Columba Kelly, OSB

Enjoy modern language set to Gregorian chant
Setting sacred prose texts to music is a task steeped in history, inherited from the ancient faith communities who spoke Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Benedictine Father Columba Kelly, director and composer for the Gregorian Schola at Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was inspired to accomplish this task for modern English texts given to us for singing the praises of God. Thus, he composed Saint Meinrad Entrance and Communion Antiphons, containing Entrance and Communion Antiphons for all the Sundays, solemnities, and feasts of the liturgical year.

Praise God with the unaccompanied voice
Chant is music designed for the unaccompanied human voice. It is sung prayer that springs from intensified speech. Fr. Columba Kelly composed the melodies for both the antiphons and the congregational refrains on the collection, and Raymond Henderson wrote the optional keyboard accompaniments as an aid to singers who are not familiar with the various chant modes or this speech-inspired style of singing.

Capture the spirit of original Latin chants
Conveniently sized to fit into the missal covers or the back pockets of OCP hymnals, parish music directors, monasteries and convents will find these antiphons can be easily incorporated into the Sunday liturgy using the simplified congregational refrain while the choir or cantor chants the antiphon or psalm. The English text settings capture the spirit of the original Latin chant. Return to this inspired collection throughout the year!

Covering all the Sundays and solemnities from the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time through the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 49 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the 16-song sampler CD in conjunction with the Cantor/Keyboard Edition; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

Covering all the Sundays and solemnities of the Advent and Christmas seasons, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 32 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the Cantor/Keyboard Edition in conjunction with the 16 song CD sampler; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

Covering all the Sundays and solemnities from Lent through Holy Week, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 32 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the Cantor/Keyboard edition in conjunction with the 16-song sampler CD; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

Covering all the Sundays and solemnities from Easter through Pentecost, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 31 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the 16-song sampler CD in conjunction with the Cantor/Keyboard Edition; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

Covering the Eighteenth Sunday through the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 55 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the 16-song sampler CD in conjunction with the Cantor/Keyboard Edition; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

Covering the major solemnities and the Proper of Saints, this spiral-bound edition contains accompaniment parts for 63 antiphons as well as the text for all the verses, refrains and antiphons. As Father Columba explains in the introduction, the accompaniment parts are meant to serve as a support for the pitches and to provide harmonic background for the singers and should not guide rhythm or intensity. Consider purchasing the 16-song sampler CD in conjunction with the Cantor/Keyboard Edition; the recordings will be of great help when learning how to implement these beautiful chants in weekly liturgy.

One of the world's most respected Gregorian chant experts, Benedictine Father Columba Kelly has set the current Lectionary text for St. John's Passion to the traditional, ancient tone for this proclamation. Perfected through years of use at St. Meinrad Archabbey, this solemn, accessible setting for Good Friday is now available for widespread use in parishes and other communities.

Combining ancient and modern styles, Father Kelly's setting stands out for its ingenious adaptation of the traditional chant to the inflections and rhythms of modern English. The music is conveniently divided into scenes to assist the singers when practicing and proclaiming the Passion. Singing parts are for two narrators (medium voice), Christus (bass), and various individuals (tenor or soprano).

Group parts, such as the crowd and the soldiers at the cross, may be sung in unison but have optional three-part choral settings, as featured on the CD. All parts are a cappella. An excellent rehearsal tool, the beautifully recorded CD makes inspiring devotional listening, especially during Lent.

"The words of the text should communicate the vitality and mystery of the Lord's Passion and Death," explains Benedictine Father Harry Hagan in the introduction. "An over-wrought presentation calls attention to itself instead of the text while a tepid approach belies the power of the words. The proclamation need only reveal the power of the words."

Simple, poignant and meticulously crafted, Father Kelly's setting does just that, showcasing the mystical power of St. John's Passion.

Enjoy modern language set to Gregorian chant
Setting sacred prose to music is a task steeped in history, inherited from the ancient faith communities who spoke Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Benedictine Father Columba Kelly, director and composer for the Gregorian Schola at Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was inspired to accomplish this task for modern English texts given to us for singing the praises of God. Thus, he composed these "modal settings of Roman Missal texts in modern notation," designed to make the beauty of chant more accessible for parishes as well as monasteries, convents and seminaries.

Listen prayerfully, learn quickly
Recorded at Saint Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Oregon, the 16 songs on this collection are just a sampling of the hundreds of antiphons for the Sundays, solemnities and feasts of the liturgical year that appear in the assembly book. Offering a truly prayerful and meditative experience, the collection can also serve as the perfect guide for any choir or assembly seeking to incorporate these beautiful chants in the weekly liturgy.

Bring the word of God to life
The recordings on this collection demonstrate the versatility of the antiphons as well as the congregational refrain (a short phrase sung by the assembly) and the psalm verses, showing how you can combine the different components depending on the specific celebration or your assembly's needs. Return to this inspired collection throughout the year to bring the word of God to life in a more profound way.

Tracks: Entrance Antiphon: First Sunday of Advent | Communion Antiphon: First Sunday of Advent | Entrance Antiphon: The Nativity of the Lord (at Mass during the Day) | Communion Antiphon: The Nativity of the Lord (at Mass during the Day) | Entrance Antiphon: The Epiphany of the Lord (at Mass during the day) | Communion Antiphon: The Epiphany of the Lord (at Mass during the day) | Entrance Antiphon: First Sunday of Lent | Communion Antiphon: First Sunday of Lent | Entrance Antiphon: Second Sunday of Easter | Communion Antiphon: Second Sunday of Easter | Entrance Antiphon: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Communion Antiphon: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Entrance Antiphon: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Communion Antiphon: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Entrance Antiphon: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Communion Antiphon: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Enjoy modern language set to Gregorian chant
Setting sacred prose to music is a task steeped in history, inherited from the ancient faith communities who spoke Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Benedictine Father Columba Kelly, director and composer for the Gregorian Schola at Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was inspired to accomplish this task for modern English texts given to us for singing the praises of God. Thus, he composed these "modal settings of Roman Missal texts in modern notation," designed to make the beauty of chant more accessible for parishes as well as monasteries, convents and seminaries.

Listen prayerfully, learn quickly
Recorded at Saint Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Oregon, the 16 songs on this collection are just a sampling of the hundreds of antiphons for the Sundays, solemnities and feasts of the liturgical year that appear in the assembly book. Offering a truly prayerful and meditative experience, the collection can also serve as the perfect guide for any choir or assembly seeking to incorporate these beautiful chants in the weekly liturgy.

Bring the word of God to life
The recordings on this collection demonstrate the versatility of the antiphons as well as the congregational refrain (a short phrase sung by the assembly) and the psalm verses, showing how you can combine the different components depending on the specific celebration or your assembly's needs. Return to this inspired collection throughout the year to bring the word of God to life in a more profound way.

Tracks: Entrance Antiphon: First Sunday of Advent | Communion Antiphon: First Sunday of Advent | Entrance Antiphon: The Nativity of the Lord (at Mass during the Day) | Communion Antiphon: The Nativity of the Lord (at Mass during the Day) | Entrance Antiphon: The Epiphany of the Lord (at Mass during the day) | Communion Antiphon: The Epiphany of the Lord (at Mass during the day) | Entrance Antiphon: First Sunday of Lent | Communion Antiphon: First Sunday of Lent | Entrance Antiphon: Second Sunday of Easter | Communion Antiphon: Second Sunday of Easter | Entrance Antiphon: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Communion Antiphon: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Entrance Antiphon: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Communion Antiphon: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Entrance Antiphon: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Communion Antiphon: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary