A New Mass Setting for Ordinary Time
Here at Sts. Anne & Joachim, we have made it our custom of singing a different musical setting of the Ordinary of the Mass, which are the texts we sing on a regular basis at Sunday Mass:
-Kyrie (Lord, Have Mercy) | Gloria (Glory to God) | Alleluia (Gospel Acclamation)* | Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) | Memorial Acclamation* | Amen* | Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
By singing a different setting of the Ordinary in each liturgical season, we follow the precedent established by the church in its official books for the music of these texts. In this way, we participate in each liturgical season, emphasizing the rhythm of the year and the different emphases that each season offers us.
And so, during this season of Ordinary Time from June until Labor Day in the Fall, we will be singing a musical setting that I have composed, titled “Mass of the Holy Family.”
I am excited to share this work with my parish family here at Sts. Anne & Joachim. Below you will find information about the composition, in addition to some practice/demonstration videos so you can see what is coming your way!
*These movements are not part of the more standardized settings of the Ordinary, which typically omit these acclamations, and include a sung Credo (Creed).
The Mass of the Holy Family
"Ever Ancient, Ever New"
“Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new!” -St. Augustine of Hippo
Church musicians share a unique mission in the 21st century to build upon what previous greats have already constructed, and to find new forms of musical expression that can be found worthy for use in the liturgy. This was on my mind when the melodic idea for the “Mass of the Holy Family” came to me a couple of years ago. I only briefly experimented with one small part of the project before putting it in my “to-do” file for later. Over 2 years after I conceived the initial melody, I finally went about completing the project, and was fortunate to then receive approval from the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), and the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), for the use of my new Mass setting in the liturgy.
My goal in writing this setting, was to strike the balance between preserving the tradition of chant in our modern churches, while also writing music that was accessible to all voices. The melody is intended to be repetitive across movements to aid in comprehension by experienced and amateur singers alike. With the presentation of the music in a modern format with defined meter, key, and other musical components, I hope the accessibility of the music is an aid to participation both inwardly & outwardly. If you’re familiar with the “Missa Orbis Factor” chants, you may see a source of my inspiration for some of the melodic elements present throughout the composition. In this way, I hope I have struck the balance of taking a beautiful form of music that is ‘ancient,’ and giving it ‘new’ life in a modern interpretation.
I dedicated this Mass to the Holy Family in great part to my affinity for Sts. Anne & Joachim parish, where I have spent the better part of the last 10 years as a spiritual home. Beyond a place where I attend Mass, I have felt this spirit of a ‘family of families’ that has so grounded our parish in mission for many years. My wife converted to Catholicism here in 2020, our children have been baptized here and even now begun religious education through our fantastic Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. Less ‘formally,’ we have made so many friends and felt the warmth of God’s love through so many of you in a multitude of ways over these past 10 years. In this same familial spirit, I wanted this Mass setting to be a representation of the best we have to offer, in a way that all could be gathered into this family and participate. So, I would like to think of this as being a ‘family Mass,’ where singability and nobility meet in the practice of communal worship.
Of course, as with any change, it will take some getting used to! I pray that even through the initial exposure you have to this musical setting, you may be drawn into a deeper spirit of prayer at Mass.
