Gregorian Missal

Complete texts and music for Sunday and Feast-day Masses, texts of Ordinaries, Eucharistic Prayers, etc, plus Masses for the Dead.

References are given for the Readings, 1990.

The Gregorian Missal is intended for the faithful who participate in Mass sung in Gregorian chant. It is useful both for choirs and for the people in general, since the proper chants of the Gregorian repertory, as presented in the post-Vatican II edition of the Roman Gradual approved by Pope Paul VI, do not, as a rule, correspond to the song texts proposed in the present-day Roman Missal.

Vatican II declared : « The musical tradition of the universalChurch is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than thatof any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that,as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integralpart of the solemn liturgy ». (Constitution on the SacredLiturgy, n° 112). In addition, « the Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy ; therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services ». (ibid, n° 116). And thus, to ensure « the preservation and careful fostering of this treasureof sacred music » (ibid, n° I4), the collection of Gregorian melodies for Mass was renovated by the Ordo Cantus Missae of lune 24, 1972, and made available for use by publication of the new, above mentioned, Graduale Romanum, (Solesmes, 1974), in order to promote « full, conscious and active participation of the faithful. » (Ibid, n° I4).

This Graduale Romanum, which our present Gregorian Missal follows, re-distributes the chants in accordance with the renewed liturgical cycle and in order to accompany the new lectionary with its wide choice of readings. Furthermore, it enriches the Gregorian repertory itself, since it puts back into circulation certain authentic pieces which were not used for centuries while setting aside many inauthentic neo-Gregorian compositions of the XIX^th or early XX^th centuries.

The Gregorian Missal contains the Latin and English texts for the complete celebration of Mass, with masses for all Sundaysand solemnities and for those feasts which take precedence overa Sunday. In order to limit the size of this volume, it was necessary to omit the text of the readings. Only the references have been given.

All chant melodies – both for the Ordinary of Mass and for the Propers – are presented in the traditional square Gregorian notation with the added rhythmical signs.

Alongside the Latin prayers, in a second column, have been placed the corresponding texts of the official liturgical translation for English speaking countries. These were created for the needs of the vernacular liturgy and they are printed here in conformity with official directives, even though they do not always constitute a literal, word for word rendering of the Latin. The notated Gregorian chant pieces proper to each Mass, are generally followed by our own translation, printed across the full width of the page. Its only function is to facilitate comprehension of the sung Latin text, and it is in no way intended for use in the Liturgy.

The Introits and Communion antiphons of each Mass, as well as the Offertory chants and other antiphons, are refrains meant to be alternated with sung verses taken, generally from a psalm. Except for the Introit, these verses have not been indicated since they concern only the cantors.

The mode of execution for the various chants is defined in the course of the celebration of Mass. A distinction is made between the choir (which can eventually be divided in two) and one or several cantors. The choir consists either of a schola or of all the people, according to the nature of each particular piece and the capacities of the singers. And, in the words of Vatican II, it is important « to take steps so that the faithful may also be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of Mass which pertain to them. » (ibid, n°54).