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Contents © 2005
by Jim Holman.
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ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
October 2005

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ST. MARGARET MARY'S, OAKLAND

Silence and Reverence

On Sunday July 24, the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, I attended the 12:30 p.m. Tridentine Latin High Mass at St. Margaret Mary's Church on Excelsior Avenue in Oakland. The celebrant, Father Michael Wiener (Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest), who is Bishop Allen Vigneron's episcopal delegate for the Latin Rite of 1962, offers the traditional Mass daily at St. Margaret Mary's. The congregation comprised people of all ages, though the median age, I would say, was in the forties. It looked like a full house.

Sanctuary bells rang, indicating the start of Mass. Penitents were still lined up for confessions that would be heard throughout the liturgy. The organ played, the congregation rose, and the priest, with altar boys, processed through the side entrance -- genuflecting in sync toward the tabernacle on the high altar. The entrance song, "Praise to the Lord," written by a 17th century Protestant, Joachim Neander, we found in our Adoremus Hymnals.

Father Wiener intoned the Asperges (sprinkling rite). The choir took over, as Father walked up and down the aisles sprinkling us with holy water. The priest and the choir carried on their post-Asperges dialogue, Exaudi nos, Domine -- "Hear Us, O Lord..."), though the choir was sometimes a little shy about its responses. The organ played prayerful music, while Father changed from his cope to his chasuble and maniple (a kind of short stole draped over the right arm) -- which are worn only for the celebration of Mass.

Then, a single male baritone voice darkly and lugubriously chanted the Introit (the proper melody from the Liber Usualis -- the book of Gregorian chants for the Church year -- not the simple psalm tone). The chant was sung over organ accompaniment, as opposed to the usual a capella. The choir may not have sounded as monastic as others, but it did give the Mass a feeling of devotion.

Father solemnly incensed the various parts of the high altar, then the altar boys, who in turn incensed him -- the three servers genuflecting in unison at appropriate times. Adhering to the rite, Father variously prayed at the right, the center, and the left side of the altar. He continued to pray inaudibly (to us) at the altar when the Introit ended, and the full choir sang the Kyrie from the well-known Missa de Angelis ("Mass of the Angels").

We stood during the intonation of the Gloria, and Father made more genuflections, signs of the cross, then seated himself to the side. We stood as Father then chanted the Collect at the right side of the altar. Father continued to chant in Latin, but now in a higher pitch -- indicating that he had moved on to the epistle.

Male choir members then chanted the Gradual (a psalm verse placed between the Epistle and the Alleluia verse. In English, according to my missal, it was: "Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye." Psalm 16: 8, 2), again, with organ accompaniment. They were off to a good start with the florid Gregorian melody, but then the singing seemed to go awry as the choir couldn't agree on the same notes in the complicated chant and couldn't get back on track. The passing distraction apparently caused some to giggle. Then the choir had no problem with the simple Alleluia verse, as the congregation joined in. We stood as Father, facing the altar, regally chanted the Gospel in the Church's official language.

Then Father rose and ascended the pulpit to read the Epistle and the Gospel in English.

He began the sermon discussing the gospel reading about the Pharisee and the publican in light of the teachings of the Council of Trent on justification, which opposed the views of the "so-called Protestant Reformers." He gave a detailed explanation of the role that faith, hope, and love, fear of Divine Justice, good works, and the sacraments all play in our salvation. Father explained that in order to be justified, we must cooperate with grace -- though we are justified only by God, who opened up the way of salvation to us through the cross.

Father then concluded his sermon by discussing prayer and especially the importance of devotion to St. Margaret Mary, the patroness of the parish.

Father intoned a commonly used Gregorian melody for the Credo. Male and female voices traded off sections of the confession of faith. Everyone knelt during the et incarnatus est ("and He was incarnate").

The men again sang the offertory chant, and while the offertory proceeded, the choir sang an Ave Maria by Lindley. Father incensed the altar, an altar boy incensed the congregation. Then choir and congregation chanted the first half of the Sanctus. Attentive candle-bearing altar boys kept watch during the canon, which was said in silence. Bells rang before during and after the consecration, focusing our attention on the sacred moment. The choir sang the Benedictus (the second half of the Sanctus -- "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord"), and soft organ music played until Father said audibly, per omnia saecula saeculorum ("through all the ages of ages," or "world without end.") He then chanted the Pater Noster ("Our Father") without the congregation, until the ending response, sed libera nos a malo ("but deliver us from evil"), when all responded.

We recited the Domine non sum dignus ("Lord I am not worthy"), approached the altar rail in a somewhat disorderly fashion, and knelt for communion. The organist played meditative and dignified music while the choir received. The choir then sang a polyphonic Gloria. Soft, colorful, yet introspective organ music played for several minutes during communion.

The men did a sterling job on the communion chant.

At the conclusion of the Mass, Father chanted the Ite Missa est ("Go, the Mass is ended"), to which the congregation sang the response, Deo gratias ("Thanks be to God").

After Father read the "Last Gospel" (Chapter 1 of St. John's Gospel), the entire congregation spiritedly sang, "All Creatures of Our God and King" for the recessional.

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