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Director Of Music -
Deacon Joseph E. MacDonald
68 Keating Street , Quincy, MA 02169
(617) 479-1289
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document first and then use these links to quickly find items that you need
in the future. Thank you.
Introduction
Music Director Liturgy
Stipends
Music During Mass
Suggested Wedding Music
Other Musicians
Congratulations! You have just begun to enter
into one of the most important events of your lives, the celebration of the
Sacrament of Marriage.. Not only is this an important event for your family
and friends, but also, it is an important event in the life of the Parish
community here at St. Elizabeth. The staff here at St. Elizabeth parish is
ready and willing to assist you with the many details that need to be worked
out regarding your wedding celebration and the married life that follows.
This booklet is offered as a guide to help you in planning the music for
your wedding liturgy.
Planning your wedding liturgy requires the same thought and reflection as
securing the reception site or choosing the flowers that will add beauty to
the ceremony. The Director of Music at St.
Elizabeth Parish, Deacon Joseph E. MacDonald, (617) 479-1289, will assist you in
planning the music for your wedding. After you have confirmed the date for
the church, you should contact Mr. MacDonald. He will set up an appointment
to meet with you. You should contact him at least six months in advance so
that appropriate arrangements can be made.
When planning the music for
your wedding liturgy there are some important
elements to consider. First and foremost are the function and placement of
music within the liturgy. The Bishop’s Committee on Liturgy states this
clearly in the document MUSIC IN CATHOLIC WORSHIP:
"Among the many signs and symbols used by the Church to celebrate its faith,
music is of preeminent importance.. As sacred song is united to words, it
forms a necessary and integral part of the solemn liturgy. Yet the function
of music is ministerial: it must serve and never dominate. Music should
assist the assembled believers to express and share the gift of faith that
is within them and to nourish and strengthen their interior commitment of
faith. It should heighten the texts so that they speak more fully and more
effectively. The quality of joy and enthusiasm which music adds to community
worship cannot be gained in any other way. It imparts a sense of unity to
the congregation and sets the appropriate tone for a particular
celebration."
The wedding liturgy is an act of public worship in which the bride and groom
commit themselves to each other through the Sacrament of Marriage. It is a
sacred event in which the focus on God’s unconditional love for His people
is made manifest in the love of husband and wife and in the love shared by
the community of family and friends who have gathered to witness this union.
The music, words, and actions should reflect this communal aspect of love.
Therefore, the music which is selected should complement the liturgy, not
compete with it. When considering choices for music, the most important
consideration is appropriateness; that is, whether or not this particular
piece is appropriate for this gathering, in this place, at this particular
moment in the liturgy? Secular love songs, although they may have beautiful
melodies and meaningful texts, are very often limited to personal dialogue
between two individuals and do not express the multi-dimensional aspect of
love present in the sacrament of Marriage. Therefore, they are not
appropriate for a Catholic wedding liturgy. Songs of this nature are best
performed at the wedding reception where the focus is on this more personal
aspect of human love.
In addition to having an organist and cantor at the wedding, some couples
choose to include other instruments as well (such as trumpet, violin, flute,
or harp). The Music Director can assist you in securing professionally
trained musicians from the area to play at your wedding. Requesting
relatives or friends to provide the music can create problems; very often
these people are not professionally trained and as a result, the quality of
music suffers. Because of limited training and experience, they may not
adjust well to new surroundings, unfamiliar sound systems, and local parish
customs. In addition, there is always the added pressure to do well when
performing in front of family and friends. The results can often be
embarrassing to all present - both guests and musician. There are many other
ways to include a special friend or relative in the wedding celebration
without creating this situation.
Remember, the sooner you contact the Music Director, the easier it will be
to plan and coordinate music that will make your special occasion a
memorable one.
The Music Director’s stipend is currently $175. In
addition to providing organ music, the stipend includes a meeting to plan
music with the bride and groom, as well as a warm up, practice for
non-parish musicians just prior to the wedding liturgy. The director does
not usually attend the rehearsal or practice with outside musicians prior to
the wedding day. Additional time requirements can be separately contracted.
The Music Director’s stipend should be mailed to the director one week in
advance of the wedding date.
The following is a breakdown of the musical portions of the wedding ceremony
when it is celebrated within a Mass. If your wedding ceremony will be
celebrated outside of Mass, simply omit the
selections marked with a asterisk (*).
