Te Deum: Happy New Year!

"On the last day of the year, it is traditional to sing or recite the Te Deum." I'll let Chant Café explain the rest, and wish you a happy and blessed 2017!

Fri. Jan. 6 and Sun. Jan. 8: Epiphany

5:30 PM  Friday (EF), 4 PM Sunday (OF), both at the Cathedral.

Introit (S/A): Ecce advenit

Gradual (Fri. only, T/B): Omnes de Saba

Alleluia (Fri. only, S/A): Vidimus stellam

Offertory (T/B): Reges Tharsis, What Child Is This (Sun. only)

Communio: Vidimus stellam, Corde natus ex parentis

Recessional: The First Noel (S, A, T, B; Sun. only?)

Ordinaries (at least on Sunday) will be Mass VIII.

Take Tomorrow Off

From rehearsal, that is. You could try telling your employer Kathy gave you the day (really, night) off, but that may not be received all that warmly. See you next year on Tues., Jan. 3rd to rehearse for our two Epiphany Masses, Fri. Jan. 6 and Sun. Jan. 8!

Puer Natus Est Nobis

Mary is now with child, awaiting birth, and Joseph is full of expectancy as he enters the city of his own family. He searched for a place for the birth of him to whom heaven and earth belonged. Could it be that the Creator would not find room in his own creation? Certainly, thought Joseph, there would be room in the village inn. There was room for the rich; there was room for those who were clothed in soft garments; there was room for everyone who had a tip to give to the innkeeper.  

But when finally the scrolls of history are completed down to the last word of time, the saddest line of all will be: "There was no room in the inn." No room in the inn, but there was room in the stable. The inn was the gathering place of public opinion, the focal point of the world's moods, the rendezvous of the worldly, the rallying place of the popular and the successful. But there's no room in the place where the world gathers. The stable is a place for outcasts, the ignored and the forgotten. The world might have expected the Son of God to be born in an inn; a stable would certainly be the last place in the world where one would look for him. The lesson is: divinity is always where you least expect to find it. So the Son of God made man is invited to enter into his own world through a back door. 

--Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Merry Christmas to all of you from Regina Pacis Cantorum.

I Now Have An "EEN" Box

At my new job, I have to have an IN box. So I decided to make my temporary one related to RPC:

It reads:

IN
Or, as my Gregorian Chant choir director says,
"EEN"

You Are Reviewing Your Christmas Music, Aren't You?

HT: The Choir Project by way of the Reno Silver Dollar Chorus.

Dec. 25: Christmas

10:50 AM at the Cathedral. I'd say arrive earlier, but we will be following the 9:30 AM Mass.

(Carols before Mass omitted)

Introit: Puer natus est

Kyrie, Gloria, Agnus Dei: Missa Prima (Haller)

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Tui sunt coeli, Hodie Christus Natus Est (midi file; click on the yellow speaker icon)

Sanctus: Mass VIII

Communio: Viderunt onmes, Silent Night

Recessional: Adeste Fideles/O Come All Ye Faithful

Some Opportunities

The first opportunity is to help a family in need in their time of loss. Soprano Mata Anglemire informed us of the following event, as described by Tina Christenson:

Our Samoan warrior, Joevani Taufaasau, lost his battle this morning [Monday, December 5] with the evil enemy named cancer. Vani is finally pain free and with our loving God. He is loved by many and will be missed so much. Please join us in a celebration of Joevani's life by attending our [Friday,] Dec 16 dinner/luau. Please pray for his family and friends to find acceptance and peace with God's will. We will love you forever Joevani.

Joevani was 18 and a graduate of Reed High School. Tickets for the benefit fundraiser are $50 and can be purchased here. Mata says Tina is the best person to contact with any questions.

(ETA: Ed Pearce of KOLO 8 News Now filed this story about Joevani.)

Elsewhere, bass-on-loan Charles Teachout will be singing this Sunday, December 11 at the Carson City Community Center for the 33rd Annual Holiday Treat Concert.

