Music for the Immaculate Conception 2024

In this post, I’d like to share a bit about the music we’ll be using for December 9^th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (normally celebrated on December 8^th). But before that, I’d like to share these answers to a few commonly asked questions and perhaps clarify some misconceptions, as I too found myself asking these things:

Firstly, the Immaculate Conception is in fact observed as a holy day of obligation this year – a correction to an earlier announcement from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops initially stating that it was not. So yes, it’s a holy day of obligation.

Secondly, The 5pm Mass this Sunday is not an anticipated Mass for the Immaculate Conception, so coming to the 5 won’t count for the obligation. For the same reason, our Worship Band won’t be doing a Marian repertoire at the 5 – our music selections will be for the 2^nd Sunday of Advent. Ready the way!

And thirdly, the Immaculate Conception refers to Mary (not Jesus) being conceived (in the totally normal human way, i.e. not “by the power of the Holy Spirit”) without original sin. The conception of Jesus is celebrated during the Solemnity of the Annunciation on March 25^th. Yes, I also used to think that “Immaculate Conception” referred to Jesus being conceived in Mary’s womb – nope, that happens at the Annunciation! So, if you didn’t already know before, Mary was conceived in her own mother’s womb through her human parents, BUT unlike any other human, she was conceived without the stain of original sin – and that is what “immaculate” refers to. That said, it’s also worth noting that the Solemnities of the Immaculate Conception and the Annunciation utilize the same Gospel reading: Luke 1:26-38.

This Monday, December 9^th, there will be three Masses celebrating the Immaculate Conception – one at 6:50 AM (without music), one at 9:00 AM (a parish-school Mass), and the other at 6:30 PM. The music lineup for both the 9 and the 6:30 is as follows:

 

Prelude:

9:00 – Ave Maria (J.S. Bach, C. Gounod), c/o James Hurley

6:30 – Ave Maria (F. Schubert), c/o Caroline Walsh

 

Opening Hymn: #204 Immaculate Mary
Offertory Hymn: #689 Mary Sing With Joyful Heart (this will be new to most)

Communion Procession:

9:00 – Breath of Heaven (A. Grant), c/o Kathy Fritz

           Mother Mary, Pray for Us (S. Hart), c/o SJS Choir

6:30 – Breath of Heaven (A. Grant), c/o Caroline Walsh

Communion Hymn: #827 Gospel Canticle (Magnificat)

Closing Hymn: #209 Hail Holy Queen

The music for the 9:00 AM Mass will be provided by the St. Joseph School Choir, along with Kathy Fritz, who normally sings with our Worship Band. The music for the 6:30 PM Mass will be provided by a guest cantor I’ve invited, named Caroline Walsh.

I’d like to share a bit about our guest cantor, who will also be joining us on Christmas Eve. See, since I started working at St. Joe’s in 2021, I’ve met some very interesting people in the most unexpected ways… Recall for instance how I met Michelle, one of our vocalists in Worship Band, whose lovely voice I just heard when I walked into Walgreens one day. Well, would you believe that I met Caroline through an online dating app? At that time, I had no idea she was a musician until we finally met in-person, and she shared that she majored in flute for 2.5 years and had a lot of experience cantoring in Catholic churches. So we exchanged stories about our church music experiences, I got to hear her sing a bit, and I thought, “I just HAVE to invite this person to sing at St. Joe’s!”

We hope our music selections draw you deeper into prayer at our Immaculate Conception Masses this Monday.

With my peace,
Carlo Serrano, Music Director