Pontifical Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception at the London Oratory
↧
↧
Recently Commissioned Relief Carving of St Vincent de Paul
Another heartening example of parishioners and priest working together to commission sacred art
Thank you to Fr Riley Williams who recently contacted me to tell me of the commissioning of a triptych of the patron of his church in Attleboro, Massachusetts. This relief carving of St Vincent de Paul has just been installed. It is fine piece carved by Jonathan Pageau (who will very likely be known to NLM readers). Once again this is a great example of priest and congregation working together constructively to commission good quality sacred art. Fr Williams has written a detailed explanation of the contents on the parish newsletter which I encourage you to read, here. The work is the focal point of a shrine to St Vincent in the church itself.When St Pope John Paul II called for a dialogue between artists and the Church in his Letter for Artists, in 1999, one could have interpreted that as a call for conferences in the Vatican attended by prominent clerics and world famous artists, from which policy statements and newspaper articles might ensue. Well, that may be so, but if those events have any value, it is to the degree that they inspire the sort of dialogue that really produce results: right down at the grassroots and comprising personal conversations between an artist, priest and people, all pulling together to a common goal.
When each works together to produce something worthwhile for themselves and future generations then I am heartened that we are starting to see the beginning of a cultural renewal.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
↧
All-Or-Nothing vs. “Progressive Solemnity”: An Invitation to Debate
In what is today officially termed the “extraordinary form” of the Roman Rite, a sharp distinction is made between low Mass (Missa lecta) and sung or high Mass (Missa cantata). At low Mass, the audible ordinary and proper texts (antiphons, collects, readings, Preface, etc.) are recited, never sung, whereas at high Mass they are all sung. It is an all-or-nothing affair. The “ordinary form,” on the other hand, makes no distinction between low and high Mass; indeed these terms are not used in the revised liturgical books. The 1967 Instruction Musicam Sacram, published by the Sacred Congregation of Rites less than two years after the close of the Second Vatican Council and three years prior to the publication of the Missal of Paul VI, introduced the principle of “progressive solemnity,” providing a degree of flexibility in choosing parts of the Mass to be sung while maintaining official distinctions (at that time) between high and low Mass. This document is quoted or cited in the 3rd typical edition of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal(2002) and the U.S. Catholic bishops’ music guidelines, Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (2007), but it remains largely unheeded, for good or for ill. What is sung and what is recited at any given Mass depends on the decision of the celebrant and perhaps the cantor and/or choir. Seldom, if ever, does one hear the Credo sung (in Latin or the vernacular) at novus ordo Sunday Masses. I have concelebrated or otherwise participated in ordinary form Masses which were styled “solemn” (e.g. “Solemn Mass of Installation,” “Solemn Parish Centennial Mass”) but which, in traditional terms, were more approximate to low Mass than high or solemn: choral and congregational singing of hymns and perhaps the Gloria and Sanctus, but no sung collects, Gospel, Preface, etc.; that is to say, the celebrant and deacon sang none of the parts that are properly theirs.
With this in mind, I call your attention to an interesting collection of essays I recently came across online: Musicam Sacram Revisited, published in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the 1967 Vatican instruction on music. I would like to pose a question for informed debate, namely: Which is the better approach, pastorally and liturgically (the two go hand-in-hand): maintaining a rigid distinction between low and high Mass, or articulating orders of precedence as set up by Musicam Sacram or some other scheme? (By “informed” I mean that you will have read the aforementioned essays with an open mind.) It seems to me that each has its advantages and disadvantages. Let one example suffice. The all-or-nothing norm allows the faithful (and not-so-faithful) to know in advance exactly what to expect, in terms of external solemnity, when they come to a particular Mass, assuming the parish schedule indicate which Masses are sung/high and which are said/low. Those who attend Mass merely to get their spiritual ticket punched are thereby without reason to complain about “too much singing” (unless they happen to find even the old four-hymn sandwich too much to stomach!), while the more liturgically attuned needn’t worry about lackluster liturgy (preaching being a separate matter). Visiting priests, moreover, needn’t be “briefed” before Mass as to how things are done at St. So-and-so’s (“We recite the Gloria but sing the Sanctus...”); they need only know whether Mass will be sung or not. On the other hand, “progressive solemnity” as elaborated in Musicam Sacram requires that at least some parts of every Mass be sung (as distinct from singing hymns at Mass), even if one disputes that document’s hierarchy of importance. This requirement safeguards the irreplaceable contribution of music to the sacred liturgy; rather than accommodating liturgical minimalism, it orients every eucharistic celebration towards the (entirely) sung Mass as the norm of Roman Catholic worship.