Finally, Rodger Banes, a coworker of mine, conducts the Voices of the Sierra Choir which will be performing Saturday night, December 10 in Minden's historic CVIC Hall with the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra. Doors open at 6:30 and the concert begins at 7. Admission is free, but freewill donations are accepted. Rodger says to arrive early because the hall is small and will fill up quickly.

I am certain there will be many other concerts throughout the month.

Our Choir Is Fragrance Free

Because Kathy and others are sensitive to fragrances, please don't wear them to rehearsal or Mass. Someone had perfume, lotion, or hairspray today that was overwhelming, and Kathy was coughing through much of pre-Mass rehearsal. If you took care of that between rehearsal and Mass, during which it did not seem to be as much of an issue, thank you.

On those rare occasions when the Cathedral uses too much incense, all bets are off.

December 18: 4th Sunday of Advent

4 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Rorate coeli (S/A)

Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei (no Gloria): Mass XVII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Ave Maria (T/B), Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming (S, A, T, B)

Communio: Ecce virgo concipiet, Rorate Coeli (note: video is not/not the Shenk version with SATB on the refrain, but it has all the verses)

Recessional: Veni, Veni Emmanuel/O Come, O Come Emmanuel (SMH: mark pages properly and include our ending)

Meanwhile in Sweden...

Do you have friends and family Back East who can't comprehend the size of Nevada? It's a shorter drive from Washington, DC to Boston than it is from Las Vegas to Reno, and Nevada can hold Maryland 10 times over. The Old Line State, however, has more than twice Nevada's population.

You can therefore appreciate the situation for Sweden's 150,000 Catholics spread all over this huge--and extremely secular--Scandinavian country, marked in dark brown above. Stockholm parish organist Alexander Kegel points out that when Pope Francis said Mass on November 1st in the southern city of Malmö, he could have doubled the distance he had traveled from Rome and just about reached a convent in a northern Swedish village.

Despite Sweden's miniscule Catholic contingent in a country of nearly 10 million people, Kegel says the presence of chant and polyphony is strong, and propers both in Latin and Swedish are slowly catching on. Polyphony and even some chant were present at the Papal Mass, thanks in part to Kegel's influence. Pope Francis, not one given much to chant or polyphony, was reportedly impressed.

Read Kegel's whole guest article from Corpus Christi Watershed.

Dec. 4: 2nd Sunday of Advent

4 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Populus Sion

Kyrie (no Gloria), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass XVII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Deus tu convertens, On Jordan's Bank (SMH)

Communio: Jerusalem surge, Conditor Alme Siderum

Recessional: Savior of the Nations, Come (S, A, T, B; SMH)

Nov. 20: Solemnity, Christ The King

4 PM at the Cathedral. Bring the SMH. With a block and tackle if necessary.

Introit: Dignus est agnus

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III

Offertory: Postula a me, Be Thou My Vision

Communio: Sedebit, Holy Art Thou (Handel) O Sacred Feast (Willan)

Recessional: Crown Him With Many Crowns

And for those who want to practice for Christmas:
Hodie Christus Natus Est (midi file; click on the yellow speaker icon)

"About Half"

Alabama coaching legend Paul "Bear" Bryant is said to have answered a reporter who asked him in preseason how many players he had on his roster, "About half." Sometimes that's the answer I want to give when I'm asked how many singers are in Regina Pacis Cantorum.

So far this season we have been hit with quite a few unexcused absences. I guess this bears (as it were) repeating, but Kathy needs to know when you are not going to be at a rehearsal or a Mass, and she needs to know as soon as YOU know. She understands that Life Happens, but she still has a choir to run and plan for. Call or email her!

And not just this choir, as Phyllis Young points out:

Kathy is the director of FOUR choirs:

• Two Mission choirs - Regular Sundays (small group), and a larger group that sings High Mass once a month;
• First Friday choir; and 
• RPC.

This involves:

• programming the music, which needs to match the correct Sunday;
• gathering and printing the music;
• printing the schedules with choir member names;
• putting the music packets together; and
• contacting churches to schedule our singing. [And more.]

