The Subdeacon at Dominican Solemn Mass

This slide show with music was prepared for the New Liturgical Movement by Mr. Jason Mata. It shows images of the Solemn High Dominican Rite Mass of St. Dominic celebrated at Blessed Sacrament Church, Seattle WA, on August 8, 2011. It is reproduced here because I think it will interest many of our readers.

Credit and thanks to Mr. Mata and the Dominican Community at Blessed Sacrament Priory.

Dominican Liturgy Conferences in Hungary, August 2011

As I had earlier mentioned I was in Budapest with the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Margaret of Hungary from August 4-8, giving them a series of conferences on the history of the Dominican Liturgy and its Spirituality.

I was invited by their Prioress General, Sister Hedvig Deàk Viktória, O.P. The Congregation was founded in 1868 and reached a total of 200 sisters, but then was suppressed by the Communists. A courageous group of sisters, never more than 15, kept the congregation alive in secret, while holding jobs in the secular world as teachers, nurses, and one even as a psychiatrist. They have rebounded since the reestablishment of common life in 1991, and now number just under 40. Today they emphasize education and have sisters teaching all age levels from Kindergarten up, including four professors at Sapientia College in Budapest, the "Sapientia." If readers would like short history of the congregation, they can find it here (in English).

I will prepare a longer post on this eventually, but I wanted to get some photos up now. The first shows the conference room. Sister Hedvig is left in front. The photo also gives some idea of the sisters age distribution.


The next image shows me during one of the conferences with the sister translator. No, I did not learn Hungarian for this event: about a third of the young sisters have some English (German is more common for the older sisters) and four of the sisters rotated translating my talks. We had four 90 minute conferences each day for the three days. We also viewed and discussed two videos of Dominican Rite Solemn Masses (one of these was in the evening and "optional" but as far as I could count, all the sisters came).


On two of the three days, Mass was in the Ordinary Form in Latin, with music from the Antiphonale Hungaricum, which has the Hungarian Propers set to the Gregorian melodies. This worked very well and the singing was beautiful. The last day, Transfiguration, was a Dominican Rite Missa Cantata. Here is a picture of the Mass during the Gloria. You can see one of the Congregation's two novices in the right left. They also have four postulants this year, but they did not attend the conference. The Conference was held in the guest house of a monastery of Cistercian Nuns outside of Budapest, and this was the chapel that was allocated to our use. And, yes, that is a Eucharistic Dove above the altar.


In this last photo, you can see the whole chapel, with the sisters assembled singing the Office. This two was in Hungarian Gregorian Chant. The sisters are working to slowly increase the amount of Latin Dominican Chant in their Office.


I will try to get a more complete post up in a few days. But this should give you an idea of how this Congregation has been thriving since the end of Communism. I thank them all for their invitation and for their kindness, in particular, Sister Hedvig, whose idea this was.

Dominican Rite Solemn Mass: Feast of St. Dominic, Portland OR 2011

Here are two videos from the recent celebration of the Feast of St. Dominic at Holy Rosary Church in Portland OR according to the Dominican Rite Solemn Mass. The celebrant is Fr. Anthony-M. Patalano, O.P., pastor; deacon, Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., the new parochial vicar; subdeacon, Mr. Jesson Mata ("The Urban Monk"). Fr. Anthony will soon be moving to Holy Family Cathedral, Ancorage AK to become the new pastor. Fr. Vincent has just completed his service there.

In this first video, we see the celebration from the Collect to the the singing of the Epistle. Notice the Dominican swing of the ministers to the side for the Collect, the seating of the priest with the spreading of the Mappula over his lap, and the deacon's opening of the corporal during the Epistle.



In this second video, we see Mr. Jesson Mata, who will be subdeacon, introducing the video (with Bro. Simon Kim, O.P.) and talking about the rite on the way to Portland from Seattle. He then interviews the servers for the Mass, and explains the vesting of the ministers. Excepts from the Mass are as follows:

At 5:45: The Aspeges

At 5:50: Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

At 6:08: Officium and Kyrie

at 6:17: Gloria (with procession of Chalice to altar) and Collect

at 7:36: Epistle (with unfolding of Chalice)

at 7:40: Chants between the Readings (with preparation of Chalice)

at 7:50: Gospel

at 7: 58: Creed

at 8:06: The Great Swing to the left for the Offertory

at 8:26: The Preface (with incensing) and Sanctus

at 8:39: The Consecration

at 8:45: The Pater Noster and the Pax

at 8:57: Communion

at 9:15: Postcommunion Collect to the Blessing

at 10:04 Last Gospel and Recessional

Dominican Rite Mass Bulk Discounts

The sales of Dominican Rite Mass, a pew booklet for congregational use at Dominican Rite Masses, presenting the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin and English in parallel columns, has been so successful that Dominican Liturgy Publications has decided to offer discounts on bulk orders thanks to terms offered by the books-on-demand printing service.

