ARTICLES

Gregorian What?

DIOCESE CHANT SURVEY

"The Church recognizes Gregorian chant as being specially suited to the Roman liturgy. Therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services." -- Vatican II constitution on sacred liturgy, December 4, 1963

(Editor: Reporter Bob McPhail telephoned local churches the last week in November to ask about their use of Gregorian chant.)

Many of those who responded to News Notes's anonymous survey expressed a longing to hear the Gregorian Chant again. Several went out of their way to locate places where the chant could be heard. Two parishes referred News Notes to St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Hillcrest. Others suggested Holy Cross Chapel, where the Tridentine Mass is said every Sunday morning, or Prince of Peace Benedictine Abbey in Oceanside; some advised a call to the diocesan Office for Liturgy and Spirituality. A spokeswoman for the Office for Liturgy said she could provide little assistance. "It is up to the individual parish."

ALL HALLOWS, La Jolla: "Every once in a while, on special occasions."

ASCENSION, San Diego: "The closest we get is sometimes at midnight Mass on Christmas."

BLESSED SACRAMENT, San Diego: "We have it at different times, in English and in Latin. There is a lot of chant used in Catholic worship. You might try the 9 a.m. traditional Mass."

CHRIST THE KING, San Diego: "No, not here."

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY, Rancho Santa Fe: Paul Bachelor, choirmaster at the Church of the Nativity in Rancho Santa Fe, said the use of English at Mass has made it virtually impossible to incorporate Gregorian Chant into liturgical music. "There's just no place for it in the normal course of the Mass. Unless, of course, it's in Latin," Bachelor said.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Bonita: "We have it on the second Saturday every month, but we've stopped for now. It will resume after the holidays. Check the bulletin."

(The second-Saturday presentations are by an all-male choir at Corpus Christi called "The Gregorian Society.")

GOOD SHEPHERD, San Diego: "Not usually. We have at times, but not usually."

GUARDIAN ANGELS, Santee: "We love it," said Peggy, music director for Guardian Angels parish in Santee. "We sneak in quite a bit in Latin, things we can get by with, like the Kyrie. We do Gregorian Chant every Sunday, but not in Latin. We are not allowed by the bishop."

HOLY FAMILY, San Diego: "The closest we come is a Taize prayer service each month."

HOLY SPIRIT, San Diego: "Very, very seldom. On special occasions we use a little of it."

HOLY TRINITY, El Cajon: "I can almost guarantee that it's not sung here."

THE IMMACULATA, University of San Diego: "I don't recall that we've ever done it."

Referred to Founders Chapel at USD.

(FOUNDERS CHAPEL -- "At a Latin Mass held at least once a semester.")

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, San Diego: "No, it's not used here. Try the Benedictine monastery in Oceanside."

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, Niland: No response.

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, Ramona: "No we don't."

MARY STAR OF THE SEA, La Jolla: No response.

MISSION SAN ANTONIO DE PALA, Pala: No response.

MISSION SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA, San Diego: "You might hear it on tapes we play, but our choir does not do it."

MISSION SAN LUIS REY DE FRANCIA, Oceanside: "No."

MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, Chula Vista: "No."

OUR LADY OF ANGELS, San Diego: "Occasionally, on special occasions, and in Latin, if the selection is in Latin."

OUR LADY OF GRACE, El Cajon: "It's not done on a regular basis."

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, Calexico: "No."

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, El Centro: No response.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, San Diego: "Not at our church, no."

OUR LADY OF LIGHT, Descanso: "Sure, once in a while, occasionally."

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL, San Diego: "No."

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL, San Ysidro: No response.

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP, Brawley: "No."

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP, Lakeside: "No. We don't use it too much anymore since Vatican II."

OUR LADY OF REFUGE, San Diego: "No."

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, San Diego: "No. They do some things in Latin, but not the Gregorian Chant."

OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART, San Diego: "No."

OUR MOTHER OF CONFIDENCE, San Diego: "No."

QUEEN OF ANGELS, Alpine: No response.

RESURRECTION, Escondido: "No."

SACRED HEART, Brawley: No response.

SACRED HEART, Coronado: "Our church does not, but it is sung at Holy Cross Chapel. The whole Mass is in Latin there."