Perhaps my use of the adjective “liturgically attuned” suggests the right answer (if a right answer there be). What say you? (I am, of course, particularly interested in what NLM’s own Jeffrey Tucker, Jennifer Donelson, and Charles Cole might have to say.)
↧
New Sacred Art: The Monastic Refectory in Norcia
 |
| Guests listening to the reader |
A brief history is in order: when the monks first arrived in Norcia, the diocese had prepared a kitchen the size of a bathroom and a dinning room for 8. The first request Fr Cassian Folsom (Prior) made was for a larger space for each. A kitchen to feed 20 was soon built and a suitable refectory prepared, but already after a few years the monks knew that this space also would be too small. (Monks, after all, are known for their hospitality, and there is no better way to show that than inviting a guest for a meal.) Two years ago, they settled on new plan to convert the existing refectory into a kitchen which could feed 100, and to convert an adjacent 15th-century vaulted hall into the permanent refectory. This ancient room, which had hitherto functioned as a chapel, chapter room, and music practice room at various points in its history, offered the right combination of character and functionality.
Several benefactors made substantial pioneering gifts to the project, and in May of 2014 demolition and restructuring work began. The goal for the new refectory was to make a room not only functional but also adorned with a taste of heaven. As Terryl Kinder puts it in her very fine book Cistercian Europe: Architecture of Contemplation (2000):
The resemblance of the refectory to a church was not accidental. Monastic meals were sacramental in character—they were devout celebrations of the gifts of God in community—and the church-like effect of the building was furhter enhanced by a devotional image or picture on the east wall. A carved wooden crucifix adorned the wall at Fountains, while Cleeve had a magnificant crucifixion scene painted on the wall of the remodeled refectory in the second half of the fifteenth century. The Cistercian refectory, in other words, was not a mere cafeteria, but a sacred space intended for the refreshmen of the soul as much as for the nourishment of the body. (pp. 286-87)These words apply just as well to Benedictines as to Cistercians, of course. For the monk, the decoration of the room must nourish the soul through beauty while at the same time not being too lavish or worldly, so that he might exercise temperance and moderation. For a visiting guest, the room should be a place to contemplate God’s goodness -- something not all guests are ready to see in a church but are more than happy to see at a meal. Divine Providence intervened by sending the monks of Norcia a masterful young painter, Fabrizio Diomedi, who not only painted the stunning crucifixion scene, but designed every element of the room, from the floor to the delicate woodwork and carvings. (I am happy to say that during my last visit to Norcia I had the chance to meet and speak with Fabrizio, and purchased a hand-made painting of St. Benedict from him. Just his sketches of the proposed refectory were themselves incredibly inspiring!)
 |
| The Crucifixion scene |
Please visit this siteif you are interested in participating. And, no matter what, you can always get a 2015 Norcia Calendar!
 |
| Gothic scrollwork along the ribs of the vaults |
 |
| Carpentry by Norcia locals |
↧
Episode 3 of Extraordinary Faith on EWTN - Dec. 15
I'm delighted to announce that Extraordinary Faith episode 3 will be airing next week on EWTN. The episode, filmed during a CMAA academic conference during October 2013, features the work of the CMAA and the wonderful legacy of Msgr. Richard Schuler and the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale at the Church of Saint Agnes in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
EWTN will be airing Episode 3 of Extraordinary Faith on all of their international English program feeds on Monday, December 15 at 3:00 AM & 6:30 PM Eastern time in the U.S. and Canada. Live streaming is available for free on EWTN's website.
