propers for weekday Mass
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    For all I've learned here about music for the Mass (especially regarding propers), I must admit I'm a little clueless about what's appropriate for Mass during the week.

    Our parish is instituting a "candlelight Mass" on Tuesday night, replete with Gregorian chant, I'm told. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I'm happy to see/hear chant at Mass wherever possible. On the other hand, I worry about relegating chant to a weekday (and largely eschewing it on Sunday), and I worry that chant becomes misunderstood as "mood music" rather than as the normative and native music for the liturgy.

    But I digress. My questions here are pretty simple:

    * Where can I find the Gregorian propers (i.e., introit, offertory, communion) for a weekday Mass (ordinary form)? I think I read once that it's okay to continue using the propers from the previous Sunday (weekday feasts notwithstanding).

    * Again, barring a feast or solemnity, is the Gloria always omitted on weekdays? That is, is it not permitted at all?

    Thanks as always. :)
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    Does this thread help? From chonak:

    If it's a Mass according to the season, then the Sunday propers carry over to the weekdays. When the Mass is an observance for a saint or a feast of the Lord, then there are corresponding propers. The Graduale Romanum has them for the new calendar; the Liber Usualis for the old calendar.
    Thanked by 2Mark M. canadash
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,516
    The Gloria is always omitted, barring feasts and solemnities.

    There's a complicated hierarchy re: the propers. I believe, but am not certain, that the Sunday texts may be used even on a mandatory memorial during Ordinary Time. All memorials become less important during the great seasons.

    And sometimes which Mass to use is the celebrant's call, especially when there are multiple optional memorials.

    If I'm not mistaken, though, the next couple of months of Tuesdays are remarkably clear. You've got St. Augustine on Aug 28th, and the Guardian Angels on Oct 2--otherwise OT, which means Sunday propers (unless your celebrant wants to celebrate a votive Mass on Sept 11).
    Thanked by 1Mark M.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    In every case, they can be found in the Graduale Romanum (or it's effective twin, the graduale triplex). In most cases, OT weekdays take the propers from the previous Sunday. I'm also working on creating SEP-based propers for weekdays, that you can find here. I haven't done much work on it lately, but if you need any specific propers that aren't listed, PM me.

    http://blog.yankehome.com/projects/daily-propers
    Thanked by 2Mark M. E_A_Fulhorst
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    Oh, thank you so much, everyone! EAF, I clearly should have done a thread search in advance. Ben, that looks really impressive!

    And Kathy, an embarrassing follow-up question: What's a votive mass?
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    Okay, never mind (sort of)… I've learned what a "votive Mass" is.

    I'm still a bit unclear, though, as to what propers would be sung for one. I sense from this source that votive Masses aren't just a "free for all" -- that there are particular (ahem) "themes" to a votive Mass, and that there are a selection of readings for each of those themes. Is it the same for the chants?
  • E_A_FulhorstE_A_Fulhorst
    Posts: 381
    In my MTF Missal, it lists both Introit (Entrance Antiphon) and Communion verse proper to each Votive Mass, and the Alleluia and Responsorial Psalm are listed separately. So ... yes.

    (I'll leave the question of the Offertory to someone who knows what he's talking about.)

    Which Votive Mass are you doing?
  • DougS
    Posts: 793
    The OF missal doesn't contain offertory antiphons.
    Thanked by 1E_A_Fulhorst
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    Thanks, Doug… good stuff there (as is everything JMO has posted).

    EAF, there's no particular votive Mass planned as of yet. But let me get this straight: So, there is a collection of votive Masses that a priest could offer "ad libitum," pretty much (in place of the weekday Mass), right? And am I right in guessing that there's NO SUCH THING as a Mass where one would pretty much just pick whatever readings (and chants) they might want to do?
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,516
    I would honestly just plan the next 2 months if I were you. That is a substantial beginning. Sing the propers for St. Augustine on Aug 28, and for the Guardian Angels on Oct. 2.

    Ask the celebrant to please not sing a votive Mass on Tuesday nights, but the Mass of the day.

    Then just use the Sunday propers, except for Aug 28 and Oct 2. Badda bing badda boom.
    Thanked by 2E_A_Fulhorst Mark M.
  • Arthur Connick
    Posts: 497
    It seems there are a lot of options when the calendar lacks an obligatory memorial, feast or solemnity for a particular weekday. From a recent Newsletter of the USCCB:

    On weekdays in Ordinary Time, any of the thirty-four formularies for Sundays in Ordinary Time may be used. For example, one need not use the formulary of the Seventeenth Sunday for the whole of the Seventeenth Week.

    The formularies of the Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions are usable in a variety of circumstances throughout the year. The same use may also be made during Ordinary Time of the many Votive Masses that are available.
    Thanked by 1Mark M.
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    During weekdays of Ordinary Time, the propers come from the previous Sunday in the Graduale Romanum. Sometimes the listing for Sunday will suggest another option that better harmonizes with the weekday readings. It will say under the chant: Anno II, Feria 2, Name of chant, p. xxx. That means on weekday cycle II, on Monday of the weekin question, the chant given by reference is particularly appropriate. You may, however still do the chant from Sunday.

    On Feasts and Solemnities, the chants given in the Proper of Seasons should be used.

    On Memorials you have some latitude. You may use the chants from Sunday, but may also use the Propers of the memorial, or chants taken from the Commons. Although there is technically not supposed to be a difference between obligatory and optional memorials (when the optional memorials are celebrated), I generally will only do the propers of the memorial on obligatory memorials. This is because sometimes I don't know which priest is saying Mass, and whether he will be celebrating an optional memorial until I see him come out in his vestments! I don't like turning pages that fast!

    And yes, the priest may choose any Ordinary Time formularies for weekdays in Ordinary Time, but following a hermeneutic of continuity would yield the formula of the previous Sunday - and so regardless of what he chooses, that's why I do.
    Thanked by 2Mark M. GiuseppeDaCopertino
  • Mark M.Mark M.
    Posts: 632
    Thanks for all of this, everyone! (My school year's just starting, so I'm scrambling with other things right at the moment.) I really appreciate the insights here. :)
    Thanked by 1E_A_Fulhorst
  • Darcy
    Posts: 73
    For Oct 2 (Mem. Guardian Angels) I found these EF chants online: http://www.institute-christ-king.org/uploads/music/MassGuardianAngels_lg.pdf

    Do those proper chants also apply for Ordinary form? (esp looking for off and comm)

    Thanks!
  • Arthur Connick
    Posts: 497
    For Guardian Angels, the proper chants are the same in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms with a slight exception for the Offertory. The OF indicates Immittet angelus Domini for the Offertory which in the EF is sung on the 14th Sunday after Pentecost. But the OF also indicates that Benedicite Dominum from the EF may be sung ad libitum although this detail is omitted from the Solesmes Graduale Romanum of 1974.
    Thanked by 1Darcy
  • Darcy
    Posts: 73
    Thanks for the assistance!
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