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 »
The Season of Advent: Waiting in Joyful Hope
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 11/24/21
The Season of AdventWaiting in Joyful Hope With First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) on November 27, the Season of Advent begins and it goes all the way to the afternoon of December 24. As noted two weeks ago, the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar says, “Advent ... Read More »
Consecutive Holydays of Obligation - What to Do?
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 11/24/21
Consecutive Holydays of Obligation:The Solemnity of Christmas and the Feast of the Holy Family
In a little over a month, we will celebrate the birth of our Lord and this year Christmas happens to be on a Saturday. The next day (Sunday) is the Feast of the Holy Family.We ... Read More »
The Second Coming and Advent
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 11/11/21
We are quickly approaching the end of the liturgical year as next week’s Solemnity of Christ the King is the final Sunday. The following Sunday begins the 2022 liturgical year with the Season of Advent. Or does it? Well...Advent officially begins this year on November 28; however, there is ... Read More »
The Holy Communion Fast
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 11/05/21
The Holy Communion Fast
Question: Why do I need to fast and how long must I fast before receiving Holy Communion?
Answer: We fast before receiving Holy Communion so that there is a desire for the heavenly food—the Bread of Angels. Fasting makes room in the body, soul, ... Read More »
Hallowe'en, Allhallowtide, and the Month of the Dead
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 10/26/21
Hallowe’en, Allhallowtide, and the Month of the Dead
Did you know that Halloween is actually a Christian holiday? Yes - you read that right. It can be hard to fathom considering the way our culture has secularized Halloween. There’s the huge focus on candy, costumes, and decorations, which are ... Read More »
Glory in the Cross - Part II
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 10/26/21
As we prepare to celebrate our annual Forty Hours celebration and our patronal feast this Friday, our readings this weekend prepare us to Glory in the Cross. The Church in her wisdom emphasizes Jesus’s statement in Mark 10:45 three times today: “The Son of Man has come to give ... Read More »