Pray Tell is introducing a new series on the liturgical history of Collegeville. The sub-series “From the Archives” will reprint some of the Liturgy Committee meeting minutes from 1963 to 1969. This sub-series is a behind-the-scenes look at liturgy in Collegeville during and immediately after the Second Vatican Council.
The first entry in the Calendar of Events:
August 1, 1962: The old Church is being turned into a Reception Center, containing the Porter’s Office, telephone booths, and general visiting areas. All of the paintings were removed. The apse wall was not disturbed leaving the beautiful picture of the Christ and the adoring angels intact. This was the work of Bro. Clement Frischauf, O.S.B.
The first record from the Liturgy Committee:
Minutes of the Liturgy Committee
Sept. 9, 1963
Present were Father Abbot, Fathers John (chairman of the committee), Daniel, Godfrey, Michael, Gerard, Camillus, Wenceslaus, Leon, Fr. Adam, and Bro. Gerard.
After a brief explanation of the purpose of the committee by Father Abbot, Father John discussed the opening Mass for Sept. 12, which was to be the conventual Mass at which the clerics could receive communion with the students. The suggested form of the Mass was favorably received by the committee.
The question of the Mass for Sept. 15, the Sunday commemorating Father Godfrey’s silver jubilee as editor of Worship, was discussed. Father Godfrey suggested that the form of Mass be that of the “missa cum deacono,” a form still preserved in the Benedictine monasteries such as Maria Laach. This form of Mass would allow the readings of the Mass to be in English, besides Latin. Father Wenceslaus suggested that for fuller participation in the Mass on the part of the students, a student be chosen to read the Epistle of the Mass; a similar practice is common in Europe. Father Camillus and Father Daniel agreed that this should aid fuller student participation (Father Daniel: “Get the football players involved!”).
The possibility of a commentator was also discussed. Father Camillus preferred that the use of a commentator be rare, to which Father Godfrey agreed.
A topic to which must [sic] discussion was given was the entrance procession. Some felt that the Introit could be shortened by singing the Introit Antiphon, when it was repeated at the end of the Introit, on a Psalm tone. However, Father Gerard insisted that this would destroy the purity of the musical form, and his view won general support, although other viewpoints had been presented by Fathers Godfrey and Michael. To shorten the time of the entrance procession it was agreed that the Brothers, Novices, and Philosophers of the Clericate form Statio at 10:40 am around the choir stalls, with the Theologians of the Clericate and the Fathers to form Statio in the corridor leading into Church. At the first stroke of the clock for 10:45 all were to move.
It was decided not to use incense at this Mass in order to keep the form of this Mass as simple as possible. In regard to the Sanctus, Father Godfrey suggested that the one chosen be short and simple so that the celebrant could sing it with the people and then begin the “Te Igitur” after its singing was completed. For the recitation of the “Domine non sum dignus” it was considered that a compromise was necessary here, i.e., that one pause be made in the recitation of this prayer, since the students had been making two pauses, the community none. Further details in the arrangement of the Mass and schedule were left to Father John.
In the course of the meeting Father Godfrey had insisted, and all had agreed, that we should not be tied down to one form of community Mass on Sundays. Fr. Adam suggested that we have a solemnized Low Mass occasionally.”
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