music Association of America now has a vendor site on Amazon where several books are listed for sale. I've been monitoring the inventory and processing shipping requests, so it has kept me busy. Check out the site here.

3. We are the happy purchasers of a quarter of beef... all nicely packaged and in the freezer. It was a young cow raised by a 4-H student and sold at the annual auction... so, no weird stuff fed to it... we had steaks last night and they were very good. Nice and tender.

4. I would really like to make it to the parish stations of the cross tonight... so maybe we'll make an evening of it with the boys...

5. Getting older is not for the faint-hearted. It also helps if you have a good sense of humor. Next week I hit that lovely milestone -- and to honor it, I got my temporary AARP membership card. Now I just would really like to know why they don't have any more sense than to send a woman such a vivid reminder of her age the week before the birthday... surely not many are so tempted by their fabulous benefits that they send in the membership fee...

I can tell you, it didn't work with me. I did keep the temporary card, though, and have had quite a few laughs... perhaps I'll try to get the senior discount at dinner tonight by waving it at the waitress...

6. We are working through some really lovely chants with the schola. Since we are still a new schola, there are many propers I would love to do that are just a little too much for this year. But, I have chosen some absolutely wonderful choices for this year during Holy Week. We'll be singing on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and probably also on Easter morning. There are so many wonderful chants...

We'll be singing the following pieces:

Palm Sunday:

Hosanna Filio David
Gloria Laus (although this is typically done during the procession, I'm not sure where we'll use it)
Pater, si non (Communion proper) click on it to listen to a recording of it at IsaacJogues.org

Good Friday:

Reproaches -- Popule Meus (this is the very powerful proper text to use during the veneration of the cross -- and the refrain portions are really not that difficult. The schola has already learned the two different refrains... I'll sing the verses in between)

The words can really bring you to tears...

Here is a sampling of it:

Refrain in Latin: Popule meus, quid feci tibi? Aut in quo contristavi te? Responde mihi.
translation: My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? answer me.

1st verse: Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti: parasti Crucem Salvatori tuo.
translation: I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom, but you led your Savior to the cross.

2nd Refrain in Greek/Latin: Hagios o Theos. Sanctus Deus. Hagios Ischyros. Sanctus Fortis. Hagios Athanatos, eleison hymas. Sanctus Immortalis, miserere nobis.

translation: Holy is God! (Greek) Holy is God! (Latin), Holy and strong! (Greek) Holy and strong! (Latin), Holy imortal One, have mercy on us! (Greek and then Latin)

2nd verse: Quia eduxi te per desertum qudraginta annis, et manna cibavi te, et introduxi in terram satis optimam: parasti Crucem Salvatori tuo.

translation: For forty years I led you safely through the desert. I fed you with manna from heaven and brought you to a land of plenty; but you led your Saviour to the cross.

It continues on for several verses, alternating with the two refrains... it has a very haunting melody, sounds very middle-eastern in places.

I'll fill you in on more pieces that we are learning... next week.

7. One of the gifts I got for my soon to be coming birthday is The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, published by Baronius Press. One of the schola members brought it with her one evening... I was so enthralled by the beautiful book and its lovely chants for the office... I've been learning my way through it.

Wishing you many blessings as I approach a half century...