If your congregation or group is interested in ordering more than 50 copies of the Dominican Rite Mass booklets, instructions for placing bulk orders may be found at this link.

Matins Music for the Dominican Rite

Holgar Peter Sandhofe (Gerolitus Ammosaulicus) was a master typesetter of chant and the producer of many electronic editions once distributed on nocturnale.de, which is now off line. Among his work are an editions of the following:

Matins Ferial Psalms with Antiphons (Pre-Pius X Psalter--1909 Breviary)
Matins Ferial Psalms with Antiphons (Post-Pius X Psalter--1962 Breviary)
Matins of Advent
Matins for the Commons of Saints
Festival Office of St. Martin de Porres
Invitatory Antiphons and Psalms for all Sundays
Gospel Canticles of Lauds and Vespers in the 8 Tones
Prolix Responsory Cycle for Ferial Weekdays
Ordinary of the Dominican Office
Appendix of New Chants for the Graduale (post-1962)

Downloadable files of all this music is now available on the left sidebar.

Dominican Liturgy's Catholic Blog "Rating"

It was with some interest that I heard that Mr. Eric Sammons, a Catholic blogger himself, does an annual rating of Catholic Blogs by the number of subscribers (which is different from the number of visits because the same person who visits a blog many, many times a day is still only one reader). He tracks the over 2,000 blogs registered in the Catholic Blog Directory.

It was with some surprise that I found Dominican Liturgy to be in his "Top 200" at number 188! I am pleased that there are enough people interested in Dominican liturgy to put us well into the top 10% of Catholic blogs. So I thank our faithful readers for their support and hope, with the expansion of our editorial board to three friars, to serve you ever better.

Dominican Rite Server Camp, Holy Family Cathedral Anchorage

In response to the interest of a handful of young men and boys interested in serving the Dominican Rite here in Anchorage, we are offering a Dominican Rite Server Camp. To our astonishment twenty-five current and potential acolytes have signed up! Br. Peter Hannah, O.P. will be the main instructor in the rubrics. Each day a Mass in the Dominican Rite will be offered by me (Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P) While the classes are private, the Masses will be public and in the Cathedral. All are very welcome to attend. Please see the schedule below.

Fr. Augustine also invited me to share on the development and growth of the Dominican Rite here in Anchorage. I will be sharing a few photos and some commentary within the next couple of days.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass according to the Dominican Rite

Holy Family Cathedral, Anchorage, Alaska

The Week of June 26, 2011

Monday June 27, 2011, 10:30am

Votive Mass of the Holy Angels

Low Mass (Spoken)

Tuesday June 28, 2011, 10:30am

Vigil of Sts. Peter and Paul

Low Mass (Spoken)

Wednesday June 29, 2011, 10:30am

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

High Mass (Missa Cantata)

Thursday June 30, 2011, 10:30am

Commemoration of St. Paul

(High Mass (Missa Cantata)

Friday July 1, 2011, 10:30am

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

High Mass (Missa Cantata)

Sunday, July 3, 2011, 4:00pm

The 3rd Sunday After Pentecost (Sunday following the Sacred Heart of Jesus)

High Mass (Missa Cantata)

Dominican Libellus Precum Reprint

Dominican Liturgy Publications is happy to announce that a reprint of the Dominican Rite Libellus Precum, published at Rome in 1952, is now available in paperback reprint. This edition is made from PDF scans of the original and is a pocket-size paperback.

The booklet contains the Dominican Rite versions of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, the Office of the Dead, the Penitential Psalms, as well as many other prayers, litanies, devotions, and blessings. All are in the original Latin.

It may be ordered here

Dominican Candle Lighting

Occasionally, people ask if there is a "proper" order in which to light the candles on the altar. Some insisting that there is only one way to do this. They usually say that the "correct" way to do this is to light the six major candles starting from the middle and moving first toward the right or "Epistle" side, then return to the middle and light from the center to the left or "Gospel" side. In snuffing the candles, the order is reversed. So they tell us, "The Gospel candle never burns alone." In fact, this practice belongs to the Roman Rite, although some Dominican provinces, such as the American Eastern Province adopted it.

