Dear parishioners,

Welcome to the Music Director’s note. The purpose of this page is to throw light on our seasonal and weekly music and its purpose and role within the liturgy.

While the secular world is preparing for the start of “commercial Christmas,” we look at the remaining weeks of the old church year that will end on a high note with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe on November 23rd, in anticipation of a season that carries the spirit of penitence: the Season of Advent. The following changes that affect the music for this shortest of church Seasons will take place: the ancient hymn "Glory to God" will “disappear” as we await its return on the night when we celebrate the time the Angels sang to mankind “Gloria in Excelsis Deo, et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntatis!” (Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will, Luke 2:14); the sound of the musical instruments used in the liturgy will become less festive.

To prepare for the more somber character of the upcoming Season, defined following the General Instruction of the Roman Missal that advises that the music be "such as to not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord," we will begin introducing one by one each part of the setting of the Ordinary of the Mass for Advent. A quick reminder about what we call the “Ordinary of the Mass”: these are those chants that do not change from week to week namely, the Kyrie (Lord, Have Mercy), the Gloria (Glory to God in the Highest), the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), the response to “the Mystery of Faith,” the Amen, and the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God).

A few notes about our Advent Setting for the Ordinary of the Mass: Mass of the Great Prophet was composed by Fr. Michael Dominic O’Connor, O.P., and published in 2010. It is based on famous “tunes” from one of the greatest musical masterpieces on a biblical theme, the oratorio Elijah written over the course the years 1845 and 1846 by Felix Mendelssohn. Mendelssohn was one of the major composers of his time, a convert from Judaism who embraced both his Jewish and Christian heritage by creating music based on stories from the Old and the New Testament. An oratorio is a large musical piece very much resembling opera but without the stage action. An oratorio has all the cool things of an opera: expressive solo songs (arias), choruses of many voices, and captivating narration (a recitative) that in a way resembles the way we chant certain parts of our liturgy. The oratorio Elijah tells us the story of this great prophet as we read it in the Bible, through the music of arias, choruses, and recitatives.

The Constitution of the Carmelite Friars, whose patron is Elijah, describes him this way: “In Elijah we see the solitary prophet who nurtured his thirst for the one and only God, and lived in his presence. He is the contemplative, burning with passionate love for the Absolute who is God, ‘his word flaring like a torch.’”  He is very close to our Holy Mother, whose Immaculate Conception we celebrate during Advent: “All that we desire and all that we wish to be today was fulfilled in the lives of the Prophet Elijah and of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In their own way, both had ‘the same spirit … the same formation, and the same teacher – the Holy Spirit.’ By looking to Mary and to Elijah, we can more easily understand and internalize, live out and proclaim the truth which makes us free.” (Constitution of the Carmelite Friars, §25 and §26)

What better way to honor the spirit of the Season of Advent than through the example of Elijah and Mary? To lift our spirits on this journey, I invite you to listen to the aria “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel” that has inspired the "Kyrie, Eleison" that Fr. Michael O’Connor composed for his Mass of the Great Prophet and which we will be singing over this Season of Advent. I hope you may fall in love with some beautiful music that you can share with your friends and family, here: https://youtu.be/Ao1qiA_7mO8?si=TDEX8htd-zAnZW6F

As we continue to introduce the Mass of the Great Prophet, here is the chorus “Holy, Holy, Holy” from the oratorio Elijah that inspired the eponymous part of the Mass: https://youtu.be/RVChtzQXL2A?si=U0my8YS4haDjGFYQ

For the recording of the remaining parts from Mass of the Great Prophet, you may click on the yellow buttons at the bottom of the page. For those of you who enjoy following the music on the page, attached is the full assembly version of the Mass setting. Since Fr. Michael has generously offered it for use free of charge, anyone is invited to create a copy in their own preferred format.

Copies of the music will be available at the door to use during Mass.

Music Throughout the Mass 

Entrance Hymn:
Marks the beginning of the Mass and sets the tone for the liturgy.

Responsorial Psalm: 
A musical response to the Scripture reading, sung during the Liturgy of the Word. 

Gospel Acclamation: 
A sung response to the reading of the Gospel. 

Offertory Hymn: 
Sung during the preparation of the gifts for the Eucharistic prayer. 

Communion Hymn: 
Sung during the distribution of Holy Communion. 

Recessional Hymn: 
Sung as the congregation departs after the Mass. 

"Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Lamb of God": 
Specific parts of the Mass Ordinary that are sung by the choir or congregation.