New Pope

[Howard Baker]

Sancte Francisce, ora pro eo.

[VML]

We did, at 7.30 Mass tonight. His name was in the EP. Nearly a record!

[dunstan]

We'll be celebrating our patronal feast next Tuesday evening after his inaugural mass. However, alas, I doubt the Vatican will be following us in using Alan's Mass of St Joseph for the occasion.

[Alan]

I'm sure you're right, Dunstan.

I noticed that Pope Francis didn't sing anything this evening. This was probably more to do with him having only one lung, but I thought it actually contributed to the impressive simplicity of his first public appearance.

[HallamPhil]

Just in case folk are looking for ideas, here's what I'll be offering at 1245 today with our Bishop.

Prelude: Veni creator with variations (Durufle)
Litany of Saints
Gloria: New Celtic Liturgy (Walker)
Psalm 22: Gelineau response; Inwood psalm tone
Lent Gospel Acclamations: I am the Good Shepherd (New Wine - Jakob)
Preparation of Gifts: Church of God elect and glorious (to Ode to Joy tune)
Eucharistic Acclams & lamb of God: Missal tones
Communion: Make me a channel of your peace (Prayer of St Francis)
Post-Comm: Holy God we praise thy name (Te Deum)
Recessional: Toccata (Widor)

I hope this might be useful to someone out there!

[dunstan]

Just in case folk are looking for ideas, here's what I'll be offering at 1245 today with our Bishop.
...
I hope this might be useful to someone out there!

I was wondering for Sunday about "Who is she that stands triumphant."

[SOP]

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

We could be in for a very interesting time. Like his humour in saying to the other cardinals he shared the bus with last night that he hoped God would forgive them for what they have done.

We have had a pope resign - has a pope ever been sacked!

[HallamPhil]

The difficulty with suggesting 'Who is she that stands triumphant' is that, if used for the Sunday, it might be considered inappropriate for much the same reason as we cannot celebrate st Patrick on his appointed Feast day this year ... the 5th Sunday of Lent takes precedence.

The first three Masses after the announcement of a new Pope can depart from the usual liturgical restraints and follow the Mass for a new Pontiff but even this may not replace a Solemnity or seasonal Sundays...

... I think!

[quaeritor]

The first three Masses after the announcement of a new Pope can depart from the usual liturgical restraints

That's a very neat catch that I didn't know about - I was just about to ask how you got away with those volunteries but fortunately paused to do a bit of calendar research in case I'd missed something - narrow escape!

Q

[gwyn]

I tried to watch F1's first public Mass via EWTN television this afternoon, unfortunately I was beaten back by an overzealous and unrelenting commentator/translator. That's so often the problem with EWTN's coverage; viral commentators.

[IncenseTom]

I watched it on Euronews almost uninterrupted, apart from the odd advert. When this happened I had it streaming on my laptop so flicked between the two.

Whilst everyone is praising his simplicity, I have to say, I was saddened that he didn't sing any of the Priests parts (dialogues, etc) as Benedict would have done, (I know he has one lung and this may impede his singing) and it all seemed to feel like a 'said Mass' with the addition of a fine choir.

Is there a danger that some will see this and revert to more of a 'said Mass' culture (albeit with sung parts of the Mass) and neglect those parts which the new Missal encourages Priests to sing, citing the Papal liturgies as precedent?

I do hope i'm not putting a negative spin on things for people but I'm such a fan of the Pope Emeritus I think it will take me a while to get used to anyone!

[alan29]

Apparently he was no keen supporter of the EF in his diocese. That would seem to accord with his less ornate style of living.
I for one will be sorry not to see the Papal 10 Gallon Hat in future. It never failed to make me cheerful.

[VML]

I could probably agree with I.Tom on the regret about the lack of Pope Francis' singing but for the fact that there have been two particularly inspirational priests in my life.
The first was our PP and school chaplain, who later returned to our parish to officiate at my wedding as well as many of my friends. He had one lung all the time I knew him, and died too soon, at 53. The other is the one person I have never managed to get to sing in tune, but who was so encouraging and helpful as a PP, without him I would not be leading church music.

God bless our Pope.

[JW]

Whenever we get a new Pope, expectations of him are extremely high and we tend to hope he'll change everything in the Church that we personally think is wrong. Then we get disappointed when invariably what we hope for doesn't happen. If we believe that the Holy Spirit is in his Church and is actively involved in the election of the Pope, then we have to accept whoever comes (and I have often found that very hard to do over the past 50 or so years!). What's also difficult is when a Pope alters what previous Popes have done, e.g. Venerable Pope Paul VI banned public Tridentine Masses, Pope Benedict XVI allowed them in certain circumstances. Blessed John Paul II was criticised for canonising too many saints and Pope Benedict seems to have slowed the pace of canonisations.

Looking back over my lifetime, all popes have made significant contributions to the church, though they've not done loads of things that I would have liked. Personally my greatest hopes were invested in Pope John Paul I - those hopes were dashed after 33 days!

Although singing is expected of clergy, it isn't compulsory. Music should be an integral part of our main liturgies: this has always been part of church teaching and it won't change. Some priests, bishops and popes clearly are more at ease with singing than others - it has ever been thus.

[IncenseTom]

Being in my mid-twenties I haven't had the awareness of church events and changes over time as others, but my own involvement in the Liturgy and helping the advancement of music at parish level has all been greatly influenced by Pope Benedict so it's quite a change for me at the moment - i'm sure i'll get more used to such changes as time goes on!