But in the traditional Dominican Rite a different order was normally used and continued to be used, even after the adoption of the New Rite of Roman Mass by the Order in 1970. This order for lighting is not specified in any official ritual book of the order, which simply tell the number of candles and when to light them. Fr. Bonniwell, in this Dominican Altar Boys' Manual and his Dominican Ceremonial for Mass and Benediction, both products of the Eastern Province, simply gives the Roman way. But historically there was another way.

In the Dominican way, the candle on the far Gospel side is lighted first, then each candle in order across the altar to the Epistle side. They are snuffed in the opposite order. Thus the "Gospel Candle" burns first and longest, very suitable as the Gospel is the "Light of the World." You can see an acolyte at our Western Dominican Province House of Studies in about 1958 in the photo to the right. He is lighting the candles in the Dominican fashion: starting from the left he has already lighted the first candle and is lighting the second. You can tell that the feast was either a Double or Full Double (in the language of 1962 a First or Second Class Feast) because the acolyte is wearing alb, amice, and cinture: the Dominican Rite practice on major feasts.

The Dominican books do give explicit instructions on the number of candles to be used at Mass. This rubric is a beautiful example of the Dominican love of "progressive solemnity." The rule (Caeremoniale S.O.P. nn. 514-17) is: Six candles for solemn feasts at Mass, Matins, and Vespers, but four candles at Compline; Four Candles for mid-ranked feasts at Mass and Office, but only two at Compline; and finally, two candles at Mass and Office on ferias and lesser feasts, and the same two at Compline. Private Masses always have just two candles, no matter what the level of the feast.

A similar ranking governs the number of "Sanctus Candles" that are lighted from the Sanctus until the Purification of the vessels. These are placed in single, double, or triple branched candlesticks flanking the altar: three candles on each side on major feasts, two on each side on mid-ranked feasts, and one on each side on ferias and minor feasts. One candle, on the Epistle side, is used at Private Mass.

Another interesting practice was not to fill the altar gradines up with multiple candles sticks for different numbers of candles. Rather the six large candle sticks were the only ones used, and only the number of candles needed were lighted. Which ones to light was dependent on which candles had burned the lowest and were shortest. In the flanking photograph you can see Fr. Hilary John Martin, O.P., now professor emeritus at our Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology saying the conventual Low Mass during Passiontide in 1954. You can tell it is Passiontide because of the statue veils and the lack of an antependium. Two altar candles are lighted as is proper for a feria -- and notice that they are the two tallest ones and so need to burn down to match the others. You can see the Epistle side "Sanctus Candle" (lighted, so this is after the Sanctus); the Gospel side "Sanctus Candle" cannot be seen in this photo. The server properly wears the surplice (under his capuce since he is not ordained) since this is a public Mass. Were this a Private Mass, he would be wearing the cappa (the black cape that is part of our habit).

I thank Bro. Raymond Bertheaux, O.P., a cooperator brother of our province with over 50 years of service, for help with this posting.

Dominican Rite Mass Booklet

I would like to thank all the readers who forwarded or posted suggestions for the final version of the pew booklet "The Dominican Rite Mass," which is now available in final format for ordering at Dominican Liturgy Publications.

This booklet presents the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin and English on facing pages and is suitable for use by people attending Dominican Rite Mass. It also includes music for High Mass and devotional prayers.

Using the 1933 and 1965 Dominican Rite Missals

According to the documents Summorum Pontificum (2007) cand Universae Ecclesiae (2011), as well as “State of the Order” address of Master of the Order Carlos Azpiroz Costa, O.P., at the General Chapter of 2010, those celebrating the Dominican Rite Mass should do so “according to the Missal of 1962." In fact, there is no Dominican “Missal of 1962.” Rather, the Missal in use by the order in 1962 was that of 1933, with the changes made up to that date.

In 1960-1961, the Analecta Ordinis Fratrum Praedicatorum published directives modifying Missal. These volumes are hard to find and in Latin, so I have compiled a short summary of the changes needed when celebrating using the Missals of 1933 and 1965, since both are commonly used.


Changes to be made when using the 1933 Missal:

1. Use the 1965 Calendar (this can be downloaded on the left sidebar).

2. Reduce the number of collects at Mass following this format:

Class I Feasts: Only 1 Collect (except Dawn Mass of Christmas)

Class II Feasts: Only 1 collect, unless another Class II feast is overridden, then add a second collect for the overridden feast

Class III Feasts and ferials: Up to three collects: the principal collect; any second required collect and/or the collect of any overridden feast; additional collects ad libitum up to a total of no more than three.

3. Add the Ecce Agnus Dei and its response before the People's Communion.

4. On ferials: replace "Benedicamus Domino" with "Ite missa est."

5. Replace the entire Paschal Triduum Rite with that of 1965 Missal or the Holy Week book of 1959.


Changes to be made when using the 1965 Missal

1, Prepare chalice and say the Actiones nostras before the Prayers at Foot of the Altar.

