Confirmation on Laetare Sunday 2014
  • charchar
    Posts: 19
    Any suggestions for choral music that would be appropriate for confirmation on Laetare Sunday? This is our first confirmation during Lent that I can remember. I'm just glad it will be Laetare Sunday and not any other Sunday during Lent. At least we can do a little bit more... Thanks!
  • PaixGioiaAmorPaixGioiaAmor
    Posts: 1,473
    We usually do ours at the vigil mass of Trinity Sunday. Same hymns/service music as any other mass that weekend with the addition of "Come Holy Ghost" during preparation of the gifts.
    Thanked by 1char
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    Aren't ritual Masses forbidden on all Sunday of Lent?
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    I imagine it wouldn't be a Ritual Mass, but rather the Mass of Laetare Sunday with Confirmation inserted. That's allowed, right?
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    I dunno either, but we had one ( our first) last year and it sure as heck didn't feel right.
  • Ally
    Posts: 227
    SkirpR - that's correct. (Even if it is unusual or strange!)
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    Our former bishop had trips planned, so he did confirmation two years in a row during Lent. I hated it and wished we could have scheduled it later. My pastor is a stickler for rubrics, so no alleluias were read or sung anywhere during the mass, including gospel acclamations and hymns. We didn't use the Gloria, either. I remember having to not use "Go to the World" which the hymnal noted as appropriate for confirmation recessional because of the alleluias in it. I had to substitute, "Lift High the Cross" instead.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I had to substitute, "Lift High the Cross" instead.


    That has been our de rigeur recessional hymn at confirmation for at least the past 15 years. Message being: You are now confirmed in your faith, and it'd better be strong, because you may have to die for it.
    Thanked by 4Adam Wood Caleferink CHGiffen Ben
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    such a great text....
  • charchar
    Posts: 19
    So do you suggest we use appropriate choral/polyphonic music for Laetare Sunday as we would without confirmation and maybe add a hymn or two that would reflect the sacrament of confirmation, like Lift High the Cross and Come Holy Ghost, and maybe Veni Creator Spiritus??? I'm not looking forward to this (confirmation during lent) but I guess it is a good stretch to be asked to do something aside from what one considers to be the best choice. During that time we are so busy preparing music for the Holy Triduum and Easter Sunday, I'm at a loss where to begin. The propers shouldn't be any problem, then again, maybe. We've usually sung Ecce Saucerdos for the introit as the Bishop approaches the sanctuary, Factus est repente for communion, hmmm.... Would the propers be for confirmation or for Laetare?
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    I imagine propers would be for Laetare Sunday, but you do have the flexibility to use other propers when appropriate. I would keep the Introit, because well, that's where Laetare Sunday gets its name! Maybe you could use a communion antiphon from the collection for votive Masses of the Holy Spirit. (Factus est repente would not be bad...)

    In terms of rehearsing, just be glad you know this far in advance. My advice would be to prepare all the confirmation music as soon as Christmas is over when there's less pressure during those few weeks of Ordinary Time before things start ramping up for Holy Week & Easter.
    Thanked by 1char
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    SkipR, you were right about the ritual Mass thing. I double checked it today and it is included in the Rite of Confirmation. Watch out for Factus est repente, though; you'd have to omit the alleluia.
    Thanked by 1SkirpR
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    They couldn't wait a couple of weeks and do the confirmations on the Easter Vigil?
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    Watch out for Factus est repente, though; you'd have to omit the alleluia.


    Woops, forgot about that part. But there are plenty of good communion propers in the Graduale for Votive Masses of the Holy Spirit.
    Thanked by 1Andrew Motyka
  • Andrew Motyka
    Posts: 944
    They couldn't wait a couple of weeks and do the confirmations on the Easter Vigil?


    In my experience, dioceses reserve Easter Vigil confirmations for people who are entering the Church, not Catholics who have been baptized but not yet confirmed.

    Also, for these confirmations (I'm assuming they're young people, correct, char?), there are just far too many of them to cram into a short period. Sometimes they have to back up into Lent to get them all done.

    I say this as someone who played 14 confirmation Masses this past spring (thankfully, Easter was early so we didn't have any in Lent this year) and has 6 more this fall. And that's just the deaneries in the city.
  • charchar
    Posts: 19
    Yes, Andrew, that's correct. We will have probably over 50 baptized youth being confirmed. It had looked as if we'd have the confirmation in June this year but that didn't work for our Bishop. Our original date got booted because the Catholic school is having their adult ball dance on that weekend.....hmmm... It would've been during Easter.

    14 confirmation Masses?!!! Wowser! I'm grateful for the 1 I am involved with each year! Whew!

    I forgot the Alleluia in the Factus, too. Thanks SkirpR!
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