New Books Vindicate Pius X's Teaching on Sacred Music and Show that the Church in Africa Is Not a "Vatican II Success Story"

Os Justi Press is pleased to announce its latest pair of releases.

First, in the "Studies in Catholic Tradition" series, we have Dr. Patrick John Brill's The Great Sacred Music Reform of Pope St. Pius X: The Genesis, Interpretation, and Implementation of the Motu Proprio "Tra le Sollecitudini."

Professional singer and choir conductor Dr. Andrew Childs sums it up well: “Dr. Patrick Brill provides thorough and much-needed support for what many traditional-minded Catholics have long known or at least suspected: that St. Pius X’s 1903 motu proprio Tra le Sollectitudini still provides the surest guide for the restoration of Catholic sacred music. Part I of this book provides a detailed commentary on the motu proprio, enlightening for amateur and expert alike, while Part II examines the document’s fate from the time of Pius to today, looking at its canonical force and status, positive efforts of implementation, and the neglect it has suffered since Vatican II. As tradition continues to make crucial gains, it will be books like this that serve as practical guides for restoration.”

Announcing "The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hymnal" - 900 pages of Gregorian Chant and Classic Hymns

Os Justi Press is proud to announce the publication of The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hymnal.

Produced by Music Manuscript Service of Denver with the help of a team of expert consultants, the OLMCH provides, at long last, the ultimate Catholic hymnal for a fully traditional Catholic sacred music program, in parishes, schools, or religious houses. Designed primarily with TLM communities in mind, here are some highlights:

PALESTRINA 500: A year-long festival of sung Masses to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of Palestrina's Birth (1525-2025)

Certainly one of the most significant sacred music festivals ever conceived.

In honor of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594), you can hear the Gesualdo Six, the Tallis Scholars, the London Oratory Schola Cantorum, and many other ensembles perform the glorious Masses and motets of the Prince of Polyphony, in the context for which they were intended: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

That is the ambitious program undertaken for the glory of God and the edification of the faithful by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Parish in Grand Rapids, Michigan, starting on December 9, 2024, and running to December 8, 2025. The parish has already raised over $100K for this monumental festival.

For more details, see the poster below, or visit the website at https://www.sacredheartgr.org/palestrina500 

The Latin Mass Returns to Dorchester Abbey: The St Birinus Festival, 30 Oct - 2 Nov 2024

A campaign has been launched to help fundraise for the music of rarely heard liturgies in an extraordinary location.

By kind permission of the Church of England parish of Dorchester on Thames, the St Birinus Festival 2024 will take place at the beautiful mediaeval abbey, once host to the remains of St Birinus and a destination for pilgrims from around the world. St Birinus, along with St Augustine, was responsible for  bringing much of England to Christianity. Just by the abbey runs the River Thame, in whose waters St Birinus baptised the king of Wessex in 636 AD.

The festival will include the singing of the major hours of the feasts of All Saints and All Souls according to the 1962 Roman Missal, which is normally celebrated at the nearby Catholic Church of St Birinus. These ceremonies will be sung with full Gregorian Chant and polyphonic music by the great Renaissance composers such as Victoria, Gabrieli, Palestrina and Byrd.

The newly formed St Birinus Festival Choir will be joined by sackbuts and cornetts, and will be directed by Gareth Wilson, of Girton College Cambridge. A Mass in up to 16 parts by the Venetian composer Andrea Gabrieli will accompany a solemn Pontifical Mass for All Saints on November 1st, at 11am. The celebrant will be Abbot Hugh Allan O.Praem.

Matins of All Souls will also be a unique experience early the next day, with some of the finest music of the Renaissance written specifically for this ceremony. This will be followed by a solemn Requiem with music by Lassus and Byrd.

The festival will also include major musical events in the evenings, such as concerts with the Davey Consort and students of the Royal Academy of Music, both directed by Ryan Wigglesworth, director of music for the BBC Scottish symphony orchestra. Sophie Bevan MBE will also give a masterclass.

