Chant at St. Joe

This morning I'd agreed to play keyboard for the 7 am mass at St. Joe. When Debbie talked to me, she said they'd been providing accompaniment for a while, but no cantor, and people were getting used to singing at that early mass. She suggested to me that I play the organ, as both she and Shirley had been wanting to do more organ than piano, but hadn't done it yet. She told me that they generally sing a gathering song, have the resp. psalm read by the cantor, sing the alleluia (she suggested Celtic, refrain only, twice), instrumental at PoGifts, and singing for the mass parts. I said thanks, I'd love to do it, it's my favorite time of the day to be at mass.

When I got there I had a few reservations, mostly concerned with leadership, as the organ is in the choir loft. I approached Fr. Bill at the entrance of church, said hello, and talked thru what I thought we were doing. He seemed surprised, and said that the people at that mass weren't accustomed to singing. We agreed to singing an entrance song, alleluia, and mass parts. He said (kindof tongue-in-cheek) that one song was enough to make 'em mad (as in, no need to sing more). (Which I can appreciate. Been there, done that.)

So at 7:00, (not being able to see the procession from the choir loft) I announced the celebration and the opening song. Please stand. My voice seemed to carry ok without any amplification. I played the intro on organ, and off we went. We sang "Glory and Praise to our Lord." People seemed to sing strongly.

When it came time for the Gospel Acclamation, it just didn't seem right (or actually possible) to lead with organ, so I sang the Alleluia (Easter chant alleluia, everyone should know that.) They did know it, and responded strongly. The deacon was still at the altar with the book of the Gospels, so I soloed a verse, and all repeated Alleluia again.

Since it had felt comfortable to do all this, and the vocal parts had gone well, during the homily, I looked at the Graduale and dared myself to sing chant at Prep of Gifts. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." When the time came, I thought I'd be nervous, or that it would seem out of place, but actually it wasn't. I sang the Introit --Omnes gentes, plaudite manibus. I started singing kind of softly, not pushy, but it seemed to carry. Felt natural. Then I sang the English translation (which I lifted from Word & Song) to the psalm tone, then the antiphon again, then the Gloria Patri as the gifts were carried up. I stopped there, although I could have gone on to the antiphon again.

I played organ for the Eucharistic acclamations (Mass of Creation), and it sounded to me as if the church was full of singing. At Lamb of God, again, there was the problem of no cantor, so I started Agnus Dei a capella. The church really WAS singing. No doubt.

Since Fr. and I had agreed only one hymn, I went to the organ to play "Eat This Bread, Drink this Cup" at communion. I sang on the verse (but not facing down over the choir loft) but no one took it up, so I let it go and just improvised on that song all during communion.

At the sending, since Fr. Bill had told me they weren't accustomed to having music, I didn't do anything. After all, the mass is supposed to end at the Ite missa est, right? Well, the procession people didn't LOOK as if they were accustomed to just leaving. That was the only thing that felt awkward. I think they were looking for music.

I didn't see Fr. to talk about it afterwards, so I don't know what his reaction was. I met some people from mass in the Burger King where I went for a drink (and kill time) before the next mass, and they were very complimentary. I did say to them, that if they like it, they might say something to Debbie or Father, because I'd love to do it more.

That was a MARVELOUS pattern for singing the mass. If I could have anything in the world, it would have to be:
1. world peace
2. my family all in sync
3. to sing a mass like that every week. a simple mass. with the chant. with all of us singing. with just the essential elements, not all the added-on hoopla.

At 9:00 mass, Amy and the youth choir sang (about 6 of the ladies showed up), and I played piano.