2. Add missing head bows in Gloria.

3. Kneel, not bow, at the Incarnatus est in the Credo.

4. Recite the Secret Prayer quietly, but say "Per omnia saecula saeculorum" aloud to close it, before the Preface Dialogue.

5. Use the 1933 gestures at the "Per ipsum." The “Per ipsum” itself is said silently except for "Per omnia saecula saeculorum."

6. Recite the Libera nos silently, except for the closing "Per omnia saecula saeculorum."

7. After the Postcommunion follow this order: Dominus vobiscum; Ite missa est; Placeat, Blessing.

8. Restore the Last Gospel. If there is no altar card available, this Gospel may be found as that of the Day Mass of Christmas.


In both Missals:

1. The Communion Confiteor was suppressed in 1960, but a response of the Ecclesia Dei Commission on October 2, 2002, provides that it may be used if "it is the local custom."

2. Since they are not part of Mass, and have not been required since 1963, the Leonine Prayers are omitted. But nothing prevents them being said as a devotion, if that is the local custom.

3. It is permitted to add, as Class III feasts, all Dominican saints canonized since 1965 on their original days as blesseds, or, if beatified after 1965, on their current day. I have added all such celebrations in the calendar available on the left side bar

Dominican Music in the Netherlands

I have been in correspondence with Mr. Theo Menting, a member of the Dominican Laity at the Dominican House in Huissen. The laity there have two excellent choirs, which recently sang at Santa Sabina, S. Maria in Trastevere, and other churches in Rome. Click here for a web posting about them (in Dutch).

The performances of one choir, the "Kloostercantorij," includes compositions by Pere André Gouzes, O.P., Father Henk Jongerius O.P., prior of the convent, and Fr. Huub Oosterhuis. To get an idea of the work of the second choir, "Phos Hilarion," which focuses on the classical tradition, click here for their rendition of Totus tuus.

Phos Hilarion intends shortly to make the performance of Dominican Chant a central part of their repertoire.

We congratulate our Dominican lay brothers and sisters for this "joyful light" now shining in Holland!

Dominican Chants of Good Friday

Among the most beautiful chants of the Dominican Office of Tenebrae (Matins and Laudes on the days of the Pascal Triduum) are the responsories used with the Lamentations and other readings. By provision of the Proprium Officiorum Ordinis Praedicatorum (1982), these may also be used with the modern Liturgy of the Hours. This excellent video, made available by Bro. Lawrence Lew, O.P., shows the friars of Blackfriars Oxford chanting the responsories Velum Templi and Tradiderunt Me, as well as the Benedictus (in English).

We at St. Albert the Great Priory in Oakland have also been celebrating Tenebrae, but, unfortunately, I have no videos or recordings.

May these beautifully performed chants inspire other Dominican communities to take advantage of the chant treasures of the Order approved for use with the Liturgy of the Hours.

Dominican Chants of Lenten Compline

I am happy to make available to our readers the following presentation by Bro. Innocent Smith, O.P., of the St. Joseph Province, about some of the most famous and beautiful distinctive Dominican chants for Compline during Lent.

I would also mention these three chants are also sung at St. Albert the Great Priory, our House of Studies in Oakland. We sing the Evigila with the Nunc Dimittis daily from Ash Wednesday to the Third Sunday of Lent; we sing O Rex with the Nunc Dimittis from the Third Sunday to the Triduum. The Media Vita is sung in place of the short responsory In Manus tuas after the reading on First and Second Vespers of Sundays and Solemnities and everyday during Holy Week. On other days of Lent, we sing another Dominican responsory, the In Pace in place of the short responsory.

I hope this provides readers with a spiritual meditation on the spirituality and liturgy of Lent in anticipation of Holy Week and Easter.

With special thanks to Bro. Innocent!

Dominican Liturgy Facebook Page

It has come to my attention, and I am sure that it will interest our readers, that Mr. Jesson Mata, of Blessed Sacrament Dominican Parish in Seattle has a Facebook page with lots of discussion and photos of the traditional Dominican Rite. It is called the Dominican Institute for Liturgy.

There are also postings about other liturgical activities in our Dominican parish in Seattle.

I congratulate Jesson on this project.

"Life in A Monastery": St. Albert the Great Priory, Oakland CA, 1961

The video "Life a Monastery" was broadcast on Oakland Channel 6 in 1961. It shows life in the Western Dominican Province House of Studies, Saint Albert the Great Priory, in Oakland CA.

