Requiem aeternam

In anticipation of All Souls' Day, here is the Introit from the Requiem Mass.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion,
et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.
Exaudi orationem meam;
ad te omnis caro veniet.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.

[Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
A hymn becomes you, O God, in Zion,
and to you shall a vow be repaid in Jerusalem.
Hear my prayer; to you shall all flesh come.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.]

For All the Saints

In anticipation of All Saints Day, here's a video made a couple of years ago of saints through the ages. The hymn For All the Saints (words by William How, music by Ralph Vaughn Williams) was sung by the choir of Divine Mercy Parish (now Holy Family Parish), the Traditional Latin Mass parish of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, at the close of High Mass at Holy Family Church, 1 November 2006.

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
All are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Salve, mater misericordiae

At the close of today's High Mass in honor of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, the choir sang this hymn, performed here by the monks of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey in Spain.

Salve, mater misericórdiae,
Mater Dei et mater véniae,
Mater spei et mater grátiae,
Mater plena sanctae laetitiae,
O Maria! (Refrain)

Salve, decus humani generis,
Salve, Virgo dignior céteris,
Quae virgines omnes transgréderis,
Et áltius sedes in súperis, O Maria!

* Salve, mater.

Te creávit Deus mirábilem,
Te respéxit ancillam húmilem,
Te quaesivit sponsam amábilem,
Tibi numquam fecit consimilem, O Maria!

* Salve, mater.

Te beátam laudáre cúpiunt
Omnes justi, sed non sufficiunt:
Multas laudes de te concipiunt,
Se in illis prorsus deficiunt, O Maria!

* Salve, mater.

Esto, Mater, nostrum solátium,
Nostrum esto, tu Virgo gáudium:
Et nos tandem, post hoc exsilium,
Laetos junge choris caeléstium, O Maria!

* Salve, mater.

[We praise you, Mother of mercy / Mother of God and Mother of pardon / Mother of hope and Mother of grace / Mother full of sacred happiness. O Mary!

Hail, honor of mankind / Hail, Virgin worthier than others / because you overcome all of them / and in heaven you occupy the highest seat of honor. O Mary!]

Here's a MIDI version:



And here's a score that can be printed.

"Vote your heart ... vote pro-life"

Here is a 30-second ad from the Knights of Columbus, encouraging people to "vote pro-life" in the November elections in the United States. It began running on radio stations around the US on September 23. It will continue to air until the election on November 4. The ad features the sound of an unborn baby’s heartbeat at 10 weeks, and the voice of a woman saying, “Listening to this makes me wonder ­ why would anyone question that her life has begun?”

This question is just as relevant for Canadians as we go to the polls next week.

Knights of Columbus Radio Ad [0:31m]: | Download