Missa XVII • Practice Tracks
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Below are some reference recordings to help every parish learn and practice singing Missa XVII, which is prescribed in the Kyriale for Advent & Lent. Below you will find audio files, as well as embedded YouTube videos which show the score on screen.
If you would like to learn more about why we should sing these chants, please scroll past the videos to learn more. If you would like to print your own music to have at home (or to print for your church!) click the button below.
Why should anyone even sing such ancient chants? The reason is simple: because doing so is our tradition, and because Holy Mother Church has asked us to do so. The following letter was issued by James J. Richardson, Director of Sacred Music & Organist of St. Augustine Cathedral (Kalamazoo, MI) to the cathedral community at the beginning Lent 2024, which explains in more detail.
En bref: chanting has always been a part of authentic Catholic worship (indeed, these chants are well over 1000 years old!) and — admittedly a surprise to many — the Second Vatican Council actually mandated that Latin and Gregorian chant were to be retained in the new rite of Mass in its constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium:
36. Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.
54. Steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.
116. The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place* in liturgical services.
*The original latin is “principem locum” which more accurately translates to the “first place” or “principal place”. This is a subtle, yet important distinction from the somewhat looser translation of “pride of place”.
So, far from “doing away with all that stuff”, the council fathers took pains to state very plainly that Gregorian chant was to be preserved and sung in the new rite of Mass, and even more: that pains were to be taken to ensure this mandatum.
For priests and music directors: you are welcome to print the PDF of the pew cards for your parishes free of charge. You are also welcome to adapt bits of the accompanying letter for your own letters / bulletin columns. When printing the music for use in the pews, I suggest 110lb cardstock, laminated in 7mil. pouches. Any print shop is able to do this, (although it is possible to do this yourself to save money as well) and the resulting cards will last for years. For those who wish to support this ministry, a donation button is available at the bottom of this page.