VIDEO ONE

The film begins with clips of our House of Studies, still the same today in Oakland CA. Then follows film of the Dominican Rite Solemn Mass, the center of the liturgical day at the House of Studies. The film than moves to the class room, and then highlights different aspects of the life. A list of those appearing is below the video. The times listed for each of the scenes in the identification list tell where you can find that segment on the video.



The Priory and Grounds (time 0:00)

Members of the Choir (time 1:35) are identified for Second Video

Solemn Mass Ministers (time 2:43)
Celebrant: Fr. Martin Giannini, O.P.
Deacon (l): Bro. Aquinas Wall, O.P.
Subdeacon (r): Bro. Nicholas Prince, O.P.
Senior Acolyte (r): Bro. Bernard Cranor, O.P.
Junior Acolyte (l): Bro. Brendan O’Rourke, O.P.
Thurifer: Bro. Bertrand Pidgeon, O.P.

Classroom (time 5:07)
Instructor: Fr. Fabian Parmisano, O.P.

Student in his Room (time 7:00)
Bro. Jordan DeMan, O.P.

Library Stacks (time 7:26)
Bro. Terence McCabe, O.P.
Bro. Sean Doherty, O.P.

Studying in Library (time 8:36)
Bro. Peter Cole, O.P.
____________________

Student Discussion by the Fire (time 9:11)
Bro. Philip Valera, O.P.
Bro. Benedict DeMan, O.P.
Bro. Bertrand Pidgeon, O.P.
Bro. Albert Linkogle, O.P.
Bro. Brendan O'Rourke, O.P.
Bro. Edmund Ryan, O.P.

Chess Players (time 9:58)
Bro. Stephen Coughlin, O.P.
Bro. Lawrence Ackerman, O.P.

Music Room (time 10:20)
Bro. Thomas More McGreevy, O.P.
Bro. Salvador Calderon, O.P. (Mexican Province)
Bro. Francisco Brenes Camocho, O.P. (Spanish Province)

Drama Practice (time 10:43)
Director: Bro. Lawrence Ackerman, O.P.
Bro. Sabastian Haterias, O.P.
Bro. Gerald Elher, O.P.
Fr. Fabian Parmisano, O.P.

Weather Service (time 11:30)
Bro. Stanislaus Sharlach, O.P.

Art Studio (time 11:56)
__________________
Bro. Aquinas Wall, O.P.


VIDEO TWO

The second part of the film highlights the fine arts and the domestic life of the house. It then returns to the Solemn Mass and ends with the chanting of the Exsultet according to the Dominican chant. The credits were actually added later, I am told by Fr. Finbar Hayes.




Music Session (time 0:00)
Trumpeter: Bro. James Aymong, O.P.
Guitar: Bro. Louis Fronk, O.P.

Print Shop (time 0:30)
Bro. Antoninus Everson, T.O.P.

Wood Shop (time 1:25)
_____________________
Bro. Daniel Thomas, O.P.
Bro. Raphael Goodfriend, O.P.

Visiting the Infirm (time 2:39)
Fr. Bertrand Clyne, O.P.
Bro. Gregory Lira, O.P.

Student and Teacher (time 2:60)
Fr. Leo Thomas, O.P.
Bro. Giles Wentworth, O.P.

Priest Leaving for Sunday Supply (time 3:30)
Student Driver: __________________
Fr. Mark McPhee, O.P.

Gardens (time 4:06)
__________________ (walking)
Bro. Matthias Lockett, O.P. (weeding)

Dominican Sisters at Grotto (time 4:35)
Sister Assumta Vorndran, O.P.
Sister Maria Goretti Eder, O.P.
Sister Nicolina Kohler, O.P.
Sister Melita Wolf, O.P.

Sisters in the Kitchen (time 5:02)
Sister Rosalia Steinbach, O.P.
Sister Maria Goretti Eder, O.P.

De Profundis Line and Refectory (time 5:19)
Fr. William Lewis, O.P. is the Prior

Reader in Refectory (time 6:35)
Bro. Stephen Coughlin, O.P.

Friars at Table (time 7:03)
server: _____________
Fr. Dominic Deniz Ortega, O.P. (Province of Spain)
Fr. Martin Giannini, O.P.
Fr. Mark McPhee, O.P.
Fr. John Flannerty, O.P.

In the Cloister (time 7:40)
In garden: __________
In archway: Bro. Thomas Thierman, T.O.P.

The Choir at Mass (time 8:35)

The Cantors (left to right)
Bro. Francisco Brenes Camacho, O.P. (Spanish Province)
Bro. Louis Fronk, O.P.
Bro. Bertrand Pidgeon, O.P.
Bro. James Aymong, O.P.

