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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

    PDF Download • “Sprinkling Rite”
    Liturgical reformers who gained power after Vatican II frequently caused great suffering to musicians. With the stroke of a pen, they sometimes make changes that would require thousands—or even millions—of man hours (work undertaken by composers and editors). The Sprinkling Rite during Eastertide is but one tiny example. The version given in that PDF document was the original melody for Roman Missal, Third Edition. Some still prefer that version. However, at the last moment, an “unknown hand” tinkered with a few notes in the antiphon. Those who examine the current edition can verify this with their own eyes.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘Sarum’ Good Friday?
    Plainsong of the Roman Rite has many variants—i.e. slight ‘variations’ or ‘alterations’ made to the ancient melodies. Variants often thrive in particular religious orders. Likewise, before Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, Gregorian Chant variants were frequently associated with individual cathedrals in England: Hereford, Lincoln, Salisbury, and so forth. In the early 20th century, the (Anglican) organist at Westminster Abbey married “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” to this beautiful variant melody from England. Those who sing Gregorian Chant on Good Friday will recognize the melody. What do you think of this pairing?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Eb Organ Postlude”
    Gustav Adolf Merkel (d. 1885) was a German organist, teacher, and composer. Although a Lutheran himself, he held the appointment at the (Roman Catholic) Cathedral of Dresden from 1864 until his death. You can download his Organ Postlude in E-Flat, which I like very much. He has an interesting way of marking the pedal notes. What do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026
    How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —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

“A theologian who does not love art, poetry, music and nature can be dangerous since blindness and deafness toward the beautiful are not incidental: they are necessarily reflected in his theology.”

— Josef Cardinal Ratzinger (Interview, 1985)

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