All of this takes time and energy. Please help her by emailing her AS SOON as you know your schedule conflicts, esp. if it is an important service, i.e. Christmas, Easter, [or Corpus Christi.]

Remember, Kathy does NOT have an administrative assistant, although I'm sure she'd accept some volunteer help!

Election Novena

Kathy mentioned at rehearsal last week that she had the text of a novena from the Knights of Columbus for the U.S. election, to be prayed starting today (October 30) and through the eight following days, hence a novena. I've included the text below for those who would like to participate.

The purpose of the novena is not to pray that a certain candidate or party will or will not get elected. Indeed, I think we can all agree that our nation needs all the prayer it can get, regardless of who wins.

Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in Heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as your Spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as your Mother, in union with Mary we adore your majesty and acknowledge your supreme, eternal dominion and authority.

Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage.

Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy, born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the tempted, sinners — on all who are in need.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, Patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give ourselves to you. Protect us from every harm. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. 

Amen.

Norcia Monks' Basilica Destroyed

(Photo: European Pressphoto Agency)

I previously wrote here, here, and here about the Benedictine monks of Norcia, Italy who brought chant back to their monastery after 200 years and released a Marian chant album. Today, however, brings the sad news that their San Benedetto basilica was destroyed by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, two months after other tremors shook Italy and killed 300 people. Mercifully, no deaths have been reported from today's quake, and the monks are all safe and accounted for.

Fr. Francisco Nahoe had just led a pilgrimage to Italy only a couple weeks before and is still there now. He submitted this report from Rome:

As Gwen Linde, who was on that pilgrimage, put it, "That is sooooo Fr. Francisco, praying 'in this earthly vale of tears.' The rest of us would be screaming 'what the !!!!!!'" (H/T: Former Cathedral Friar Fr. Masseo Gonzales)

Come Late, For A Change

This Tuesday, rehearsal will begin at 7:15 PM because the church is having a 6 PM Mass (Catholics, remember: it's All Saints' Day, a Holyday of Obligation), If you are attending Mass, use the side of the altar opposite the choir area to enter the rehearsal space. Please don't be late for this later start time; a number of us (including This Guy) were tardy last rehearsal.

A Reminder

I hope this is a sufficient enough image to remind you to bring your St. Michael Hymnal to rehearsal Tuesday. If Kathy says so and/or the schedule shows we're singing from it, bring it. Or just leave it in your car if it doesn't drag down the gas mileage too much.

Meanwhile in Toronto...

Canada is not exactly a hotbed of Catholicism of any variety these days, much less Gregorian chant. But in Toronto, at least one parish is experiencing a renaissance through chant.

In the search for the Voice of God, some believe Gregorian chants are preferable to folk music (National Post)

A few quotes:

"Going to [M]ass should be more profound and of a greater depth than what you experience day to day.” 

He is trying to explain to the roughly 12 singers — all amateurs — that there was a problem during the last [M]ass. “You were not praying effectively,” he tells them. It is a reminder that chant is prayer, not music in the ordinary sense. 

“There are people out there who want to hear this, but they are not being given a chance. This will be the music we will hear in heaven.” 

Nov. 6: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

4 PM at the Cathedral. Don't pull any muscles bringing the St. Michael's Hymnal. Image: an icon of the martyred mother and seven sons from the first reading.

Introit: Intret oratio (T/B; this is the version we recorded back in 2010)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Gressus meos (S/A), Jerusalem My Happy Home

Communio: Dominus regit me, Ave Verum Corpus (Saint-Saens/Kaplan)

Recessional: I Sing The Mighty Power Of God

And, since we've been rehearsing it:
Missa Prima (Haller, mp3s): Kyrie, Gloria, Agnus Dei It appears cpdl.org will not let me link directly to these mp3s. Just go to cpdl.org and search for "Haller Missa Prima."

The Von Beasleys

RPC alumni Shirley and Chris Beasley just completed a singing tour of Prague, Czech Republic; and Salzburg and Vienna, Austria with the choir of Atlanta's Cathedral of Christ the King. The photo here is from Peterskirche in Vienna where they sang. Shirley and Chris say downtown Vienna is classical music's version of Branson, Missouri or Music Row in Nashville; numerous classical concerts take place nightly. When they sang in Salzburg, they were joined by another full choir and an orchestra.