Front Row on Left (left to right)
Bro. Daniel Thomas, O.P.
Bro. Gregory Lira, O.P.
Bro. Antoninus Everson, T.O.P.
Bro. Albert Linkogle, O.P.
Bro. Lawrence Ackerman, O.P.
Bro. Augustine Hartman, O.P.
Bro. Anthony Chavez, O.P.
Bro. Patrick Labelle, O.P.
Bro. Bede Wilks, O.P.
Bro. Philip Valera, O.P.
Fr. Peter Miles, O.P.

Back Row on Left (left to right)
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________

Front Row on Right (left to right)
_____________________
Bro. Sebastian Haterias, O.P.
Bro. Gerard Elher, O.P.
_____________________
Bro. Giles Wentworth, O.P.
Bro. Stephen Coughlin, O.P.
_____________________
Bro. Edmund Ryan, O.P.
Bro. Frederick Narberes, O.P.
_____________________
Bro. Adrian Rivera (lay brother postulant)

Back Row on Right
[Empty stalls]
Bro. Terence McCabe, O.P.

Solemn Mass (time 10:00) ministers are identified for first video

The Exsultet (time 11:34)
Bro. Kieran Healy, O.P.

Credits (time 14:00)
Fr. Mark McPhee, O.P.
Fr. Fabian Parmisano, O.P.
Fr. Finbar Hayes, O.P.
Fr. Leo Thomas, O.P.

I thank Bro. Lupe for his help with the production of this video and Fr. Edmund Ryan for his help in identifying the friars. I also thank the many friars who have written me with corrections and new identifications.

Dominican Rite Low Mass Tutorial Videos with Commentary

These very beautifully done videos were prepared by friars of the Eastern Dominican Province for training purposes in the traditional Dominican Rite. The celebrant in these videos was Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P. They are best viewed along with the rubrical aid originally compiled by Fr. Anthony Patalano, O.P., and put in a lovely PDF format by Eastern Province friars. Download it here. I think we can anticipate that these videos will soon bear fruit in public celebrations of the Dominican Rite in the Eastern Province.

Since in the Western Province, where we have regular public celebrations of the Rite and I am currently teaching the Practicum for the student brothers on it at our House of Studies for, I wanted to make these videos more easily accessible along with commentary mentioning differences in custom between the two provinces in the manner of celebration. In include such notes below each video. I emphasize that this is merely meant to help priests of the Western Province learn what is traditional in our province, not as a criticism of the Eastern friars who produced these videos or of their province's local uses.

Preparation in the Sacristy

Preparation of the Chalice.

Note that the corporal should be placed in the burse so that then pulled out it will be in proper position for unfolding. This has clearly been done, but it is not mentioned.

Vesting of the Priest.

Note that the cord of the amice goes under the back scapular, not over it. This is not visible in the video, although it seems that Fr. Hofer did so.

Arrival at the Altar

The Entrance.

It is not the Western Province practice for the server to go up the front steps to the altar -- only the ordained do that. He should go to the side of the altar and only go up the side as high as he needs to for performing his function. The method of folding the veil in the video does not follow Western Province practice: It should be folded by thirds vertically, not horizontally, so that the decoration is right-side up on the bottom end. It is then laid vertically paralleling the right side of the corporal (not the gradine, as here). The purificator should not be folded in half (as here) but unfolded completely along the right side of the corporal. The pall is then placed on the upper part of the folded veil when it is not on the chalice.

The Preparation of the Chalice.

Although it seems to have been suppressed among American Dominicans generally, the kissing of the priest's had when handing the cruets seems to have been done occasionally (probably among those trained in Europe) in the Western Provicance. Some of our servers do it now, but not all.
The Prayer Actiones Nostras.

Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

Prayers at the Foot of the Altar.

Although Bonniwell says that the priest stands on the "first step" (understood in the video to be the top one below the footpace), Western Province practice is to descend to the floor for the "Prayers at the Foot of the Altar."  The verse Adjutorium nostrum is said at the foot of the steps and the priest then ascends the steps. The rubrics say that the server is to lift the edge of the priest's alb so that he does not trip going up the steps. Some servers tried (and try) to do in our province but you have to be quick.

Priest Ascends to the Altar.

The Officium (Introit) to the Collect

The Officium and Kyrie.


The Gloria.

It is common in our province for the priest to continue recitation of the Gloria as he moves to the book, but, if he does not have it memorized, it is possible to pause while moving (as here). Priests should note that the 1965 Missal does not have the head bows in the Gloria marked (except for those at the Name of Jesus). Priests might wish to pencil these rubrics into that newer book.

