As the feast of St Ninian of Galloway gets closer, choirs and musicians throughout Scotland are intensifying their preparations for the Papal Mass at Bellahouston Park.
As with any celebration of the church’s liturgy, the major concern for all those involved in preparing the music for the Papal Mass was the full conscious, active participation of the assembly in the liturgical songs. It was also important to draw from the church’s tradition of music and reflect our Scottish/Celtic spirituality. For these reasons, a rich and varied selection of liturgical music, ancient and modern, will be used at the Mass on 16th September.
The Bishops of Scotland and the bishops of England & Wales commissioned new music by James MacMillan and his new Gloria, Sanctus, Eucharistic Acclamation and Lamb of God will be sung at Bellahouston. The Scottish Bishops also commissioned Mgr Fitzpatrick to provide a Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation for the Mass. It is hoped that rehearsals before the day and on the day will mean that we can all join in singing these beautiful new works for the most important “parts” of the Mass.
Mgr Fitzpatrick’s new Alleluia will have verses sung partly in Gaelic, partly in English, as a way of putting our ancient language at the heart of the liturgy. A children’s choir from the islands of Uist and Barra will be leading the Gaelic music for the Mass, including the beautiful hymn Do Làmh a Chrìosda, which tells of Christ’s hand gently guiding us in life through death to eternal life.
The Scottish theme continues with the praises of St Ninian (Ninian of Galloway), St Columba (My Dearest Lord) and national patron St Andrew (When Christ our Lord to Andrew Cried) sung to accompany the processions of clergy. The Music by the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, Organ voluntaries and choral anthems will also accompany these processions.
Pope Benedict himself said in August 2008: “I think the great music born in the Church makes the truth of our faith audible and perceivable: from Gregorian chant to the music of the cathedrals, to Palestrina and his epoch, to Bach and hence to Mozart and Bruckner.” Among the anthems being sung at Bellahouston are Bruckner’s Locus Iste and Mozart’s Ave Verum. The much-loved Missa de Angelis setting of the Kyrie Eleison and the more ancient “Pater Noster” provide us with opportunities for using the church’s treasury of chant at the Papal Mass. The Holy Father will surely also recognise the setting of the Te Deum as he processes from the Altar at the end of Mass to the tune of Beethoven’s 9th symphony: God We Praise You, God We Bless You!
A new hymn in honour of Blessed Mary MacKillop, the Australian nun with strong family connections in the Scottish Highlands who is being canonised in October, has been composed. Lord I give my life to you reflects much of the spirituality of Mother Mary MacKillop and is already proving a favourite among those who have had the chance to learn it.
Although much of the music already mentioned may not be familiar to everyone yet, readers should be assured that – among the 43 items of music being prepared for the celebration, many popular favourites are included for use before or during Mass: Soul of My Saviour, City of God, Our God Reigns, My Soul Proclaims (Magnificat), Sweet Sacrament Divine, Hail Redeemer, All People that on Earth do Dwell.
Most of the music will be accompanied by organ, with brass and timpani adding extra splendour when appropriate and an instrumental group providing some variation in musical colour. Each diocese in Scotland will be represented in the Massed Choir being assembled for the day, a choir whose purpose will be to lead us all in liturgical song!
Join in the rehearsals in your diocese and parishes in the coming weeks. Learn the music, study the texts as they become available and open your hearts to the Holy Spirit so that you may fully participate in the Papal Mass. The work we do in preparing for this event will also bear fruit for the future.
The sacred liturgy is the summit of our worship of God through Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and at the same time it is the font from which all her power and mission flows. As President of the Liturgy Commission of the Bishop’s Conference of Scotland, I encourage the Catholics of Scotland to involve themselves in the activity of preparing for the Papal Mass so that the Holy Father’s visit to our nation may be a source of grace for us all.
Music for Mass at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Feast of St Ninian, 16th September 2010
Entrance of the Clergy
1 Set – Strathclyde Police Pipe Band
2 How Lovely on the Mountains/Our God Reigns
3 Hail Redeemer, King Divine. (ALL)
4 My Dearest Lord – Prayer of St Columba. (Ch)
5 When Christ our Lord to Andrew Cried. (ALL)
6 To Christ the Seed – Celtic Meditation. (Ch)
7 Awake from your Slumber – City of God. (ALL)
8 Ninian of Galloway. (ALL)
9 Organ Voluntary
Entrance of Holy Father to Bellahoutson Park
10 Tune: Amazing Grace – Strathclyde Police Pipe Band…. Magnificat: My Soul Proclaims the Lord my God. (ALL)
11 Organ Voluntary
12 All People That On Earth Do Dwell (Vaughan Williams setting) (ALL)
13 Organ Voluntary
14 Bruckner’s Locus Iste (Ch)
Silent Prayer before Mass
Entrance Procession
15 Grace to You and Peace (Ch and All)
16 Be Thou My Vision (All)
Introductory Rite
17 Kyrie Eleison from Missa de Angelis (Ch – ALL)
18 Gloria (MacMillan’s Newman setting) (ALL)
Liturgy of the Word
19 Responsorial Psalm: His goodness shall follow me always to the end of my days. (Cant. – ALL)
20 Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, Go Teach All Nations (Eng and Gaelic – Ch., Children’s Ch. – ALL)
21 Prayer of the Faithful: God our Father, hear our prayer…. (Ch. ALL)
Liturgy of the Eucharist
22 Preparation of the Gifts: Christ Be Near at Either Hand – Celtic Invocation. (Ch)
23 Sanctus: MacMillan’s Newman setting – ALL
24 Acclamation: MacMillan’s Newman setting – ALL
25 Great Amen: Sung
Communion Rite
26 Pater Noster: Plainsong
27 Agnus Dei: MacMillan’s Newman setting – ALL
Hymns during Communion (as needed)
28 Take and Eat – Ch, ALL
29 Soul of my Saviour – ALL
30 Seed Scattered and Sown – Ch – ALL
31 Mozart’s Ave Verum – Ch.
32 Lord I Give my Life to You – Mary MacKillop Hymn – ALL
33 Ecce Panis Angelorum – Ch.
34 Gaelic Hymn – Do Làmh, a Chrìosda – Children’s Choir.
35 Where True Love is Dwelling – ALL
36 Sweet Sacrament Divine – ALL
37 God to Enfold You – Ch.
Silent Prayer
Concluding Rite
Final Hymn
38 God We Praise You (Te Deum) – ALL
39 Set – Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.
N.B. Other sung texts: presidential prayers: dialogues, collects, preface, doxology etc. Deacon’s introduction to gospel and gospel text.
Full texts, some melodies and all acknowledgements will be found in the UK Papal Visit booklet.