Happy Anniversary, Kathy and Bob!

A most happy 48th wedding anniversary to Kathy and Bob Reinheimer! And a thank you to Bob for letting us have Kathy around as much as we do!

Oct. 23: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

(We're singing "super mel" so much, I figured a photo of Mel's was apropos. I've been known to visit Mel's in Damonte Ranch for dinner before rehearsal. I wouldn't call it "super," but it's good.)

4 PM at the Cathedral.

Introit: Laetetur cor (T/B)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Domine vivifica me (S/A), Salve Mater Misericordiae

Communio: Laetabimur, Jesu Dulcis Memoria (first chant verse, Victoria, other chant verses)

Recessional: O God, Our Help In Ages Past (S, A, T, B)

RPC's Business Card

If you'd like to print up some business cards to share the joy of RPC with others, leave in your favorite coffee shop, or paper your bedroom wall with, I give you an RPC business card template you can use. It's in PDF format and fits the Avery 8371 blank business card template. We handed them out Sunday at the Cathedral's ministry fair.

Here's the link. I have it in Microsoft Word also, but that file gets corrupted when uploaded.

This is what it looks like:

Each card says:

Regina Pacis Cantorum

Northern Nevada’s only traditional Gregorian chant and polyphony choir

New singers willing to learn are always welcome

Prior knowledge of chant or Latin is NOT required

Contact Kathy: 775-345-6106, bkreinh[ at ]gbis.com

Website/blog: rpchoir.blogspot.com

Kathy's "American R" Shirt

Kathy graciously allowed me to take a photo of her "Absolutely No American R's Allowed" T-shirt that she received on a tour of Spain with other choir directors. She says this was agreed to be the biggest problem in all the choirs represented, so these shirts were made and distributed. The front of the shirt has the R with the line through it and the initials "ANARA." While we're at it, let us lose the Fonzie-esque "ayyyy's" as well.

Some other mentionables from the start of the season:

• Please pray for Sandy Turner, who is recovering from knee replacement surgery; Tim Rhodes' mother, who fell and broke her hip; and Mary Ann, who recently lost her brother.
• Kathy has a standing invitation for anyone from RPC who wants to help sing for the Cathedral's EF High Mass on the first Friday of each month. They generally meet in the choir loft at 5:30 PM. A potluck dinner usually follows. Kathy adds that on Friday, November 4, the Mass for the Dead will be celebrated, which will involve at least one extra rehearsal. See, call, or email her for details. (The entire choir will be singing there for Epiphany on Friday, January 6, 2017.)
• Some of us will be representing RPC at the Cathedral's Ministry Fair on Sunday, October 2 after the 7:30, 9:30, and 11:30 Masses. It will be in the courtyard behind the Cathedral. Pray that we receive some more members.
• Kathy was asked whether holes may be punched in our music. Her reply: No, because it weakens the paper and any new copies we make cost the choir money. Remember not to cut the music or mark it with ink or highlighter; if  you absolutely must do that, make a copy for yourself. You can use magazine holders to hold the Propers and other larger pieces of music in the binders; they can only be ordered online. We're not getting iPads for each choir member anytime soon.
• Speaking of binders, Kathy suggests getting a small black three-ring binder (1/2 inch or so) for our Christmas Mass. That way, you won't need to bring anything else that day.
• Welcome to our newest members!

Oct. 2: 27th Sunday In Ordinary Time

(Image credit: yourdailydoseofgratitude.wordpress.com)

4 PM at the Cathedral. Things will be a little different in the choir loft; the organ was repositioned.

Introit: In voluntate tua, Domine (S/A)

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Credo III (mp3)

Offertory: Vir erat in terra nomine Job (T/B), O Sanctissima

Communio: In salutare tuo, O Sacrum Convivium (Remondi)

Recessional: Father We Thank Thee Who Has Planted

(NOTE: RPC is NOT responsible for the content of ads that may appear before or in videos. Otherwise, this blog is a politics-free zone.)