The Collect.

Note also how Fr. Hofer nicely makes a head bow to the cross at the Name of Jesus in the conclusion of the Collect (not mentioned by the commentator).

Epistle, Responsory (Gradual), Alleluia, and Gospel

The Epistle.

A small head bow is also made at the name of the saint of the day, for example, when the name appears in the Collect.

The Responsory and Alleluia.

It is custom in the Western Province to signal the server that the recitation of the chants between the Epistle and Gospel are ending by placing the left hand extended flat on the altar toward the center so the server can see it. This is especially helpful when there is no Alleluia or where the Alleluia is followed by a sequence. Also note that the server should go up the side steps, not the front.

The Gospel.

Although you cannot see it, Fr. Hofer rests his folded hands in the missal in the V-shaped depression where the pages are bound. This is a priestly position. The deacon holds his hands folded before his breast, not resting in the book.

The Offertory

The Offertory Verse.

Note in the video and commentary that this is the only time that Oremus is said with the hands extended.

The Offertory Prayers.

Again, note that the veil should be folded vertically, not horizontally. Although Bonniwell says that the pall may be placed against the center altar card, as here, Western Province priests usually place it on the upper part of the vertically folded veil. Again, the purificator should be fully extended along the right side of the corporal.

The Lavabo.

It is certainly permitted to recite the Lavabo psalm while moving, if one has it memorized.

The Prayer In Spiritu Humilitatis.


The Orate Fratres.

Note that Fr. Hofer has made a full circle when saying Orate fratres, this is correct when the tabernacle is not present. When it is present, as here, the priest does not make a full circle, but turns to his right placing his back to the Gospel side the tabernacle, and then turns back by by the way he came. This can be seen in earlier videos, for example at the Dominus vobiscum before the Collect.

The Secret.

Of course, the priest also says the response Et clamor meum ad te veniat to the verse Domine exaudi orationem meam, although this is not mentioned or heard in the video.

The Preface

The Preface.


The Sanctus.

You will note the server lighting the Sanctus Candle (not mentioned in commentary). It was a very strict rule in our province that, not only the priest, but also the server should avoid turning in a circle so as to show his back to the tabernacle. Here the server would turn in the opposite direction
.

The Canon Part I (Te igitur to the Consecration)

The Te Igitur.

Note that the priest should not be using his thumb and forefinger to change the pages in the book. As the commentator said, they should be reserved for touching the Host.

The In Primis.


The Communicantes.


The Quam Oblationem.

The Canon Part II (The Consecration)

The Consecration of the Host.

Note, as the commentary says, that the priest now keeps the fingers that have touched the Host on the corporal rather than outside it. This position is used from now on, whenever the priest places his hands on the altar.

The Consecration of the Chalice.

Again, the normal practice in the Western Province is to place the pall on the upper part of the folded veil, not against the altar card. The usual process in our province is not just to steady the base of the chalice with just the three free fingers of the left hand, but to extend those three finders behind the stem of the chalice with the joined thumb and forefinger in front of the stem. The base of the chalice thus securely held down, lest blessings or other motions risk tipping it over. This will be the case for all blessings, etc., for the rest of the Mass until the reception of communion, so I will not comment on this in the future videos. Our practice is not just to "not raise the chalice higher than the head," but not to raise the base of the chalice above the eyes.

The Canon Part III (After the Consecration)

The Unde et Memores.

In the Western Province, the general rule was, after the consecration, to extend the arms only moderately (not straight out as in the video). This moderate extension is what is specified in the Latin Missal rubrics and the wood cut in the 1933 Missal. There are, however, a couple of photographs of Western Province priests doing the rigid straight arm cross position shown in this video. The current practice in the Western Province is to follow the more rubrical "moderate extension." Also note that when the server rose he turned in such a way as to present his back to the tabernacle. In the Western Province servers should turn in the opposite direction before descending the steps.

The Supplices Exoramus.


The Memento.


The Nobis Quoque Peccatoribus.


The Per Quem Haec Omnia.

Again, normally we put the pall on the upper part of the vertically folded veil.

The Per Ipsum.

The Pater Noster to the Communion

The Pater Noster.

Following the logic of the Latin rubrics, which say to extend the hands "as before" at the Embolism, it is the practice in the Western Province for the priest to join his hands when the people make their response Sed libera nos a malo. They are then extended again after the priest says quietly Amen and begins the Libera. Again, we put the pall on the upper half of the folded veil, not against the altar card. Our practice is to place the paten on the lower half of the folded veil (not to the side).

The Fraction.


The Agnus Dei.

