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.