Dominican Rite Passion Chants

As we begin Leint, I am pleased to remind our remind our readers, especially Dominican friars, that Dominican Liturgy Publications has published in an attractive hardback volume the Cantus Passionis Domini Nostri Iesu Christ juxta Ritum Ordinis Praedicatorum for use in singing the Passion during Holy Week.

This volume contains the music for the Passion according to Mathew and according to John sung on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, which were originally published by the Order of Preachers in 1953 with the minor changes necessary to make the texts conform to the norms of 1962. In addition, it includes, newly set to music,  the Passions according to Mark and Luke, traditionally sung on the Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, but now sung in a cycle with that of Matthew on Palm Sunday. 

As the texts of the four Passsions as used in 1962 are the same as those of the current Roman Rite, this book may also be used by friars (and others) celebrating the New Mass in Latin and wanting to sing the chants according to the traditional Dominican music. The cover and a sample age of this volume are reproduced above.  Those interested can read more about this volume and order it here. Those planning to use this volume liturgically should order three copies so that the singers of the narrator and "turba" each have their own copies along the one singing the part of "Christus."

Book with Dominican Chants for all the Epistles of the Year Available

I am pleased to announce that Dominican Liturgy Publications has made available a companion volume to the Evangelarium O.P. published last month.  Just as that volume contained all the Gospels of the Year, Feast days, Commons, and Ritual and Votive Masses for use by the deacon at Solemn Mass, this volume contains all the Epistles and other readings sung by the subdeacon or lector at any Dominican sung Mass.

This new Epistolarium iuxta Ritum Ordinis Praedicatorum can be purchased here.   If  purchasers do not already have a copy of the Evangelarium, it can be purchased here. These books have matching covers but differ in size as the Evangelarium is larger for use in  processions.

These companion volumes replace the previously published, but incomplete, Cantus  Lectionum Missarum pro Dominicis et Festis Maioribue, which is still available here.

Photo Post: Dominican Rite Solemn Mass, Oakland CA, 2/1/20

I am pleased to present a series of photographs of the Dominican Rite Solemn Mass of St. Ignatius of Antioch celebrated at Saint Albert the Great Priory in Oakland CA on his traditional feastday, February 1. The celebrant of this Mass was Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., Director of the St. Jude Shrine at St. Dominic's Church in San Francisco.  The ministers, choir, and servers were all students of the Western Dominican Province: deacon, Br. Gregory Liu, O.P.; subdeacon, Br, Matthew Heynen; senior acolyte, Br. John Peter Anderson, junior acolyte, Br. Columban Mary Hall; thurifer, Br. Pawel Jamroz.  The organist was Fr. James Moore, O.P.

As St. Ignatius is a third-class feast, the cross was not carried at the Gospel, and the Creed was not sung (it is only sung on third-class feasts of Apostles and the Blessed Virgin in the Dominican Rite).

The minsters approach the altar

Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

The deacon opens the corporal

The subdeacon sings the Epitsle

The celebrant reads the intervening chants at the sedilla

The subdeacon washes his hands before preparing the chalice (during the Gradual)

The deacon sings the Gospel

The ministers swing back after reading the Offertorium

The celebrant prepares to incense the gifts

The ministers are incensed during the Preface

The beginning of the Sanctus

The acolytes light the Sanctus Candles

The Elevation

The ministers recite the Agnus Dei

The Absolution at the Communion Confiteor

Communion of the Faithful

The ministers swing back after reading the Communion Verse

The Dominus Vobiscum before the Ite Missa Est

The Blessing

The genuflction during the Last Gospel

I thank Br. Scott Norgaard for these photographs.