It's The Definitive Mass Schedule! . . . That Is, Until We Get Another One

The first Mass schedule is now up on the site via Google Calendar; you can see it on the right side of the site. As always, it is subject to change at any time. So far, these are all for the Cathedral; we trust that dates at other churches will follow.

Quick notes:

• Because Tuesday, November 1 is a Holyday of Obligation, our rehearsal will start at 7:15 to accommodate the Mass. There will be no chant instruction class beforehand.
• We are singing on Christmas Day at 11:30 Mass, then singing twice for Epiphany: on its traditional January 6 (a Friday night), then on Sunday, January 8 at the usual time.

"Thuh" vs. "Thee"

This comes up on the rare occasion that we must sing English. Grammar Girl explains when to say (or, for us, sing) "the" as "thuh" and as "thee." Here's the condensed version (emphasis as in the original):

Pronounce it “thee” if the next word starts with a vowel sound. 

Pronounce it “thuh” if the next word starts with a consonant sound.

Just like with a versus an, it’s not the first letter of the next word that matters, it’s the first sound.

Oh, the image? "The The" is a British band that was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s.

And We Are Back

Hope you enjoyed the summer. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 20th. That is not only my mother's 80th birthday, it's also when our weekly 7 PM rehearsals resume at our usual location.

From Kathy:

New this year is the Parish Book of Chant, which you will receive at rehearsal. If you already have one from taking one of my chant classes, I would appreciate it if you would use that.

I will begin chant instruction classes 30 minutes prior to rehearsal starting on September 27, not the first week of rehearsal.  If you want to participate, please let me know so that I can have materials ready for you.

If you know of a parish which would like us to visit, please let me know as soon as possible.

If you are bringing or referring a new member, please let me know well in advance.  It can be difficult if new people show up and I don't have music for them.  The music library is at my home, not [where we rehearse.] [1] [...]

REMINDER:  PLEASE GIVE AMPLE NOTICE IF YOU NEED TO MISS A REHEARSAL OR SCHEDULED SINGING DATE!  If you know you are going to be out of town for Christmas, this is a good time to let me know!

[1] This is why we do not make our rehearsal location public.

Chanting the Weather

Perhaps Mark could use his pull at NWS Reno and get us to chant some forecasts, just like the Master Singers did back in 1966. It could be a side source of income.

I posted this on Facebook, but did not do so here.

Holy Smoke

For the next time we sing at the Cathedral...

HT: Melissa Clement.

Monday, Aug. 15: Feast of the Assumption

Some of us are singing at the Cathedral Monday at 5:30 PM for a Missa Cantata High Mass for the Feast of the Assumption, celebrated and sung by Fr. Paul Fazio.

Read more about the Feast of the Assumption here. Falling on Monday, it is not a Holyday of Obligation.

You *Do* Know Jack

Welcome future tenor Jackson Delacruz to the world! Big congratulations to happy parents Ricky and Leslie.

Cathedral Liturgy Update

While this document from today's St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral bulletin is intended specifically for its parishioners, I post it here because it has relevance to us in RPC. We will continue to sing at the Cathedral's 5 PM Masses. I submit it without further comment.

FROM THE RECTOR'S DESK 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

May the Lord give you His peace. As many of you are now aware of, changes will be taking place in the Liturgies here at the Cathedral. This letter is an explanation of these changes and why they are taking place. 

Nearly two months before my return to the Cathedral at the end of 2014, I received a letter from Bishop Calvo explaining issues that needed to be addressed by me as the Rector and one of them was the state of the Liturgy. After I was physically present in Reno, we began to dialogue and discern on how to address the liturgical needs of the Cathedral. It was and still is his goal that the Cathedral be a place for all Catholics in Reno to feel at home in the liturgy. I also share that vision and goal and decided to do everything possible to make that vision and goal a reality. 

