THE WEDNESDAY REPORT: December 31, 2025

Dear Partners in Ministry,

It's the last day— and the last post— of 2025! I wish each of you and all those you love a blessed and bright 2026.

Reminder: Mass Tomorrow Morning!

We start each calendar year with a Holy Day, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am, and we'll begin preparing 30 minutes before. Selections are available at the bottom of this post.

Looking Back on 2025: Repertoire by the Numbers

A few months ago, I took a trip down one of my always dangerous mental rabbit holes to explore what our parish repertoire really looks like— what we sing, how often we sing it, and what that says about our worship life. I've compiled lists of the "hymns, songs, and inspired psalms" (see last Sunday's readings) that we've sung since I joined you in February 2022, and here's what I found:

IN THE 2025 LITURGICAL YEAR:
- We prayed with 164 unique titles, not counting acclamations.
- The three most-often sung pieces this year were Michael Joncas' Take and Eat (8), Tom Kendzia's Taste and See (7), and Bob Hurd's Ubi Caritas (also 7).
- We introduced four new hymns and songs in 2025: Bernadette Farrell's setting of the Magnificat, Calvin Hampton's Unexpected and Mysterious, and my It Would Have Been Enough and Most Holy One. We also welcomed Ricky Manalo's Beyond the Days back into the repertoire, and sang several new texts to familiar hymn tunes. (This does not include new responsorial psalms, acclamations, or Taizé ostinatos).
IN THE 2024 LITURGICAL YEAR:
- Our unique title count was 165.
- The three most-often sung pieces were Kendzia's Taste and See and my arrangement of I Received the Living God (8 each), followed by Farrell's Christ, Be Our Light (7).
IN THE 2023 LITURGICAL YEAR:
- Our unique title count was 153.
- The top three pieces were the same as 2025.
IN THE 2022 LITURGICAL YEAR (beginning Ash Wednesday, as this was the first major liturgy I planned entirely):
- - Our unique title count was 127.
  - The top three pieces were Kendzia's Taste and See (again!), Dan Schutte's Gather the People, and Farrell's Unless a Grain of Wheat.

Looking Ahead to 2026

I have several "New Year's Resolutions" for our Music Ministry on my radar, and I'll be sharing these with you over the next several weeks:

The creation of an advisory board for Music Ministry (read below)
New online resources for learning music and keeping track of returned scores (next week, Jan 7)
Reducing our dependence on the JourneySongs Choir hymnal (Jan 14)
A new direction for anthems and meditation pieces for the choir (Jan 21)

Let's start with a long-time want of mine: an advisory board for our ministry, made up of representatives you nominate, which meets with me 4-5 times a year to discuss new ideas, policies, projects, and how we're doing as a whole. This would not be a "voting body," nor would it have any official capacity in terms of spending, parish policy, and so forth. Rather, the members of this committee would represent all of you for larger discussions. They would also be advocates for you when you are facing difficulties in your ministry, or are in need of help and prayers. Of course, final decisions are mine to make, and ultimately the Pastor's to approve or reject if necessary, but having these trusted voices in the room will be a real gift!

I will ask the newly elected members to decide a term length with me once we meet for the first time.

For the Parish Choir, our largest ensemble, I'm asking for you to nominate five section representatives (one each for Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto, Tenor, and Bass). These are not section leaders in the traditional sense: they're not "in charge" of your section, and not expected to lead sectional rehearsals. These are not necessarily the longest-serving members, nor the most "gifted" musicians; rather, I'd ask you to nominate someone who you believe has a dedicated commitment to Music Ministry at Saint Noel, who you would trust with your personal concerns in this ministry, and who would serve in this position collaboratively and wholeheartedly.

The Bell Choir would be represented de facto by Greg as Director, and one additional elected representative.

Finally, I wish to have one representive each for Cantors and for Resurrection Choir.

Nominations begin January 5! Please prayerfully consider what I am asking and email me with your nomination and for which ensemble. Just a few rules:

I will personally contact each nominated member and ask them to discern whether they are willing to serve if elected. If they decline, I will respect their decision and leave them off the ballot.
No self-nominations. You must be nominated by a peer.
No "campaigning." Let your good work speak for itself!
Nominees must have been a regularly participating member of their ensemble for at least one year.
Nominees cannot represent more than one ensemble. In the event that one person is elected to more than one position, they will be asked to choose one role; for the other(s), the person who received the next highest vote total will be chosen.

