Adoration of the Holy Face : An Act of Reparation : by Koerber
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ:

    It is with joyful soul, but sadness in heart and mind that I present to you a meditation of reparation that I ask you all to make at the bequest of my own angel guardian and the pressing imminence of future events that are about to unfold.

    The Musical Score
    This music is to be sung as an act of reparation that can most fruitfully be made by those pure hearts in a state of grace as a result of the blasphemies, outrages and indifferences against our most Holy God, Jesus Christ, especially in the Eucharist that are multiplying daily.

    I have posted here a copy of the score in PDF format so that choirs may take on this request, an MP4 so that individuals can sing this even in private devotion. (I have also included PDF scores of cantus/keyboard cantus alone. They are in the Key of D for easier singing by all)

    Also attached are the three images Christ left with us to the end of time, those true images of his Passion (The Veil of Seraphina (Veronica), Death (Shroud of Turin) and Ressurrection (Veil of Mannopelo). I have created a high resolution PDF so that you can print them out and frame them or post them in your residence, office and choir loft/sacristy.

    The Texts
    “The Golden Arrow” is a prayer that Jesus gave to Sister Marie of St. Peter in August of 1843 in France. Sister Marie, a Carmelite nun, spoke of it as “an Act of Praise that Our Lord Himself dictated to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness, for the reparation of Blasphemy against His Holy Name.

    While opening His Heart to her, Jesus complained bitterly of blasphemy. He said that this most grievous sin was the sin that most offends the divine Majesty; more than all other sins, for it was like “a poisoned arrow.”

    Then He dictated what He called “The Golden Arrow” prayer. He told Sister Mary that He would be most delightfully pierced by those who would recite this prayer, and that in addition, it would also heal those other wounds inflicted on Him by the malice of sinners.

    The Golden Arrow
    “May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored, and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.

    Eternal Father, I offer Thee the adorable Face of Thy Beloved Son Jesus for the honor and glory of Thy Name, for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of the dying.

    O Jesus, through the merits of your Holy Face, have pity on us, and on the whole world.” (3X)

    In closing the meditation, I also added a scripture taken from Isaiah, chapter 53 verse 3; the famous passage that forshadowed the suffering Christ.

    “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

    Please consider this plea most seriously. It takes only five minutes of your time to complete this prayer.

    In JMJ,

    Francis Koerber
    Composer

    Link to MP4 Demonstration

    http://www.myopus.com/preview/adOfTheHolyFace.mp4
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 685
    Francis, not to distract from your efforts but perhaps add to them. The Holy Face Hymnal compiled over 130 years ago. There are some beautiful hymns and mass settings in this collection. Perhaps others will find it useful.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Thank you @Don9of11.

    There is so great a need for reparation from every soul... we need every effort of every heart to repair what we have laid waste.
    Thanked by 1Don9of11
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I will look at these to see if I can include some in my coming compilation.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Decided to bump this... we need reparation even MORE than the last time I posted this a year ago.

    I am also posting the images of the Holy Face (pdf 11x17) and pdf for printing cards for personal devotional use (sheet of 6: 4.75x7.25 - common holy card size)

    The first image is an authentic representation of the Veil of Veronica (Face of Suffering) which is used in the Confraternity of the Holy Face. St. Therese and the entire Martin Family belonged to the confraternity and carried the small booklet. (the pdf is online... i could not put the link here)

    The second image is the Shroud of Turin (Face of Death), burial cloth of Jesus.

    The third image is the Veil of Monappello (Face of Resurrection), a cloth that was wrapped around the head of Christ upon burial.

    Here is a full string orch. arrangement.

    http://www.myopus.com/preview/adorationOfHF.mp4

    @Don9of11

    Sorry I have not had time to peruse the hymnal... hopefully in the future.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Today is the Feast of the Holy Face.

    (correction... today is a day that an optional Mass of the Holy Face can be celebrated... I am not positive it is actually called the Feast of the Holy Face... if anyone can clarifty, please do.)
    https://www.martinians.org/mass-of-the-holy-face

    Devotional music for all to sing today
    http://www.myopus.com/preview/adorationOfHF.mp4

    Please join the Confraternity of the holy face. Learn more about this devotion which Jesus revealed to St Mary of Peter and then established and promoted by the pope. This is a devotion for our time.
    HTTPS://www.martinians.org/
    Thanked by 2sdtalley3 CHGiffen
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    @don9of11

    Interesting hymnal… overall it has an air of sentimentality that was typical of that era, yes?
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 685
    @ francis
    Interesting hymnal… overall it has an air of sentimentality that was typical of that era, yes?


    Yeah...so. What's wrong with that? Not everything in terms of church music or hymns has to be solemn and austere. "Cor Dulce, Cor Amabile" or "O Cor Jesu" by who is it Rossini, could be considred sentimental.

    I'm sentimental about my Mom and Dad, my brothers who are gone, the parish I grew up in, choir members who are gone now. It only stands to reason that some vesture of sentimentality should find its way into our hymns and church music.

    It really boils down to one's devotion and how much love you are willing to express.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Hi Don

    I was talking about the harmonic treatment… (the chromatic sentimentality in the harmonies) not the text nor the sentiment of one’s heart. I did not mean to offend you. Mea culpa.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 685
    @francis,
    I was talking about the harmonic treatment...


    Well even so, whats wrong with having harmony in your music? For example "To Jesus Heart All Burning" by Maher; or "Hail Queen of Heaven" by Dr. Lingard with Hemy's tune; or "On This Day O Beautiful Mother"? Or Cherubini's "Veni Jesu, Amor Mi"; or Lambillotte's "Ave Maris Stella"?

    I'm not offended, I don't think anyways, but I'm not sure. I just don't understand the animosity of some musicians, (I'm not saying you, just in general), towards certain use of chromatics in hymnody. Most the hymns I mentioned were never heard in the Latin Mass years ago where they? So why all the fuss?

    Were they being used in the Low Mass, Benedictions, private devotions, or in schools? We have hymn books upon hymn books with hymns using chromatics and not just here is this country that were all widely used.

    Is the use of chromatics a bad thing or just a bad thing in church? Whats wrong with being sentimental in the Catholic church or having vestures of sentiment by way of chromatics in hymns. Maybe it's that some feel we shouldn't be using hymns at all! I don't know, but again, I'm not sure.

    It seems like a record with a skip in it, and the "sentiment" against sentimentality keeps repeating.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    O MY…

    Apparently, I have struck a chord! Oh, believe me, it’s not chromaticism that I am against… just the sentimental chromaticism that was spawned in the operatic style. Personally, I am one of the biggest advocates of chromatic music, even in hymns, and even in church! If you review any of my comps you will have musical proof!

    God bless you, Don.
    Thanked by 1Don9of11