The Festival is being organised in order to fundraise for the music at the beautiful Catholic Church in Dorchester on Thames. This neo-gothic gem [of a church] (also dedicated to St Birinus) boasts an Aubertin organ and a regular professional choir (the Davey Consort), as well as a children’s choir with ambitious plans for the future. Donations to support the costs of organising such an event can be made via the following link: https://gofund.me/42c651ff

All details of the festival events and where to get tickets can be found here:  https://thedaveyconsort.co.uk/collections/st-birinus-festival

Book Announcement: “Good Music, Sacred Music, and Silence: Three Gifts of God for Liturgy and for Life”

I am happy to share with readers of Rorate the announcement of my latest book, released today: Good Music, Sacred Music, and Silence: Three Gifts of God for Liturgy and for Life (TAN, 2023). This book—the fruit of decades of working as a church singer, choir director, composer, and teacher of music at the college level—is a heartfelt appeal to take the art of music as seriously as it deserves to be taken.

The first part deals with the corrosive cultural and psychological effects of a lot of modern popular music, contrasted with the numerous benefits of a lifelong apprenticeship to the great music of the Western tradition (including the many excellent composers working today). Here I draw upon such thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Pieper, and Ratzinger as well as years of interesting interactions with young people, whom I often guided through what might be called their “musical conversion.”

Beautiful New Book Teaches Kids Gregorian Chant with Active Keyboard and Color-coded Music

Do you want your child to sing but don’t know where to start? Does your child enjoy music and need some inspiration to sing? Whether your child has been singing for years, or not at all, Children’s First Chants will help them grow in their love for sacred music!

Traditionalist publishing renaissance (4): Sophia Institute Press releases book-length interview with Bishop Schneider, and more

Sophia Institute Press continues to bring out books of great interest to traditionalists. Today I would like to comment on three recent releases.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider. The Springtime that Never Came. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Hardcover $21.95. eBook $9.99.

Having had the privilege of reading the manuscript prior to publication, I eagerly awaited the release of The Springtime that Never Came, the most recent work by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, champion and defender of the faith. Written in conversation with eminent Polish journalist Paweł Lisicki, this authoritative book challenges an array of dominant narratives in the Church, many which are lamentably leading the faithful astray.

Growing up in the 1960s in the former Soviet Union, Bishop Athanasius Schneider experienced the horrors of totalitarianism which are beginning to sprout again in the secularized West. In The Springtime that Never Came, he tackles some of the most pivotal, controversial issues of our time. We hear the truth about Church closings and God’s intervention during Covid-19, and a dizzying host of moral issues on which most bishops remain silent, from the “gender agenda” and homosexuality to priestly celibacy and the abuse scandals. With charity, wisdom, and occasional humor, Bishop Schneider provides straightforward answers to questions on ecumenism, ecology, liberation theology, liberalism, papal primacy, the collegiality of bishops, and the immutability of faith. Bishop Schneider calls for a new and more realistic form of apologetics that recognizes the constitutive role of tradition. He lays out how to avoid the “mental gymnastics” caused by theological confusion and shares stories of his own journey to a robustly traditional Catholicism.

Readers will be both inspired and comforted as Bishop Schneider testifies his experience of souls returning to the Church through the reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, and the Holy Rosary. Following Our Lord, he speaks authoritatively on heaven, hell, purgatory, sin, and mercy. Readers will also learn about Mass reforms, the history of priestly celibacy, roles of women in the Church, and why a return to the traditional liturgy is absolutely necessary. He underscores God’s “appeal for a true Eucharistic conversion of the whole Church.”

I was happy to see, among other endorsements, that of Edward Pentin, author of The Next Pope, who enthused: “Exemplifying the bishop’s acuity and wisdom, The Springtime that Never Came provides an authoritative and much-needed spiritual corrective to our deeply troubled and rudderless post-conciliar era.” And Dr. Janet Smith, American philosopher and author, who stated: “Bishop Athanasius Schneider provides a dazzling display of knowledge of theology, the liturgy, Church history and the problems of the modern world and the Church all in service of explaining complicated issues with a rare and wonderful clarity.”

