Rorate Mass Resources – in the Ordinary Form

Last year about this time, our parish of Holy Rosary celebrated a Rorate Mass in the Ordinary Form. And what, pray tell, is a Rorate Mass?

The name comes from the opening words of the Entrance Antiphon, Rorate cæli desuper, Latin for “Drop down dew, ye heavens”. The Rorate Mass is a Solemn Votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated in Advent. It is traditionally celebrated by candlelight on the high altar, and sung in Gregorian Chant. The sky is dawning just as it finishes. This is to symbolize the coming of Christ, the Light of the World.

Needless to say, it’s absolutely beautiful. And if done with the traditional chants, it is spiritually powerful and moving.

Our lector Courtney Throgmorton chanted both readings

While it was historically celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite – the traditional Latin Mass – there is absolutely no reason that it cannot be celebrated in the Ordinary Form using licit Mass options to bring it in line with how it was customarily celebrated.

Unfortunately, despite the undeniable success of this Mass, circumstances have conspired and we won’t be celebrating a Rorate Mass this Advent. It got me to thinking, though, that other parishes might want to do this in future years.

Rev. Kyle Mangloña chants the Gospel

Over the past year, I’ve gotten many, many questions about this Mass. Probably the easiest way to address them is simply to provide our Order of Worship and some of the other documents we generated during the planning process.

• Info Sheet (for Servers)
• Order of Celebration
• Lectionary
• Worship aid
• Poster / Flyer

I hope you find these resources helpful. The proper chants for this Mass are quite difficult – my wife refers to them as “Olympic-level” chants – but they are easily some of the most beautiful in the Gregorian repertoire. Don’t let them intimidate you! Remember that all these efforts are for the greater glory of God.

The Church’s liturgy may, therefore, be considered as a sacred poem, in the framing of which both heaven and earth have taken part, and by which our humanity, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb without spot, rises on the wings of the Spirit even unto the throne of God Himself.

– Blessed Ildefonso Schuster (1880 – 1954)

May a thousand Rorate Masses be celebrated to the Glory of God and in honour of the Blessed Virgin.