In order to keep the vision and goal the Bishop and I have for the Cathedral liturgies alive, we made the decision to hire a music director who with the cantors and organists would select and organize the liturgical music and report directly to me for approval and modifications as needed. This also meant expanding our selections of liturgical music which is what led to implementing Breaking Bread, published by OCP. Research done by our new music director Amy Bruskotter, showed that there are 133 hymns in common between Breaking Bread and the St. Michael Hymnal. Instead of eliminating, we are adding to our richness in music. 

There is a standard for Cathedral liturgies and I believe that we will be in full compliance with those standards when people walk through our doors and see that we are offering high quality liturgies that will nourish every spiritual preference. 

Beginning with the weekend of JULY 31/AUGUST 1, Breaking Bread by OCP and its selection of Mass Settings will be introduced to the following Masses: Saturday at 5:00 PM, Sunday at 7:30 & 9:30 AM. The St. Michael Hymnal with its traditional chants and sung Mass propers will continue to be used on Sundays at the 11:30 AM & 5:00 PM Masses. Also twice a month from September or October until the end of May, the Regina Pacis Choir will continue to sing music in Latin at the 5:00 PM Sunday Mass. 

If any of you wish to discuss this or any other issues with me, I will be happy to meet with you, however, only in person and in the privacy of my office. Please call me at (775) 329-2571 Ext. 101 or send an e-mail to rector[at]stacathedral.com so we can setup [sic] an appointment. 

May the Lord continue to bless you with His peace and please know that in a very special way you are in my thoughts and prayers every time I pray and every time I am privileged to celebrate the Holy Mass. I humbly ask for your prayers that I may be a good shepherd to all of you. 

In Christ and Holy Father Francis,
Fr. Jacob Carazo, OFM Conv., Rector

Up In The Air

How's this for a coincidence? One of bass Mark Deutschendorf's many hobbies is riding roller coasters, including (shown here) "The Legend" at Holiday World, Indiana which he visited last month, among others. Mark says he had to drive five hours back to St. Louis to catch his Southwest flight home to Reno.

Well, guess who was taking the same flight? Yep, Kathy Reinheimer, on her way back from the Sacred Music Colloquium in St. Louis! All those in favor of sending Mark to the colloquium and Kathy to the roller coasters next summer, please comment!

Mark told this to me and former bass JP DeChambeau at a recent Reno Aces game that featured leadoff hitter Jack Reinheimer. No relation to Kathy, as far as we know.

Ad Orientem Pushback, or This Is Why We Cannot Have Sacred Things

Photo of Fr. Francisco by (who else?) Gwen Linde.

I suppose it was too much to hope that Cdl. Robert Sarah's recommendation to return to ad orientem worship be received with open arms. His Eminence elaborated further earlier this month in a talk called "Towards An Authentic Implementation of Sacrosanctum Concilium".

To be fair, His Eminence was not mandating ad orientem worship, merely explaining that it was not forbidden. Reactions, however, have ranged from indifference to out and out defiance of the Prefect of the CDW. Here are but a few:

Battle Over "Ad Orientem" Mass Heats Up at Vatican

Shocking Developments From Westminster

Showdown in Arkansas over "Ad Orientem"

Letter from USCCB Commitee on Divine Worship on "Ad Orientem"

While RPC does not exist necessarily to promote ad orientem worship, we certainly support anything that makes the Sacrifice of the Mass more sacred than profane.

Kathy at the Colloquium

The CMAA released this group photo of those attending this year's Sacred Music Colloquium outside the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis. If you expand the photo, you'll see Kathy in the center of the front row in the orange/peach top.

Some Summer Reading and Listening

For reading and review:

• Mechanics of the Chant
• Gregorian Chant Notation
• Latin Pronunciation:
• Vowels
• Consonants
• Anything on solfege (way too much to post here)
• What to do with your robe
• How to end up in Kathy's doghouse

For your smartphone, iPod, mp3 player, or 80s-style cassette Walkman:

• Gregorian Chant Class, September 2013 (by Kathy, Fr. Francisco Nahoe, Deacon Joe Bell, and special guest Dr. William Mahrt, video excerpt)
• Why Gregorian chant at Mass?, November 2011 (by Kathy)
• Many other homilies, topics, and talks at Reno Catholic Network

Finally, speaking of pronunciation, and as we head toward the July 4 weekend, always remember:

NO AMERICAN R's!

