Society of Saint Gregory

I would recommend William Byrd's "Sacerdotes Domini" which perfectly captures the idea of offering gifts to the lord.

Samuel took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer—"the stone of help"—for he said, "Up to this point the Lord has helped us!" —1 Samuel 7:12, NLT

Am I the only one to lament the passing of that lonely member of the genus testudinidae who used to preside over the Sacred Mysteries - the Prairie Tortoise?

In fact Cardinal Heard, although born in Edinburgh, was a curial cardinal and a priest of the archdiocese of Southwark.

I am very sorry if I seem to have been myself "exclusive" in my argument. I am impressed always by the arguments of others, especially on this site, and rather to my surprise, found myself at the harrowing experience of a Requiem Mass for a four-year old this morning jumping in, unasked, with a ...

I should have made myself clearer - I was again quoting from Cardinal Ratzinger's book. I am, however in full agreement with it, even although it precedes his papacy and is only the opinion of one, very erudite man.

Even after Vatican II, the Sanctus sung by the choir is perfectly justified. But what about the Benedictus? The assertion that it my not, under any circumstance, be separated from the Sanctus, has been put forth with such emphasis and seeming competence, that only a few strong souls were able to ...

In the Tridentine rite music was divorced from liturgy and musicians just had a good sing.

The priest would speak the words of the Sanctus inaudibly while the choir sang a polyphonic setting over him, ignoring the fact that he had now moved on to the following words in the missal. The music would ...

Nick, I apologize - I fully agree with almost everything you wrote. I had something different in mind when I made my snooty remarks about a "band".

I like the sound of your parents, docmattc! As a very wise man wrote on another thread:
I hope this will not be regarded as offensive in this context but I, along with many other people, go to some lengths to find a Mass with no singing in it at all. These Masses spring up in my area from time to ...

Perhaps a link can be made however to the author of the Motu Proprio. In that wonderful essay on Church Music, "In the Presence of Angels I will sing", the then Cardinal Ratzinger states:

"As a matter of fact, the alleged acclamatory character of the Sanctus, to which only the congregation could ...

How about Wesley's "O Thou Who camest from above"?

O Thou Who camest from above,
The pure celestial fire to impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
Upon the mean altar of my heart.

My reservation about Christingle services is that, if held too early in December, they can diminish the liturgical effect of Christmas. I find it strange that so many churches of so many denominations criticise shops for starting Christmas too early and then themselves introduce Christmas carols in ...

The PP is talking rot. The service began in Moravia and is as Anglican as the haggis or the sauerkraut (not that there is anything wrong with being Anglican). Many Catholic churches have them in this country as well as schools and at least one Jesuit College to my knowledge. In atmosphere it ...

I hope this will not be regarded as offensive in this context but I, along with many other people, go to some lengths to find a Mass with no singing in it at all. These Masses spring up in my area from time to time and attract large numbers of people but they seldom last before someone decides that ...