Call for a CMAA member-wide novena
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    On another thread, I posed a question regarding some health issues I've been experiencing as a result of the stresses of my position as a DM in a typical (and very large) suburban parish.

    As others began to weigh in, most recently one whom we know as "G", it has become clear that an organized prayer of a novena to Our Lady and St. Cecilia for the health, welfare and protection of all church musicians dedicated to the restoration of chant and polyphony to the liturgy is very much needed.

    To that end, I have asked if anyone from the "management" of CMAA still has a copy of a novena to St. Cecilia which I believe I found here last fall and printed out.

    Once we know that it's back up and available, I propose that we begin a rosary novena with the St. Cecilia litany at the end, beginning this Saturday, July 19 through Sunday, July 27, and if possible request Masses in our various parishes for the intention of all church musicians.

    Is it on?
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I found this: http://www.wellsprings.org.uk/wellspring_prayers/prayer.htm kind of kitschy and many will shudder at Paul Innwood's name. But still, can't argue with those intentions!

    http://www.2heartsnetwork.org/Cecilia.htm And here is a variety of prayers to St. Cecilia. And it seems the novena is here: http://www.ainglkiss.com/prayers/nsc.htm

    For my part, I will make an effort to remember my fellow musicians in daily prayer (which in and of itself is a difficult discipline for me).
    Thanked by 1DavidOLGC
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I have no novenas to St. Cecilia, although I do admire her. She is honored in both the eastern and western churches. The rosary is not that common among us easterners either. Would you settle for a Moleben to Jesus, a service of prayer to Jesus, the lover of mankind? It will be offered for the intentions you mentioned.
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Yes, thank you Charles.
  • G
    Posts: 1,400
    Here is one courtesy of Sean Tribe, IIRC (well, SOMEone from TNLM... maybe even Jeffrey?) that I had seen a while back -- posted in preparation for the motu proprio on the EF, perhaps?

    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    *Reminder* I believe this starts today. Get to praying! :-)
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Thanks, G. This is indeed the St. Cecilia novena I remember and have a copy of.

    Please if everyone could include this novena in their prayers as a part of this little exercise.

    The power of prayer!

    Also, if you've read this and are planning on entering into the prayer, but haven't said so here, could you please post a reply? It would be nice to know just how much solidarity in prayer we're able to muster! Also, if you've put a Mass request into your parish, could you post it here?

    **UPDATE**

    Earlier this evening I lit a 15-hr votive before my ikon of St. Cecilia and prayed the novena. I then proceeded to my home altar and prayed Vespers from the "Little Office of the BVM" in English, except for the hymn Ave maris stella which I sang from the Liber Hymnarius.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    In the category of better late than never, I shall begin at once. And put the novena on the music stand, right next to Compline.
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Thank you Mary Jane. It's never too late!

    Please, everyone who reads this: PRAY! PRAY NOW!

    The Enemy cannot stand it when Our Lady in invoked, let alone saints like Cecilia. Even if you can only offer an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intention of the health, welfare and protection of church musicians, it all helps! DO IT NOW!

    There are so many of us, even those who don't regularly participate in this forum, who are under attack. Everything we've worked so hard for, our unflagging loyalty to the Mind of Church, the degrees we've worked so hard for (for those who have them and have paid in money, sweat and tears), our built-up programs that we've nourtured, the little advances we've made in restoring orthodoxy and reverence to the Mass, it's all constantly under attack. Colleagues among us are sacrificing their health and well-being for the good of the Church, and the Enemy is building his army through unwitting and willfully ignorant people who do what they can to pour scorn on our work and the will of the Church. How many of us have been hounded out of our jobs? How many of us go home at night and wonder why we bother? How many of us suffer constant ridicule and unwarranted criticism? We try with all humility to serve the Lord and His Church, and are called elitists and snobs. Our best help is from the Lord and from Our Lady!

    The Holy Father has done great things for us! Pray for him, too!

    I do apologize if I sound a bit overly zealous. I'm just tired of all of the stupidity and silliness that I witness and am subjected to, and am convinced that a call to prayer is the answer. I do hope as many as read this will join in!
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    Thank you DA. Will pray here!
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    I'm in.
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    Am I correct in assuming that this is a perpetual novena?
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Well, I suppose it could be, but my original request was for the novena to go from last Saturday through this Sunday.

    Obviously as a personal devotional exercise you could do this in perpetuity. Certainly couldn't hurt!
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    St. Benedict medals can't hurt either!
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    You just did my Oblate heart good!
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 864
    You too, David?! How many of us are oblates?

    Paul-Peter (Chrysologus) Ford, Obl. S.B.
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Dr. Ford,

    I am indeed. I missed this response and only caught it today. I made my final oblation 3 years ago at St. Meinrad Archabbey. (Andrew is my oblate name).
  • JennyJenny
    Posts: 147
    I am not an Oblate yet but it is one of my aspirations!
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    My discernment process was a long one. I love the liturgy and the liturgy of the hours especially, as well as the music of the Church. Dedication to the liturgy is one of the Benedictine "charisms". As the Benedictine rule also lays out a balanced (but nevertheless challenging) way of living, it seemed totally natural to be drawn to it.

    If you are interested in the titles of some wonderful books on living the Benedictine rule as an oblate, please feel free to e-mail me and I'll send you a recommended reading list.

    By the way, is there a community you've become interested in? Oblates take a vow of "stability" just as the professed monks do. In the case of oblates, the stability comes in the form of attaching yourself spiritually to one community, in my case the monks of St. Meinrad, and vowing to be obedient to the abbot of the community in matters pertaining to oblate life. You'll be invested as an oblate novice at the monastery church (or in a ceremony at your own church, with the rite provided to you), and will probably want to make at least one retreat at that monastery before making your final oblation, once again at the monastery church.