One could sum it up best by saying that this book is in every way the worthy successor of the same bishop’s deservedly popular Christus Vincit, which has nearly 1,000 reviews at Amazon. Those who have savored the riches of that first book-length interview will definitely want to get a copy of this one, which so far from being redundant has the character of a sequel.

Fr. Armand de Malleray, FSSP. Ego Eimi: It Is I. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Paperback $17.95. Ebook $9.99.

Since the time I promoted a first edition of Ego Eimi: It Is I in 2018, I have considered it one of the more original books on its subject, a fresh look at a mystery the Church has venerated for two thousand years. This is why it is great news that Sophia has released a new edition of it. Fr. Armand de Malleray FSSP aims to restore love of the Holy Eucharist through the Traditional Latin Mass. A renowned member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Fr. de Malleray explains the meaning behind the sacred mysteries and stirs up devotion to our Lord.

It’s no secret that belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist has declined drastically. Fr. de Malleray challenges us with the question: for the love of our Lord and the good of souls, how can we help reverse this trend? In these pages, the author explores Church teachings on the Holy Eucharist through the lens of Scripture and philosophy, with the time-tested Latin Mass as a backdrop. Replete with real-life stories, modern-day references, and cultural and historical reflections, this book orients readers to the invisible realities occurring at Mass.

Fr. de Malleray explains the significance of each precious detail of the traditional Eucharistic liturgy, from the opening words of the Preparatory Prayers, “Judge me, O God,” to the importance of how the words of Consecration are punctuated, to the meaning of the celebrant’s genuflections before and after the elevation. Readers will learn to treasure the Holy Eucharist more deeply as they gain knowledge about essential doctrines, such as transubstantiation, the concomitant presence of Christ’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under each species, and the nature of the Eucharistic fragments. Readers discover how the Real Presence surpasses other forms of God’s presence and how to make our worship conform to our belief in the sacred mysteries. Moreover, Fr. de Malleray reveals how the Holy Eucharist manifests God’s divine mercy, trains us in contrition, and prepares us for a favorable eternal judgment—as reflected in the prayers of the traditional Mass.

The Holy Eucharist is the central mystery of our faith: how can we better adore Our Lord and how can we share this Eucharistic Fire with others? Ego Eimi: It Is I will deepen your love for the Holy Eucharist so that each time you worship will be like your first, last, and only Mass.

Fr. de Malleray further elaborates on why he wrote the book and on Eucharistic devotion in a recent Catholic Family News interview.  

Jeffrey M. Ostrowski, editor. Saint Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal Pew Edition. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Hardcover $29.99. 

Sophia Press is issuing several traditional hymnals this spring by editor Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. This traditional hymnal is unique since it was designed by and for priests and musicians serving in parishes worldwide, and contains three times as many hymns as its competitors. The series also features a Choral Supplement and an Organ Accompaniment.

Mr. Ostrowski’s scholarship has focused on the historical performance of plainsong and polyphony of the High Renaissance, resulting in several early music CDs and an internationally broadcast television, including the Sacred Music Colloquium “Sacred, Beautiful, and Universal” (CMAA) documentary. Additionally, Mr. Ostrowski has been frequently chosen as presenter for national Musica Sacra gatherings. He founded—and still oversees—the Sacred Music Symposium, which promotes authentic church music at the grass roots level.

The Brébeuf Hymnal continues the tradition of books such as the New Westminster Hymnal, the New Saint Basil Hymnal, and the Saint Gregory Choirbook. Drawn exclusively from the authentic Catholic treasury, the Saint Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal stands alone among church hymn books by neither mimicking nor building upon popular Protestant versions. So unlike other Catholic hymnals which simply strive to avoid heresy and eliminate undignified melodies, the Saint Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal is Catholic to the core, containing countless traditional hymns steeped in deep theology. This elegant hardcover pew edition contains more Catholic metrical hymns than any other collection. The melodies are beautiful and dignified; its hymns are timeless and eminently choral for the congregation. 

The dazzling array of melodies—some of which are unusually rare—have been carefully sorted according to meter. The Pew edition offers exceptional translations of the authentic Catholic hymns, painstakingly wedded to simple-yet-sublime melodies. A member of the Catholic Organist Group wrote: “I have never encountered such a prolific and astoundingly interesting hymnal; I just read it for an hour and I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’m hanging on every word. It’s just as much a lesson in theology, Christian tradition, the history of sacred hymnody, and inspiring Christian bio-epic of the North American martyrs as it is a hymnal.” A Sensus Fidelium interview with Mr. Ostrowski relates more about his inspiration in editing the hymnal.

Corpus Christi Watershed’s site includes a resources section with rehearsal videos to help volunteer choirs learn to sing in parts: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. Too many Catholic choirs refrain from singing hymns in parts! These clips make it easy to learn. Priests who don’t read music can sample the YouTube files and see for themselves how the Saint Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal melodies are well within reach of their congregations—especially because these YouTube videos were not produced by professional singers.

It is worth pointing out that while the cover describes the hymnal as useful for "both forms" of the Roman rite, there is in fact nothing in it that is specific to the Novus Ordo; all of the content is much older and suits the traditional liturgy perfectly, since that was the origin of the texts (often by way of the divine office) and melodies. Now that Francis has put aside the legal fiction of "two forms," we can all get back to the real work of restoring the one and only Roman Rite there is, namely, the traditional one. This hymnal does not contain Gregorian chant, and therefore has to be supplemented by other books like The Parish Book of Chant; but on the side of hymnody it has no parallel and not even any close competitor.

[ADDENDUM 6/13/22: I should note that this hymnal, as wide-ranging and groundbreaking as it is, does not contain some of the more familiar melodies and texts that Catholics have grown accustomed to, and for this purpose I recommend consulting another recent publication, A Catholic Book of Hymns, part of the Sacred Music Library, Augusta, Kentucky. Read more here.]

They're back! Benedictines of Mary release new CD in honor of Christ the King

If you have been a long-time reader of Rorate you know we love and support the wonderful Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. Their numerous CDs have topped the classical music charts for years, enabling them to spread the Word of God through music, and continue their mission through the proceeds.

Now, after a three-year hiatus, they have released their 10th CD -- this one in honor of Christ the King. 

All proceeds will go toward the construction of a permanent monastery for the Abbey’s growing daughter house in the Ozark mountains of southern Missouri.

For only $15 this CD will make a great stocking stuffer for Christmas or a gift for St. Nicholas's feast day. You can purchase five or more at a discounted rate. 

TO PURCHASE THE CD, CLICK HERE

TO SEE PLANS FOR THE DAUGHTER HOUSE, CLICK HERE

A Vatican II Moment -- Ash Wednesday in the Novus Ordo: The New Sacred Music

 It isn't from this year (the lack of the ubiquitous masks dates it), but we thank the traditional Catholic German organist who compiled this unbelievable display of modern "Sacred Music" on a past Ash Wednesday in the presence of Cardinal Woelki, in Cologne, Germany.

It has to be seen (and heard) to be believed:

Gregorian Chant: Perfect Music for the Sacred Liturgy

I am pleased to publish here at Rorate Caeli the full text and video of the lecture I gave on Gregorian chant as the supreme model of sacred music—a reservoir of faith and a wellspring of devotion—at the Sacred Liturgy Conference in Spokane, Washington, in May of 2019. The organizers of the Sacred Liturgy Conference gave me permission to post the video, which I recommend for its slides and musical examples. However, the text may be of value to those who prefer to print it out and read it. There are slight discrepancies between text and video that make no difference to the meaning. PAK

Gregorian Chant: Perfect Music for the Sacred Liturgy

Peter A. Kwasniewski

One might think that something called “plainchant” or “plainsong” would not furnish much to talk about; after all, its very name says it’s plain and it’s chant. In reality, Gregorian chant it is anything but plain, except in the sense that its beautiful melodies are meant to be sung unaccompanied and unharmonized, as befits the ancient monastic culture out of which they sprang. What we call “Gregorian chant” is one of the richest and most subtle art forms in Western music—indeed, in the music of any culture. In my presentation today, I will first give a rapid sketch of the history of chant, then address why we sing our liturgy rather than merely speaking it, and finally delve into the characteristics that make Gregorian chant uniquely suited to the Catholic liturgy.

