Forming the Young to Celebrate the Paschal Mystery Liturgical Preparation and Planning for Schools & Religious Education Programs Reverend Joshua R. Brommer, STL Diocese of Harrisburg

Who plans the Liturgies in your school and parish? The answer for everyone: THE CHURCH!

What does the Church Provide All the words and the actions for the prayers of the Mass The Words: “Euchology” The Actions: “Rubrics” General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) The Prayers (“Words”) include the chants for the Mass “Common” “Proper” The Scriptural readings for the Mass

Where do I look to find this information? The Roman Missal The Lectionary The “Ordo” (The Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours and the Celebration of the Eucharist) Lays out the liturgical plan for every day of the year Published each year for each diocese or groups of dioceses Available in the sacristy or from the pastor

Why is this important? When we prepare the celebration of the Holy Eucharist for our communities, we look to connect to the life of the Universal Church Liturgical Seasons Solemnities, Feasts, Memorials (Optional & Obligatory) Special days (i.e. days of prayer and penance) When we prepare the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with the mind and the heart of the Church, we allow the Holy Spirit to work through the Liturgy, without getting in the way The Sacred Liturgy is the “Opus Dei” = the work of God

The Sacred Liturgy is a Teacher! As the “source” and “summit” of the Christian Life, the Sacred Liturgy imparts the grace we need to live out our Christian lives The Sacred Liturgy teaches us about the Triune God while bringing us into communion with the Triune God The Sacred Liturgy teaches us how to pray by giving us the words and the actions that are the foundation of Christian spirituality The Sacred Liturgy teaches us how to live as the community of believers in the world by providing us an opportunity to experience the Kingdom of God

How can we translate this to the Young? Before all us, we must be students (disciples!) of Christ and of the Sacred Liturgy We must hold ourselves accountable to the mind of the Church by being disciplined (good students!) Look to the Church to begin the preparation of the Liturgy Be objective and follow the regulations of the Church We need to take the opportunity to teach and explain what is happening at Mass in general and at particular Mass Symbols need to be explained in order to be understood This is the work of “mystagogy”

Music at Mass “Do not sing at the Liturgy. Sing the Liturgy!”

What should be sung at Mass? The Roman Rite is a sung rite. Music is essential to the celebration of Mass 1967 document: Musicam Sacram 1st Degree: dialogues & presidential prayers, Preface, Sanctus, greetings, Lord’s Prayer, Sign of Peace, dismissal 2nd Degree: Kyrie, Gloria, Agnus Dei, Creed, Prayer of the Faithful 3rd Degree: Entrance & Communion chants, Alleluia, Offertory chant, readings What does this teach us? Singing the words of the Mass are more important than any other “songs” or “hymns” we may add to the Liturgy.

Principle of Progressive Solemnity Mass Sunday/Solemnity Feast Memorial/ Feria Entrance chant sung sung [sung] Greeting sung sung Kyrie sung Gloria sung sung Collect sung sung Responsorial Psalm sung sung [sung response] Gospel Acclamation sung sung [sung] Creed [sung] Prayer of the Faithful [sung] Offertory chant sung/instrumental sung/instrumental Prayer over Offerings sung sung Eucharistic Prayer sung sung [sung] Lord’s Prayer sung sung Rite of Peace sung Fraction Rite sung sung [sung] Communion chant sung sung [sung] Hymn of Praise sung Prayer after Communion sung sung Blessing & Dismissal sung sung Music after Mass sung/instrumental sung/instrumental

What about a normal weekday school Mass? At every school Mass, these parts should always be sung: Entrance Chant Responsorial Psalm Gospel Acclamation Sanctus Memorial Acclamation Great Amen Lamb of God Communion Chant Whenever there is a feast or Solemnity? The Gloria is sung.

How do I make the choices for music? The Parish Music program should help us guide our choices, even when several parishes feed into one school We are forming young people to participate in the Sunday Liturgy of their parishes, not just the school Liturgies Choices for the Ordinary of the Mass (i.e. “Mass Setting”) should be done in conversation with the music ministers of the local parish(es) The Roman Missal propers should guide our choices for the Entrance and Communion chants before the Lectionary Go to the Missal before the Lectionary

How do I make the choices for music? Take account of the Seasons of the Church Year that may influence choices Advent & Christmas have distinct characters, don’t sing carols during Advent Lent forbids the singing of the “Alleluia”, while Easter sings “Alleluia” every chance it gets Stay away from anything that smacks of “theme” Masses The only theme for every Mass is the Paschal Mystery – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Masses don’t belong to any one group of people or any particular “class” or “grade” in a school

How do I make the choices for music? Be careful of the texts you choose for hymns and chants Unfortunately, not every hymnal has the best resources Unfortunately, not every publisher is giving you quality music Unfortunately, some of the hymns are heretical Choose “texts” before you choose a style or song that you like Mass is not about entertainment, it is the worship of God Engaging young people is not the same as entertainment Reverence and a sense of the Sacred should not be discounted Just because it’s new, doesn’t make it better Don’t forget to draw from the riches of the Church’s treasury

Liturgical Formation means Christian Formation Teaching young people how to pray and participate at Mass is one of the central obligations we have as catechists Learning how to participate in Mass at a young age prepare children for their lifelong commitment to Christ and to the Church Since participation in Mass is meant to be a foretaste of heaven, you are preparing them for eternity!

Further Resources General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (STL) www.usccb.org Musicam Sacram (MS) http://www.adoremus.org/MusicamSacram.html G. Dennis Gill, Music in Catholic Liturgy: A Pastoral and Theological Companion to Sing to the Lord. Chicago: Hillenbrand Books, 2009. International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) Mass Chants: http://www.icelweb.org/musicfolder/openmusic.ph http://www.npm.org/Chants/order.html Corpus Christi Watershed Liturgical Music (free!) http://www.ccwatershed.org/liturgy/   Oregon Catholic Press (for two Diocesan Mass settings) www.ocp.org Kevin Keil, Mass of Saint Frances Cabrini Luke Mayernik, Mass of Saint Gregory the Great