Category Archives: The Mass

The Eucharist: Not Just a Sacrament But Also A Sacrifice

In this episode we conclude the Catechism’s treatment concerning the Eucharist. Having set forth the doctrine concerning the Eucharist as a sacrament, the section concludes with a discussion concerning the Eucharist as a sacrifice. In addition to reading the catechism, … Continue reading

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Is Religious Music Suitable for Mass?

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

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

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

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Mass of The Lord’s Supper 9 April 2020

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

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Today, Sing “Ubi Caritas!”

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

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

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

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

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

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