Tenebrae 2023 with Chorus Breviarii

Man of Sorrow, Albrecht Dürer, 1511, woodcut

Wednesday, April 5, 19:15 (7:15 P.M.)

TENEBRÆ of Maundy Thursday

Holy Martyrs of England & Wales Catholic Church 

39022 Sky Canyon Dr., Murrieta, CA 92563

Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (1st part). 
Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (2nd part).

Friday, April 7 & Saturday, April 8, 5:00 (A.M.)

TENEBRÆ of Good Friday & Holy Saturday

St. Anne Catholic Church

621 Sicard St. San Diego, CA 92113-2396

Chorus Breviarii Murrieta will be joining the Brothers and CB San Diego once again for Tenebrae on the night of Spy Wednesday at Holy Martyrs in Murrieta. Some of us will also join them in San Diego to sing at St. Anne Catholic Church. Tenebrae is the sung offices of Matins and Lauds of each of the three days of the Sacred Triduum. Most of the services will be performed in Gregorian chant, while the Responsories and Miserere will be done in the Chorus Breviarii tones. There is no charge for admission, and all the public are invited to attend. Blessed Triduum to all.

For Friday:

Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (1st part). 
Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (2nd part). 

For Saturday:

Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (1st part). 
Text with translation for printing or mobile devices (2nd part). 

Mission Pilgrimage 2023

Join us for a pilgrimage!

Friday, March 17 2023, 5:30pm

Mission Pilgrimage to San Diego de Alcalá

10818 San Diego Mission Rd, San Diego, CA 92108

 

    Pilgrimages has been a large part of Catholic life for many in the past and as Californians we have an opportunity that most other Americans don't: to make a local pilgrimage. The Lenten season is perfect for doing so as well.

    We invite you to join us on Friday evening, March 17th 2023 at the Mission San Diego de Alcalá. We will be attending the mission parish's daily mass at 5:30pm and in praying the Stations of the Cross. Afterwards we will gather to pray the Rosary and sing hymns to commemorate California's Catholic past and to pray for her conversion.

    The missions are an important part of California's history. The San Diego mission was the first of the 21. Founded by Franciscan priest Saint Junipero Serra as a part of a project by Carlos III of Spain to establish a Spanish foothold further up north in response to exploration and hopes of expansion by the Russian Empire. San Diego de Alcalá was founded on July 16th, 1769 and is still alive as a fully functional Catholic parish and basilica. The missions are a great memorial to California's history as a Catholic and Spanish colony and a starting point in our prayers for the conversion of our homeland and the rest of the United States.

    ¡Viva Cristo Rey!

    San Junipero Serra. Reza por nosotros.

    God save America.

Not "On Eagle's Wings"

On the 1st Sunday of Lent 2023, a few Chorus Breviarii members joined the choir at Holy Martyrs to sing the full 13 verses of the Tract "Qui habitat," which includes much of Psalm 90. Though we could always improve, it is a blessing that we were able to sing it, as in most parishes, this Tract is almost always simplified to Psalm Tone 2D, not merely because of the apparent melismatic threat it poses to chant beginners, but due to the sheer length (at least 12.5 minutes!) possibly eating into other scheduled Mass times, especially at particularly busy parishes. For this reason, the Liber Usualis includes the Psalm-toned version in the first few pages of the Appendix. 

An unsettling but humorous observation made by many who come across this Tract is that they are the verses of the notorious hymn "On Eagle's Wings," a favorite of the current occupant of the Presidential chair. For this reason, during practice, it's usual for a choir member to jokingly recommend singing the hymn in place of the Tract. Of course, as lovers of chant and traditional English hymnody, we would never voluntarily subject the laity to those kinds of hymns! In our next post, we will review the family of Tracts that "Qui habitat" belongs to, in contrast with another well-known Tract family. 

Joe vibing to his favorite hymn