Belated Announcement re New Men’s Schola

I’m forwarding to you excerpts from a letter written by John Rotondi of Mater Ecclesiae parish in Berlin, NJ, who plans to form a men’s schola to teach the basics of chant and to sing parts of the Divine Office. Please share this e-mail with others who are interested in the Traditional Latin Liturgy. Thank you.

— Michael J. Miller

Gentlemen:

We have a wonderful music program at Mater, and the liturgical life is second to none anywhere I’ve been. Unfortunately, past efforts to introduce public Divine Office services have not been successful.

After discussing this with Father Pasley and Nick Beck, the music director, and getting their approval, I would like to propose a new initiative to form an auxiliary or supplemental men’s schola. We will have our first meeting on Saturday, December 6, from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ.

The purpose of this new schola would be as follows:

1. To train men and older boys how to sing Gregorian chant by regular practice in the rudiments so as to be able to sight read the notes over time. Instruction would also include training in the movements for a liturgical choir within Divine Office services. In other words, a “schola” in the truest sense of the word.

2. After sufficient training, to form a liturgical choir of preferably 5-10 men to chant Vespers and other Offices at Mater Ecclesiae.

3. To chant the Propers and Ordinary of weekday sung Masses on more important liturgical days besides the ones already on the roster of choral Masses, e.g. Easter Wednesday, Rogation Days.

This schola would be entirely made up of volunteers. Membership is open to any Catholic male from the local area age 14 and up with a desire to learn chant, though we would be primarily at the service of Mater Ecclesiae. Ideally, we would meet once a week to practice, but no less than bi-weekly. What we chant at the first meeting will depend on the feedback I get from this letter.

Assuming that regular meetings later on would be in the evening, we would end each practice by singing Compline together (which both reinforces the training and gets us into the habit of chanting the Office communally).

Thank you for your consideration. The new liturgical year is a great time for new beginnings. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who may be interested.

Sincerely in Christ,

John Rotondi