Sacred Music in a Newman Center
  • cantarealseñor
    Posts: 9
    Hello! I’m seeking advice from those involved with Newman Centers (and also from others too!).

    I joined my university’s Newman Center two years ago. As a commuter student, my involvement was limited to weekdays, mostly as the cantor for weekday Masses. I sing with my parish's choir (propers, motets, hymns) on Sundays. Last year, I joined the liturgy office, where we started regular weekday Vespers. The Newman choir mostly played praise songs (mostly from Elevation Worship) and Stephan’s Mass of Renewal at Sunday Mass.

    Last May, the center’s director asked me to lead the liturgy/worship office for the upcoming school year. He asked me to help with implementing the use of Sacred Music at their Masses. This summer, I’ve been compiling resources (from Musicam Sacram, GIRM, STL) to educate the student choir on Sacred Music. I plan to integrate the propers at Mass starting with the first Sunday Mass in September. I’m undecided between the Lumen Christi Simple Gradual (easier for the congregation) and Fr. Weber’s Propers (used in my home parish). I’ll also use the ordinaries from the Graduale Simplex.

    Challenges include our affiliated parish transitioning from praise songs to hymns in Breaking Bread and the unwritten “standard” of using praise or contemporary music at Mass in the two other Newman Centers in my diocese, which could cause disconnect during retreats. Any feedback and suggestions are welcomed!

    Thanked by 1Chant_Supremacist
  • Chant_Supremacist
    Posts: 366
    I think you've got a solid plan. The Lumen Christi book is pretty nice from what I've heard. It might be a grass is greener thing because I'm more familiar with Fr. Weber's and have never been really satisfied with it.

    As a supplemental and occasional challenge I might recommend the Communio with English Verses. Some communion antiphons aren't all that much more difficult than the simplified versions, and that way you could incorporate a bit of the actual Gregorian repertoire. I guess antiphon translations might have to be provided in that event.

    There've been some recent threads about English choral works you might check out too. Do you have a hymnal?
  • PaxMelodious
    Posts: 510
    Challenges include ... the unwritten “standard” of using praise or contemporary music at Mass in the two other Newman Centers in my diocese, which could cause disconnect during retreats.


    This one needs to be discussed up-front with the centre director. He needs to be willing to accept and take responsibility for any disconnect.

    My guess is that it will be less of an issue that you suspect: students who are involved in a Newman Centre will likely have had parish exposure before, and will know "stuff" from that.

    FWIW, I think it's great that you're doing this, and that within the Newman Centres in the diocese a range of style are being adopted. The Catholic church is "large".
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