    This may be more information than you wanted, but I'm always excited to find out that others are being drawn into the Benedictine way of life.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Today is Aug 21, the feast day for Saint Pope Pius X.
    Saint Pope Pius X, pray for us!

    Back on topic ... novena to Saint Cecilia.
    The feast day for Saint Cecilia is Nov 22.
    May I suggest the 22nd day of each month be the start day for this novena?
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    Hmm, an interesting suggestion.

    That would mean starting another one tomorrow.

    I'm in!
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • JennyJenny
    Posts: 147
    The 22nd of each month! I'm in too. I was bummed that I missed the last one.

    david andrew:
    I would welcome any of your suggestions. You can email me at samwooclan@gmail.com
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Today is September 22.
    This is an invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members.
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    eft94530,

    Thank you for keeping this alive.

    Personally I'm very much in need of prayer support from others, as I'm too exhausted to do it myself.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Sung Novena posted at chabanel psalms. We intend to close every rehearsal with this. See LITANY and the bottom of this page:

    http://chabanelpsalms.org/miscellaneous/
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    Additionally, this is the 3rd anniversary (I believe) of the death of Dr. Donald Williams, a long-time pillar of the Ann Arbor, MI organ community.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    And a great person who is missed, for sure.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Oct 22-30 invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members.
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    This had slipped my mind. I will start tomorrow.
  • pipesnposaune
    Posts: 113
    Please pray especially for those of us (singers, DMs, organists, clergy) in the midst of church turmoil.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Oh, yes.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Another worrisome thing is that the economy could push some churches, already at the edge, over the cliff financially.
  • soli
    Posts: 95
    Joining you in prayer for this novena. St. Cecila, pray for us!
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Sat Nov 22 through Sun Nov 30
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    This is very beautiful. Our small schola will be joining the novena. I would like to ask you to pray also for the priests who are a bit resisitant to chant singing. We had one priest who didn't seem to be too happy that the schola was singing today in the morning Mass. (although it was announced in the bulletin.) The Mass was said so fast I can't remember much.
    thanks.
    Mia
  • David AndrewDavid Andrew
    Posts: 1,206
    I asked our "liturgy team" if we could start chanting the proper introit at the beginning of Mass before the opening hymn (as our cathedral does for its choir Masses), and the response was couched enthusiasm. The Pastor said, "at this time I'm inclined to say no."

    No problems when I suggested that we stop forcing the contemporary choir to sing traditional hymnody (because it always sounded awful anyways) and permit them to substitute them with "contemporary songs"; somehow that doesn't translate into broadening our horizons in the other direction for more traditional music with the mixed choir, ohhh noooo.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    David, sounds like prayers to St. Michael would be in order there too! I think my response would have been "the time to say no to what the Church wants would be BEFORE your ordination, not after." Which is probably why I don't work for non-traddie priests.

    FWIW, while I was at an evangelical college they would occasionally have a pianist lead some traditional hymns. It was in a contemporary style (can't pin down more than that, I know nothing of pop music) but it was actually quite good - one could even sing in parts to it. Of course, they also didn't have an over-mic'ed singer...
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    That's why the contemporary style is popular, pretty and easy to follow. You might not agree with me but piano is shallow in church. I played the piano exclusively long time ago, because I didn't know how to play organ, and we had a very bad organ that I didn't even want to touch it. But later we got a new organ, and I was still playing piano most of the time, a parishiones came up to me said ' why don't you play organ? The piano touches your heart, but the organ touches your soul." I had to learn to play it. Pope Benedict talks about how the music should lift and touches your spirit before it moves your feelings, not the other way around.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    The prayers of Novena above are beautiful, but one of my schola asked whether there is any prayers in Latin for this novena?
    Thanks in advance.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Mon Dec 22 through Tue Dec 30 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Thu Jan 22 through Fri Jan 30 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Thanks, many things to pray.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    May I ask prayers for a parish in the immediate danger of losing three musicians for all sorts of strange financial reasons, three musicians who have been seen as being there and also feel themselves that they are there as a result of Divine Intervention.
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    It's our monthly novena time. Through this forum, we have so many exciting projects going on this month, and they definitely need our prayers. And I'd like to pray for Praise &Worhip groups that they may drop their instruments and learn to sing sacred music too.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Sun Feb 22 through Mon Mar 2 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf

    Edit:
    Ooops, just realized that Mia already started the monthly invitation.
    That is what happens when you type a comment and get distracted
    and the next day click POST. :-)
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Sun Mar 22 through Mon Mar 30 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf

    Even if you can only offer an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be ...

    Previously mentioned needs and intentions include:
    for health/welfare/protection of church musicians in midst of turmoil
    for our Holy Father
    for clergy/musician/parishioner hearts to be more open to sacred music
    for progress and success of various sacred music projects
  • GregoryJ
    Posts: 6
    You have my vote of support. I will be joining in this!
  • miacoyne
    Posts: 1,805
    Thanks
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Wed Apr 22 through Thu Apr 30 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf

    Do join in.
    Even limited prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Saint Cecilia pray for us) is welcome!
  • alrtree
    Posts: 26
    Oh, wonderful! I pray every day, sometimes many times a day, for these things. Let us ALL pray together, and believe.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Invitation to pray a novena with other CMAA members
    Mon Jun 22 through Tue Jun 30 (inclusive)
    Spoken
    http://ceciliaschola.org/pdf/novena-cecilia.pdf
    Chanted
    http://chabanelpsalms.org/CHABANEL_PSALM_TOME/4719_litany_st_cecilia.pdf

    Do join in.
    Even limited prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Saint Cecilia pray for us) is welcome!

    (The CMAA May novena notice was not sent out due to the coinciding
    Holy Spirit Novena for Ascension to Pentecost)
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