Category Archives: The Mass

Is Religious Music Suitable for Mass?

Posted on February 19, 2022 by marklangley

Obviously all religious music will occupy itself with words appropriated from scripture or at least in some way grounded in scripture. Whether using the words of a psalm, or composed as a sort of ‘poetic meditation’ on this or that … Continue reading →

Posted in Fine Arts, Sacred Music, The Mass | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

All Souls’ Day and Dies Irae: The Four Most Profoundly Influential Notes of Gregorian Chant

Posted on November 1, 2020 by marklangley

I am certainly not the first one to make note of the fact that the Sequence, Dies Irae, for All Souls’ Day appears to have made a profound and far ranging contribution to American Culture. From blockbusters like Star Wars … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, catholic education, Christendom, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass, William Byrd | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Easter Morning with Claudio Casciolini

Posted on April 12, 2020 by marklangley

Part One and Two of Easter Sunday morning Mass. (unfortunately, the live feed was interrupted after the second reading and so the sequence -Victimae Paschali as well as the Gospel were cut) With fond remembrance for my old organ and … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mass of The Lord’s Supper 9 April 2020

Posted on April 9, 2020 by marklangley

Although there was no Mandatum tonight (i.e. washing of feet ceremony) nor Eucharistic procession in which the blessed sacrament is reposed in a separate tabernacle, we still managed to get the Ubi Caritas sung at around 33:57. Holy Thursday is … Continue reading →

Posted in Feasts, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Today, Sing “Ubi Caritas!”

Posted on April 9, 2020 by marklangley

Today, Holy Thursday, is the day for singing the ancient chant Ubi Caritas! UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, Easter, Feasts, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass, The Passion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A Sacrifice Too Far: There is a Sacrifice that Gives Meaning to All Sacrifice

Posted on April 5, 2020 by marklangley

On Palm Sunday the entire Passion of Our Lord is famously read at Mass throughout the world. But today, in the midst of the present crisis it is sure to strike Catholics everywhere with new poignancy – especially when Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Common Good, Council of Trent, Modernists, Temptation, The Mass | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Confusion about the Common Good

Posted on March 28, 2020 by marklangley

In the not too distant future, I am hoping that someone much brighter than I will perform the heavy philosophical lifting that it will take to state precisely what is wrong with the current approach that our Church is taking … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Aquinas, Common Good, liberal education, Modernists, philosophy, Socrates, The Mass | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Still Thankful After All These Years

Posted on November 30, 2019 by marklangley

Grace builds upon nature. Or as we classically educated Latin teachers would construe, Gratia Supponit Naturam or even “Gratia aedificat super naturam”? In any case, whether George Washington was stirred by the Holy Ghost, when he rendered his first Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

Posted in Custom, Feasts, Fine Arts, Saint Paul, The Mass | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Three Ways We Should Read Sacred Scripture

Posted on July 17, 2019 by marklangley

In scene two of the third Act of Romeo and Juliet, Friar Laurence cautions Romeo, Wisely and Slow, they stumble that run fast. Now, even those who have not read the play can guess that Romeo probably did not take … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Custom, Mathematics, The Mass, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

This School Choir May Have Just Made History

Posted on December 9, 2018 by marklangley

In what might be a new world record, or perhaps simply a first of its kind choral accomplishment, the fifty-five voice Lyceum Choir sang back to back liturgies – one in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, celebrated by Cardinal … Continue reading →

Posted in beauty, Catena Aurea, Feasts, Sacred Music, Sacrosanctum Consilium, The Mass | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments