Dominican Rite Missa Cantata of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Holy Rosary Church, Portland OR

Holy Rosary Church has long celebrated the ancient Dominican Rite on a regular basis. Currently a Low Mass is offered every First Saturday of the month at 8:00 in the morning. Sung Masses are scheduled approximately once a month according to various feast days. Music for these Masses are offered by Portland’s own Cantores in Ecclesia. The most recent Missa Cantata was celebrated on the occasion of the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As customary on Candlemas, candles were disturbed to the faithful, a procession followed, and finally the Holy Sacrifice was offered. Last week Fr. Augustine Thompson posted the rubrics for the ceremonies of the Feast as observed by the Conventual Mass of a Dominican Priory. As is common in the Dominican Ceremoniale, rubrics for the laity are few. On such occasions, the rubrics of the Roman Rite can sometimes offer guidance.

Following are photos of the Missa Cantata celebrated by Fr. Vincent M. Kelber, O.P. The observance begins with the single prayer of blessing (as is found in the Dominican Missal), after which the candles are blessed with water and incense. The main celebrant is vested in cope for the procession that follows.



The faithful receive the blessed candles kneeling at the altar rail. Customarily they kiss the hands of the priest out of reverence for Christ in his minister. Here Francis-Hung Q. Le, O.P., pastor of Holy Rosary Church, helps distribute the candles.

The acolytes assist the people in lighting their candles.

A procession is made throughout the church by the minister and the servers. An acolyte serves the role of the friar in surplice who sprinkles Holy Water at the head of the procession. Following him are the acolytes with processional candles, the crucifer, friars and the celebrant. As is usual, the corpus of the processional cross faces not forward, but toward the friars and priests that “they may gaze upon the cross.” With its particular veneration of Christ Crucified and of the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, the Dominican Rite is at once manifestly Christocentric and soberly devotional.

Following the procession the priest returns to the sacristy to don the chasuble. Changing of vestments is not done at the chair as in the Roman Rite. Here the celebrant and servers recite the prayers at the foot of the altar asking God for mercy.

Candles are lit twice again during the Mass: during the singing of the Gospel, and from the lighting of the Sanctus candles until before Holy Communion. As to not inhibit the Gospel "procession" the candles were relit while the choir chanted.

Fr. Vincent contemplates the final words of the sequence.


The Elevation of the Sacred Body of Christ. Note the lit Sanctus candles upon the altar.



The moderate extension of the arms at the Unde et Memores.

As is permitted according to the custom of a place, the servers at Holy Rosary always pray a second Confiteor preceding the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Here Fr. Vincent is blessing the servers and communicants during the Absolutionem.

After the Mass Fr. Vincent returns from the sacristy to bless all the candles the faithful have brought from home for their own devotional use.


The next scheduled Missa Cantata at Holy Rosary Parish in Portland is Ash Wednesday on February 22, 2012.

Domincian Rite Misssa Cantata of St. Thomas Aquinas at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula CA

I am pleased to make available this video of the Dominican Rite Missa Cantata sung at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula CA by the college chaplain, Fr. Paul Raftery, O.P. It was a First-Class Votive Mass sung on the occasion of the College's Patronal Feast (New Calendar) on January 28, 2012.



The servers are to be complemented on their mastery of complex rubrics and movements of the rite. Fr. Paul is a member of the Western Dominican Province House of Studies. If you want your servers to perform like these, get the Dominican Altarboy's Manual here.

The video was filmed by Mr. Joe Haggard and shows the entire Mass.

Dominican Rite Masses on All Saints and All Souls in Portland, Oregon

I would like to advise readers of two up-coming events at Holy Rosary Church in Portland, Oregon. The Church will observe the Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed with two Masses according the Dominican Rite.

All Saints

Holy Day of Obligation

Tuesday, November 1

7:30 P.M.

MISSA CANTATA

according to the Dominican Rite

Missa O Quam Gloriosum

by Tómas Luis Victoria

sung by Cantores in Ecclesia

--------------------

All Souls

Wednesday, November 2

7:30 P.M.

MISSA CANTATA

REQUIEM MASS

according to the Dominican Rite

The Gregorian Propers

sung by the Holy Rosary Schola

--------------------

Fr. Vincent M. Kelber, O.P., subprior of Holy Rosary Priory and celebrant of the Masses, invites any readers in the Portland area to attend either or both days and introduce themselves.

(The above images are taken from the 1933 Dominican Rite Missal.)

Anchorage Cathedral: Feast of St. Nicholas, 2008

We are pleased to present here images of the Dominican Rite Missa Cantata of St. Nicholas of Myra, celebrated at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Anchorage AK last Saturday, December 6, 2008. This Mass begins the regular celebration of the Dominican Rite Missa Cantata at the Cathedral, which will be on the first Saturday of each Month at Noon. These Masses will be celebrated by the Dominican Friars of the Western Dominican Province, with permission of the Provincial, the V. Rev. Fr. Emmerich Vogt, O.P., and the blessing of the archbishop of Anchorage, the Most Rev. Roger L. Schwietz, O.M.I. In the first image we see the celebrant, Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., assistant pastor of the cathedral, vesting in the cathedral sacristy.


