(I was informed by my diocesan Office of Worship (Madison, Wis.) that the local ordinary has approved these for public worship. The PDF linked below is a color-coded evaluation copy; this same PDF will be updated to B&W and include the approval notice once I receive the hard-copy approval letter. If sharing, please link to this thread directly instead of the PDF link, which may change.)

RESPONSORIAL INTROITS [PDF]
for the Ordinary Form of Mass
Sundays, Solemnities, and Feasts

for Cantor and Congregation

Introduction

This chant collection contains eighty-nine simple introits (entrance chants) for small ecclesial communities whose members possess limited musical resources, yet desire to pray the introits of the Roman Rite Mass in a musically compelling manner. This collection also will find a home in schools, larger ecclesial communities and campus ministries that encourage sung congregational prayer via vernacular plainsong, and recognize in the introits a profound liturgical treasury.

Responsorial Introits assigns short, easy-to-learn antiphons (refrains) to the congregation. The melodies, derived from the eight Gregorian modes, gracefully respect the accent structure of the English language. Excerpts from the introits of the 2010 English translation of The Roman Missal, Third Edition (RM) and the 1974 Graduale Romanum (GR) serve as antiphon texts; in a few cases a thematically fitting verse from the psalm of the GR introit fulfills this role instead.

Since most entrance processions take very little time, these chants typically include three verses to be sung by a cantor (or if resources permit, a schola or choir) to simple psalm tones. The first verse consists of either the full RM introit text or the parts of the RM introit excluded from the refrain. An additional verse (or verses) is taken either from the psalm paired with the RM/GR introit or the text of the GR introit. In keeping with liturgical tradition, the final verse consists of the minor doxology (“Glory Be”). The singing of the first verse is recommended in all circumstances; additional verses may be sung as needed.

Responsorial Introits follows the one-year Sunday cycle of the RM instead of the three-year cycle of the GR and the Lectionary for Mass. Responsorial Introits also includes multiple options for those days where the RM provides them.

May the praying of these introits serve to glorify God and sanctify his people.

A.A.E.
August 2013