On Palm Sunday, the 9am liturgy will start with distribution of palms and the Palm Sunday procession.
Parishioners are welcomed and encouraged to join us in singing during the procession. Some of the chants that we will sing are in the Traditional Roman Hymnal in the pews, #42 and following. So feel free to bring the hymnal with you and join in as you process!
To paraphrase from the “chant blog”: Palm Sunday is one of the most complex liturgical days, and contains such an incredible range of events and emotions that it seems almost a comprehensive description of human life on earth – all encapsulated in a single day. The mass begins with the joy of Hosanna, filio David, and the triumphant hymn Gloria, laus, et honor tibi – and then the Tract takes a 180-degree turn with the Psalm 22-based Deus, deus meus. The rest of the chants for the day are pure mournfulness, the intimation of disaster everywhere.
The choir will sing a choral version of the Offertory proper, “Improperium Expectavit”, which is also sung on the feast of the Sacred Heart.
At Communion:
The women’s schola will sing a version of “Vexilla Regis Prodeunt”, which is an exquisite hymn specifically for the 2 weeks of Passiontide. Following that, we will sing “Emendemus in melius” by William Byrd, which is a setting of one of the texts of Ash Wednesday. Lastly, we will sing a new little motet by Palestrina that we learned this year, “O Domine Jesu Christe”.
Translations of the music:
Improperium Expectavit – (Offertory proper in the missal)
Vexilla Regis Prodeunt – http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Hymni/Vexilla.html
Emendemus in Melius – Let us amend for the better in those things in which we have sinned through ignorance;
lest suddenly overtaken by the day of death,
we seek space for repentance, and be not able to find it.
Hearken, O Lord, and have mercy: for we have sinned against thee.
O Domine Jesu Christe – Lord Jesus Christ,
I worship you, who was wounded on the cross
and given gall and vinegar to drink:
I pray that your wounds
may be a remedy for my soul.