Despite the snow and the sleet, the Filipino Community of Central North Carolina had their annual Simbang Gabi Mass. For more about the Simbang Gabi tradition, click
here for an explanation, courtesy of the
Archdiocese of Manila website. You may also click
here to read a post I made about the Simbang Gabi for the
Catholic New Media Advent Calendar.
We escaped the weather bug this year: there was a snow/ice storm that came through the day before, and most of that mess had melted away by the time our Simbang Gabi began last night, so we had a great turnout to this Mass.
The Mass, celebrated by Fr Julian Jagudilla, OFM, was conducted in what he termed "99.9% Tagalog." He said in this, the third year he celebrated this with us, he received many requests for a completely Tagalog Mass. The music was provided by the North Carolina Fiipino Choir, which I directed while the director, Myra Odulio, is taking time off after having given birth to her third child. The Mass was followed by a reception and cultural program, which featured traditional Filipino song and dance.
Of course, the post-Mass reception was a smashing success! There was more than enough food to feed everyone, and a great time was had by all.
With that, here is the list of music, with attributions as I was able to find them. This year, some of the music was drawn from
Bukas Palad, a Philippines-based Catholic music ministry. I believe the unattributed music was written by members of the
Jesuit Music Ministry of the Philippines. Any numbers you see come out of GIA's
Gather Comprehensive 1994 (green cover). Special thanks to Samantha (a high school student who played the flute) and David Binanay, who very ably played the violin.
Prelude:
- 317, O come, O come Emmanuel
- 331, God of all people
- Magtipon Sa Tahanan Ng Diyos (A. Espino)
Opening Hymn: Halina, Hesus (EP Hontiveros, SJ)
Kyrie: Panginoon, maawa ka (TV Vinteres, CsSR)
Gloria: Papuri sa Diyos (Hontiveros)
*
Psalm: Psalm 72 (MCA Parco, FSP)
Gospel Acclamation: Aleluya (Hontiveros)
Music during Anointing of the Sick: Improvisation on "Hindi Kita Malilimutan (originally written by MV Francisco, SJ)
Offertory:
Paghahandog ng Sarili (Arboleda/Francisco/Ofrasio)
Sanctus: Santo, Santo (Hontiveros)
Memorial Acclamation: Si Kristo ay namatay (Anon., traditional)
Concluding Acclamation: Amen, Third Mass (Fr. R. Villanueva)
Lord's Prayer: Ama Namin (Vinteres)
Agnus Dei: Kordero ng Diyos (Hontiveros)
Communion Introit: One Thing I Ask (Ps. 27; arr. P. Tirol)
Communion Hymns- 352, Silent Night (O tahimik na daigdig)
- Himig ng Pasko (Apo Hiking Society)
Closing Hymn:
Balang Araw (MV Francisco, SJ; J Borres, SJ)
* I am aware that during Advent, the Gloria is not sung. However, an exception has been made for this set of Masses. This explanation comes courtesy of Fr Mel Portula, CICM, who is now based in Baguio City, Philippines:
During Misa de Gallo – a nine-day novena before Christmas popular in the Philippines and among Filipinos around the world, "Gloria" is sung. Novena Masses have a unique liturgical character. The "Gloria" is sung on these Masses and the vestment color is white. I believe that since Misa de Gallo is considered a novena, then "Gloria" is sung and white is the color of the vestment, not purple. All Masses during the nine-day novenas follow the same structure and rubric, even the one that falls on Sunday.
So there you have it. It was an issue we had debated back when we first started doing Simbang Gabi Masses here in Central NC.
The choir had worked so hard on "Magtipon Sa Tahanan Ng Diyos" and "One Thing I Ask" for the
San Lorenzo Ruiz Mass that I felt compelled to program those two pieces for Simbang Gabi. And they did well, not only with those two pieces, but with the whole program overall. Last year, we worked from fakebooks and learning the two Bukas Palad pieces (indicated by the links above) by ear, which, honestly, did not go over so well. This year, the choir worked from written music, and those two pieces sounded a whole lot more polished. They really worked hard these past few months to prepare for Simbang Gabi, and I couldn't be more proud of them than I was last night.
The next Simbang Gabi in central North Carolina will be December 16, 2011.
Compline at Chapel of the Cross.