Here is a photo of the schola, under the direction of Mr. Tim Main, assembled in the choir loft ready to sing the Officium (as we call the Introit).


Fr. Kelber has here arrived at the High Altar and is opening the corporal. He still has his amice-covered capuce up as the Mass proper has not started. Below the steps we see his two acolytes, Jacob DeZarn and Richard Whitney. Normally, the acolytes would wear surplices, but on major feasts, and here pro causa solemnitatis, they wear albs. In the Dominican Rite the proper attire for servers on major feasts is an alb. You can also see the unlighted Sanctus Candles on the ends of the altar.


Father has here lowered his capuce and descended for the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar. The acolytes have turned in to make the responses.

Father has now gone to the book to recite the Officium and the Kyrie.


Following the Collect and the Epistle, while the schola sings the intervening chants, the celebrant prepares the chalice. He then proceeds to the "north" end of the altar to sing the Gospel, as we see in this next photo. The acolytes are present with their lighted candles; they have made way for the censer-bearer and boat-bearer, so we have just begun the dialogue before the Gospel. Incense was used at this Mass pro causa solemnitatis, as provided in the Caeremoniale (1866) of the Order. It will also be used at the Offertory and the Elevation. We do not use incense in the processions.

Fr. Vincent preaching his sermon on St. Nicholas.


Here is the Offertory. You will notice that the Host and Chalice are offered together in a single oblation. The acolytes are waiting to wash the celebrant's hands.

The censer and boat have arrived for the incensing of the gifts and altar. It is not the Dominican practice to remove the book during this rite.


Incensing the gifts. This is done with a simple cross, no circular motions are made in our rite during the ceremony, nor do we swing the censer or clank the chains.

Here Father has reached the Communicantes in the Roman Canon as he has now extended his hands (note the position of the Dominican position of his palms). The senior acolyte will soon ring the bell and they will both kneel for the Consecration. You can see that the acolytes have now lighted the Sanctus Candles, which will burn until the Ablutions.

Out of reverence, the photographer was asked not to take pictures during the Consecration. Here we have reached the Per Ipsum at the end of the Canon. The acolytes have been standing since the elevation. It is interesting that there is no minor elevation at the Per Ipsum in the Dominican Rite. The celebrant simply makes the five Signs of the Cross over the chalice.


The Ecce Agnus Dei. This ceremony is a Roman practice and was never part of the Dominican Rite. It was introduced in 1961 when the use of the Dominican Confiteor at Communion was dropped. As the norm is now to celebrate Mass according to the rubrics in force in 1962 (in conformity with the norms for the Extraordinary Form of the parent Roman Rite), it is now part of our Communion preparation.

The servers receive Communion:


The Communion of the Faithful at the steps of the sanctuary. The Cathedral does not have a Communion Rail, but that does not seem to have presented any problems for a reverent Communion.

Another view of Communion. And, no, that was not posed. The people all actually had their hands folded that way without any instruction from the clergy. God bless the parishioners of the cathedral and the friars who have over forty years trained them in the faith!

Here we see the Cathedral at the end of Communion. I include it so that you can give an idea of the size on the congregation, over 270. The junior acolyte is moving the book.

And here is a closing photo showing the Celebrant singing the Post-Communion Collect. Those with sharp eyes will notice that one of the candles had a wax leak from the back of the follower and went out--this is not part of the Dominican liturgical tradition.

In the Western Dominican Province, this monthy celebration of Dominican Rite Mass in the Anchorage Cathedral now joins the celebration on First Saturdays and feasts at Holy Rosary Church in Portland OR, monthly celebration at St. Francis Xavier Mission in Toledo WA, and the weekly celebration at San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura CA. Regular celebration is also soon to begin at Blessed Sacrament Church in Seattle WA. Other Western Dominican churches, including St. Albert the Great Priory in Oakland CA (the House of Studies), St. Dominic's Church in San Francisco CA, St. Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula CA, and the Monastery of the Angels in Hollywood CA, have also had occasional celebrations. I will keep readers posted on any new occasional celebrations. For the times of the regular Masses, please contact the churches involved.

My thanks to Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., for providing these photographs. The full set may be seen here.

Dominican Missa Cantata of St. Albert the Great, 2008

On November 15, 2008, at Saint Albert the Great Priory, the Western Dominican Province House of Studies, a Missa Cantata according to the Dominican Rite was celebrated on the occasion of the installation of the new Master of Sacred Theology, who was the celebrant. Photos of this Mass have been posted on the photographer's website, the Western Province Website, and at the New Liturgical Movement.

For the convenience of our readers, and others interested, I have collected these here in one place and provided a short commentary. The first image shows the high altar of the beautiful chapel of the House of Studies.