SACRED HEART, San Diego: "We do have the Gregorian Chant in parts of the Mass from time to time, but not the whole Mass."

ST. AGNES, San Diego: "No. Once in a while we do use a Gregorian-type melody."

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, Imperial: Did not know.

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA, National City: No response.

ST. BRIGID, San Diego: "No, we don't do that."

ST. CATHERINE LABOURE, San Diego: "No."

ST. CHARLES, Imperial Beach: "No, we don't."

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO, San Diego: "Not here, and I'm not sure that any parishes do anymore."

ST. COLUMBA, San Diego: "No."

ST. DIDACUS, San Diego: "No. We don't have anyone here that plays that."

ST. ELIZABETH, Julian: No response.

ST. ELIZABETH SETON, Carlsbad: "No. We do the Mass in English."

ST. FRANCIS, Vista: "We don't have it here."

ST. GABRIEL, Poway: "Not at Saint Gabriel's, no."

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, San Diego: "We have used it in the past, but not very often."

ST. JAMES, Solana Beach: "No."

ST. JEROME, San Diego: Did not know.

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, Lemon Grove: "Oh, Gregorian Chant. Not at Saint John of the Cross. I miss it, too."

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, Encinitas: "No."

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, San Diego: Did not know.

ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL, San Diego: "No. No Gregorian Chant, not even at High Mass. I would suggest you try the Immaculata. They have a wonderful choir there."

ST. JOSEPH, Holtville: "Occasionally we use tapes between or after Mass, but we do not use Gregorian Chant during the Mass."

ST. JOSEPH, Westmorland: No response.

ST. JUDE, SHRINE OF THE WEST, San Diego: "The what chant?" (Did not know.)

ST. KIERAN, El Cajon: "Not here, no we don't."

ST. LOUISE DE MARILLAC, El Cajon: "Once in a while we use a hymn in Latin, but not Gregorian Chant. The Gregorian Chant takes a lot of practice and it is intended for use primarily for the Divine Office."

ST. LUKE, El Cajon: "You can hear it over our loudspeakers as you enter the church before Mass, but our choir uses very little of it."

ST. MARGARET, Oceanside: "No."

ST. MARGARET MARY, Brawley: "No."

ST. MARK, San Marcos: "No."

ST. MARTIN OF TOURS, La Mesa: "No. I haven't heard that in a long time."

ST. MARY, El Centro: "Sometimes at Mass."

ST. MARY, Escondido: "It is not sung here. We don't do that anymore."

ST. MARY, National City: "No."

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, Jacumba: No response.

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, San Diego: "No."

ST. MARY STAR OF THE SEA, Oceanside: No response.

ST. MICHAEL, Poway: "No. It would be nice, though."

ST. MICHAEL, San Diego: "Occasionally, but not the whole Mass. We do as much as the New Order of the Mass allows. I would like to recommend two places, though, that I think would be a blessing to you. The chapel at Holy Cross Cemetery sings the Gregorian Chant at High Mass on the first Sunday of each month, and then uses it in hymns on other Sundays in the month. And Corpus Christi in Bonita. They have a Gregorian Society, a choir of men, who sing the chant either on the first or second Saturday of each month. You can check with Corpus Christi. Good luck to you, and God bless."

ST. PATRICK, Carlsbad: No."

ST. PATRICK, San Diego: "No."

ST. PETER, Fallbrook: Did not know.

ST. PIUS X, Chula Vista: "No."

ST. PIUS X, Jamul: No response.

ST. RICHARD, Borrego Springs: "No. We welcome you out here in the desert, but all we can give you is simple English."

ST. RITA, San Diego: "No."

ST. ROSE OF LIMA, Chula Vista: "No, not really. We have a traditional choir that may sing it from time to time, but not on a regular basis."

ST. STEPHEN, Valley Center: "No."

ST. THERESE, San Diego: "No. I don't know of anywhere they would do Gregorian Chant."

ST. THOMAS MORE, Carlsbad: Did not know.

ST. TIMOTHY, Escondido: No response.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL, San Diego: "Very rarely."

ST. WILLIAM OF YORK, Del Mar: "No."

SAN RAFAEL, Rancho Bernardo: "Not on a consistent basis."

SANTA SOPHIA, Spring Valley: "No."

SANTA YSABEL INDIAN MISSION, Santa Ysabel: "No."