UK & Ireland: 2:00 AM, 10:30 AM, & 9:00 PM
Africa/Asia: 3 airings; see EWTN's page for your time zone
Asia-Pacific: 2 airings; see EWTN's page for your time zone
More information on the episode, including behind-the-scenes photos, is available here.
![]()
EWTN will be airing Episode 3 of Extraordinary Faith on all of their international English program feeds on Monday, December 15 at 3:00 AM & 6:30 PM Eastern time in the U.S. and Canada. Live streaming is available for free on EWTN's website.
UK & Ireland: 2:00 AM, 10:30 AM, & 9:00 PM
Africa/Asia: 3 airings; see EWTN's page for your time zone
Asia-Pacific: 2 airings; see EWTN's page for your time zone
More information on the episode, including behind-the-scenes photos, is available here.
↧
↧
Announcing Sacra Liturgia USA 2015! June 1-4 in New York
I am delighted to be able to announce the locations, speakers (among which are numbered several NLM contributors), topics, and liturgical plans for Sacra Liturgia USA 2015, to be held in New York June 1-4, 2015.
contact@sacraliturgiausa.org
From June 1-4, 2015, an international conference on liturgical formation in light of the new evangelization will be held in New York, under the title:
SACRA LITURGIA USA 2015
CULMEN ET FONS VITÆ ET MISSIONIS ECCLESIÆ
CULMEN ET FONS VITÆ ET MISSIONIS ECCLESIÆ
Continuing the initiative of Sacra Liturgia 2013, organized by Bishop Dominique Rey (Fréjus-Toulon, France) in Rome, this conference seeks to support the Church’s saving evangelistic and catechetical mission, as well as the continued revitalization of the liturgical life of the Church, especially in the United States.
The sacred liturgy plays a central, vital role in the new evangelization, attracting souls to the heart of Christ and His Church. For the baptized, the sacred liturgy resides at the heart of the Christian faith and life — indeed it is the “source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.” As Bishop Rey stated at the opening of the 2013 conference in Rome, “The sacred liturgy is not a hobby for specialists. It is central to all our endeavors as disciples of Jesus Christ. This profound reality cannot be overemphasized. We must recognize the primacy of grace in our Christian life and work, and we must respect the reality that in this life the optimal encounter with Christ is in the Sacred Liturgy.”
The conference brings together a wide range of renowned international speakers including Raymond Cardinal Burke; Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (San Francisco); Dom Phillip Anderson, OSB (Abbot of Clear Creek Monastery); and Dom Alcuin Reid (Monastère Saint-Benoît, Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France); among others. See the appendix for a complete list of speakers and topics.
Topics addressed at the conference will range from broad subjects like the relationship between liturgy and culture, Catholic identity, youth, the arts, and Catholic education to specific questions like the mid-20th-century changes to Holy Week and the post-Vatican-II reform of the calendar and lectionary. Lectures will take place at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues) which is conveniently located at a subway stop.
The conference lectures will be augmented by working sessions for those in Catholic higher education. Sponsored by The Cardinal Newman Society, the sessions will facilitate a conversation about renewing the liturgical life of Catholic colleges and universities to support the intellectual and moral formation of students and faculty in the Faith.
At the heart of the conference are the liturgical celebrations. There will be Solemn Vespers in the usus antiquior, a Sung Mass in the Dominican rite, and Solemn Pontifical Masses in the usus recentior and usus antiquior. The Solemn Pontifical Mass in the usus antiquior on the feast of Corpus Christi, celebrated on Thursday, June 4th, will be followed by a Eucharistic procession in the streets of New York. Liturgies will be held at the Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (411 E 68th Street), a beautiful Dominican parish on the Upper East Side.
