Chants for Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier
  • sergeantedward
    Posts: 195
    Last minute today we decided to put together music for tomorrow's Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier. We want to chant propers for the Introit and Communion.

    I have this as text, from my pastor:

    Introit: "I will praise you, Lord, among the nations: I will tell of your name to my kin" (Ps. 18:50, 22:23)

    Communion: "What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, says the Lord, what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops" Mt. 10:27

    How does one go about finding the right chant for a Memorial Mass in the middle of the week? I'm all about the feast day and Sunday propers, but have never tried to chant a memorial mid-week Mass like this. Help appreciated.
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    How does one go about finding the right chant for a Memorial Mass in the middle of the week?

    As the 1974 Graduale Romanum does not assign specific chants to this particular memorial, one may look to the Common of Holy Men and Women (pp. 508–530); the chants assigned to the memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola may be apt as well.

    The Graduale Simplex and many of its vernacular derivatives, e.g., By Flowing Waters, also provide a Common of Holy Men (pp. 355–356) whose texts occasionally—but not in this particular case—overlap with those in the Missal and the Graduale Romanum.

    For the Introit, the only setting of the Missal proper you posted above is the pointed psalm-tone text found in the Lumen Christi Missal for that day.

    The Communion text is found in the Missal, as well as the Graduale Romanum (Quod dico vobis) and its vernacular derivatives (e.g., SEP.)
    Thanked by 1sergeantedward
  • sergeantedward
    Posts: 195
    Wow. A big thank you Aristotle! This one was a "deep cut" and you've given me all the information I need to navigate. I appreciate it very much.
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