December 2021 archive of Music & Liturgy Musings
All About the Christmas Octave
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 12/22/21
Marry Christmas! From yesterday through January 1, the Church celebrates the Octave of Christmas where each of these days is another Christmas and is treated the same as December 25. In the Liturgy of the Hours, the psalms are the same each day. At Mass, the Gloria is sung and if The Roman ... Read More »
The Christmas Proclamation
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 12/22/21
As we hear of many times in the Scriptures, important events are announced by way of a proclamation. The Church, whether in or outside the liturgy, also has many instances of ritual proclamations. Two formal proclamations fall during the Christmas season. The first is on Christmas night, where prior ... Read More »
Rejoice! The Lord is Near
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 12/10/21
Gaudete! Rejoice! This day is called Gaudete Sunday because of the first word of our entrance antiphon from Philippians 4 which comes from the Latin root gaudium meaning “joy.” Our Advent is half over and in her wisdom, Mother Church calls us to rejoice because the Lord is near. Today marks a break in ... Read More »
Friday Penance
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 12/10/21
Last week I noted how Advent really can (and should) be a penitential season. Did you know that every Friday is a day of penance too? In last week’s article I cited the Code of Canon Law 1250 which says, “The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of ... Read More »