bha ha ha ha

So many dreams...must I have just one?
A Mass with all polyphonic Propers...not that I think it's the best way, but it would be different. Preferably no cantus-firmus settings. And while we're at it, a polyphonic Asperges.

Ordinary: One of the Bruno Oscar Klein Masses, or Walkiewicz's 7-part one. Or Henri Hardouin. Or Kerll's for the seige of Vienna. Or Ockeghem's Missa Au Travail Suis. Or two years where I could do a different Palestrina Mass each week, until I'd done them all. Any Josquin; I'm not fussy. Tallis Puer Natus est Nobis.

Motets: too big and would depend on the feast. Some of the motets or Wert etc. as scored by Michael Praetorius. Or just some Gabrieli.

My real dream though: 4 singers who can read and sing, who would be allowed into the loft (right now I HAVE to sing solo) and without masks, that I didn't have to pay out of my own pocket. Then I could start making some dreams come true.

Let’s play chess Charles.

Seriously,

Duruflé Requiem for the Requiem.

@Liam, @ServiamScores, and others: I hear what you said (written). FWTW here is my response. It took me 2½ hours to write and edit and I hope I have clearly expressed myself.

My Funeral Mass requests are not in my will. They are part of the information the Funeral Home will have and will pass it on to the priest and the organist. I have already prepared a booklet for the Mass that contains, among other things, the readings I chose, the hymn tunes and lyrics. (The accompaniments are written for piano). I also have a cousin who is a priest and if he is able to attend (he lives 1,000 miles away) I anticipate that he will honor my requests. In the event he can't attend I've also prepared some talking points a priest who may not know me may wish to use. (An aside: The priest who was to celebrate our wedding Mass and knew me developed mono the week prior so I had someone who didn't know me and could not personalize the sermon). I went through the Bible several times to ensure the readings I chose made sense for a funeral. I'm paying for the priest's services so why can't I have what I want for readings?

I don't know very many people where I currently live so any of my Catholic friends and relatives will come from 1,000 miles away. Hence I will ensure that I'll be "on ice" for a week or so. My parish has a couple of paid organists who step in for a Leader of Song when necessary, so a week should be enough time to learn at least the tune and lyrics (if not the accompaniment) to enable those who wish to sing along. I should probably add a line to my booklet that these are my favorite hymns since some of them don't have to do with funerals.

That's all I have to say about my choice of music for my Dream Mass.

What follows is a response to posters that expressed concerns about my wish for white vestments to be worn at my funeral.

******************************************************************************


According to The Color of Vestments at a Funeral Mass in the Catholic Church (https://classroom.synonym.com/the-color-of-vestments-at-a-funeral-mass-in-the-catholic-church-12085272.html),

violet and white vestments are permitted in the post-1970 Roman Missal, black remains the traditional choice. Parishes and parishioners often prefer violet vestments to eschew the darkness of black yet maintain a solemnity and sorrow appropriate to the deceased

(emphasis added).

Or did I miss the point about the priest wearing black vestments at a funeral?

I wear black/dark colors for the wake and the Mass for the Dead but I still believe in celebrating a person's life, not mourning their death - nothing more (e.g., "people who die automatically get on the express elevator to heaven"). The readings for other funerals I have attended talk about death as not being final (see Thess. 4, 13-18, a reading for the Mass for the Dead in the St. Joseph Daily Missal (© 1959).

The post-funeral meals I've attended are not muted with sadness. Rather they are happy occasions where people (including the immediate family) can swap stories about the deceased. I don't know if "happy mourning" is possible but it certainly helps the attendees process at least a little sadness they feel about their deceased loved one.

Finally, for those those who feel that nothing other than an Old Form Mass must be used at a Funeral: I am no less a Catholic because Vatican II occurred when I was in second grade and my parents agreed with its results. I respect (and respectfully disagree) that Traditionalist Catholic opinion that maintains that Vatican II is heresy.

Out of curiosity, what do Traditionalist Catholics do if they move to a new area and cannot find a parish that offers both the Old and the New Forms? Also, what do they expect that a non-Catholic friend (or a potential convert) who goes to an Old Form Mass will get out of it when the important parts (especially the Consecration of the bread and the wine) are in Latin? (Just wondering, no criticism intended.)

Meanwhile, back at the Amusements discussion...

It would be the Vierne Messe solennelle (Solemn Mass) in C-sharp minor, Op. 16 for choir and two organs. Hard to stage, get the singers, find two organs and rehearse all the musicians. In my Byzantine church, it would never be done in the first place - no organs - and wouldn't fit in with the liturgy. But you did say "dream mass" so not one I would ever practically hope to do.

what do Traditionalist Catholics do

Pretty much what we did when we were unjustly deprived of the Traditional Mass for decades: drive to the closest one available; be it 1, 2, or even 3 miles away.
We are to 'keep holy the Lord's Day," after all. There is nothing unholy about a family spending their time traveling to Mass (which can help maintain our Eucharistic fast) and stopping for a picnic on the way home. Keeping one's domestic church focused on the universal Church on Sundays is one of the best ways to 'keep" the day holy, in my opinion.

closest one available

140 miles each way, including 60 at sea (twice), about 26 hours and £50 ($70)

folks often drive farther to go eat

Don't forget that being a certain distance away from "home" allows for a relaxing of various fasting requirements.

I wear black/dark colors for the wake and the Mass for the Dead but I still believe in celebrating a person's life, not mourning their death - nothing more

There is certainly a place for that, but the funeral is not that time or place.

The purpose of the funeral is for sacrifice to be offered for the sake of the deceased. It is not to make the mourners feel better (although this is typically a secondary effect). I repeat: the primary purpose of a funeral is to intercede; more specifically, to call down the Blood of Christ's Sacrifice as an atoning & cleansing laver for the deceased.

Making a funeral a "celebration of life" is akin to saying to Jesus, "see how great they were, Jesus?" which is in complete antipathy with the humility required for particular judgement. And as terribly unpopular as it is to say, it must be said: it is very presumptuous to be celebrating, when in all seriousness the person receiving said funeral might already be in hell. At minimum they are probably in purgatory suffering untold horrors. We hope—of course! but we don't presume.

Happy wakes and funeral dinners are a different matter entirely. Those are great times to remember the deceased with joy. But even now, eulogies, properly speaking, are not permitted. Homilies, yes. Eulogies, no. As a priest stated two weeks ago at my very well-beloved uncle's funeral, "I always caution family and friends not to 'canonize' someone too soon. As such, I trust that Karl will appreciate and benefit from your sincere prayers. May God be glorified." Amen.

I have not spoken to or implied in any thread that the NO mass is invalid or non-efficacious (if that’s what you’re getting at.) I do personally believe it deficient in some respects, but not invalid. I currently attend and work for a NO parish, although I do very much love the TLM.

When I schedule music for funeral masses I eek in as much of the traditional music as I can, including Pie Jesu and In Paradisum.

Ultimately, the purpose of both rites is the same, even if the material components differ.