Sorry, We're Closed (but we'll be back)

And so another season comes to an end for RPC. Let's take a look back at RPC, version MMXV-MMXVI:

• We had numerous new singers in all parts, as well as a few returnees who had left, for which we are grateful.
• We started and ended the season with Fr. Francisco.
• We all got a workout lugging around the new (and huge) choir version of the St. Michael Hymnal....
• ...but not enough of one, as illnesses of various sorts took their toll on us, Kathy included.
• Snow was a factor in our rehearsals well before winter even began (speaking of which, we are grateful for a snowy/watery winter and spring, and pray another will follow).
• An earthquake struck shortly after our last pre-Christmas rehearsal.
• We had one of our busiest seasons from Christmas to Easter in recent memory.
• We sang for the first time at the invitation of Immaculate Conception outside of the now-defunct Eucharistic and Marian Conference, and for the first time ever at St. Michael's in Stead.
• Nancy filled in playing the Cathedral organ for one of our Masses.
• We surprised Fr. Jacob Carazo by singing "Lo Spiritu del Signore" on the 12th anniversary of his ordination, where it was also sung.

Time now for our thankroll:

• To Kathy, without whom there would be no RPC, period.
• To all the singers in all parts.
• To Jennifer, John, and Nancy for accompanying us at the Cathedral.
• To Fr. Larry Morrison and Lorraine, for giving us places to rehearse.
• To Frs. Jacob Carazo, Philip George, Thomas Babu, and Loy Torrente for allowing us to sing for them and their congregations.
• To our benefactors, known and anonymous.
• To God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Our Lady, Queen of Peace; and St. Cecelia for blessing our efforts.

Have a wonderful summer, enjoy having Tuesday nights free, and we'll see you this fall! Kathy is very much looking forward to the annual Sacred Music Colloquium in St. Louis which begins tomorrow.

Here's To The Couple

Congratulations, Desiree and Tim! It was an honor for us to sing for your nuptials, and thank you for asking us. May you have a wonderful life together, and perhaps give birth to a future RPC bass. I tried to take some photos during the wedding, but they didn't really turn out, so the best I can do is this shot by Gwen Linde from the rehearsal.

Some familiar faces in the bridal party: Former RPCer Katie Torvinen was one of the bridesmaids, and Ray Gurries one of the groomsmen. We sang for Ray and his wife Kara's wedding in May 2014.

ETA: Here's a shot from the indispensable Gwen.

The Chant Notation Superhighway

For the last couple decades, all sorts of documents have been digitized to the interwebs. Now comes an effort not just to scan medieval Gregorian chant pieces, but to make them searchable as well. I suppose if you don't know what to do with yourself this summer, this could work.

Smithsonian Magazine: Inside the Effort to Digitize Medieval Monks' Chants (HT: Rob Bateman.)

Reminds me of this classic Xerox commercial:

Saturday, June 18: Davis-Summers Wedding

At the Cathedral, 12 noon. You'll need both the Adoremus and the SMH.

Entrance: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Kyrie, Gloria (mp3), Sanctus, Agnus Dei: Mass VIII

Offertory: We Rejoice God's Holy People

Communion: Adoro Te Devote, Be Thou My Vision

Marian Devotional: Alma Redemptoris Mater  (S, A, T, B, Palestrina: this version has the tenors intoning the first measure, but both the tenors and basses are doing so for us)

Closing: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (S, A, T, B)

There Is Hope!

From Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, Prefect of the Congregation for the Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (emphasis added):

I have witnessed that very often our liturgies have become like theater productions. Often, the priest no longer celebrates the love of Christ through his sacrifice, but just a meeting among friends, a friendly meal, a brotherly moment. In looking to invent creative or festive liturgies, we run the risk of worship that is too human, at the level of our desires and the fashions of the moment. Little by little, the faithful are separated from that which gives Life. For Christians, the Eucharist is a question of life and death! [...]

