The Visit of Bishop Schneider: the Wrap-Up

It was a great grace and privilege to welcome Bishop Athanasius Schneider to the New York area for Epiphany weekend. For the bishop it was a challenging succession of splendid liturgies in Brooklyn, Norwalk, CT and New York; of presentations and meetings; of interviews with national and local Catholic media. But despite the press of “events” and the media that weekend, Bishop Schneider always found the time to meet and converse with the clergy and the ordinary faithful at St. James, St. Mary and Most Holy Redeemer. It was heartening to see this interaction and the warm response of the faithful. The presence of such a man of prayer in our midst left an impression on all of us who met him.

We would like to thank all the members the St. Hugh of Cluny Society who have contributed their time, work and money to make this weekend the great success it was. It would be difficult even to list all those who participated in the planning and implementation of the events this weekend. These liturgies required a formidable number of clergy and ministers; we thank them all – including our Society’s chaplain – for their immense efforts. Let me single out for special mention John Pia, the Master of Ceremonies for both Pontifical Masses and the creator of the full and erudite programs. Bill Riccio assisted as MC and minister at both these liturgies and was the Master of Ceremonies at the Vespers. It is largely due to the work of John and Bill that these services attained the perfection they achieved.

Mr. David Hughes directed the magnificent music at all three services – for three different groups of performers! It included the premiere of one of his own compositions. For the information of those who were not present here is the music program of that weekend:

Music for Pontifical Vespers: The Feast of the Epiphany, Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, New York, 6 January 2013
Sunday, 6 January 2013, 5:00 p.m.
Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, New York
Music for Second Vespers of the Epiphany
celebrated by His Excellency Athanasius Schneider
Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan
At the procession: Videntes stellam Magi (plainsong, mode iv, in organum)
Ante luciferum genitus & Psalm 109 (mode ii)
Venit lumen tuum & Psalm 110 (mode i)
Apertis thesauris suis & Psalm 111 (mode i)
Maria et flumina & Psalm 112 (mode iv)
Stella ista & Psalm 113 (mode vii)
Hymn: Crudelis Herodes (plainsong, mode iii, in organum)
Magnificat antiphon: Tribus miraculis (mode i)
Magnificat primi toni (impares) (Francisco Guerrero, 1528-1599)
Marian antiphon: Alma Redemptoris

Music for Pontifical Mass: The Feast of the Epiphany, 6 January 2013
Sunday, 6 January 2013, 9:30 a.m.
St. Mary’s, Norwalk
Music for the Feast of the Epiphany
Pontifical Mass at the Throne
celebrated by His Excellency Athanasius Schneider
Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan
Prelude: Christum wir sollen loben schon (BWV 611) (Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750)
At the procession: Ecce sacerdos magnus (David J. Hughes, b.1980)
The Office of Terce
Gregorian Mass of the Epiphany: Ecce advenit
Mass for Five Voices (William Byrd, 1540-1623)
Motet at the Offertory: Videntes stellam (Orlando di Lasso, c.1532-1594)
Motet at the Communion: Magi veniunt (Jacobus Clemens non Papa, c.1510-1556)
Motet at the Communion: Tribus miraculis (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c.1525-1594)
Postlude: Pièce d’Orgue (Fantasy in G Major) (BWV 572) (Bach)

The St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum

Music for Pontifical Mass: Saturday of Our Lady in Christmastide, St. James Cathedral, Brooklyn, 5 January 2013
Saturday, 5 January 2013, 2:00 p.m.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. James, Brooklyn
Music for a Saturday of Our Lady in Christmastide
Pontifical Mass at the Throne
celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider
Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan
Prelude: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (BuxWV 223) (Dietrich Buxtehude, c.1637-1707)
At the procession: Ecce sacerdos magnus (David J. Hughes, b.1980) [première]
At the vesting: A solis ortus cardine (plainsong, in alternation with versets of Nicolas de Grigny, 1672-1703) [Student Schola]
Introit: Vultum tuum (plainsong, mode ii) [Student Schola]
Kyrie & Sanctus: Missa Octavi toni (Orlando di Lasso, c.1532-1594) [Student Schola]
Gloria & Agnus Dei: Missa de Beata Virgine (Gregor Aichinger, c.1565-1628)
Gradual: Speciosus formam (plainsong, mode iii)
Alleluia: Post partum (plainsong, mode iv) [Student Schola]
Offertory: Felix namque es (plainsong, mode i) [Student Schola]
Motet at the Offertory: Ave Maria (Peter Philips, 1561-1628) [Student Schola]
Communion: Beata viscera (plainsong, mode i) [Student Schola]
Motet at the Communion: O gloriosa Dei Genitrix (Francisco Guerrero, 1528-1599 )
Motet at the Communion: Alma Redemptoris Mater (Johannes Ockeghem, c.1410-1497)
Postlude: Fantasy in G minor (BWV 542) (Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750)

The St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum
The St. Mary’s Student Schola: Schola S. Caeciliae

We would also like to thank Msgr. John Strynkowski, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of St. James, Brooklyn; Fr. Greg Markey, pastor of St. Mary’s parish, Norwalk, CT and Fr. Sean McGillicuddy, CSsR, pastor of the church of the Most Holy Redeemer, New York. They spent great effort and expense in helping to make the liturgies possible at their churches and in organizing the participation of the media. Fr. Markey was also a gracious host to Bishop Schneider at the rectory of St. Mary’s for the entire visit to this region. I hope you have been following these interviews of Robert Duncan for the Catholic News Service; they are based on interviews with Bishop Schneider in New York:

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

WESTERN ERRORS