Mater Ecclesiae’s 20th annual Assumption Mass will take place at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia this Saturday, August 15, at 10:00 AM. If you cannot attend in person, the Mass will be livestreamed via our website, www.materlatin.org.
Due to Covid 19 restrictions, masks and social distancing are required. Also, because of the restrictions, there will not be an orchestra this year. The Mass is the Missa de Beata Virgine #4 of Palestrina. Some other music: the Assumpta est Maria by William Byrd, the Virgo Prudentissima and Ave Christe by Josquin Desprez, the Magnificat toni Sexti by Diego Ortiz, and the Ave Maris Stella by Palestrina. The Organ prelude is the Priere à Notre Dame by Leon Boellmann, and the Postlude is Symphony No. 1: Final by Louis Vierne.
The music director for the Mass, who has done this for most of the last twenty years, is Dr. Timothy McDonnell, director of Sacred Music, Catholic University. The organist and director of the Schola Cantorum is Mr. Peter Carter, director of Music at St. John the Baptist Church, Allentown, NJ. Father Pasley, the Rector and celebrant, Dr. McDonnell and Peter Carter are all members of the Church Music Association of America, the sponsor of this blog.
We hope you can join us!
