Author: Kathleen Pluth

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, celebrated a beautifully sung Pontifical Mass in honor of the 25th anniversary of the FSSP, on November 15, 2013.

The first of the California missions was the host church. Its marvelous character is evident not only in the texture of the adobe walls and in the sacred art, but in the fantastic acoustics from the loft and in the very wearing of the brickwork floor. Visitors experience the peace and quiet of the large grounds planted with large old trees, in this evergreen temperate region.

Not far from the church’s front door, a large wooden cross marks the place of martyrdom of Fray Luis Jayme, who died imploring his executioners to “love God!”

A schola of priests sang the proper chants of the Mass. The polyphonic choir, directed by Mary Ann Carr-Wilson and accompanied by Spencer Velky, is the choir of St. Anne’s Church, the FSSP parish in San Diego.

for the concluding piece of Martin Baker’s live concert on BBC 3.

Messiaen’s great cycle of nine meditations on Christ’s birth, La Nativité du Seigneur, forms the core of the recital. It was written when Messiaen was 27, during the summer of 1935 while he was in residence at Grenoble near the French Alps. Messiaen wrote that in addition to theology, the movements were inspired by the mountains, as well as the stained glass windows in medieval cathedrals.

A few years ago there were relatively few videos available of the great liturgical chants, so that if you wanted to demonstrate the flow of a chant to a learning schola, it was sometimes hard to find what you needed.

Since then there has been a happy explosion of chant music available, in all sorts of voicings and with varying interpretations, such that listening itself is an enjoyable way of thinking and learning about the chant.

Here are a few very different versions of the Introit of the Day, Ad te levavi, as we begin our annual time of waiting for the Lord. To you have I lifted up my soul. My God, in you I trust, let me not be put to shame and let not my enemies laugh over me, because all those who wait for you shall not be put to shame.

I had a pretty fun night tonight at St. Peter’s Basilica. The choir at my University, the Angelicum, was invited to join with other university choirs of Rome for First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent. We acted as part of the “people’s choir” that mostly provides support for the congregational singing. It was a fascinating experience, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of event for me. We had our own conductor, and although I never caught his name (words in Italian go by so very quickly!) he was really excellent. We were a large group from all over the globe, both geographically and musically speaking, and somehow he made us a chant schola in a very short time. He insisted on artistry as well. It was a real pleasure to work with him and with all those involved.

It was especially nice for me to have the chance to conduct the Salve Regina tonight at the end of the Rosary that preceded Vespers. Here we are at the end of the Year of Faith. And such a year it has been! So just before the new year began in earnest with the Holy Father’s “Deus in audiutorium meum,” we all sang one last Auld Lang Syne to invoke the help of the Lady who has kept her merciful eyes turned upon us this whole time.

Looking forward to the New Liturgical Year and all that the Lord has in store for His Church. Buon anno! Buon Avvento a tutti!

Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s megapost is here.

Captator olim piscium

From the Holy Father’s brand-new Apostolic Exhortation, paragraph 24.

Photo shamelessly copied from Juventutem DC.