First Communion
  • Fr. Keyes
    Posts: 7
    I have posted on my blog a pdf file of the First communion program for this coming Sunday. In many ways this demonstrates the improvement from what I inherited four years ago as the new pastor of this parish. Then it was much Haugen and Haas, none of which the children sang. They did sing a cute little ditty with hand movements at the offertory. I must confess the attitude I showed to the schooll music and religion program after that fiasco did not make me popular. Anyway, it has been four years. I still face some opposition but this is evidence of how far we have come.

    http://gasparian.stblogs.org/archives/2008/04/first_communion_2.html

    This is the program for two of the five celebrations of first comm7union this year. Of the other three, there will not be a choir leading the chant and so it will be Proul's Community Mass for two of them, and our regular music ministry for the Spanish First Communion. I have had better success with the Spanish getting them to use a spanish version of the psalm appointed each Sunday for the Introit and Communio.

    I would be very interested to hear what you are doing in your parishes this year for First Communion.
  • Darcy
    Posts: 73
    Hi Father Keyes,

    Congratulations, that is a wonderful program! Only four years and you've accomplished so much. The program itself is very easy to read and I love the Pope Benedict quote. The explanation and translations throughout are great... I'm sure that goes a long way toward helping the congregation become more at ease with the Latin and the whole concept of a Missa Cantata.

    As for our parish, something new for First Communion this year is the use of the Communio. We have been using various chants here and there for the past few months, though we haven't approached the full Missa Cantata yet. There is talk of beginning a Latin (ordinary form) Mass this fall. I am hopeful that we will begin using more of the propers at that point, but for now it's mostly hymns for First Communion. I think we will also be singing Victoria's "Domine, Non Sum Dignus."

    (I thought of you today as I prepared to upload to YouTube videos of you celebrating the Requiem at the colloquium last summer. They should be online sometime this weekend at http://www.youtube.com/catholicsacredmusic, along with the other Masses I videotaped.)
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 864
    Father Keyes,

    Wonderful!

    Is it too late to consider a hymn of praise sung by all after communion? I love the Te Laudamus Domine (By Flowing Waters, 657), especially for its line, "Of this most holy chalice we have all partaken; from every sin and failing free us always."

    Blessings on your ministry!
    Paul
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Fantastic, Fr. Keyes! I particularly love the recto tono on the texts of the Mass! Too many find it "boring", but in fact it's a vivid, exciting way to pray the Mass - not to mention it's less boring than reciting!

    As for our first communions, we're restricted by conservatism here - that is don't change anything since the past 30 years! Since it falls (of course) in our Easter season, we will have the Gloria de Angelis. Also we will sing "Panis Angelicus" while the children commune. It's not much, but it is an oldie and it's in Latin, that ought to count for something. I've tried hard to get the Introit sung, but to no avail. This will be my last Easter with my parish, so hopefully my successor will accomplish more for the occasion.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    "... improvement ...what you are doing in your parishes this year for First Communion."

    Has it been a year already?

    Improvement here? No "class song with hand motions" during the Post-Communion!
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 835
    This is very exciting to see. While I have great hopes for the improvement in liturgical music for and by adults in my diocese [of employment] (Archdiocese of Washington), I hold out no hope for good music in Catholic schools or religious education programs. Literally none. The inculcation of unworthy music is so deeply rooted that only a year or two with literally no music could allow something better to flourish. I say this despite being a firm believer in 'directed gradualism' and the 'brick by brick' approach. The perceived hostility of school teachers, principals, and parents to any musical aggiornamiento cows even the most forward-looking and -thinking pastors. It's profoundly sad.
  • Charles in CenCA
    Posts: 2,416
    Congratulations, my friend and Frere. I'm going to pass this onto my pastor to guage his reaction. I'll keep you posted.
    Charles
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    Fantastic - and I know it hasn't been easy. But let's just you're "determined."
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