A former parishioner contacted me for information about building a chant-based sacred music program at his new parish that, like mine, has both OF and EF Masses. This prompted me to reflect upon what we've done at my parish the past five years and write it down as a step-by-step process. My correspondent found it useful and I thought others, especially newcomers to the forum, might as well.

So I offer it here with what should be the obvious caveat: this has worked so far worked at my parish with my pastor and my singers. Any warranty express or implied, including the warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, is hereby expressly disclaimed.

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I can speak only to chant resources; I have no expertise or knowledge regarding polyphony.

Everything you need for an excellent Latin and English plainchant, OF and EF, music program can be found at these two web sites:

http://musicasacra.com/

http://www.ccwatershed.org/liturgy/

Which musical resources you use mainly depends on (a) the skill of the choir and (b) the judgment of the celebrant regarding the needs of the congregation.

Here is the plan we more or less followed for the EF Mass for 5 years:

Step 1. Learn an easy chant ordinary and an easy Credo (Mass VIII and Credo III are the usual choices) and sing the propers from a psalm-tone collection (you can download the Rossini psalm-tone propers on Musicasacra, or Corpus Christi Watershed as another set). Learn the easy Latin hymns (e.g., the four Marian antiphons in simple tone [Alma redemptoris mater, Ave regina Caelorum, Regina caeli, Salve regina], Ave Verum Corpus, Adoro te devote, Pange lingua, O Salutaris)

Step 2. Start singing the proper communion from the Liber (these are the easiest Gregorian propers). Learn a couple of slightly more difficult Latin hymns (Ecce Panis, Panis angelicus)

Step 3. Start singing the proper introit from the Liber (these are the next easiest Gregorian propers). Learn some more Latin hymns (solemn tone Salve, Ave maris stella)

Step 4. Start singing the proper offertory from the Liber (these are the next easiest Gregorian propers).

Step 5. Start singing the proper gradual and alleluia from a collection called Chants Abreges, which settings of the gradual and alleluia that are more complex than psalm-tones but still not as complex as the Liber. Learn a new ordinary (Mass XI is a great choice)

Step 6. Start singing the proper gradual and alleluia from Richard Rice's Simple Gradual (download on Musicasacra.com), which uses the settings of the antiphons from the Liber but uses simplified versions of the versicles. Learn a new Mass ordinary (Mass I)

Step 7. Start singing the proper gradual and alleluia from the Liber Usualis. Learn a new Mass ordinary (Mass IX).

Step 8. Don't get complacent. Learn more stuff.

Here is the plan we more of less followed for the OF (I've numbered the steps to parallel those for the EF, for reasons that will be apparent) for 5 years:

Step 1. Learn an easy chant ordinary (Mass VIII is the usual choices). Stick with this ordinary for one year (although you may substitute the Mass XVI Kyrie and Mass XVIII Sanctus and Agnus for Advent and Lent (these are the chants everyone knows). You will need a worship aid that has the Latin text and English translation to encourage congregational participation. Substitute hymns for propers. Learn the easy Latin hymns (e.g., the four Marian antiphons in simple tone [Alma redemptoris mater, Ave regina Caelorum, Regina caeli, Salve regina], Ave Verum Corpus, Adoro te devote, Pange lingua, O Salutaris)

Step 2a. Start singing English psalm-tone propers (Corpus Christi Watershed has these). Sing the English psalm-tone introit as a prelude or just after the processional hymn ends and before the greeting (the latter obviously must be OKed with the celebrant). Sing the offertory antiphon either just before or just after the offertory hymn. Sing the communion antiphon either just before or just after the communion hymn (assuming you have a communion hymn). Sing the seasonal Marian antiphon immediately after Mass or for the post-communion (check with celebrant). Include the text and music of the Marian antiphon in the worship aid so that the people can sing along. Learn a couple of slightly more difficult Latin hymns (Ecce Panis, Panis angelicus)

Step 2b. Start substituting the Simple English Propers for the English psalm-tone propers.

Step 2c. Start singing the proper communion from the Liber (these are the easiest Gregorian propers) instead of or in addition to the Simple English Proper communion. Add to your worship aid the Latin text and English translation of any Latin propers you're singing.

Step 3. Start singing the proper introit from the Liber (these are the next easiest Gregorian propers) instead of the Simple English introit. At this point, for the sake of efficiency, you will want to try to schedule your performances such that you can use the same Latin propers for both the EF and the OF Mass. The way to do this is to find the propers for a given EF Mass, then check a resource like the Gregorian Missal (download from Musicasacra) to see which OF Mass corresponds with the same propers (usually, the EF Mass is about 1 or 2 weeks away from the corresponding OF Mass but some times they fall on the same day). Learn some more Latin hymns (solemn tone Salve, Ave maris stella)

Step 4. Start singing the proper offertory from the Liber (these are the next easiest Gregorian propers) instead of the Simple English offertory.

Step 5a. Learn a new ordinary (Mass XI is a great choice). Teach the congregation the Mass XI Kyrie, keep singing the Mass VIII Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus. Save the full-blown Mass VIII for solemnities and such.

Step 5b. This is a possible variation: substitute a simple English psalm-tone introit for the processional hymn. You can still sing the proper Latin introit as a prelude. This variation is if you want to get the congregation involved in singing at least one of the propers. Our celebrant desired this,so we did it.

Step 6a. Teach the congregation the Mass XI Sanctus, keep singing the Mass XI Kyrie, and the Mass VIII Gloria, and Agnus. Save the full-blown Mass VIII for solemnities and such.

Step 6b. This is a variation or addition: introduce the sung English Credo III and then the sung Latin Credo III. Alternate them weekly. Include the Latin text and translation in the worship aid.

Step 7. (We've not done this yet) Teach the congregation the Mass XI Agnus, keep singing the Mass XI Kyrie and Sanctus and the Mass VIII Gloria. Save the full-blown Mass VIII for solemnities and such.

Step 8. (We've not done this yet) Teach the congregation the Mass XI Gloria, keep singing the Mass XI Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus. Save the full-blown Mass VIII for solemnities and such.

I haven't mentioned the chanting of the dialogues, Mysterium Fidei, or Our Father. Those depend on the celebrant. Ideally, the celebrant will start chanting the basic dialogues in step 1, and move on to the more complex dialogue chants and Our Father as time goes on.