With the prestigious lineup of speakers, as well as the beautiful liturgies planned, those attending the conference will come away with a rich experience of the intellectual heritage and liturgical life of the Catholic faith. The serious intellectual inquiry into the sacred liturgy will prove fruitful for both academics and laymen alike. Attendees will meet Catholics from all over the world, and be afforded the opportunity to build good working relationships with others of those seeking to deepen their love of Christ through the Church’s liturgy, and to continue their work for liturgical renewal.
Approximately 300 participants are expected. Registrations for the whole conference will open on January 1, 2015, and part-time registrations will be possible beginning at Easter. More information about registration, affordable housing, and locations is available at the conference website: www.sacraliturgiausa.org.
The conference is being organized by Rev. Richard Cipolla, Ph.D., D. Phil (Oxon.) and Jennifer Donelson, D.M.A. Media inquiries may be made to contact@sacraliturgiausa.org.
The organizers are grateful to His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan for his kind permission to hold this conference in the Archdiocese of New York, as well as the gracious welcome of the Dominican friars and staff at Saint Catherine of Siena Church. This event could not take place without the generous support of the conference sponsors: the Knights of Columbus, The Cardinal Newman Society, de Montfort Music, Regina Magazine, Granda, Cantica Nova Publications, the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, and the Church of Saint Catherine of Siena.
Speakers and Topics
Dom Phillip Anderson, OSB (Clear Creek Abbey)
Living the Liturgy: The Monastic Contribution to Liturgical Renewal
Raymond Cardinal Burke
Beauty in the Sacred Liturgy and the Beauty of a Holy Life
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (San Francisco)
Liturgical Leadership in a Secular Society: A Bishop’s Perspective
Rev. Dr. Richard Cipolla (St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, Connecticut)
Liturgy as the Source of Priestly Identity
Dr. Jennifer Donelson (St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York)
Addressing the Triumph of Bad Taste: Church Patronage of Art, Architecture, and Music
Rev. Dr. Matthew Ernest (St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York)
The Formation of Priests in the “Spirit and Power of the Liturgy” (SC 14): An Assessment of the Implementation of the Constitution and Proposals for the Liturgical Formation of Priests in the 21st Century
Dr. Michael Foley (Baylor University, Waco, Texas)
The Reform of the Liturgical Calendar: The Reduction of Recapitulation
Mr. Gregory Glenn (Madeleine Choir School, Salt Lake City, Utah)
Liturgical Music is Non-negotiable
Dr. Margaret Hughes (Mount Saint Vincent University, New York)
Beauty as Educative?: Liturgy, Evangelization, and Catechesis
Rev. Thomas Kocik (St. Anne’s Parish, Fall River, Massachusetts)
The Reform of the Reform
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (Wyoming Catholic College)
The Reform of the Lectionary
Mr. Matthew Menendez (Juventutem Boston)
Youth and the Liturgy
Dr. Lauren Pristas (Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey)
The Reform of Liturgical Texts of Principal Feast Days (Collects)
Rev. Dr. Dom Alcuin Reid (Monastère Saint-Benoît, Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France)
Holy Week Reforms Revisited
Rev. Dr. Christopher Smith (Prince of Peace Parish, Taylors, South Carolina)
Liturgical Formation and Catholic Identity
Rev. Dr. Allan White, OP (Catholic Center at New York University)
Liturgical Preaching
![]()
![]()
Living the Liturgy: The Monastic Contribution to Liturgical Renewal
Raymond Cardinal Burke
Beauty in the Sacred Liturgy and the Beauty of a Holy Life
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (San Francisco)
Liturgical Leadership in a Secular Society: A Bishop’s Perspective
Rev. Dr. Richard Cipolla (St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, Connecticut)
Liturgy as the Source of Priestly Identity
Dr. Jennifer Donelson (St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York)
Addressing the Triumph of Bad Taste: Church Patronage of Art, Architecture, and Music
Rev. Dr. Matthew Ernest (St. Joseph’s Seminary, New York)
