Liturgical Tourism

[JW]

May I be just a tad pernickety? I can't find it in Laudate - do you know the number? It is in Catholic Hymns Old and New. It's bringing flowers from garden and woodland and hillside and dale that would break the law, even though our full hearts are swelling, our glad voices telling the praise of the loveliest flower of the vale

The whole thing seems to me to be just weird doggerel in this day and age - sorry!

[oopsorganist]

You are so right - it was on a sheet with some prayers.
(liturgically it was an extension of the forbidden Hail Mary - oh dear, it could hardly get any worse could it?)
I am not sure there were any flowers involved.

That is twice I have heard it sung this year.

[oopsorganist]

Hymn Be Thou my Vision
Kyrei Eleison (Laudate)
Gospel Acclamation Praise to God thingie (Chris O Hara) Gospel
Hymn Be Still for the Presence of the Lord
Holy Holy Gathering Mass (Inwood) and matching Eucharistic Acclamation
Lamb of God (Inwood)
Hymn sung during communion did not catch the words something about Transfigure us
Hymn Shine Jesus Shine.
All accomparnied on piano.

[Southern Comfort]

Hymn sung during communion did not catch the words something about Transfigure us

Bob Hurd's Transfigure us, O Lord ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5SQG4cX8vw

[oopsorganist]

Yes that's the one. They sang it well and some people in the Communion Procession joined in with the refrain.

[alan29]

Here we are in France again. 11 o'clock in a country town. Big ugly 19th century barn of a church half full with an ageing congregation .....only one family with kids. Good organ proficient organist with a cantor/animator up front. Everything was sung except creed and Our Father. Ordinary was a paraphrase based around three bits of tune. People sang well.
But every year I am left wondering how their composers manage to just miss a memorable tune or a strong rhythm. And why they insist on writing stuff that involves the congregation ending a long passage on a top E. Maybe the French are differently put together in the larynx area.

[alan29]

Luxembourg, suburban parish church. Pentecost.
This church is part of an extended parish that includes a number of villages around the south of Luxembourg city. They have mass here once a month. The congregation was elderly and numbered a couple of dozen who all sat at the back. An elderly priest with a great baritone voice presided.
Mass was in Luxembourgish with a reading in German and one of the hymns in French (the others were German chorales - very nice too.) The hymn book was tri-lingual with lots of "dots." Despite the priest leading powerfully, the people didn't sing much. No accompaniment.
Everyone rushed back to their cars straight after Mass and the priest didn't greet people at the door.
There were things that made me raise an eyebrow.
The Gloria and Sanctus were replaced by Pentecost hymns that made no reference to the Gloria or Sanctus.
The chalice had been prepared before Mass started, so the priest went straight from offering the bread to offering the wine. No hand washing. He broke the bread at the consecration.
The Our Father went straight into the "for thine is the kingdom" etc missing out the prayer in between "Deliver us O Lord ......." They did this in France too.

[keitha]

Heraklion, Crete - Trinity Sunday. A beautifully simple and spiritual liturgy. About 75 people in a small church. A youngish, but spiritual Polish priest. Prior to Mass we had Morning Prayer, then before Mass a short introduction to the feast in Greek, English and Polish - a sign of something to come. After an entrance hymn (in Greek sung to 'Old Hundredth, by at least 70% of the congregation unaccompanied), then Kyrie and Gloria in the plainchant "missal" tones, again sung by the vast majority. 1st reading was in Greek, the Responsorial Psalm was in the English, 2nd Reading was in French. Copies of the prayers and readings were provided in 6 languages and there was a small booklet with the rest of the mass text in 8 languages and the missal chants. The forward to the booklet was by the local bishop, who explained that with the many visitors to Crete and neighbouring islands he was keen for everyone to be able to follow the Mass in their own language. We had a hymn in Greek at the Presentation of the Gifts, Sanctus and Agnus in plainchant, and during Communion, 'Adoro te devote'. This last was interesting as it was sung as a proper processional with people remaining seated to sing it until it was their turn to join the Communion Procession (not a queue!). I also noticed a number of communicants bowing or genuflecting before receiving. Communion was under both kinds by intinction. After Communion we had a post-Communion Antiphon and chant in Greek (but even we got the hang of it and joined in - with the antiphon being sung in two parts as the mood took people). After Mass (after the priest had left the altar) we sung a 2-verse antiphon to the BVM to the "Lourdes Hymn" tune.

