Tag Archives: Gregorian chant

Confirmation Mass

Pope Benedict XVI ScholaWe had the privilege tonight of singing for the confirmation Mass at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville.

We sang two pieces for a 10-minute prelude—the chant Confirma hoc and the three-part Jesu Rex Admirabilis attributed to Palestrina—that also included two organ pieces.

We joined the Holy Ghost choir for the Mass and sang an introit (an English setting of Judica me, Deo, composed by Vladimir Soroka), several dignified hymns, and Albin Mascek’s setting of Veni Sancte Spiritus. Good stuff all around.

Here’s the schola in its current incarnation: from left, me (Mary Weaver), Dan Pacitti, Susan Dixon, Steven Hensley, and Nancy Harless.

What we rehearsed June 24

Last night three of us focused on Gregorian chant: the Communion chant from the Roman Gradual for the fifth Sunday of Lent, a couple of the four seasonal Marian antiphons, and the chant hymn Ave verum corpus. I realize that the Communio was a bit out of date, but it’s a nice one, and I already had copies in the music binders . . .

Unless you hear otherwise, assume that we will rehearse at Our Lady of Fatima for at least the next several Tuesday nights, 7 to 8:30 p.m. I’d like to get us on the schedule to sing a Mass seven or eight weeks from now. That’s plenty of time for us to master the music but not so much time that we get discouraged because the goal seems too far away.

I’ll keep you posted.