Earlier this month, as part of the tour of the relics of St. Maria Goretti around the country, they made a stop in Chicago at St. John Cantius in Chicago, where Bishop Joseph Perry celebrated a Pontifical Mass at the Faldstool. Confessions were abundant and the church was overflowing and people had to be turned away to participate in Mass from the street.
More fascinatingly for our musician readers, the propers were also newly composed for the Mass. Because of St. Maria Goretti's new status as a saint, the text of her propers had not yet been set to music. The music director of St Anne's in Charlotte, NC (a parish which received St. Maria Goretti less than a week before Cantius) had already set the Introit to an adapted Gregorian melody. Deacon Ed Schaefer set the Alleluia, and Br. Matthew Schuster, SJC worked to set the remaining three propers (gradual, offertory and communion). Those who are interested can find the propers here, available for download.
As always, pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them
