Epiphany Proclamation

Here is the Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts as it will be sung at St. John’s Abbey tomorrow on the Solemnity of the Epiphany. The dates are given for places that transfer Ascension (alas) to the Seventh Sunday of Easter and celebrate Body and Blood of Christ (aka Corpus Christi) on the Sunday after Trinity.

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The official text has an infelicitous beginning which sounds, when sung, like “No! Dear brothers and sisters…” I think our cantor will sing “Know this, dear brothers and sisters,…”

BTW, do you think it’s a good idea to sing this thing? It could be argued that we’re not in the Middle Ages, and everyone has a calendar nowadays and knows when they need to when the feasts will be. Announcing them like this is contrived and romanticist. There’s something to that. But I think it does a good to ponder in anticipation, one day a year, the coming rhythms of our liturgical life together. Your thoughts?

Anthony Ruff, OSB

Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, is a monk of St. John's Abbey. He teaches liturgy, liturgical music, and Gregorian chant at St. John's University School of Theology-Seminary. He is widely published and frequently presents across the country on liturgy and music. He is the author of Sacred Music and Liturgical Reform: Treasures and Transformations, and of Responsorial Psalms for Weekday Mass: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter. He does priestly ministry at the neighboring community of Benedictine sisters in St. Joseph.

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18 responses to “Epiphany Proclamation”

  1. Agman Austerhauser

    Sing it!

    – When during the liturgy (or after) should this be sung, Father?

    Reply
    1. Anthony Ruff, OSB Avatar
      Anthony Ruff, OSB

      @Agman Austerhauser:
      I see the missal is clear that this should be sung after the Gospel. I wonder whether I didn’t read somewhere (I don’t remember) in a pastoral resource from LTP or somewhere, before the 2011 missal, suggesting this be done either after the Gospel or after the Prayer after Communion. Does anyone remember? When I introduced it in the monastery a few years ago it was after the Gospel and most thought it was an interruption, and it has been better received after Communion.
      awr

      Reply
      1. Jeffery BeBeau

        @Anthony Ruff, OSB:
        Interestingly the 1998 Sacramentary for Canada had a version and gave the option of after the homily or after the prayer after communion.

  2. Fr. Jim Chepponis

    Not to split hairs, but I’m a bit puzzled by the various uses of the words “we” and “you” in this text:

    1. “Know… that as WE have rejoiced…”
    The “we” here includes the proclaimer of the Proclamation as well as the assembly?

    2. “…WE announce to YOU…”
    Who is the “we” doing the announcing? Is this an example of the “royal we,” the proclaimer using “we” to refer to him or herself instead of “I”?

    3. “On the 27th day of March YOU…”
    Why not “we”?

    Any thoughts?

    Reply
  3. Philip Spaeth

    I tried this for the first time several year as ago at just one Sunday mass to see how it was received. It went over so well, we now do it at all Epiphany masses. The parishioners seem to love it… That it connects the Nativity to Easter and the other liturgical goings on through the year. Yes, we all have calendars, but not necessarily liturgical ones. It is generally sung after the Prayer after Communion at our place.

    And yes, the uses of “you” and “we” are a bit curious!

    Reply
  4. Don Donaldson

    The Missal is pretty straight forward, “after the singing of the Gospel …” (p. 1440 Cdn version, p.1448 US)

    So yes, this weekend the Deacon WILL sing the Gospel and WILL then intone the Announcement after a very brief introduction to it.

    I am always amazed at how many churches simply ignore this chant (and the Nativity of our Lord proclamation) and yet have few difficulties filling the liturgies with blessings of seeds, pets, throats, chalk, crowning of Mary, installations of parish club/group executives etc. etc. etc,

    It seems like we only choose to ignore those things found within the red letters.

    So … if it is asked for within the Missal it is optional and will be omitted … but if it is “the way we always do it” then God-forbid we should say no.

    … he said coughing on the incense. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Karl Liam Saur

    I wonder if there was ever a practice of notifying the faithful of a bissextile year (the inserted day being either the 24th or 25th of February by our current reckoning – practice varied on that particular point. though the Roman sanctoral calendar eventually settled on the former).

    Reply
  6. Fr. Ron Krisman

    “the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Savior” That’s perhaps even worse than the heard “No, dear brothers and sisters” and the we/you inconsistency.

    I also find serious fault with the musical setting. A tonal formula which works well with a Latin text usually cannot be followed slavishly with an English one. The five “the’s” and one “by” on the ascending LA DO overemphasize the least significant words in their respective phrases. Much better English declamation: On (SOL) the (SOL) fifth (LA DO) day (DO)

    Similarly the 4-note melisma at the final cadence works fine with a single Latin syllable but not as well with a single English syllable. Much better than: of (LA) our (LA) Lord (SOL FA) Je- (SOL LA SOL FA) sus (MI) Christ (MI) would be: of (SOL) our (FA) Lord (SOL LA) Je- (SOL FA) sus (MI) Christ (MI)

    Reply
  7. Voctor Wowczuk

    To me, it would make better sense to sing this after the homily, as otherwise it breaks the receptive link between the Gospel and its homily.

    Reply
  8. Carlo Argoti

    Chanting the announcement for the first time during the Spanish liturgies. Was able to acquire a Misal Romano from a friend visiting Mexico and was surprised to see it was included in the appendix notated and everything. The translation differs greatly from the English omitting certain feasts but including an explanation of the importance of the Triduum in regards to the liturgical calendar.