GOUNOD 200 Years: Truth and Love in Music -On the 200 years of the Birth of Catholic composer Charles Gounod

Charles Gounod was born exactly 200 years ago, in the month of June 1818. A Catholic who held his faith deeply throughout his life, he seriously considered becoming a priest before deciding to remain dedicated exclusively to his music. Catholic worship (the Traditional Roman Mass) remained a decisive influence for him throughout his life.

In his explanation of the title of his 1885 oratorio Mors et Vita, that he dedicated to the great Pope Leo XIII, Gounod presented his deep Faith:

"Death is placed before life because, in the eternal order of things, death precedes life, even if, in the temporal order, life precedes death. Death is the end of an existence that ends each day. But it is the first moment of a birth that will become eternal."

Not long after his death, in 1893, one of the oldest French magazines, the Revue des Deux Mondes, published a long essay in his honor. We quote the following remarkable excerpt:

Upcoming Lectures by Dr. Kwasniewski in Canada — Award Ceremony for Bishop Schneider in Winnipeg

The end of May will see a number of lectures and Latin liturgies of interest to tradition-loving Catholics in the cities of Ottawa and Winnipeg.

Buy a CD, build a church and priory!

Long-time readers know we adore the sisters of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles -- and that we personally contribute to them. We say that because we want you to know we are investing in the places we're asking you, our readers, to prayerfully consider investing. And make no mistake: Helping these great sisters is an investment in eternity!

Now, you can donate to them, help them build their new church and priory, and receive their newest CD -- music so beautiful you must hear it to believe it. Please check out the video, below. While it only costs $15 to purchase the CD, we urge you to give more on top of that, and help move this critical construction project along.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE CD! then ... CLICK HERE TO MAKE EXTRA DONATION!

Because of the generosity of the faithful, and many of our readers, the work of the new church and priory has progressed well. 

Event: Upcoming Concerts in Denver (April 21-22 and 29) to Feature Premiere of New Polyphonic Mass

The Vittoria Ensemble, under the direction of Rick Wheeler, is proud to announce the upcoming premiere, at three concerts in the Denver, Colorado area, of a new polyphonic Mass: the Missa Honorificentia Populi Nostri, composed in 2017 by Rorate contributor Dr Peter Kwasniewski.

New Video on the Traditional Office of Tenebrae

Readers may be interested in this short video that explains the traditional Office of Tenebrae and why it is so powerful a way of entering into the Passion of the Lord. 

[UPDATE]: A new Mass -- and an amazing story

Rorate disclaimer: as it has happened in such occasions in the past, our readers know that we post information we consider useful even if we deeply disagree, in fundamental and non-negotiable principles, with their authors. That is the case, for instance, when we post encouraging news from the Eastern Orthodox. Or Sedevacantists.

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By Rev. Anthony Cekada

In an August 31, 2017 article on Rorate, I told the rather amazing story of how at age 15 our young organist, Andrew Richesson, had composed an impressive and stirring musical setting of the Ordinary of Mass.

At the time the article appeared, only two sections of the Mass, the Kyrie and the Sanctus, had been recorded by a choir. For the rest of the work, Rorate readers were provided with a computer-generated audio of the score on Andrew’s YouTube channel.

I am happy to report that our choir at St. Gertrude the Great Church in West Chester, Ohio, has now recorded the entire work. We premiered it at Midnight Mass on Christmas 2017, and sang it again the following Sunday, December 31. 