PRELUDE MUSIC:
Beginning about 15 minutes before the wedding liturgy, a variety of festive
classical music is played and/or sung as the guests are seated.
SEATING OF THE MOTHERS:
A special vocal or instrumental piece may be chosen to honor the mothers of
the bride and groom. Frequently a hymn to the Blessed Mother is chosen to
liken their mothers’ loving care to the Virgin Mary’s maternal love.
PROCESSIONAL MUSIC:
Music for the processional is most often an instrumental piece. A stately
trumpet tune or march is the most affective. The addition of trumpets or
other instruments can help to highlight the solemnity and the festivity of
the moment.
GATHERING SONG:
(optional) A song or hymn at the be ginning of the liturgy can be an
effective way to get people to participate right from the start. When guests
are from different denominations, or other parishes, this is a good way to
help them feel welcome.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM:
The psalm is the people’s response to the first scripture reading . Psalms
are specific texts taken from the Old Testament. Usually the psalm
consists of a short refrain sung by the people, interspersed with verses
sung by the cantor. Songs that are not psalms should not be used during this
part of the liturgy.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:
The "alleluia" is a joyful acclamation which prepares the assembly for the
Gospel. It should always be sung to highlight the importance of this
particular moment.
*PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS:
As the gifts of bread and wine are brought forward and prepared at the
altar, a vocal or instrumental piece may accompany the action.
*EUCHARISTIC ACCLAMATIONS:
The "Holy, Holy," "Christ Has Died," and the "Great Amen" are the preeminent
sung prayers of the Eucharistic liturgy" (LTM #17). Therefore, they must be
sung to familiar settings so that they may express the unity of all those
gathered.
*COMMUNION SONG:
One of the most powerful signs of our common faith in Christ Jesus within
the wedding liturgy is the reception of the Eucharist by the bride, groom,
and assembled guests. A song sung by the entire community can further
enhance this symbol of unity with Christ and with one another. An
instrumental piece is, also, appropriate at this time.
RECESSIONAL: The
recessional, like the processional, is usually an instrumental piece. It
should round off the celebration of the liturgy and act as a festive sending
forth.
SEATING OF THE MOTHERS
Ave Maria - F. Schubert
Ave Maria - Bach/Gounod
Hail Mary Gentle Woman - C. Landry
PROCESSIONALS
The Bridal Chorus - R. Wagner
Trumpet Tune in D Major - H. Purcell *
Trumpet Voluntary in D - H. Purcell *
Solemn Processional - G.F. Handel
Allegro Maestoso - G.F. Handel
March in C - G.F. Handel
RESPONSORIAL PSALMS
Blessed Are You - M.Guimont
You Are All We Have - F. O'Brien
Taste and See - S. Dean
We Praise You - G Ducote
COMMUNION SONGS
Eat This Bread - J. Berthier
Gift Of Finest Wheat - R. Kreutz
One Bread, One Body - Foley
Taste and See - S. Dean
Taste and See - Moore
Ubi Caritas - Rosania
The Supper Of The Lord - Rosania
RECESSIONALS
Wedding March - Mendelssohn
Hornpipe - Handel
Rondo - Mouret
The Heavens Declare - Marcello
Allegro Desiso - Beolmann
Finale From Concerto No. 5 - G.F. Handel
Voluntary and Fugette on "Love Divine" - J. MacDonald
In addition anything listed under the procession section marked with an *
can also be used here.
SACRED SONGS
A Nuptial Blessing - M. Joncas
God Is Love - D. Haas
I have Loved you - M. Joncas
Love Divine All Loves Excelling - Hymn
Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee - Hymn
Morning Has Broken - Hymn
This Day God Gives Me - Hymn
We Have Been Told - D. Haas
O Blest Are Those - P. Inwood
Everlasting Your Love - D. Hurd
Not For Tongues of Heaven’s Angels - M. Joncas
Panis Angelicus - C. Frank
O Perfect Love - Hymn
Where There Is Love - D. Haas
We request that you use musicians who are suggested by our music
director. This not only insures technical and musical competence but also
safeguards the integrity of the sacred liturgy by using persons familiar
with Catholic rites and parish policy. Thank you for your cooperation.
We offer these fine musicians for use at Weddings here at St. Elizabeth
Parish.
Cantor -
Deborah Moscoso (781)-933-2236
Trumpet - John McCann (781) 545-2672
A more complete list of musicians is available from the music director.