    Reply
  9. Martin Wallace OP

    There is a nice link between the idea of “Epiphany” – manifestation or showing – and the announcement of these dates, as it reminds us that Christ is made manifest in the celebration of the great feasts of the liturgical year. If we think of it in a purely utilitarian way, of course it is unnecessary, otiose … we all have calendars etc. But I see it as a rather poetic theological statement.

    Reply
    1. Chuck Middendorf

      @Martin Wallace OP:

      Thank you…I was just wondering to myself “why Epiphany? why not the final Sunday of the Christmas Season?”

      I’ll be the contrarian voice here. I really want like it, and I really would love to have this (and the Christmas proclamation) sung at my parish. But you need the *right* cantor/deacon to make it work. We tried them both when our parish opened 5 years ago, and it just was odd. It wasn’t well-received, mostly because it was confusing, to an otherwise well-catechized assembly.

      However, we give out the free calendars the funeral homes provide!

      Finally, with Epiphany, thanks to the strong Latino influence in our community (like much of the West Coast and South), there’s already a lot going on already on Epiphany that’s organic to the community (Día de los Tres Reyes Magos). While this seems “inorganic.”

      Reply
  10. Adam Booth, C.S.C.

    Voctor Wowczuk : To me, it would make better sense to sing this after the homily, as otherwise it breaks the receptive link between the Gospel and its homily.

    I heard this preached on once, actually, which makes good sense of having it directly after the gospel.

    Reply
  11. Adam Booth, C.S.C.

    I would have thought this could fit under the “brief announcements” of GIRM 90, and so quite properly be placed after the prayer after communion.

    Reply
  12. Martin Browne OSB

    We do it, but after communion. (In Ireland, Epiphany is still on January 6th, so I’m only thinking about this properly now!) The official text in the MIssal is a little blunt though. The previous (unofficial? LTP or ICEL?) version was more catechetical and ‘joined up’. And so we have a hybrid text of our own. (I’ve changed it to include ‘Know this’ rather than ‘Know’ this year, following AWR’s excellent suggestion!)

    KNOW THIS, DEAR brothers and sisters, that the Glory of the Lord has shone upon us, and shall ever be manifest among us, until the day of his return. Through the rhythms of times and seasons we celebrate the mysteries of salvation. As we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so, by leave of God’s mercy we announce to you also the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Saviour. The year’s culmination, the Easter Triduum of the Lord: his Last Supper, his Crucifixion, his Burial and his Rising, celebrated between the evening of the twenty-fourth day of March and the evening of the twenty-seventh day of March, Easter Sunday being on the twenty-seventh day of March. Each Easter, as on each Sunday, the Holy Church makes present the great and saving deed by which Christ has forever conquered sin and death. From Easter are reckoned all the days we keep holy: Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the fast of the most sacred Lenten season, will occur on the tenth day of February. The Ascension of the Lord will be commemorated on the eighth day of May. Pentecost, the joyful conclusion of the season of Easter, will be celebrated on the fifteenth day of May. The First Sunday of Advent will be on the twenty-seventh day of November. Likewise, the pilgrim Church proclaims the Passover of Christ in the feasts of the Holy Mother of God, in the feasts of the Apostles and Saints and in the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. To Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come, Lord of time and history, be endless praise, for ever and ever! AMEN!

    Reply
    1. Rene Ayala

      @Martin Browne OSB:
      This text you included is the one I recall that LTP used to publish, which seemed to me so much more meaningful with the context it provided than the current minimalist and sadly constructed (blunt and boring!) version in the new Missal. The same could be said for the Christmas Proclamation as well. Be that as it may, we continue to sing both pieces, as we have for many years now.

      Reply
  13. Martin Browne OSB

    Another thing we do….

    The Blessing of Water is surely appropriate on Epiphany, yet the texts (and rubrics) of the Missal are only for use on Sundays. They wouldn’t make sense on a weekday. And so, I have adapted the text so that we can have a sprinkling rite at the beginning of our Epiphany liturgy.

    Dear brothers and sisters,
    the grace of God has dawned upon the world
    through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
    who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
    Let us humbly beseech the Lord our God
    to bless this water he has created,
    which will be sprinkled on us as memorial of our Baptism.
    May he help us by his grace
    to remain faithful to the Spirit we have received.

    Almighty, ever-living God,
    in your mercy be present to your people’s prayers,
    and, for us who recall the wondrous work of our creation
    and the still greater work of our redemption,
    graciously + bless this water.
    Today, the sun that never sets has risen
    and the world is filled with splendour by the light of the Lord.
    Today, the blinding mist of the world is dispersed
    by the manifestation of our God.
    Therefore, heavenly Father,
    renew the living spring of your grace within us,
    and grant that by this water,
    we, with all who have been born anew by water and the Spirit,
    may be renewed in your image, walk by the light of faith,
    and serve you in newness of life.
    Through Christ our Lord.

    Reply
  14. joseph mangone

    I never even heard of this until I came to my parish position in Ft Worth back in 1990. It was sung by a cantor after the homily vs the Gospel. I think singing it before Mass with a brief introduction might work as well. I this it is a beautiful custom and when done well it is worth it.

    Reply

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