Taking its name from Owen Alstott’s Heritage Mass, Heritage Missal was first released in 2000, conceived as a “greatest hits” version of Breaking Bread — simply put, the most popular music of our missal offerings. However, you let us know through surveys and letters that you wanted Heritage Missal to offer more core hymn and chant repertoire, as well as newer music that offers variety, but does not feel out of place with hymnody and chant. We are most happy to offer a revised Heritage Missal, complete with Sunday readings and daily Mass propers.
Leading up to this revision in 2022, we answered the call to increase hymnody and chant with the addition of the Attende Domine, Regina Caeli and Ubi Caritas chants, as well as cherished hymns “Comfort, Comfort, O My People” (GENEVA 42), “God Is Love” (ABBOT’S LEIGH), “How Firm a Foundation” (FOUNDATION), “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” (ST. DENIO), “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” (GABRIEL’S MESSAGE), “The Day of Resurrection” (ELLACOMBE), “Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer” (WACHET AUF) and “What Is This Place” (KOMT NU MET ZANG/Oosterhuis). The newest music, meanwhile, fits in seamlessly with these. Scot Crandal and Genevieve Glen, OSB’s “You Gather in the Outcast” is timeless, as are Ricky Manalo’s “Many and Great” and “The God of All Grace,” to name a few.
While these hymns and chants are not new to OCP’s missal programs, they clearly needed to be included in a product we call Heritage Missal. But that is just the start. What sets Heritage Missal apart from other missals? What are the needs of the Church that we can better meet at this time?
Firstly, we are pleased to present a set of eight beautiful untexted tones from Saint Meinrad’s Archabbey, for use with the Entrance Antiphons and Communion Antiphons. A skilled accompanist might even choose to play these in the same key as the gathering hymn or Communion hymn, connecting the two. Feel free to occasionally apply these tones to psalmody. Be creative! We include a rubric to help you get started. Also, check out OCP.org for a variety of antiphon settings.
By popular request, we now include Christopher Walker’s lovely Belmont Mass, composed in chant style, as well as the Pater Noster in the Latin Chant Mass from the Graduale Romanum. We didn’t stop there. In the readings section, you will find Latin options during Holy Week and the Triduum, including the chant setting of Hosanna Filio David on Palm Sunday, Ecce lignum Crucis for the showing of the Holy Cross on Good Friday, and Lumen Christi at the Procession in the Easter Vigil, as well as Vidi aquam at the renewal of baptismal promises, also at Easter Vigil. Many of these additions to Holy Week and Triduum are not offered in Breaking Bread or Choose Christ Missal. We are happy to be able to offer them in Heritage Missal.
Here are a few more highlights.
- Additions to seasonal music range from the beautiful Puer Natus in Bethlehem chant at Christmas to Sarah Hart’s joyful “Hallelujah Is Our Song” at Easter.
- The optimistic “All Things Bright and Beautiful” set to ROYAL OAK is sure to brighten your Sunday celebration. Found in the Creation section, this perennial English favorite will have your congregation singing it all the way home.
- Per customer requests, we include Grayson Warren Brown’s “If God Is for Us” in Heritage Missal. Located in the Providence section, Brown’s use of melody and text from Romans 8 offers hope and strength.
We hope that you are as excited about Heritage Missal as we are. Please let us know what you think! For more Latin options, our Laus Tibi, Christe (edition 12098) makes a wonderful supplement.