All Souls Dominican Requiem at Holy Rosary Chruch, Portland OR

We have the pleasure of presenting a series of excellent images of the Missa Cantata Dominican Rite Requiem Mass celebrated at Holy Rosary Church, Portland, Oregon, on the occasion of this last All Souls day. The celebrant was the pastor, Fr. Anthony Patalano, O.P., a priest of the Western Dominican Province. The music was provided by Cantores in Ecclesia, who regularly sing at Masses in the parish.

The first image shows the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar. Father has bowed to make his Confiteor and the two servers (holding their candles) have turned inward to face him. Notice the unbleached candles on the altar, in the processional candlesticks, and around the catafalque.


In this next image we see the priest and servers, who have swung out to the Epistle side of the altar for the reading of the Officium (called the Introit in the Roman Rite) and the Kyrie. This swing would include the deacon and subdeacon if this were a Solemn Mass. This movement of the ministers is among the most famous elements of our Dominican Rite. After this, the priest will return to the center, turn and greet the people with Dominus vobiscum and then return to the book to sing the Collect. He will then read the Epistle, which may be sung by a cleric if one is available.


Here Fr. Patalano has come to the Gospel side to sing the Gospel, the servers having brought their candles in the brief procession. There is no censer-bearer as incense is not used at the Requiem Mass.


The servers wash father's hands during the Offertory. The verse "Qui retribuam Domino pro omnibus quod tribuat mihi." is omitted during Requiem Masses, otherwise the Dominican Offertory with a single oblation of the elements is unchanged.


Father has just finished the Preface and is reading the Sanctus quietly. As you can see the servers are lighting (or on the left have lighted) the Sanctus Candles. These will burn until the Communion.


The Mass completed, father has come down to perform the "Absolution of the Dead" at the catafalque, while the choir sings the chant of the Libera. You will notice that father has exchanged his chasuble for the cope.

Here incense is being prepared for use during the singing of the Libera, when it is traditional to incense the catafalque and then sprinkle it with holy water.


Incensing the catafalque:


The Libera and its prayers completed, the ministers depart to the sacristy.


May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace!

Solemn Requiem Mass for the Dead

Our readers have seen still photos of the Solemn High Dominican Rite Mass for the Dead at Blessed Sacrament Church in Seattle last All Souls Day. We now have a very well done video with excerpts from the Mass and the chant of the Dies Irae:



If you liked this video and the Dominican Chant in it, check the new publication of the chants for Compline with the Dominican Rite chants approved for the Liturgy of the Hours, available here.

This Mass was celebrated by priests of the Western Dominican Province.

All Souls at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Seattle WA

I apologize for the delay in posting these images of the Solemn Requiem Mass according to the Dominican Rite celebrated at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Seattle WA on All Souls last. It has taken me some time to get them together. This is just a selection from the photographs taken and posted by Mr. Pat Bucy at this photo album.

The minsiters for the Mass were: Fr. Daniel Syverstad, O.P., Pastor and Former Provincial of the Western Dominican Province, priest; Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., S.T.M., professor of Church History at Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, deacon; and Mr. Jesson Mata (an installed lector and acolyte), director of liturgy and music at Blessed Sacrament, subdeacon. Music was provided by the Tudor Choir, resident at Blessed Sacrament, under the direction of Mr. Doug Fullington, which sang the Requiem and Libera of Tomas de Vittoria. The church, which holds just over 700 was almost completely full, so attendence is estimated at about 650.


The High Altar of the church, dressed for the Mass; notice the black humeral veil for use later by the subdeacon, and the unbleached candles. Funds need to be raised for a violet tabernacle veil and for a proper black altar frontal; the vestments you will see in the coming photos were a kind loan from Holy Rosary Dominican Parish in Portland; the catafalque candle sticks were from the attic of the local Episcopal parish. If you would like to help Blessed Sacrament purchase what is needed needed for regular celebration of Dominican Rite Masses, contact Mr. Jesson Mata at the parish about how to make a donation.


The catafalque, covered with a black pall, where the Absolution of the Dead will be performed during the singing of the Libera, following the Mass.


Members of the Dominican Community of Blessed Sacrament, in choir awaiting the beginning of Mass: from left to right: Fr. Raphael Mary Salzillo, O.P., parochial vicar (ordained last spring); Fr. Jordan Bradshaw, O.P., Director of the Catholic Newman Center, University of Washington; and Fr. Augustine Hartman, O.P., in residence and chaplain.


Prayers at the Foot of the Altar in the Dominican form. Note the very simple apparels on the albs. The acolytes were Lawrence Lam and Thomas Fetz.


The ministers in the cross formation, waiting for Fr. Daniel to turn for the Dominus Vobiscum.


The priest and deacon read the Epistle, Responsorium, Tract, and Sequence quietly at the sedilla; they will stand in a moment to read the Gospel. Note the black "mappula" or "mappa" on their laps, the Dominican form of the Roman gremial.


The subdeacon has taken the black humeral veil and is about to bring the chalice to the sedilla where it will be prepared. The choir is singing the chants between the readings.


The Gospel Procession goes to the lectern.

The Offertory: the subdeacon has unveiled the already prepared chalice and the deacon has just passed it to the priest, saying "Imola Deo sacrificium laudis et redde Altissimo vota tua." The priest will offer up the host and chalice in a single oblation. Note the very simple apparels on the amices.

The Preface: the ministers are in this position for the dialogue (they are coming up from bowing for "Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro"). They will also take this position for their reading of the Sanctus and Agnus Dei.

Ministers in position for the first part of the Canon. They will kneel in the triangular formation on the steps for the Consecration. The catafalque is visible in front.

The Elevations were not photographed out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament. This photo shows the deacon returning from placing the pall on the chalice and the priest with his arms extended in the cross position used by Dominicans after the Consecration.

Display of the Host for the Ecce Agnus Dei. This ceremony is not actually proper to the Dominican Rite. It is a Romanization imposed on the Rite in 1960 when our use of our Communion Confiteor was also suppressed by the Sacred Congregation of Rites.

Fr. Daniel was recovering from back surgery a little over two weeks before the Mass -- as those present could clearly see. He did not distribute Communion. Here Fr. Raphael is assisted in distribution by the deacon.

Fr. Jordan is assisted by the subdeacon.

The senior acolyte assists Fr. Hartman.

The priest consumes the ablution of water and wine at the side of the altar, deacon and subdeacon hold the cruets, servers wait to retrieve them.

The Choir has chanted the Libera. As he silently recites the Pater Noster, Fr. Daniel, wearing the cope, sprinkles the catafalque with Holy Water. He will then incense it and sing the verses and collects. For this ceremony, Chris Hanzeli served as crucifer (in front), and James Bronoske was thurifer.

The procession departs. You can see the full pews on either side of the church.

I thank Mr. Jesson Mata for forwarding the link and photographs.