The next image shows the celebrant and Bro. Ambrose Sigman, O.P., the senior acolyte, and Bro. Gabriel Mosher, O.P., the junior acolyte, waiting for the schola to being singing the Officium, "In Medio." They are standing in the passage way past the side altars leading from the sacristy into the Chapel.

Here are the community and visitors gathered in the choir stalls as the chant of the Officium begins. With the black cappa in the front row, opposite side, can be seen Fr. Gerald Buckley, O.P., the prior of St. Albert the Great Priory. In the blue Yale gown is Fr. Gerald Fogarty, S.J., Prof. of History at the University of Virginia, a colleague of the new S.T.M. Next to him is Donald Prudlo, Asst. Prof. of History at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, a former graduate student of the new S.T.M.

The celebrant and servers have here reached the high altar and are genuflecting before the Reserved Sacrament. You will notice that the celebrant still has his amice-covered capuce up, as a secular priest would still have on his biretta at this point. As the two servers are not ordained they wear the surplice under the shoulder cape of the capuce.


The celebrate as here returned from spreading the corporal and placing the chalice on the altar. With capuce down, he has begun the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar. During these prayers the servers turn in, as they would at Solemn Mass, and make the responses.


The priest has ascended to the altar, kissed it, and moved to the book. He is reciting the Officium quietly as the schola finishes it. The servers have swung to the side of the altar where the book is for the Officium and Kyrie, as they would with the major ministers at Solemn Mass.

After returning to the center to intone the Gloria, and again swinging to the side as for the Officium and Kyrie, the celebrant here returns to the center, turns to face the community and sings the greeting, "Dominus vobiscum."


He celebrant then returns to the book and sings the Collect. The Collect finished, he reads quietly the first reading (from Wisdom in this case) and the Responsorium (Gradual) and Alleluia. This next photo shows him completing that reading.


As he does these readings, the "cleric," who is in this case a priest, Fr. Bryan Kromholtz, O.P., who teaches theology at Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley CA. You will notice that as a priest he wears the surplice over the capuce cape. In the red Harvard robe, you can see Prof. James Gordley, of the Tulane University School of Law, who has collaborated on publications with the new S.T.M.

Here the two acolytes have arrived with the water and wine to help the celebrant prepare the chalice. This preparation is done during the singing of the Responsorium.

Here is the schola about to begin the Responsorium at the lectern "in medio chori." On a major feast such as the patronal feast of the House of Studies, the chantors should normally be at least four--here you can see there were six. They are from left to right, Bro. John Marie Bingham, Bro. Mark Francis Manzano, Fr. Paul K. Raftery (chaplain at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula CA), Bro. Boniface Willard (who directed the schola), Stephen Maria Lopez, and Bro. Dominic David Maichrowicz. The visiting academics can all be seen in the front row.

Here we see the preparation of the chalice during the intervening chants. The senior acolyte ministers the wine and stands closest to the altar.

Sadly there are no pictures available of the singing of the Gospel by the celebrant. But here is a photograph of the V. Rev. Fr. Richard Aquinas Schenk, O.P., S.T.M., the regent of studies of the Western Dominican Province. As a Master of Sacred Theology, he wears the biretta and ring (not visible here). He is at the ambo and just about to begin his sermon on St. Albert the Great.

Here is the schola again, waiting for the celebrant to intone the Credo.

Genuflection at Incarnatus est in the Creed:


In the Dominican Rite, the Offertory is every simple, the chalice with paten and host on top is raised in a single oblation as the priest recites one prayer, Suscipe Sancta Trinitas.

Here was see the incensing of the altar at the Offertory. The priest has already incensed the gifts with a single crossing and then the top of the Epistle side of the altar with three lifts (Dominicans do not swing the censer, nor do we clank the chains). Here is has returned to the middle and is incensing the cross with three lifts.

The schola is about to intone the Sanctus.

He celebrant is here quietly reciting the Roman Canon.

The Elevation of the Host. The thurifer, Bro. Raymond Bertheaux, O.P., over fifty years a brother, incenses the elevation continuously, as is the Dominican custom. Earlier, during the singing of the Preface, he incensed the servers and community. In our rite the thurifer is present only from the Gospel to the Elevations, even in the Solemn Mass. You can see a lighted "Sanctus Candle" on the Epistle side (there is another on the Gospel side), which the server lighted during the Sanctus.

Closer view of the Elevation of the Host.

Elevation of the Chalice:


Here, during the singing of the Agnus Dei, we see Fr. Anselm Ramelow, O.P., Asst. Professor of Philosophy at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, who is vested in surplice and stole as he will help distribute Communion. Bro. Matthew Augustine Miller stands in front of him.

Communion and the final collects finished, the celebrant recites the Last Gospel, folds the corporal, raises his capuce, and leaves the altar, as we see in this last photo of the Mass:



More on the program of studies and formation at St. Albert's can be found here. I can also post photos of the S.T.M. installation if readers would like them.