It's Here! The Saint Peter Gradual: The Chants of the Mass for Sundays, Solemnities, and Feasts.

Click on Images to Enlarge

Our pastor, the Very Reverend Fr. Carl Reid, returned from the recent clergy gathering in Houston, Texas, and revealed the brand new Ordinariate Gradual. That is, the Saint Peter Gradual: The Chants of the Mass for Sundays, Solemnities, and Feasts. Apparently, the seventy or more copies of the initial run were snapped up immediately. One can easily imagine that The Gradual will become an important addition to the Ordinariate liturgical experience. It communicates a vital aspect of the Patrimony.

Diocesan English-speaking Catholics may wish to enhance their (Ordinary Form) Masses by making the Proper chants (Introit, Gradual Psalm, Offertory and Communion) of The Gradual a central part of their liturgies. Choir directors would do well to include those chants in every Mass since they do define the distinct character of each Mass.

Please see the image above to purchase copies: fstravinskas@hotmail.com.

The Gradual employs modern notation, which certainly aids accessibility for most contemporary readers. It's size and weight makes it entirely manageable in the hand and the printing is easily readable. Readability is further aided by the tone or hue of the paper.

The Gradual, edited by our very own Fr. Carl, adapts The English Gradual edited by Francis Burgess. Those of us blessed to be able to attend Divine Worship at the Church of Blessed John Henry Newman, Victoria, BC, have been using Fr. Carl's work in worship, published weekly in bulletins, since his arrival in Victoria. Need it be said that his work will assist Ordinariate Catholics, and diocesan Catholics who encounter it, to dive more deeply into the sacred text(s) and encounter God through sung prayer that is true, good and beautiful. The Gradual uses hieratic English (Prayer Book English), that elevated form of English that is most familiar to Catholics when they pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be (Lesser Doxology) and the Hail Holy Queen.

Kudos to Fr. Carl for his outstanding contribution to the liturgical life of the Church!

One of the many true, good and beautiful things which attracted yours truly to the Ordinariate is an unfailing dedication among the brethren to truth, goodness and beauty, especially liturgical beauty. At the parish of Blessed John Henry Newman (Victoria, BC), the congregation—many of whom are former diocesan Catholics—sings the eminently singable Merbecke setting of the Mass (entitled Communion Service), Willan's Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena in D, and other noble settings in Latin and English.

And in other news... .

Word has it that a second miracle has been approved. Our recent name change from the Fellowship of Blessed John Henry Newman to Blessed John Henry Newman Catholic Church, may be short lived.