I serve a small Byzantine Catholic community in OKC. We have numerous unchurched people seeking "the way" with us. I would like them to learn about the all the Services of the Church as well as restore them here for our own people. We would like to begin serving vespers (and later matins).The Sisters of St. Basil offer a great set of service books with texts but no music. Currently on those occasions when we have served vespers we use a mish-mash of photocopied Melkite, Russian and Ukrainian texts (we have to "fake" parts) Do any people or parishes have musical texts for the various parts of the Divine Praises, does anyone know where these resources (if they exist) can be ordered? Byzantine Seminary Press has nothing to offer except some tapes.
Any help would be appreciated.
Unworthy priest, Philip

Dear Batushka, I would like to commend you on your zeal for the rite!! It seams like to me that you are getting your parish off on the right foot!! Unfortunatly you have hit a sore spot there are not enough resourses out there for the English Speaking Person. In particularly when you are dealing with Vespers and Matins which are not celebrated as often as they should be!! I know that for the music some people use either things from the OCA, or Jordanville,or the Car-Russ Orthodox. You could try these places. One place where you might try to contact for some help is St Elias Ukrainian Catholic Church in Brampton Ont. Father Roman Galadza has been very busy trying to restore different things that have fallen into disuse, I do not have his phone nr,but I think directory assistance should be able to help. Let me know how things are going. I am a Latin Rite Catholic who loves the Eastern Rite but every time I visit,I get so discouraged by the latinizations that I see that I do not know what to do

Contact Fr. John Petro at the Byzantine Seminary. It seems that along with this new cantors institute they have published a complete set of liturgy, vesper and matins books with new melodies. I haven't seen it but it will be better than nothing since absolutely nothing else is available. I also think it is official (at least in the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh). Perhaps someone from Pittsburgh can provide more information?

Dear Batushka,

Our Church uses wonderful Vespers books, with music in English, prepared by John Vernoski. They contain all the sticheri in the eight tones. They are quite good. He has also prepared a very useable book for Sunday Lenten Vespers.

I do not think there has ever been an 'officially' promulgated text for the Byzantine Church's Vespers or Matins. The Uniontown books are 'unofficial' and privately circulated, published by the nuns, not the Church. However they are generally respected works.

The material from John Vernoski's books is mostly taken from there. But arranged for congregational use.

I highly recommend them. They were introduced here, with great success, and there is quite a 'Vespers' following.

Elias