Has the tiny font on the pages of the missal become hard to read? You’re not the only one who has to put on their reading glasses to follow along during Mass. So we’re making a change…and we need your help.
Our current missal subscription ends at the end of November, and we’re excited to announce that we will begin using Today’s Missal from OCP on the first Sunday of Advent.
Before we go any further, we want to say thank you to our sponsors who have so generously supported the publication of our missal over the years. We are grateful to them for making the Word of God available in print to all who come through our doors.
Before you start thinking this is a request for financial support, we want to reassure you that that is not the kind of help we’re asking for today. Instead, our ‘ask’ is actually an invitation for you to be involved in the liturgy.
The new missal will have larger font…and a companion music missal.
Yes, you read that right…a new music missal.
Now, before you stop reading because you think you have no musical talent, let’s consider what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about music and liturgy.
The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art.
As a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy.
Address … one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart. He who sings prays twice. CCC 1156
The Catechism goes on to say that “the unanimous participation of the assembly” makes the music more significant to the liturgical celebration.
Did you catch that part – the unanimous participation? That means all of us have a part to play in making music to the Lord as part of the liturgy.
So here are some opportunities that all of us have to participate…regardless of your musical abilities.
We need folks to sing in the choir for all weekend Masses. We’re not asking for a solo, just a willingness to lift your voice with others.
We need 10-12 people who are willing to learn how to use the playback feature on the keyboard to cue up songs and play them at the appropriate times during Mass. It’s not complicated – even Father Tim can do it. And we’re asking for 10-12 people so that we can have a rotation so that no one person has to run the music every weekend.
Still not convinced there’s a place for you in this music ministry?
We’ve got one more opportunity.
The new music missal means that Father will be recording new songs for use during Mass. And he wants your help in building that list. Would you consider coming a few minutes early to Mass to flip through the new missal and submit your song requests? No musical talent required.
So that’s it…three distinct opportunities that are available to every one of us to be active participants in the music of our liturgy.
We hope you’ll pray about where God would like you to serve. And if He’s calling you to get involved in choir or in pushing the buttons on the keyboard, we’d like to invite you to a Musician’s Workshop immediately following the 5:05 Mass on Monday, November 18. You’ll get a sneak preview of the new missals, and we’ll practice a few songs together to prepare for Advent.
Anyone is invited to attend, and no RSVP is required. However, we will serve a light meal as part of the evening, so if you’re planning to join us for the meal, we do ask that you call the church office and let us know so that we can plan accordingly.
Thank you for prayerfully considering how you can be part of this vital ministry in our church.
To RSVP for the light meal at the Musician’s Workshop, email us at [email protected] or call the office at 318-256-5680