Easter Sunday, Order of Major Propers
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    For Easter Sunday, the 1979 Graduale Romanum maintains the traditional order for the chants between the readings (Gradual, Alleluia, Sequence). I know that the Missal for English speaking regions (or for the US, at least) has reordered these chants (Gradual [so to speak], Sequence, Alleluia). Is this merely a regional option, or does this reflect a universal change in the latest Missale Romanum?
  • awruff
    Posts: 94
    The 2002 General Instruction, both Latin and English, say that the Sequence is sung before the Alleluia.
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 833
    And this mandate is an abusive corruption of the liturgy.
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,032
    See also this discussion:

    http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1826&page=1#Item_0

    Sam Schmitt
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    And for completeness,
    it is humorous to note the ordering of the instructions
    GIRM-2003
    http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html
    # 62-63-64

    Kind of like reading a script:
    B dies.
    Curtain falls.
    Before B dies, A stabs B.
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    And a lively discussion it is, I'm sure... but I was just checking the rubric, which I assume applies to all Masses with Sequences. (DBP, shall we curb our enthusiasm in this public forum, perhaps?)
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    So, just to clarify yet again, you are telling me that on Pentecost Sunday, the order of Major Propers is:
    (First Reading) Alleluia I — (Second Reading) Sequence — Alleluia II (Gospel)?
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Yes, that is what several posters have conveyed,
    along with pointers to the relevant citations,
    and a pointer to another discussion (which you dismissed)
    containing the desired info and history and the all-important reminder "Anything to the contrary notwithstanding".

    The ordering applies
    for Easter as asked in the discussion title and first post,
    for any time a Sequence is used as asked in the sixth post,
    for Pentecost as asked in the seventh post.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    Don't you think that the GIRM assumes you're going to sing "Celtic Alleluia," or maybe the familiar three-fold chant for Easter from the Graduale Simplex, in the same way it assumes the Responsorial Psalm as normative? I think it's a different story when you're singing a four minute Alleluia with verse. I came to this conclusion before I read Bruce Ford's suggestion, which basically says to do the same thing but for somewhat different reasons. Considering the number of parishes that simply skip the required sequences, I hardly think singing the propers as they appear in a liturgical book would constitute a grave liturgical abuse.
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 774
    Thank you for the information. Sorry to trouble you, eft.
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