One must begin by replacing God at the center of the liturgy. If man is at the center, the Church becomes a purely human society, a simple non-profit, like Pope Francis has said. If, on the contrary, God is at the heart of the liturgy, then the Church recovers its vigor and sap!  Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger prophetically wrote, “In our relationship with the liturgy, the destiny of the faith and of the Church plays out.” [...]

To put God at the center of the liturgy, one must have silence: this capacity to silence ourselves [literally: “shut up”] to listen to God and his Word.

All I can say is:

Cdl. Sarah goes on to say returning to ad orientem worship would go a long way to change things. He adds versus populum worship was allowed by Vatican II, but never mandated.

Read the whole thing as translated by the National Catholic Register. Then pass it on because otherwise, it is likely to be ignored, even though it comes from this high-level Vatican official.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia via the NCReg. HT: Sandy)

Is This Our Penance?

If so, it is coming in two parts.

Part I: The choir loft was quite hot yesterday; Kathy says it's because the Cathedral's air conditioning unit is being replaced. She adds the new one should be in place before the June 18 wedding. I certainly hope so, because not only will we be sweating [1], so will the bridal party and celebrant!

Part II: Thought you were done with your cinder block St. Michael Hymnal for the year? Not quite; you'll need it for these rehearsals and the wedding. Bring a block and tackle if necessary to get it up to the loft.

[1] This is a good place for a reminder of the RPC dress code. Unless Kathy expressly says otherwise, bring and wear your robe each Mass.

• Robes are to be clean and not wrinkled.
• Only light, pastel colors are to be worn under the robe. Absolutely NO dark colors (other than the next item on the list) or prints, plaids, or stripes.
• Black slacks are preferred for men. If you don't have black, navy blue is the next best thing, followed by charcoal, brown, and (as a last resort) grey.
• Ladies, if you are wearing slacks or a long skirt, "black is the color" for this also.
• Black shoes, please.
• No flashy jewelry please.
• Please do not wear any scent to choir.
• Music is to be IN PROGRAM ORDER in a black binder.

Mission Accomplished...Congratulazioni!

Commenting after the concluding prayer at today's 5 PM Mass at the Cathedral, Fr. Jacob Carazo admitted he was surprised by our signing of "Lo Spiritu del Signore" for post-Communion. As Kathy had already known, the song was sung when Fr. Jacob was ordained a priest at the Cathedral 12 years ago today. Fr. Jacob went on to say he particularly remembered it when he was being congratulated by his fellow priests for joining their fraternity.

Let us add our congratulations, Fr. Jacob! We're glad to have you as the Cathedral's rector.

Coda, or We're Not Done Yet

While Sunday's 5 PM Corpus Christi Mass marks the end of our normal liturgical season, those of us who are able to will still have a few rehearsals remaining before our final Mass, namely the Saturday, June 18 wedding at the Cathedral (12 noon call time: usual time, usual place for rehearsals). Kathy tells me the couple chose all the music.

More Prayers Please

• For tenor Barbara, whose chronic back pain has affected her ability even to walk.
• For alto Phyllis Young's husband Ray.
• For tenor Ricky Delacruz, his wife Leslie, and their soon-to-be-born son Jack. Ricky will be taking a most understandable leave of absence from the choir.
• For the continued mission of Regina Pacis Cantorum.
• And for a special intention.

Speaking of which, I thank you for all of the prayers for my mother-in-law, Elizabeth Snyder, and for my wife Sandy who has been taking care of her around the clock over the past couple months.

Any other prayer requests, including those I heard but somehow forgot? Please include them in the comments. (HT for the above image: my father, who had it on a sweatshirt.)

Choir Singing Is Cool Again

Afraid to tell your friends, family, coworkers, churchgoers, etc. you're part of a Gregorian chant/polyphony choir? Don't be!

From theconversation.com: Choir singing improves health, happiness – and is the perfect icebreaker (HT: Marli Reinheimer, Kathy's daughter). Of course, you already know choir singing is good for you.

We in RPC don't sing chant and polyphony because it's cool, but because it's what the Church teaches.