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Matthew J. Geerlings
Music Director
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Wedding Music
Wasn’t it wonderful to see so many people joining the Church at the Easter Vigil? There is a world-wide resurgence in the Catholic faith, and it is so exciting to see a renewed interest. I hope your Easter liturgies continue to show the faithful the beauty and truth of our Catholic faith.
One place where that example can fall short is the wedding liturgy. Too many times we are tempted to allow secular music into our liturgies if it’s not a Sunday Mass in an effort to appear welcoming to the couple. Songs that speak only of love between a man and woman are best left for the wedding reception. But how do we say this to a bride who has her heart set on “their” song at the wedding liturgy without coming across as inflexible or unsympathetic?
I find it best to not speak of the theological aspects at the outset, but rather to look at the more practical aspects of singing such music. Telling the couple that a particular piece doesn’t work in the church because of the building’s acoustics, or it doesn’t sound good with the organ, are just a couple of examples of how the practical can sometimes win the argument (and it’s not lying either!). I usually then recommend having that song as one of the pieces the DJ can play at the reception would work best. Having a parish set of wedding guidelines that clearly outline the music parameters are an invaluable tool to assist couples in planning the wedding.
Soli Deo Gloria
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Changes to Sunday Mass Schedules
Summer may be an opportune time to revise the Sunday Mass schedule for your Family of Parishes, especially if the last changes were made in 2022. In accord with the archdiocesan Sunday Mass Schedule policy, please send notice of any changes to the parish’s liturgical schedule to the Chancery, accompanied by the written opinion of the local dean. If you need assistance with analysis of your schedule and/or strategy for making a change, please contact the Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments.
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| POLICY
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Formation and Training for EMHCs (New and Veteran)
Please share these opportunities (via email, bulletin, social media, etc.) with Extraordinary Ministers in your parish family and those interested in joining this ministry.
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EMHC Commissioning on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is an opportune time to commission EMHCs for another year of service. Find resources for training, formation, and commissioning on the ODWS website. Please send names to the Pastoral Center in accord with archdiocesan policy.
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Liturgical Calendar 2027 and New Texts
The 2027 Liturgical Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States of America is now available from the USCCB. You can find this and the 2026 version online.
In addition, you can always find those texts newly added to the Roman Missal here as well.
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Shop the ODWS Online!
Don’t forget that you can shop all year online for archdiocesan resources to assist bereaved families, engaged couples, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and more. You can also find resources from national liturgical publishers at deep discounts. Parishes, schools, and other non-profits can always shop tax free. And the Two Shall Become One, our archdiocesan formation and policy book for the Sacrament of Matrimony, is a handy and inexpensive resource for parishes to provide to engaged couples. Shop now!
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Q. Why is the Ascension celebrated on Sunday in some parts of the world?
A. With permission from Rome, the Catholic bishops of Ohio (along with other states and provinces) decided to move the yearly celebration of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord from Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. This change has been in effect since the first celebration on June 4, 2000. While the culture in some parts of the world includes civic holidays on holy days enabling the faithful to participate in Mass, in the United States days such as the Ascension are not typically days off work. Thus the bishops chose to transfer this feast (and others) to a Sunday so more people can celebrate this important mystery of faith.
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PASCHAL MYSTERY |
"Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death, and in his rising the life of all has risen."
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— Preface II of Easter
Roman Missal
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Pastoral Center | 100 East Eighth St | Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 | CatholicAOC.org
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