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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Propers for Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 December)

Jeff Ostrowski · December 7, 2015

Providing music for the Traditional Latin Mass is not as hard as some believe. Below is a plan for a very simple—yet dignified & sacred—High Mass.

LET ME REMIND everyone that the full set of scores are available on the Goupil website.

12 December   •   OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE


As the priest processes in, the Introit is sung:

INTROIT   •   Score Video Mp3

As soon as the Introit is over, the Kyrie is begun. Any Kyrie can be sung, but Kyrie IX or Kyrie X would be especially appropriate. You can find everything you need for the Mass Ordinary at this website. 1 Make sure to pick out your starting pitches before Mass begins, because there will not be time for this. Write your starting pitches directly on the score.

When the Kyrie is finished, if the priest is in the middle of the Altar, that means he’s ready to intone the Gloria. Hum the first pitches, and he will intone the words “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” Then, continue singing the rest of the Gloria. Everything that was said earlier about the Kyrie applies to the Gloria.

The priest will sing (or read) the Epistle. Follow along in the Campion Missal, and when he’s finished, sing this: Gradual & Alleluia (PDF). There are also other options for singing these. 2

When you’re finished with the Gradual & Alleluia, the priest will sing the Gospel, and he might also give a sermon. Immediately after the Sermon, he will go to the Altar and sing “Dominus vobiscum.” As soon as you reply with “Et cum spiritu tuo,” count to fifteen, and then sing the Offertory Antiphon (PDF).

It is also allowed to sing the full version of the Offertory, if the choir is capable of doing so:

Offertory   •   Elegi et sanctificavi   •   Score Video Mp3

You can sing some Marian pieces after the Offertory Antiphon has been sung, until the server incenses the congregation. However, any pieces sung have to be appropriate for the feast/season. The Campion Missal has Latin chants starting on page 946. There is nothing wrong with simply having silence after the Offertory Antiphon has been chanted.

After the priest sings the Preface, begin the Sanctus. Everything said earlier about the Kyrie applies to the Sanctus.

The priest will sing the Pater Noster, and you reply “sed libera nos a malo.” Then, a few seconds later, the priest will sing “Dominus vobiscum.” As soon as you say “Et cum spiritu tuo,” count to ten, and then sing the Agnus Dei. Everything said earlier about the Kyrie applies to the Agnus Dei.

After the priest turns around, elevating the Sanctissimum, he’ll say three times: “Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum; sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.” When he’s done saying that, sing the Communion Antiphon:

Communion   •   Non fecit taliter   •   Score Video Mp3

After you receive Holy Communion, you can sing something, but it must match the feast/season. The Campion Missal has Latin chants starting on page 946.

After Mass, a Marian hymn can be sung, and there are tons in the Campion Missal that would work for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. For example, numbers 905 through 919.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The “Ordinary” refers to Kyrie, Gloria, (Creed), Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.

2   Of course, it is also allowed to sing the Full Gradual (pdf) and the Full Alleluia (pdf), but those should only be done when a choir has rehearsed them sufficiently.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (Holy Thursday, 2026)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Holy Thursday, which is 2 April 2026. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a more piercingly beautiful INTROIT, and I have come to absolutely love the SATB version of ‘Ubi cáritas’ we are singing (joined by our burgeoning children’s choir). I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “O Escam Viatorum” • (Holy Thursday)
    When I was very young, I erroneously believed the four psalms provided by the 1957 Liber Usualis—for Communion on Holy Thursday—were the “correct” music to sing on that first day of the TRIDUUM SACRUM. Those four psalms are: Psalm 22 (Dóminus regit me et nihil mihi déerit); Psalm 71 (Deus judícium tuum regi da); Psalm 103 (Bénedic ánima méa); and Psalm 150 (Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus). It turns out I was way out in left field! While nothing forbids singing those psalms, many other options are equally valid. Our volunteer parish choir will sing this COMMUNION PIECE (joined by our burgeoning children’s choir) on Holy Thursday during Holy Communion. Needless to say, this will happen after the proper antiphon from the GRADUALE ROMANUM has been sung.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (4th Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 4th Sunday of Lent (15 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has sublime propers. It is most often referred to as “Lætare Sunday” owing to its INTROIT. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Stumped by “Episcopalian Hymnal” (1910)
    Some consider Songs of Syon (1910) the greatest Episcopalian hymnal ever printed. As a Roman Catholic, I have no right to weigh in one way or the other. However, this particular page has me stumped. I just know I’ve heard that tune somewhere! If you can help, please email me. I’m talking about the text which begins: “This is the day the Lord hath made; In unbeclouded light array’d.” The book is by George Ratcliffe Woodward, and its complete title is: Songs of Syon: A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Back in 2016, Corpus Christi Watershed scanned and uploaded this insanely rare book. For years our website was the sole place one could download it as a PDF file.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“It is difficult to imagine a more unjust situation than abortion, and it is very difficult to speak of obsession in a matter such as this, where we are dealing with a fundamental imperative of every good conscience—the defense of the right to life of an innocent and defenseless human being.”

— Pope St. John Paul II

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