Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Lauda Sion: Catholic Liturgy in a Time of Reform


Have you ever sung the entire Lauda Sion Sequence for Corpus Christi? I don't mean just the ending part that begins "Ecce Panis" but rather the entire piece? Few have. And very few parishes attempt it on the appointed day. It is long and rather difficult, but Fr. David Grondz at St. Mary's in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has assigned me the task of teaching a volunteer schola this entire piece for singing at Saturday evening Mass in the ordinary form.

I'm very excited about this. The date of the session is June 13, 2009, and I hope you can make it. It will be part of a larger event: "Lauda Sion: Catholic Liturgy in a Time of Reform." It will feature lectures and presentations by Fr. John T. Zuhlsdorf ("Ask Father" and "What Does the Prayer Really Say?"), Jeffrey Tucker (New Liturgical Movement, Sacred Music, and author of Sing Like a Catholic), Fr. Robert J. Johansen (St. Stanislaus Catholic Church), and Fr. David Grondz (Parochial Vicar of St. Mary Catholic Church).

The idea of the conference is this. Liturgical change is upon us in the life of Catholic parishes. A new Missal translation is on its way. New music in English and Latin is available as never before. The older Missal of the extraordinary is in early stages of living alongside the modern Missal of the ordinary form. All of this points to a new interest in solemnity, decorum, and beauty in Catholic liturgy.

This conference will explore these new trends with top experts on liturgical texts, music, and vestments, with the goal of the fully sung Mass with chant in English and Latin at the vigil Mass for Corpus Christi, followed by the extraordinary form Mass the next morning. The assembled choir will rehearse and sing the full "Lauda Sion" chant, along with newly published English chants.

9:45am Registration ($20)
10:00am Authentic Liturgy: The Source of Catholic Culture (Fr. Robert Johansen)
10:45am The History and Meaning of Corpus Christi (Fr. David Grondz)
11:30pm The History and Meaning of the Sequence (Jeffrey Tucker)
12:15pm Lunch lecture: Benedict XVI's Approach to Liturgical Continuity (Fr. John Zuhlsdorf)
1:00pm Music Practice for Mass
1:45pm Roundtable on Liturgical Reform
2:30pm Music Rehearsal
3:30pm Music Rehearsal
4:15pm Mass

Here is a flyer you can post
.

You can reserve your place by writing brodavid@stphilipnerihouse.org.

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