Chris,

My question is definitely not about any Masses at or after Midnight on December 25. The Mass ordinary used then would be neither Missa XVII nor Missa XVIII. This question solely pertains to a Vigil Mass celebrated on December 24. The question is which of Missa XVII and Missa XVIII is appropriate when trying to follow the recommendations of the 1961 Graduale Romanum, and on what days of the week are they appropriate if it makes a difference?

SWM

a_f_hawkins,

I didn't realize that some Vigil Masses other than the Easter Vigil take place later in the day than morning, or that there is a distinction of placing a Vigil Mass after Terce versus after Nones. Can you explain further or point me to something online I can read?

And what suggests that Mass XVII is more appropriate--that the Mass is on a Sunday or that the Mass is after Terce (or is this one and the same)? I would think that Mass XVIII could be chanted in the morning as well. It certainly is during Ferial Masses.

tomjaw,

Did you mean to say "When Christmas eve is a Sunday it will be Mass of the 4th Sunday of Advent"? When using the Roman Missal of 1962, which is part of the context of my question, it will actually be the Christmas Vigil Mass taking place on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, which will not be celebrated as such. Does that change your suggestion?

SWM - You really don't want to get bogged down in the arguments over what I (but not others here) would describe as the aberrations which had crept into the liturgical timings over the centuries. Stick to 1962, even though that still has problems.
tomjaw is right to say that there are few strict rules about which Ordinary should be sung, the Liber Usualis 1961* says on p78 -

The Ordinary is not meant to be a matter of hard and fast rule : Chants from one Mass may be used together with those from others, the Ferial Masses excepted. In the same way, in order to add greater solemnity, one or more of the following "Chants ad libitum" may be employed.

I would say that precludes Mass XVIII on a Sunday, even though the Mass is not of the Sunday, the Vigil outranks the Sunday.
* LU1961 uses the 1960 published rubrics, as does RM1962.

a_f_hawkins,

I would say that precludes Mass XVIII on a Sunday, even though the Mass is not of the Sunday, the Vigil outranks the Sunday.

I am leaning towards agreeing with your above quote. Thank you for pointing out Page 74* of the 1961 Graduale Romanum and Page 78 of the 1961 Liber Usualis. I'm not sure I have ever noticed that rubric in the past. It makes a distinction between the Ferial Mass ordinaries--Masses XVI and XVIII--and the first fifteen Masses and Mass XVII. It is clear that when the Vigil of Christmas falls on Sunday it is not to be treated as a typical Vigil that would simply be commemorated on the Sunday, as it outranks the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the Alleluia and Credo are added. I suppose one could make the argument that as it is a I Class feast, Mass XVII might well always be appropriate for the Vigil of Christmas rather than Mass XVIII. Unlike with II Class and III Class Vigils outside of Paschaltide, the Solemn Tone is supposed to be used for the Orations and Preface instead of the Ferial Tone. It might not make sense to use a Ferial Mass ordinary when the Solemn Tone is used for other parts of the Mass. On the other hand, when December 24 does not fall on a Sunday, the Mass takes on all of the characteristics of the other Vigils that fall outside of Paschaltide, save for the I Class ranking.

What the rubric says about the "Chants ad libitum"--that they may used to add greater solemnity--is very interesting. To date the only Chants ad libitum we chant during Masses are Kyrie X [Orbis factor] and Kyrie XI [Kyrie Salve]. I never thought of our use of them as adding greater solemnity, but perhaps that is the effect accomplished. Kyrie X [Orbis factor] is chanted on Sundays of Septuagesima and also on the Sundays after Pentecost during the month of November. This represents a usage during Sundays that precede more solemn times of the liturgical year--Advent and Lent, respectively. Kyrie XI [Kyrie Salve] is chanted during the First and Second Sundays of Passiontide, which is a very solemn time of the liturgical year indeed.


Jeffrey,

The congregation tends to chant the Mass ordinary very well, so we don't often use composed Mass ordinaries. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has more to say on the topic of chant versus other styles of Mass ordinary and propers at https://onepeterfive.com/catholic-choir-choirmaster/.

Serviam,

Focusing on the specific question you ask, and avoiding the very tempting opportunities to rant, I think Mass II would serve the purpose well. It's assigned for 1st class feasts, it has the more mysterious feel to it, and it's not either Mass XVII or Mass VIII (which some people use, reflexively, for Christmas.

a_f_hawkins,

While it would be easy to get into the weeds on this, it is fairly simple when one considers that there is no wrong answer. The basic principle behind this would be to keep the Vigil as the Vigil and the Night Mass as the Night Mass. Both should obviously be joyful, but they should exhibit nuanced differences in the facets of Christmas that they celebrate. Speaking hypothetically, someone who goes to two or more of the four Christmas Masses would ideally perceive enough of a difference to make attending any number of them worthwhile from the standpoint of the orations, music, and readings (beyond the given that attending Mass is salutary and worthwhile in and of itself).

The congregation tends to chant the Mass ordinary very well, so we don't often use composed Mass ordinaries. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has more to say on the topic of chant versus other styles of Mass ordinary and propers at https://onepeterfive.com/catholic-choir-choirmaster/.

By all means if they sing, have them sing. I've read Peter's piece, and with all due respect for his intelligence and devotion, I think he and I must agree to disagree on the emphasis.