George's funeral; my funeral music
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    The director of our parish's GREGORIAN SCHOLA OF ST. FRANCIS invited me to join them this morning in providing music ministry for the funeral Mass of their brother, George Cooke, of whom I posted last week.
    Mass was OF, our pastor celebrating. We used the Gregorian Missal primarily, with a couple of seques to the Adoremus hymnal. The singing of the "Requiem aeternam" during the Introit set the most wonderful, solemn tone for the remainder of the liturgy. Even the use of Alstott's R/A setting of Ps.22/23 "...Shepherd..." was powerful with the schola; with the director canting the verses from the ambo. We chanted a select number of verses of "Dies irae,..." during the Offertory with superb organ accompaniment by our senior organist. Likewise the "Iubilate Deo" "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei." The Communio was "Absolve" that timed out perfectly with the distribution of Holy Communion. Then the schola director sang a beautiful, modest performance of the Schubert AM. At the commendation, of course, "In paradisum/chorus angelorum" coursed through the church. And because the schola and George are tertiary lay Franciscans, Temple's "Prayer" accompanied the recessional.
    A number of months ago I contracted with this schola, technically under my management at our cluster parish of four churches, to sing whenever my funeral Mass occurs. On that very day I also secured the services of one of our diocesan priests to be the celebrant of a Requiem Mass to be sung and heard that day. Should this all occur, in God's wisdom, sooner than later, I would hope that our parish clerics will accede to my clearly prescribed will with the celebration of a Latin EF Requiem. It will be my last liturgical testament. And I hope that it will be respected for what it is, worship of Almighty God in the liturgy He provided us.
    I also hope this clarifies for any and all my personal love and commitment to the unequalled and supreme expression of the worship language that is "the Chant."
    RIP, George Cooke.
    Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus....
  • Erik P
    Posts: 152
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  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    I've never doubted your commitment, Charles. And I think it sounds like a lovely requiem.
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    One of our senior choir members wisely observed that the EF requiem 'meets death head-on'. The music is gorgeous, and the prayers intense. No insipid mini-canonization, to be certain.

    It is what I have requested for my funeral, too.

    Though I must confess I get teary at the thought of your funeral, Charles. Be a dear and put it off as as long as possible. :)
  • JennyJenny
    Posts: 147
    Charles, Charles, no one who knows you would doubt you.

    Planning is good but I want to be at least 100 before I hear about your funeral.

    My best to your wonderful bride. See you both in Pittsburgh?
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,996
    Charles, I can't decide whether you are that eager to enter Heaven, or have just found another way to get the hopes of your enemies up. LOL
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Yes, Jenny, both of us.
    I'm not all that eager, CtB, tho' there are many who wouldn't lose sleep over my passing. I will be briefly overjoyed should I find my soul in purgatory at that moment; then I suspect I will start untangling knotted mic cords in very hot environs while Kanon in D played by banjos and accordians loops endlessly.
    But, seriously folks....(take my wife, please....bada boom)... what a statement and witness would be made, even if to one living soul there, if a lifelong musician insured that, of all musics, chant was the sole language of praise to God at the Mass commending to God the welfare of his/her soul.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    I think you are a very lucky guy with your wonerful wife and schola. If I die now or anytime soon, my schola couldn't manage to sing Requiem Mass. (besides, there isn't any priest around here who can do Traditional Mass, sigh)
    I probably have to have either Low Mass (is it ok? for funeral Mass? I don't even know), or OF Mass with hymns instead of the Propers. (as usually done in my parish.) I think I better start to prepare my schola just in case.
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