Although it was not unknown in the Western Province to ring the "Communion Bell" at the first Agnus Dei, the more common practice, near universal today, has been to defer this bell until the priest turns to present the Host for adoration by the people saying (since 1958) Ecce Agnus Dei. When, according to local custom (as allowed by the Ecclesia Dei Commission), the Communion Confiteor is said, the bell is rung at that point (as it would be for the friars' communion at a Solemn Mass signaling for them to prostrate for the Confiteor). Thus the bell serves as a signal for the people to prepare for commuion. If it is a Low Mass without any communions, then the bell may be rung at this point, as in the video.

The Priest's Preparation and Communion.

Note that when removing the pall in order to take communion from the chalice, the priest should steady the chalice by placing his three fingers to one side of the node and the forefinger and thumb on the other to hold it down.

The Ablutions to the End of Mass

The Ablutions.


The Communion Verse.

Note again that the server should turn in the opposite direction to avoid turning his back to the tabernacle.

The Postcommunion Prayer.



The Ite Missa Est.


The Blessing of the People.


The Last Gospel.

In our province the server comes to the Gospel side of the altar to respond to the dialog of the Last Gospel, as he did the Gospel of the Mass. Normally he would return to stand in his place before the altar on the Epistle side. But is is also permitted for the server to hold the altar card up for the priest so that priests with poorer eyesight do not have to strain to make out the words. The Deo gratias at the end of the Last Gospel is said by the server.

The Leonine Prayers

The Leonine Prayers are not part of Mass; they were added in the late 1800s for particular intentions. As their recitation was a matter of Church law, they have not been required since abrogation of the decree to recite them in 1965 even in the traditional forms of Mass. Nevertheless they still are said (by local custom) in some places.

The Leonine Prayers.


The Return to the Sacristy.


Again, my most sincere thanks to the friars of the Eastern Province for these beautiful videos.

Dominican Art and Liturgy Announcements

In celebration of the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, two items of interest to our readers. First, the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, the Studium of the Western Dominican Province, has put up a wonderful Web-Exhibit of the VITA D. THOMAE AQUINATIS by Otto van Veen and published in 1610 in Antwerp. Itis a pictorial history of the life of St. Thomas Aquinas accompanied by a short Latin text of explanation accompanying each of the thirty-one illustrations. The inages are lovely and the explanations by Fr. Michael Morris, O.P., Professor of Religion and the Arts at DSPT are very informative. You can access the exhibit here. The first page of van Veen's Vita decorates this post.

Liturgically, in honor of the 15th anniversary of the dedication of the church, a Dominican Rite Missa Cantata of the Dedication of a Church will be celebrated at Holy Rosary Church, Portland OR, on Sunday, January 30, at 11:00 a.m. The pastor, Fr. Anthony-M. Patalano, O.P., will be the celebrant. Music will be by Cantores in Ecclesia and a reception will follow in the parish hall. You can read more about this event and get driving informatino here.

A blessed feast day to you all!

Renovation of the Sanctuary at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Seattle WA

Renovations of the Sanctuary were recently completed at the Dominican Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Seattle WA. Our readers have already seen images of the prerenovation building because it was the site for the Dominican Rite Solemn Mass celebrating the parish's 100th anniversary, and for a Solemn Dominican Rite Requiem Mass on All Souls last.

Here is an image of the church before the renovation of the sanctuary:


You can see that, after Vatican II, the sanctuary had been extended into the crossing and a modern style portable altar with floor candlesticks was placed on it. Seating faced in from the transcepts and forward from the nave to create a make-shift "church in the round." The old high altar can be seen at the back. The tabernacle previously on it had been removed to a side chapel in the north transcept.

Here is an image after the renovation:


You can see that the tabernacle is now back on the old high altar. A new free-standing altar, suitable for ad orientem as well as ad populum celebration was commissioned and installed. The extension into the crossing was removed, the communion rail put back in its original place. Thus the original configuration of the pews was also restored. In addition, stalls for chanting the office were commissioned to replace the folding chairs previously used in one of the transcepts for this purpose. Note also the "Benedictine" candle arrangement.

Slovanic Sub Tuum Sung by the Students of St. Albert the Great Priory

Here at St. Albert the Great Priory in Oakland CA, the community sings the Sub Tuum in Dominican Gregorian chant after every Saturday morning Mass.

Inspired by a Ukrainian brother who was recently ordained a bi-ritual priest, the brothers learned this Slavonic version of the hymn based on a 17th-century Polish melody. As we await the Purification of Our Lady on February 2, I thought our readers might enjoy this chant.



The opening photo shows the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary in the Priory Chapel at St. Albert the Great House of Studies in Oakland CA.