Modifying My Ministry

by John Baiamonte, Ph.D.

Grace Memorial Christian Education Leader and Vestry Member

As noted in our newsletter the last Evening and Morning Prayer services were held this week.  In a later blog I will outline why I ended this part of my ministry.  I have also ended my service as a Eucharistic minister because of my recent falls, which I don’t want to happen carrying the altar book.  However, I will still coordinate the scheduling of Eucharistic ministers and serve when needed at a weekday service.  I will continue to coordinate the schedule of the highly popular Sunday breakfast service.  You probably don’t know this, but I bring pastoral services to two nursing homes in Hammond (Phoenix) and Amite (Lodge).
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I will continue to serve our educational programs.  This Sunday Mother Liz and I will start presenting “Signs & Grace:  An Introduction to the Sacraments.”  Today, however, I will discuss the significance of “Gregorian chants.”  Although Gregorian chants originated with the early Roman Catholic Church, it is actually practiced by both the Anglican and Episcopal Churches.  Hymnal 1982 contains numerous service music settings and hymns rooted directly in Gregorian chant.  This includes traditional plainsong melodies for the Kyrie, Sanctus, and Angus Dei, as famous chant hymns like Pange Lingua  and Creator of the Stars Night.

Within the Episcopal Church, parishes that lean to “High Church” or “Anglo-Catholic” place a profound emphasis on traditional liturgy.  In these parishes, it is common to hear entire services chanted.  Some even feature dedicated choirs that sing the traditional Gregorian Propers (the specific scriptural texts designated for a given day) in either English or the original Latin.

While the Episcopal Church uses Gregorian chants, it also heavily utilizes its own close relative known as Anglican Chant.  Developed after the Reformation, Anglican chant applies harmonized chords to the natural speech rhythms of the Psalms, serving as a primary musical tradition alongside traditional monastic Gregorian tones.

The use of Gregorian chants is very popular for Episcopalians, and the broader public during Compline (night prayers).  Many Episcopal cathedrals and parishes host weekly candlelit Compline services where a choir sings plainchant in a darkened church, which creates a highly sought-after meditative and contemplative environment.  I have never experienced Compline in this environment.  However, all Compline services I have attended instantly put me to sleep after the service.  I have learned to shower before this service so that I can instantly fall asleep when my head hits the pillow.

I’m going to do more research and a blog on the medicinal value of Gregorian chants in falling asleep.  However, for right now I am going to tell you I have a channel on my iPhone, and when, having difficulty falling asleep, I play them and instantly fall asleep.

If you want to get the jump on this fascinating subject check out the most famous and historically massive selling (6 million copies) Gregorian chant album of all time:  Chant by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.  This is my favorite.  However, chants by nuns are also remarkable.