Sacred music and more from the Benedictines of Mary

Today Rorate received this note from the prioress of the Benedictines of Mary in Gower, Missouri, whom we have featured many times for their wonderful music and their growing community. Please support them if you can. The new church they are building is magnificent, and the monastery is bursting with sisters.

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we make final preparations in our homes and in our hearts for the coming of our Savior, we want to send our love and prayers to all of you. We thank you for your past support, knowing that we couldn't live our lives of prayer without your generous assistance.

If you are still in need of Christmas gifts, we have all of our CDs in stock, and are offering them right now for just $12 each! Any orders placed before 9am(CST) today [Dec. 16] will be shipped today, and orders placed by 9am Monday will be shipped on Monday.

[NB:] Amazon inexplicably stopped selling our Caroling at Ephesus CD early last week, so we unfortunately lost a tremendous number of sales. So we reach out to you now, hoping that through your kindness, we might make up for this loss, which will help us to raise the last $150,000 needed to make our final construction payment of the year. 

We would be most grateful if you could spread the word by any means, near and far! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your goodness and continued support!

A new Mass -- and an amazing story

Rorate note: For those of you who know of Fr. Cekada, he is a prolific writer -- even though we disagree fundamentally with him in the very important matter of the Papacy. Thus this is is not a short post, and it contains many links to this brilliant young man's beautiful music. If you cannot read -- or watch -- all of this, we implore you to go towards the bottom and listen to the complete version of the Mass in a computer-generated digital sound format. It's incredibly moving. And anyone can download the full score for free. May God bless this great musician, and may God bless us with more of his music, for years to come: 

By Rev. Anthony Cekada

Andrew Richesson with Fr. Cekada

How a Young Organist Composed a Magnificent Mass

MOST OF Rorate’s faithful followers, whatever their opinion on a whole array of other disputed issues, would no doubt agree that the Church’s great patrimony of sacred music deserves to be preserved, augmented and handed down to succeeding generations.

It was with this in mind that I decided to offer Rorate readers an account of how this process of handing down the musical treasures of the past unfolded in one case in my own experience. It is a story that all those who love good liturgical music will find most encouraging.

You Suggest: Silence & Song Retreat

The Australian Sacred Music Association has put together some footage of their recent Silence and Songs Retreat and recorded some of the liturgies at the retreat that took place during Epiphany this year.

Sales of the CD will go to support the new traditional Benedictine monastery in Tasmania, Notre Dame Priory. Notre Dame is a monastic foundation, under the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Hobart, the Most Reverend Julian Porteous. Dedicated to God by means of the vows of religion (poverty, chastity, obedience, stability, conversion of life), monks spend their time in prayer and labour.

International Declaration on Sacred Music

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Instruction Musicam Sacram (promulgated March 5, 1967), a Declaration on Sacred Music Cantate Domino, signed by over 200 musicians, pastors, and scholars from around the world, is published today in six languages (English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German). This declaration argues for the continued relevance and importance of traditional sacred music, critiques the numerous serious deviations from it that have plagued the Catholic Church for the past half-century, and makes practical suggestions for improving the situation.

Readers are encouraged to read the text (reproduced below in full) and to disseminate it far and wide as a rallying-point for Roman Catholics who love their great heritage, and for all men and women who value high culture and the fine arts as expressions of the spiritual nobility of the human person made in God's image.

“CANTATE DOMINO CANTICUM NOVUM”

A Statement on the Current Situation of Sacred Music

We, the undersigned — musicians, pastors, teachers, scholars, and lovers of sacred music — humbly offer this statement to the Catholic community around the world, expressing our great love for the Church’s treasury of sacred music and our deep concerns about its current plight.

Introduction

Cantate Domino canticum novum, cantate Domino omnis terra (Psalm 96): this singing to God’s glory has resonated for the whole history of Christianity, from the very beginning to the present day. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition alike bear witness to a great love for the beauty and power of music in the worship of Almighty God. The treasury of sacred music has always been cherished in the Catholic Church by her saints, theologians, popes, and laypeople.