The Formation of Priests in the “Spirit and Power of the Liturgy” (SC 14): An Assessment of the Implementation of the Constitution and Proposals for the Liturgical Formation of Priests in the 21st Century
Dr. Michael Foley (Baylor University, Waco, Texas)
The Reform of the Liturgical Calendar: The Reduction of Recapitulation
Mr. Gregory Glenn (Madeleine Choir School, Salt Lake City, Utah)
Liturgical Music is Non-negotiable
Dr. Margaret Hughes (Mount Saint Vincent University, New York)
Beauty as Educative?: Liturgy, Evangelization, and Catechesis
Rev. Thomas Kocik (St. Anne’s Parish, Fall River, Massachusetts)
The Reform of the Reform
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (Wyoming Catholic College)
The Reform of the Lectionary
Mr. Matthew Menendez (Juventutem Boston)
Youth and the Liturgy
Dr. Lauren Pristas (Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey)
The Reform of Liturgical Texts of Principal Feast Days (Collects)
Rev. Dr. Dom Alcuin Reid (Monastère Saint-Benoît, Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France)
Holy Week Reforms Revisited
Rev. Dr. Christopher Smith (Prince of Peace Parish, Taylors, South Carolina)
Liturgical Formation and Catholic Identity
Rev. Dr. Allan White, OP (Catholic Center at New York University)
Liturgical Preaching
↧
Message of Bishop Dominique Rey on the Announcement of Sacra Liturgia USA 2015
 |
| Photo © CNA Petrik Bohumil |
Toulon, France – 8th December 2014
Bishop Dominique Rey, Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon, France, has welcomed the announcement of Sacra Liturgia USA 2015. “I am delighted at this initiative, which we began in Rome with Sacra Liturgia 2013, and which continues the work of fostering a greater appreciation of the fundamental role of liturgical formation and celebration for the mission of the Church in the twenty-first century,” he said.
“As the Second Vatican Council taught, ‘the Sacred Liturgy is the source and summit of life and mission of the Church.’ Our first duty is the worship of Almighty God. Thus, if unjustly we do not give the liturgy its primary place in Christian life or if our liturgical celebrations are somehow not as they should be, the New Evangelisation will be impeded. The urgent work of bringing people to Christ, or of bringing them back to the practice of their Catholic faith, will suffer. That is why we must begin with getting right liturgical formation and celebration,” Bishop Rey continued.
“I am profoundly grateful to His Eminence, Cardinal Dolan, for so readily welcoming Sacra Liturgia USA 2015 to the Archdiocese of New York,” Bishop Rey said, “and to the organisers and speakers who have already done so much to prepare what will be an important opportunity for liturgical formation for all involved in the Church’s ministry.”
“May God bless this new Sacra Liturgia initiative. May it bear much fruit in the United States of America, and beyond!”
↧
All-or-Nothing vs. “Progressive Solemnity”: A Response
A response to Fr. Kocik's post.
I understand the concept of what it intended to do. In theory, it would enable a parish to have more liturgical singing, for example, a priest singing all the dialogues and his prayers, even if a choir or cantor could not be present. Or it could allow a congregation to chant the ordinary (in addition to the priest chanting his parts), even if a cantor capable of chanting propers could not be present. In other words, it would allow the Sung Mass model (that is, the ideal) to be more widely used, in situations where it would have been otherwise impractical or impossible in the Extraordinary Form, where a sung Mass cannot be celebrated without a cantor capable of chanting the propers of the Mass. In other words, Progressive Solemnity should enable Masses to be generally celebrated in a more ideal manner, bringing things higher and closer to the ideal of a sung liturgy.
However, it has had the exact opposite effect in almost every case. Instead of allowing priests to bring things closer to the ideal and to sing more, it lead to a widespread laziness where singing the actual Mass itself has become quite a rare thing. The allowance to sing every prayer or a minimal number of prayers has caused most priests to sing very minimally (if they follow the rubrics) or even none (if they ignore them), effectively annihilating the sung Mass from use in most parishes. Human nature being what it is, we often need rules to keep us on the straight and narrow.
