Lent III (C • 2025)
Greetings all—
Before we get started: could those of you who are able to attend Chrism Mass (Tuesday, April 15, 2pm), please use the signup form on this page to let me know you’re coming? I know not all of you can make it, although I certainly hope many of you will! All the requisite PT’s are there and ready to go. But it will help me keep track of everything if you can let me know via the form that you’ll be there; then I’ll have your data in the same place and in the same format as everyone else’s. Thanks!
Here is our ordo for this weekend:
Entrance Antiphon: Source & Summit (mp3 below)
Missa XVII (a full suite of practice tracks are available here or on the Cathedral website here)
Psalm 103: The Lord is kind and merciful. (Playlist)
NB: the practice track has a different set of verses, but the music is the same.
Gospel Acclamation: Salvation, glory, and power… (Demo)
Offertory Antiphon: Fr. Weber; James will chant.
Offertory Antiphon Hymn: The precepts of the Lord are Right to THIRD MODE MELODY
Communion Antiphon: Fr. Weber #439 (mp3 below)
Communion Hymn 1: The Lord of Earth and Sky (Parable of the fig tree) to the tune LOVE UNKNOWN
Communion Hymn 2: My Jesus, As Thou Wilt to the tune PASSION CHORALE
Recessional Hymn: extracted verses from The Seven Dolors of Our Lady (starts, “O Thou Who hangèst on the Tree”) to the tune ERHALT UNS HERR
Source & Summit; Verse 2 is previewed in the demo.
Offertory Hymn Tune:
Communion Hymn Tunes:
Recessional Hymn Tune:
Some practice tracks: (piano booping over a recording)
Clarion Call: Chrism Mass Choir • St. Augustine Cathedral (2025)
Sign up for the 2025 Chrism Mass diocesan Choir, as well as access the practice materials to help you prepare from home.
Greetings all—
If you are on this page, then you are interested in (or committed to) singing at the 2025 Chrism Mass at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, Kalamazoo. Thank you, and welcome!
Please Note: The Chrism Mass will be held at 2:00pm on Tuesday, April 15th.
This is a change from what has been done in years past, and this may preclude some people from being able to attend.
If you would like to join the diocesan choir for this event, please fill out the following form to let me know you are coming.
Practice tracks are available below the form to help you prepare from home.
Attire will simply be “Sunday best”.
We will have a warmup rehearsal at 11am the day of Chrism Mass, break for lunch, and then return to sing for Mass.
If you have any questions for me, please send me an email.
I look forward to singing with you all!
Processional Hymn:
Church of God, Elect and Glorious
Sung to the tune of “Abbots Leigh”. Here is a demo of that tune:
The Entrance Antiphon will be sung after the processional hymn.
Gloria: Missa VIII (‘de Angelis’)
Note: we will sing it with more energy than this (and a faster tempo) but this is a good practice track in terms of being very clear, with each phrase is easy to hear and digest.
Psalm: 89(88) “Forever I will Sing…”
Please Note: the demo edition here features different verse text from that which is sung at the Chrism Mass, however the music is the same. (Click here to see the version with correct verse text.)
Gospel Acclamation:
“Glory and praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.”
Please learn your harmony for the refrain. The verse text chanted by the choir is different from that which is featured in the video, however the melody is the same.
You may use the MP3’s embedded below, or click on the following hyperlinks to be taken to a practice track video on YouTube for your particular voice part:
Chant during the Procession of the Oils:
O Redeemer, Hear This Anthem
If you are new to chanting, do not fear! We will be singing in English, and I will support you with a gentle organ accompaniment. Do listen to this a few different times to really get a feel for the flow of the chant. In particular, note the groupings of twos and threes.
Offertory Motet:
Anima Christi • Dominican Liturgical Center
(Score)
Here is the official recording of this work. Please note that the edition we will sing has a few minor modifications.
Ordinary:
Please Note: The first “Sanctus” and “Agnus Dei” will be intoned by the cantor alone, with all joining in after the asterisk (just like in the recordings). This is known as an “incipit” and is a exceedingly ancient practice.
Communion Antiphon
Verses will be chanted antiphonally between men and women. You sing each reciting tone and only apply the formula once the font changes.
There are additional verses, not shown in this preview image.
Communion Motet: If Ye Love Me • Tallis
Everyone’s favorite… and you likely have all sung it before!
You can find individual voice practice tracks below. (Score)
Communion Hymn:
I Dwell a Captive of This Heart
To the tune of Thomas Tallis’s “Third Mode Melody”. (Score) Here is a lovely rendition of this famous tune, however we will be singing a different text from that which is featured in the recording.
And here is an organ-only version of Mr. Richardson playing so you can get a feel for exactly what our flow will be. Note the difference between the phrases that end on three beats, verses those that only have two and a lift (tick mark).
Saint Michæl the Archangel Prayer
I hope that you will come to love this one just as much as we do! Here’s a thrilling way to sing the St. Michæl prayer that is sure to bring a smile to your face as it does to ours. (Score)
The key to singing this prayer is to use natural, speech rhythm. Please listen to the recordings once or twice over to really get a feel for the flow, since not every rhythm is notated.
