Sacred Music

This morning my parish chanted Morning Prayer, finishing up the Triduum.

I just love this so much. I wish I could do it every day. I am not much of a prayer in community guy. I always feel I am reciting more than praying or that I am less focused. Chanting the morning prayer in community feels significantly different for me, where I can linger more on the words of the Psalms.

While there is no evidence that St. Augustine wrote/said, “He who sings, prays twice!”, that does not disprove the aphorism. From his other writings, I think he would have approved of the meaning of this, especially being taught/formed under the great hymn writer St. Ambrose.

Sacred music influenced my conversion, and to an extent, this is also true of my hopeful continuing conversion. Beauty can drive us to our knees to worship God, “O Beauty, even ancient, ever new” to refer again to St Augustine.

I don’t usually post press releases here, but I love de Montfort Music and support all their efforts.

NEW YORK, April 7, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ – An international community of young priests known as The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, or “The Fraternity” as they have lovingly been referred to, includes some of today’s most skilled and committed singers of Gregorian chant. The community has been preparing to present ancient melodies anew, on the album _Requiem_, to be released on May 12, 2017 through their new international collaboration with De Montfort Music/Sony Classical.

Many have heard The Fraternity sing Requiem chants at funeral Masses over the years, often suggesting that the group, who is so close to this treasured music, record this moving collection. The decision to make their major-label debut with the music of _Requiem_ was unanimous among the priestly singers, as they know well that nothing is so universal as the experience of death, the care of souls and as well the many emotions evoked by the living. The text of the Mass – beginning with “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine” (Grant them eternal rest, O Lord) – is spiritually uplifting, meant to convey souls to a particular vision of the beyond; the effect of the music is far-reaching and timeless, bound to touch the deepest emotions of any human heart.

"It is the test of a good religion whether you can joke about it." GKC

Pray Twice

Requiem Gregorian Chant