Pentecost sequence

[Claire B]

Help, please. Our PP has just gone away for a fortnight am I'm playing organ (no singing group) this Sat and Sun, with an unknown visiting minister.

I gather the sequence is mandatory. Last year I think it was spoken and it sounded awful. Could I play 341 Holy Spirit Lord of Light from HON and satisfy the rubrics (5 verses)? Should I go to the ambo and lead it unaccompanied? Should I just let them speak it?

Actually, I might be able to persuade one of the non-organ Sunday musicians to lead as cantor. What is most usual?

[musicus]

Short answer: Everyone sings the hymn, 'Holy Spirit, Lord of Light', after the Second Reading. If the people need encouraging to sing, and you're stuck at the organ, enlist the help (participation) of the visiting priest. If they see Father singing and, even, clearly expecting them to do so, they will sing.

Longer answer:
Yes, this is one of the few sequences that have survived in the Roman liturgy, and it should be sung (or said, as my Sunday missal says).
'Holy Spirit, Lord of lIght' is the translation given in my Sunday missal, so I would say that singing it to its usual tune (i.e. in five double verses) would be perfect.
In the past, I have been tempted (misled?) by the heritage/historical nature of these sequences into singing them at (I use the word advisedly) a congregation in Latin; e.g. Victimae Pascali laudes on Easter morning. I now think that I was indulging myself.

[Nick Baty]

I was indulging myself.

Poppycock! If we had a bear who could sing anything in Latin I'd be selling tickets!

[musicus]

If we had a bear who could sing anything in Latin I'd be selling tickets!

I'm up for it (with the usual 10% for you)

[asb]

The Pentecost Sequence is not used on Saturday as there are special texts for the Vigil Mass and the sequence is not included

[musicus]

That is true, asb. I wonder how many churches will miss this and celebrate the Mass of the Sunday, as per usual on Saturday.

[docmattc]

That is true, asb. I wonder how many churches will miss this and celebrate the Mass of the Sunday, as per usual on Saturday.

Usually with the excuse that the Sunday readings are the ones in the missalette/newsletter/Mass book

We're doing "Holy Spirit Lord of light" on Sunday morning, it nearly got struck from the list on the grounds that the words are too complicated for the 1st Communion kids, but I suspect the PP knew I would go ballistic if omitting it ws suggested.

[asb]

That is true, asb. I wonder how many churches will miss this and celebrate the Mass of the Sunday, as per usual on Saturday.

Usually with the excuse that the Sunday readings are the ones in the missalette/newsletter/Mass book

We're doing "Holy Spirit Lord of light" on Sunday morning, it nearly got struck from the list on the grounds that the words are too complicated for the 1st Communion kids, but I suspect the PP knew I would go ballistic if omitting it ws suggested.

Would such a "concession" have been even thought of in "The Old Days" ? I get the impression that pre - Vatican II my local church was full of families. Now, it's the parents rather than the PP (or even the children) who worry about "inaccessibility". I was talking to a woman the other day who doesn't take her 4 children to Mass anymore because the PP insists on a sung Credo III and she thinks her kids won't like it. And older parishioners who DO like it are deciding that they SHOULDN'T on the grounds that "It puts the children off".

[Claire B]

Yes, we have the preprinted missalette, and the Redemptorist notice sheet which has given next week's readers just one set of readings for next week. Safe to assume we won't be having a vigil mass.

So, should I play the sequence for both masses?

[asb]

Yes, we have the preprinted missalette, and the Redemptorist notice sheet which has given next week's readers just one set of readings for next week. Safe to assume we won't be having a vigil mass.

So, should I play the sequence for both masses?

Sorry to infer that there may be some doubt here, but does Father actually know that he should be saying the Vigil Mass?

[musicus]

Just to clarify (I hope!): I missed your reference to Saturday, Claire, and my first reply refers to Sunday morning.

[Claire B]

The diocese liturgical planner refers to a vigil set of readings. I have a copy and presumably our visiting priest will have too. It may even be the dean visiting...

Maybe the misalettes will contain 2 sets of readings...

Perhaps I'll just ask the celebrant before mass begins.

..beacause I put a fair amount of time choosing hymns to suit occasion and readings.

[nazard]

[...I was talking to a woman the other day who doesn't take her 4 children to Mass anymore because the PP insists on a sung Credo III and she thinks her kids won't like it. And older parishioners who DO like it are deciding that they SHOULDN'T on the grounds that "It puts the children off".

In our parish we haven't tried Credo III but Gloria VIII was introduced five years ago by a thirteen year old on the music rota who had heard it elsewhere and liked it. The PP and the grannies were against it giving the usual excuse that it will upset the children, but that argument was a bit thin when a child did it. I can thoroughly recommend putting a child on the music rota once they get to about grade V piano, and giving them total freedom. We were very surprised by what was played.

[musicus]

Fair enough. Now let's get back on-topic.

[Claire B]

The Pentecost Sequence is not used on Saturday as there are special texts for the Vigil Mass and the sequence is not included

I've now read the Diocesan Liturgy planner more thoroughly, it gives an Order of service for the Mass opening, with the extra readings and very clearly states that the Pentecost sequence is sung before the gospel acclamation.

I shall be fascinated to see what's on the misalette.