You may use the MP3’s embedded below, or click on the following hyperlinks to be taken to a practice track video on YouTube for your particular voice part. (Sopranos, I did my best!)
Recessional Hymn:
Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim!
Sung to the tune of “Laudate Dominum” by Parry. Here is a demo of that tune:
Lent II (C • 2025)
Greetings all—
Here is our ordo for this weekend:
Entrance Antiphon: Source & Summit (mp3 below)
Missa XVII (a full suite of practice tracks are available here or on the Cathedral website here)
Psalm 27: The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Playlist)
Gospel Acclamation: Salvation, glory, and power… (Demo)
Offertory Antiphon: Meditabor in mandatis tuis (Video, mp3 below)
Offertory Hymn: Tis Good, Lord, To Be Here to SWABIA
Communion Antiphon: Fr. Weber #409 (mp3 below)
Communion Hymn: On Tabor’s Top the Saviour Stood to the tune VIVIFICA ME (mp3 below)
Recessional Hymn: O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair! to the tune DEO GRACIAS
Source & Summit
Offertory Antiphon:
Special Update: I was informed that we will be having a short foot-washing on Holy Thursday this year. This will entail some extra music, the likes of which I would like to call to your attention before our next rehearsal:
Lent I (C • 2025)
Greetings all—
Thanks for your had work for Ash Wednesday and for sticking around on empty tummies to get ready for Lent I. You all are troopers and did me proud! Here is our ordo for this weekend:
Entrance Antiphon: Source & Summit (see below)
Missa XVII (a full suite of practice tracks are available here or on the Cathedral website here)
Psalm 91: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble. (Click here for a dedicated page of ad-free mp3 practice tracks, or click here for the animated YouTube playlist.)
Offertory Hymn: O Come and Mourn With Me Awhile, to the tune JESU DULCIS MEMORIA (three note melisma on the underlined word)
Communion Antiphon: Fr. Weber #380 (see below for special practice tracks)
Communion Special: Exaltabo te, Domine (Playlist)
Communion Hymn: Weary of Earth, and Laden With My Sin to the tune EVENTIDE
Recessional Hymn: Forty Days and Forty Nights to the tune HEINLEIN
Source & Summit
Since this week’s communio is a bit more difficult than is typical, there are a few tracks here which are separated out:
Normal demo of the Communio
a slowed down “repeat after me” style just like we did at rehearsal
a separate quick demo of the first two verses
Avail yourselves accordingly. 😅
Special Update: I was informed that we will be having a short foot-washing on Holy Thursday this year. This will entail some extra music, the likes of which I would like to call to your attention before our next rehearsal:
2025 Lenten Resources
Practice Resources for Lent 2025 at St. Augustine Cathedral, Kalamazoo.
Greetings All—
Here is a list of pieces we will work on throughout all of Lent, conveniently available all in one place for easy reference.
The Lotti Miserere track (above) is organ-only, but there are time stamps to hear your part at a louder volume. I intend to make a proper PT of this, time permitting.
Another version:
Ash Wednesday (2025)
Greetings all—
As a reminder, mass will be at 5:30pm. I know that this is an awkward time; just get there when you can, and we will do the best we can with whoever we have. I will be in the loft by 5pm to warmup with those who are able to come ahead of time.
I also hope to do some minimal prep for the following Sunday (Lent I) after Mass with those who can stick around a few extra minutes. This will be—by necessity—a rather minimal affair, and we will just do what we can.
NB: I’ve created a dedicated “2025 Lenten Resources” page which has many of our motets all in one convenient place.
Entrance Antiphon: You are merciful to all, O Lord…
*NB: we will only chant the antiphon.[No Kyrie, because the Penitential act is omitted, since the distribution of ashes takes its place, and no Gloria, since it is omitted for all of Lent.]
Psalm 51: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Lenten Gospel Acclamation: Salvation, glory, and power, to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Distribution of Ashes:
The Choir will go down for ashes immediately during the first two antiphons, cutting to the front of the line like during communion.Antiphon 1: Fr. Weber JJR
Antiphon 2: Fr. Weber JJR
Antiphon 3: Dele, Domine, Iniquitatem Meam – English transcription of the chant from the Graduale Simplex (see below). Men chant odd verses, women chant even verses.
Offertory Hymn: O Lord, You Gaze with Mercy (PASSION CHORALE)
Ordinary (a.k.a. “Mass Parts”): Missa Simplex (Mass XVIII)
Communion Antiphon: He who ponders the law of the Lord…
*NB: the antiphon is in the worship aid for all to sing.Communion Motet: Exaltabo Te, Domine – JJR, 2025 (see below)
Communion “Hymn”: Parce Domine (harmonized chant with cantored verses)
Recessional Hymn: Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days (ST. FLAVIAN)
(Source: Source & Summit Missal)
Psalm: 51 “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.”
Distribution of Ashes:
I will chant the first two antiphons from Fr. Weber while the choir receives ashes, and then we will chant the english transcription of Dele, Domine, iniquitatem meam (“Blot out, Lord, all my iniquities.”) with men on odd verses and women on even.
(Source: Source & Summit Gradual)