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Views from the Choir Loft

Parish Lenten Programs • 15 Suggestions

Fr. David Friel · March 6, 2016

ANY PARISHES spend a great deal of time and energy planning their Lenten program for the year. More often than not, this planning resorts to creative ways of spicing up the Sunday liturgical celebrations.

By all means, it is good for parishes to offer extra opportunities during Lent: additional Bible studies, group almsgiving initiatives, adult faith formation series, special opportunities for performing the Works of Mercy, etc. These are all good and wonderful.

Liturgically, however, the Church already has a “Lenten program,” and it is better than anything a liturgy committee can or will come up with. The truth is that we don’t have to “plan” anything special for our Lenten liturgies; we simply need to “prepare” the liturgies as they are laid out in the liturgical books.

What does the Church’s liturgical “Lenten program” look like? In no specific order:

1. No flowers in the sanctuary and simpler altar cloths

2. Withholding of the Gloria and Alleluia

3. No instrumental music & use of the organ only to support the singing

4. Violet vestments

5. Rose vestments, along with moderate use of flowers & instrumental music, to mark the special significance of Laetare Sunday

6. Offer extra times for Confessions

7. Veiling of statues & images throughout Passiontide

8. Special devotions, such as the Stations of the Cross

9. Public recitation of the Divine Office during the Sacred Triduum

10. Tenebrae services

11. Exercising the option to read the Sunday Gospels from Year A in all three years of the Lectionary cycle

12. Use of the solemn entrance during the principal Mass on Palm Sunday

13. Silencing of the bells and use of the strepitus during the Sacred Triduum

14. Careful celebration of the Sacred Triduum liturgies according to the rubrics and the Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts

15. Use of the Prayers Over the People appointed for the final blessing each day at Mass

There are probably other items that could be added to this list. The point is this: simply adhering to the tradition of the Church in these matters would be a wonderful Lenten program for every parish.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Holy Week, Liturgy Wars, Passing on Tradition Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“If we continue to tolerate sad examples of liturgical abnormalities, experimentation, abuse, and simply poor-quality liturgies, why should we single out those connected to the ancient rites of the Church for special vigilance? It just doesn’t seem right.”

— An Example of a response (sent to Pope Francis) Re: the TLM

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