Music Ministry
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Links
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"The treasure of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with great care. Choirs must be diligently promoted..."
"The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services." ~Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Vatican II
GREGORIAN CHANT
For Gregorian Chant to have ‘pride of place’ means that it should be the most commonly used music at Mass. And the second most common should be polyphony, both of which are unmetered music—they don’t have a beat; in other words, chant. The Mass is meant to be chanted, whether in Latin or English: The Antiphons, Kyrie, Gloria, Creed, Lamb of God— should all be spoken or chanted; that is what Vatican II teaches and prescribes. Here’s another quote from Vatican II: “In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things.” We are very fortunate to have a real pipe organ here at Saint Anthony’s! It adds great splendor to the Mass – but notice what else it does: it “powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to higher things.” This emphasis on the mind brings up an important point: worship is primarily of the mind, not feelings. This is not to say that the Mass is all head and no heart; but that it is more about thinking than feeling. Chant and the pipe organ appeal to the mind and have the power of lifting our minds to God and to higher things.
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sacred music
“Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the supreme model for sacred music” – Pope St. Pius X.
Q: What is sacred music?
A: Sacred music is “that which, being created for the celebration of divine worship, is endowed with a certain holy sincerity of form,” according to the Sacred Congregation of Rites in its Instruction on Music and the Liturgy, Musicam sacram (1967, ¶4). As defined by the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963), sacred music surpasses merely religious music when it is joined to the liturgical rite to become “a necessary and integral part of the solemn liturgy,” whose purpose is “the glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful” (¶112). -
JOIN the MUSIC MINISTRY!
SAINT ANTHONY SCHOLA – Building a repertoire of English hymns, polyphony, Latin hymns and chants. The Schola, made up of adults and youth, will be singing 2-3 rehearsed hymns on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month. Rehearsals will resume in the Fall. [everyother Wed. @ 6:00-7:00pm]
Contact person: Joe Sullivan, Music Director
Telephone: (406) 697-6576 -
MEN'S SCHOLA of SAINT PIUS X – The Men's Schola sings about every other week alternating between the two Sunday Masses. Rehearsals occur prior to the Mass at which we are to sing. The choir director and organist is Joe Sullivan.
Contact person: Chris White, [email protected]