The election for Representatives will take place the week of January 19–23 by online poll. Only I will know who voted for whom.

If you have any concerns or questions about this process or the idea in general, please let me know. Thank you all for giving this some prayerful and thoughtful discernment!

Peace be with you,
Tony

THIS WEEK IN LITURGY

JANUARY 1 · Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God · Mass at 11:00 am

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 18
2026 Workbook: p. 39
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 55
Cantor: TBD (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Gathering: 694 · JS 472 · Sing of Mary (PLEADING SAVIOR)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 767 · JS 58 · Ps 67: O God, Let All the Nations (Smith)
Gospel Acclamation: 106 · JS 261 · Christmas Season Gospel Acclamation (Bridge)
Prayer of the Faithful: 1010 · JS 268 · O God, Hear Us (Hurd)
Preparation of the Gifts: WA · JS 121 · Luke 1: Magnificat (Whitaker)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 881–886 · JS 248–253 · Mass of Glory (Canedo/Hurd)
- Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
Communion: 354 · JS 776 · Ubi Caritas (Hurd)
Sending Forth: 90 · 5.100-8 · ACH 8 · Joy to the World (ANTIOCH)

JANUARY 4: The Epiphany of the Lord

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 20
2026 Workbook: p. 42
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 57
Cantors: Dave R (5:00); Marie P (9:00); Jerry G (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Gathering: 114 · 5.100-1 · ACH 1 · Angels from the Realms of Glory (REGENT SQUARE)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: WA · 2.000 · Psalm 72: Lord, Every Nation on Earth (Ward)
Gospel Acclamation: 106 · JS 261 · Christmas Season Gospel Acclamation (Bridge)
Prayer of the Faithful: 1010 · JS 268 · O God, Hear Us (Hurd)
Preparation of the Gifts: 100/101 · 5.022 · Child of the Poor/What Child Is This (Soper)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 881–886 · JS 248–253 · Mass of Glory (Canedo/Hurd)
- Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
Communion: 115 · 5.100-17 · ACH 17 · The First Nowell (English carol)
Sending Forth: 112 · 5.100-16 · ACH 16 · Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (SALZBURG)

LOOKING AHEAD

JANUARY 11: The Baptism of the Lord

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 21
2026 Workbook: p. 46
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 59
Cantors: (5:00); (9:00); (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Gathering: 643 · JS 516 · Baptized in Water (BUNESSAN/Saward)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 747 · JS 32 · Ps 29: The Lord Will Bless His People with Peace (Canter)
Gospel Acclamation: 106 · JS 261 · Christmas Season Gospel Acclamation (Bridge)
Prayer of the Faithful: 1010 · JS 268 · O God, Hear Us (Hurd)
Preparation of the Gifts: NEW! 1012 · 3.062 · Christ Has No Body Now but Yours (Warner)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 881–886 · JS 248–253 · Mass of Glory (Canedo/Hurd)
- Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
Communion: 1022 · 3.047 · O Christ Our Life (Ward)
Sending Forth: 93 · 5.100-4 · Good Christian Friends, Rejoice (IN DULCE JUBILO)

JANUARY 18: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 64
2026 Workbook: p. 49
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 61
Cantors: (5:00); (9:00); (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Seasonal acclamations change this weekend.... changes highlighted in green.

Gathering: 433 · JS 620 · All the Earth (Deiss)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 755 · JS 43 · Ps 40: Here I Am/God, My God, Come to My Aid (Cooney)
Gospel Acclamation: 927 · JS 264 · Celtic Alleluia (O'Carroll/Walker)
Prayer of the Faithful: spoken response
Preparation of the Gifts: 309 · 3.081 · Here At This Table (Whitaker)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
- Holy · When We Eat This Bread · Amen
Lamb of God: 930 · 3.090 · Lamb of God/Taste and See (Kendzia)
Communion: 328 · 3.079 · Bread of Life (Farrell)
Sending Forth: 464 · 3.091 · Christ, Be Our Light (Farrell)