2021 archive of Music & Liturgy Musings
Sacramentum Caritatis
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 8/04/21
Sacramentum CaritatisThe Sacrament of Charity (Love) In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI wrote Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity): On the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission. It is an amazing apostolic exhortation to the entire Church focused upon the Eucharist and how that Sacrament gives life ... Read More »
The Bread of Life Discourse
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 7/21/21
The Bread of Life Discourse in Year B of the Sunday Cycle One of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council was to increase the amount of the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass. Prior to Vatican II, there was only one set of readings for Sundays and holydays. ... Read More »
The General Roman Calendar and Particular Calendars
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 7/16/21
The General Roman Calendar (GRC) is the calendar which governs all the churches in the Roman Rite of the Latin (Western) Church. The rubrics of the calendar determine which celebration (and its liturgical rank) takes place each day of the year. Each liturgical year begins with the First Sunday of Advent ... Read More »
The Profession of Faith
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 7/15/21
The Profession of Faith Every Sunday and on all liturgical celebrations with the rank of “solemnity”--the highest ranking celebration, we profess our faith following the homily. Why do we profess our faith each week? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says: “The purpose of the Creed or Profession ... Read More »
Songs of Ascent
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 6/30/21
Our psalm today is one of the Songs of Ascents in Scripture. Psalms 120-134 all start with the superscription “Song of Ascents.” They are also sometimes called the Gradual Psalms. Many scholars believe these fifteen psalms were sung by worshippers as they ascended the road to Jerusalem for worship ... Read More »
Daily and Monthly Devotions
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 6/25/21
Last week I noted that Wednesday is a traditional day in the Church for devotion to Saint Joseph. Did you know that each day of the week and each month of the year has a specific devotion? Sanctifying each day of the week with a particular devotion helps us to ... Read More »
Saint Joseph: Our Spiritual Father
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 6/17/21
A happy and blessed Fathers Day! May all who exercise a fatherly role draw from the example, wisdom, patience, love, and strength of the greatest father who ever lived: Saint Joseph. We continue to celebrate through December 8 of this year the Year of Saint Joseph proclaimed by Pope ... Read More »
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time? How?!
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 6/11/21
Today is the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Two weeks ago I had someone ask, “How are we in the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time? Didn’t we just start Ordinary Time after Pentecost?” Yes and no! It’s a good question because the numbering system is confusing! Ordinary Time began ... Read More »
Corpus Christi
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 6/04/21
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity: Christ truly and wholly present under the appearance of bread and wine. The Church has believed this mystery from its earliest days. Today we joyfully celebrate in a more profound way the mystery made present at each Mass. But, if we celebrate it at ... Read More »
The Sign of Peace
Posted by Anthony Gallina on 5/26/21
Next week, we will again be able to offer each other the Sign of Peace at Mass. With this restoration of the sign, we now have a great opportunity to re-examine the theological significance of the rite and what it means spiritually and practically. Too often, the sign of ... Read More »