Beginning with the new liturgical year on November 27th (the first Sunday in Advent) you will see the latest edition of the Gather hymnal in the pews. After the implementation of the new English translation of the Mass in 2011, the liturgical music (Masses and other responses) contained in our current hymnal became obsolete. In addition to needing a hymnal that was up to date liturgically, we have kept our current hymnals well within their expected life span of 10-12 years.
Why Gather, 3rd edition? St. Xavier Parish had been for many years a very traditional parish with regard to its music program. Upon the arrival of our previous Pastor, there had been a number of folks who wanted the parish to use a greater amount of Catholic contemporary music that was being sung in other parishes. In trying to present a balance of both contemporary and traditional music, the decision was made to purchase the Gather hymnal, 2nd edition in 2005. Since the last ten years have been spent developing a more expanded repertoire of songs, it seemed prudent to have an updated hymnal that continues to have a mixture of traditional and contemporary music.
Not only has Gather 3rd edition expanded the total number of songs contained in its immediate predecessor, but it continues to include familiar and popular musical settings of the Ordinary of the Mass: Mass of Creation, Mass of Light, Community Mass, among others. It includes more recently-composed Mass settings as well.
One of the most frustrating problems that challenges any parish music director is meeting the needs of every worshiper—especially in a parish such as ours whose parishioners—representing more than 100 zip codes—come from a wide variety of parish music traditions. For those of you who yearn for only contemporary music, there is an equally vocal number of parishioners who want more Gregorian Chant to be sung. Or, for those who want to pick up the pace, there are those who want more meditative music when they come to worship and pray. In trying to plan Sunday liturgies for more than 150 Masses in our 3-year lectionary cycle, it is a balancing act to meet the expectations of such a diverse group of worshipers.
How is music chosen? The scriptures in the lectionary cycle are the starting point when planning which music will be sung on any Sunday. You will notice particular themes from the music texts which are reflected in the readings for the day. And, just as the theme of a particular Sunday varies from week to week or season to season, so does the choice of music. Not every Sunday or Holy Day is going to be fast-paced, nor should every Sunday contain only contemplative music.
Many parishes use what some call a blended approach—a balance in styles of music (a mixture of traditional and contemporary) that gives everyone something, but does not exclusively conform to only one person’s wishes. No hymnal is going to contain every song or melody that each and every parishioner knows or would like to sing. But, we feel that the newest edition of Gather will continue to be a resource that provides a balanced approach to meet the worship needs of our very diverse parish. The choir, cantors, and instrumentalists who devote many hours each year in providing music for our Masses are excited to continue this special ministry for the parish. And, we are equally excited to have an updated hymnal that will allow us to continue to “praise God in his holiness.”
Dr. Mark Bailey, Director of Music