REQUIEM REWIND

Mother Mary Angelica's Requiem Mass, also known as the Mass of Christian Burial, causes us to want to once again propose it as the model for parish "Requiems" or "Mass of Christian Burial."

First off, let us change it from the Mass of Christian Burial, because today so many are not buried, they are entombed or if cremated placed in a columbarium or as is quite frequent, their ashes are dealt with in the most unCatholic and unorthodox ways, meaning they are shared, thrown out, trampled underfoot or consumed by fish; that's a separate blog entry though; to something else. 

Let's simply call it the Mass of the Dead or better yet, Requiem Mass!!!

But let's say in a regular Ordinary Form Mass where the Mass is celebrated facing the congregation, there are male and female altar servers, lectors, extraordinary communion ministers, standing for Holy Communion and the common chalice, despite these common things in the Ordinary Form Mass, how can we improve upon the Requiem Mass?

Chant is what should be imposed from on high as the good bishop of Marquette, Michigan is doing in his diocese. Chant that is either in the vernacular or in Latin.

Thus the actual Propers are chanted not other "suitable hymns" whatever suitable means. 

After the Priest receives the body, blesses it with Holy Water and it is covered with the pall and anything else ALLOWED in the General Instruction for Funeral Rites, all process to the altar as the proper Chant is chanted. In Latin it begins Requiem Aeternum, in English it begins Rest Eternal. 

After all have entered, the chanted Kyrie is completed and the Collect is chanted.

At the Offertory the official Offetory Antiphon Proper is chanted and any other appropriate anthem.

The same for Holy Communion.

At the Final Commendation, the appropriate chants are chanted and the recessional chant is always "In Paradisum" in Latin or even a contemporary English style. 

WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT THIS?