Things that struck me were the majority singing (all unaccompanied), the reverence of the people, the wonderful behaviour of the several young children - all with parents who both cared deeply for them and encouraged their interest and involvement, and the friendliness and goodwill of everyone present. It made my day - and made me wonder why Mass at home is rarely like that - actual participation and noble simplicity in action!

[Peter]

Finding Mass in provincial Netherlands can be tricky, so it was no surprise to find that today’s service in the Church of Our Lady of the Sea in Burgh-Haamstede turned out to be a Liturgy of the Word with Communion. Talking to the presiding layman, however, I learned that it is, for the moment at least, a relative rarity for that to happen, as one priest is usually able to celebrate Mass both churches on the former island of Schouwen-Duiveland (the other being in Zierikzee, the main town on the island). On the other hand, as that priest is now 87, we don’t know how long that church will be able to have regular Masses. The congregation of about 50 included no young people as far as I could see.
The church itself probably dates from the 1960s or 1970s and is square in form with a decidedly post-Vatican II feel. Despite the uncertainty that comes with an aged priest I hope it will survive, and its location in an area with many fine beaches nearby may make this more likely. Outside the church there was a poster with details of services in other villages in the western part of the island, so presumably copies are on display elsewhere for the benefit of holidaymakers. Out of 14 churches listed this was the only Catholic one listed, so it’s clearly an area where the Protestants are better served.
Mass booklets were available, which included musical settings for the Penitential Act, Gloria etc. as well as the full texts of the readings and one Eucharistic Prayer, plus several additional hymns to choose from. Music was included for several of these, not where the tunes were more familiar, such as the Old 100th and Ellacombe, but fortunately for me it was provided for a tune I initially failed to recognise as a variant of “Nun Danket”.
The Gloria and Gospel Acclamation were replaced by sung alternatives drawn from one or other of these sources. The Responsorial Psalm was spoken, but with the response spoken after each line, not each verse as specified in the booklet. The Intercessions all started with some sort of thanksgiving (which I had always understood was inappropriate, but maybe that’s a matter for another thread). After that, the prayers included in the booklet as suggested verses for a Communion hymn (of which music was given only for the response) were used, with spoken responses, after the Blessed Sacrament was brought onto the altar.
During the collection and Communion procession organ music was played, mostly hymn-like tunes I didn’t recognise but also Schubert’s “Am Meer” (a strange choice given the original subject-matter of that song) and the Largo theme from the “New World” symphony.
I didn’t ask whether these variations from the prescribed texts were adopted because it was a LOW&C or whether they were also used during Masses there.

[High Peak]

We have just returned from a holiday in Budapest and attended Sunday morning Mass at St Stephen's Basilica.

There was a very good choir, but it was not what you would call an audience participation Mass - we all sat down for the singing of the Kyrie and Gloria. For the Memorial Acclamation the congregation sang (what I assumed was) the Missal tone Acclamation and the Bishop (Cardinal?) made to continue with the Eucharistic Prayer but was interrupted by the choir wishing to perform their Memorial Acclamation. He didn't look best pleased!!

However, the Basilica had the best solution to the hymnal/screen debate that I have seen.

Suspended over the sanctuary was a very large TV screen, but one like no other that I have come across.  It was a large, transparent glass panel without any bezels.  When there was something for the congregation to sing, the panel became opaque and the words were clearly legible.  So, the panel had almost zero effect on the (magnificent) aesthetics of the building when not being used and it meant that the congregation faced towards the sanctuary, heads up to sing.

I can't imagine that it was cheap, but I wouldn't mind one in our parish!!!

[justMary]

It was a large, transparent glass panel without any bezels. When there was something for the congregation to sing, the panel became opaque and the words were clearly legible.

Thank you for this description - I've been wondering where technology will go next, and hadn't considered this type of idea.

We have large screens around the sides and the best of them have very thin frames around the sides. In a church with lots of wooden panels, I use a photograph of one panel as the slide background, and find that this makes the screens less obtrusive. But what you described would be vastly better.

[High Peak]

Thank you for this description - I've been wondering where technology will go next, and hadn't considered this type of idea.

We have large screens around the sides and the best of them have very thin frames around the sides. In a church with lots of wooden panels, I use a photograph of one panel as the slide background, and find that this makes the screens less obtrusive. But what you described would be vastly better.

Even better................I noticed just today that the screen is on a pulley system. I was looking at some photos of the Basilica that I took when I went in the previous day as a tourist and the screen was high up in the dome - almost completely out of sight. (See top right of the dome over the sanctuary. The bottom left of the screen can just be seen because the light is reflecting from it.)

