Classical High Mass video



A short while ago, I posted a clip from a High Mass and asked whether there was a full video. Now, the whole thing has been posted on YouTube by someone called "Trady" who is 25 and from Great Britain. Anyone know who this great benefactor of the World Wide Web is? (Warning - it is 54 minutes long and takes ages to load. If you intend watching it all, I suggest you register with YouTube and at watch it on full screen.)

It is the High Mass for Easter Sunday at Our Lady of Sorrows, Chicago in 1941. The voice-over narration is by Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He gives a reverent commentary, explaining with gravitas the ceremonies and the theology of the Mass. A couple of quotes of interest:
It is a long established principle of the Church never to completely drop from her public worship any ceremony, object or prayer which once occupied a place in that worship.

The Church is proud of her Gregorian chant since it is her own musical creation. The devout simplicity of this music makes it perfectly suited for divine worship.
The solita oscula, ("customary kisses") are shown clearly: the deacon or MC kisses first the thing handed to the celebrant and then the hand of the celebrant. There are many people coming to receive Holy Communion (it being Easter Sunday) and the Communion cloth is used at the altar rail. On a more light-hearted note, the Deacon and the schola conductor have razor sharp partings in immaculately brylcreemed hair.

The celebrant at the Mass is Fr James Keane OSM and the ministers are Fr Hugh Calkins OSM (Deacon) and Fr Frank Calkins OSM (Subdeacon). As they are Servites, they do not wear birettas but have hooded albs instead.

The Ordinary is a modern, rather operatic setting. The Proper of the Mass is sung by the Schola Cantorum of the Archdiocesan Seminary of Mundelein, Illinois.

This is a real classic. Anyone know where I can get the DVD?

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

SPUC Clergy information day

When people walk away with Holy Communion

Saint Gabriel

Plenary indulgences not impossible