Parish music plan

New!!! An online course about the new translation for parishioners

On this page:
Parish plan for music
Schedule of changes
Sheet music and practice files (mp3 and video)

Parish plan for music

Click here for a table listing the changes for each Mass

On August 7, you were probably surprised when Mass began with no music.

This is, of course, a temporary thing! As Fr. Meng and Fr. Searby explained at each Mass, our parish will implement a step-by-step transition into musical settings at Mass. The very first things the parish will learn are some musical settings of the new translation of the Roman Missal. Even though the new translation does not take effect in the United States until the end of November, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has permitted parishes in the US to start singing musical settings of the new translations of the Glory to God, Holy, and Memorial Acclamation as soon as September, and Bishop Loverde has permitted this in our diocese. That way, at the end of November when the new translation is fully implemented, we will already those texts and musical settings “under our belt.”

This table provides a schedule of when there will be an addition or change with the music. Below I have given a short explanation for each item. Please keep an eye on the bulletin, since there will be discussions at each step, as well as explanations from the priests at Mass. Also, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. This is an exciting time for us to reassess and rediscover our musical heritage as Roman Catholics.

Jon Laird
Music Director

Annotated schedule for music changes

Sept 11 we will begin singing the new translation of the Glory to God in English at all Masses. We will also return to singing the Agnus Dei in Latin, as we had done before.
Two weeks later, on Sept 25, we will start singing the Holy, Holy, (Sanctus), and two weeks after that, on Oct 9, the Memorial Acclamation.
The next week, on Oct 16, at the 6 PM, 9 AM, and 10:45 AM Masses, we will return to singing the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel Acclamation. At the 12:30 Mass we will be singing the Gregorian chants for these times of the Mass: the Gradual and Alleluia chants, respectively. You’ll notice that at the 12:30 Mass, eventually most of the singing (with the exception of some hymns) will be in Latin, from our Gregorian Chant heritage.
By Oct 30 we plan on having a new hymnal to replace the Glory & Praise, which will be outdated since it will not have the new translation. Then we will add hymns at the processional times in the Mass: entrance, offertory, communion, and recessional. You’ll see that the entrance and offertory hymns are only temporary, and will eventually be replaced by the introit and offertory antiphons, respectively. The 12:30 Mass, however, will have these antiphons sung to their Latin Gregorian chant settings starting this day.
A month later, on Nov 27, the new translation will be completely implemented. The only thing that will change musically is that we will resume singing the communion antiphon at the 6 PM, 9 AM, and 10:45 AM Masses.
For the 6 PM, 9AM, and 10:45 AM Masses, we will have two more changes: the substitution of the offertory antiphon for the offertory hymn (May 20), and the substitution of the introit for the entrance hymn (June 17).
For the 12:30 Mass, there will also be two more changes: the Sanctus and Gloria will switch from English to Latin on Feb 26 and June 17, respectively. Eventually, the same will happen at the 10:45 Mass.

Audio and video practice files

Greeting: audio | video | video (alternate)

Penitential Act: audio | video

Gloria: audio | video | video (alternate)

Credo I: audio | video | video (alternate)

Credo III: audio | video | video (alternate)

Orate, fratres: audio | video | video (alternate)

Preface dialogue: audio | video | video (alternate)

Sanctus: audio | video | video (alternate)

Memorial Acclamation A: audio | video | video (A, B, and C)

Memorial Acclamation B: audio | video | video (A, B, and C)

Memorial Acclamation C: audio | video | video (A, B, and C)

Doxology: audio | video | video (alternate)

The Lord’s Prayer: audio | video | video (alternate)

Agnus Dei: audio | video | video (alternate)

Invitation to Communion: audio | video | video (alternate)

Final Blessing: audio | video | video (alternate)

Dismissals: audio | video | video (alternate)

yowere probably surprised when Mass began with no music.

This is, of course, a temporary thing! As Fr. Meng and Fr. Searby explained at each Mass, our parish will implement a step-by-step transition into musical settings. The very first things the parish will learn are some musical settings of the new translation of the Roman Missal. Even though the new translation does not take effect in the United States until the end of November, Bishop Loverde has permitted parishes in the diocese to start singing musical settings of the new translations of the Glory to God, Holy, and Memorial Acclamation as soon as September. That way, at the end of November when the new translation is fully implemented, we will already those texts and musical settings “under our belt.”