[organist]

Cordoba cathedral Sunday 12 noon Mass. Our guide was wonderful and told the group about the Mass. We were ushered to a side area where we could see everything on a screen. Bishop celebrating. The gospel was forgiving seven times so we did understand siente a siente n the homily! Servers and incense. Choir in black ladies and men. One lady yawned at the end - we could see that!! The men seemed to have a major role leading the Gloria. Unware of congregation joining in much. We did our best to join in with the psalm response sung from the ambo by a competent lady. This was the only text provided on the screen. It seemed to me they were missing a trick as the responses could have been put on the screens. A splendid organ and grand Bach at the end. Spoke briefly to the organist before ushers got rid of us - he said the console was Spanish and some of the organ does not work. This is a fascinating building as it was the largest mosque in the world and fortunately our forebears did not destroy all the decorations - simply covered them up!

[alan29]

Christmas morning, outskirts of Oxford. Not a large congregation. Singing led by a very able cantor - who also read - and a very proficient organist.
Sanctus and Agnus in English to those wretched missal tones - "Ho-LEE-EE" etc. Carols. A nifty Gloria that married the chorus of "Angels we have heard on high" with chanted verses of the proper text.
Lots of not very nice lace. Priest in fiddle-back chasuble which he rolled up onto his knees when he sat down. When he and the deacon stood in front of the altar with their backs to the people for the creed I thought "Aye, aye" and checked the hand-out that it was an RC church - you never can tell in Oxford. It was. Readings were from the RSV - they didn't match the JB versions in the hand out. Roman Canon with all the names. It all felt very high church Anglican rather than RC.
Turns out the parish was being served by an Ordinariate priest, who was bringing an Anglican "take" on liturgy with him. He also brought with the ability to preach very well.
It was all a bit more polite and "placed" than I am used to, but had a lovely warm atmosphere.

[Peter]

Visiting Vienna as part of an Interrail tour in the wake of an orchestra tour playing mainly Haydn, the obvious choice for me regarding Sunday Mass today was St Stephen's Cathedral, where Haydn sang as a choirboy (not to mention its other association with famous musicians). It didn't dissappoint.

Thoe ordinary was sung to Haydn's Theresienmesse, with the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo sung at their correct places in the liturgy. The Sanctus (alone) was sung after the (intoned) Preface, with the Benedictus following the (sung) Mystery of Faith and followed in turn by the (spoken) remainder of the Eucharistic Prayer, concluded by an intoned Doxology and plain Amen. In Haydn's day, when there was no congregational Mystery of Faith, the priest would have said the entire Eucharistic Prayer silently underneath the music, with the Consecration happening in the instrumental introduction to the Benedictus (a practice Beethoven exploited to great effect in his Missa Solemnis).

The Agnus Dei was sung after, not during the Breaking of Bread, actually starting after the celebrants had received Communion: liturgically incorrect if you're being strict, but it worked in practice as it covered the entire time it took for the congregation to receive Communion from various ministers around the Cathedral. Even so, there was an organ interlude (presumably improvised) afterwards whose more modern style jarred a bit with the preceding Haydn. The voluntary, by Ian Farrington (born 1977), was equally out of style with the Haydn but very impressive and was followed by applause from the bystanders - a practice that seems suspect to me as it turns the music into a performance rather than liturgy, and also arguably unfair in this case as the choir and orchestra had also put in a lot of effort for their contribution.

Where one might quibble (and I can think of some Forum contributors who would) was regarding the level of congregational participation. Words, but no tune, were provided on a small printed sheet for the opening hymn, so even though the organist, and the sheet, made it clear when the congregation should sing and when the choir alone should, I didn't know the tune well enough to join in for the verses I where I was invited to do so. On the other hand, music as well as words were provided for the Postcommunion hymn, but the organ introduction did not give a clear lead for the congregation, so it turned into another choir item. No words or music were provided for the Mystery of Faith. Only the Psalm Response and Gospel Acclamation were easy to join in.

Apart from those minor quibbles, it was an inspiring service and even though I couldn't sing along with the Kyrie etc. I could still share the sentiments and pray along. It lasted about an hour and a half, leaving little time for the congregation to look round the Cathedral afterwards before they were cleared out to make way for those attending the midday Mass. I didn't stay to see how that went.

My previous Sunday Mass was much quieter: a choir of about six leading the music for a congregation of about ten times the size in a large church in Breda, southern Netherlands. Still, it was good to be able to attend Mass in a country where in many churches a Liturgy of the Word with Eucharist is all they can manage because of the shortage of priests. No such problem apparently in Vienna, where the large number of churches makes it great place for liturgical tourists. Shame I'm leaving on Wednesday!