Can Vidi Aquam/I Saw Water be used on St. John Lateran at the Offertory or Communion?
  • musicatsaintmarys
    Posts: 4
    Can settings of the Vidi Aquam/I Saw Water be used on the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran during parts of the Mass other than the Sprinkling Rite, such as for the Offertory or Communion? Since the text of the Vidi Aquam is taken from the First Reading for that Mass, it would be nice to be able to use it that day. Thank you in advance!
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 590
    I can’t speak to can or should, but a version of it will be our processional hymn after the introit. We only sprinkle once per year, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use it again when the text is perfect for the occasion.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • noefraval
    Posts: 8
    I think that more than falls under alius cantus aptus :)
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 772
    I don't really see how it would be illicit, but it would be rather strange. This would be akin to singing the text of the Gloria during the offertory, or the text of the Credo during communion. Licit, perhaps, but very odd, especially if you're using the traditional Gregorian settings. A case could be made perhaps for a motet or hymn which paraphrases or quotes parts of the reading in question, but using the entire text would not be especially appropriate in my opinion. Just my 2 cents.
  • musicatsaintmarys
    Posts: 4
    Thanks all of you for your constructive input. The version I was going to use is I Saw Water Flowing by Peter Latona, not the Gregorian version (although I love the Gregorian one too!). We typically use it only once a year for Easter Vigil and only have time to get through a verse or two. I think this time we might actually get through all the verses and sing the descant a few times on the antiphon. Like Marc Cerisier was saying earlier, I too couldn't pass up the opportunity to use it when the text is perfect for the occasion (matching the first reading). It might even help people who aren't aware of how scripture-based the Mass is to see the connection between that text and the first reading!
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,210
    No.

    Don’t do this.

    This is one of those things where if you are asking, you already know the answer and that no one writes a rule for something so obvious.
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