Was progressive solemnity a good idea to try? I think so. Was it successful in enabling more singing? Absolutely not.![]()
One of the biggest liturgical shifts following the council was the breakdown of clear lines between the High Mass (everything audible sung) and Low Mass (nothing sung). Like many of the things that came as a part of the council's liturgical reforms, I think they may have been meant well, but in practice, has failed spectacularly.
I understand the concept of what it intended to do. In theory, it would enable a parish to have more liturgical singing, for example, a priest singing all the dialogues and his prayers, even if a choir or cantor could not be present. Or it could allow a congregation to chant the ordinary (in addition to the priest chanting his parts), even if a cantor capable of chanting propers could not be present. In other words, it would allow the Sung Mass model (that is, the ideal) to be more widely used, in situations where it would have been otherwise impractical or impossible in the Extraordinary Form, where a sung Mass cannot be celebrated without a cantor capable of chanting the propers of the Mass. In other words, Progressive Solemnity should enable Masses to be generally celebrated in a more ideal manner, bringing things higher and closer to the ideal of a sung liturgy.
However, it has had the exact opposite effect in almost every case. Instead of allowing priests to bring things closer to the ideal and to sing more, it lead to a widespread laziness where singing the actual Mass itself has become quite a rare thing. The allowance to sing every prayer or a minimal number of prayers has caused most priests to sing very minimally (if they follow the rubrics) or even none (if they ignore them), effectively annihilating the sung Mass from use in most parishes. Human nature being what it is, we often need rules to keep us on the straight and narrow.
Was progressive solemnity a good idea to try? I think so. Was it successful in enabling more singing? Absolutely not.
↧
Review of The Holy Gospels of St. Luke and St. John
Could someone tell me what’s in the air? Even as there seems to be so much confusion in the Church and disarray in the passing on of the authentic faith, the number of beautiful resources for Catholics continues to increase and diversify (recently, I reviewed the book Treasure and Tradition, one of the most magnificent works of its kind that I’ve ever seen). So, too, with this new Sacred Art Series. The goals are spelled out by the editor William R. Bloomfield, who writes at their website:
The Sacred Art Series provides a variety of products featuring beautiful images of sacred art to help families and individuals grow in holiness. The centerpiece of the Sacred Art Series is The Holy Gospels of St. Luke and St. John, which is a unique version of the Gospels that presents the Gospels story-by-story alongside beautiful images of sacred art. It also is beautifully bound with a leatherette cover so that both the exterior and interior of this book are stunning.(Far below, I have included a photograph of the volume’s full Preface, which gives more details about the project’s genesis and purpose. My apologies that the photos are not the crispest ever; the printing is, in fact, extremely crisp and clear.)
Both children and adults will appreciate the large font, story-by-story format, and beautiful images as improving readability. The English edition’s text is based on the Challoner revision of the Douay-Rheims translation--an excellent Catholic translation--with minor updates to remove most thee’s, thou’s, thy’s, and -eth endings. A Latin Vulgate Edition is also available. The art includes exquisite works of sacred art, with many from master artists such as Fra Angelico, Caravaggio, Duccio, Giotto, Murillo, and Titian.
A volume of the Sacred Art Series makes an excellent First Communion or Confirmation gift. It also makes a great birthday, feast day, or Christmas gift for your children, godchildren, nieces, or nephews. And unlike many bibles that are gifted (which are really adult bibles and are often for show), this one is truly designed to be read.
My photos don’t really do it justice, but they will give you a sense of how Bloomfield has made a reader’s Bible that is both maximally useful and unquestionably beautiful. As a teacher of Scripture, I can testify that Bloomfield is right to say that beginning readers are often distracted and discouraged by the unfriendly layout of most Bibles, with their tiny print, dual columns, chapter and verse numbers, footnotes, and other paraphernalia that almost amount to a warning: “This book that you are now holding is an old, technical, difficult, forbidding tome that you can’t just open up and enjoy reading. Think twice before diving in.” This new book has just the opposite effect: you want to take it up and read it as the story that it is -- the greatest story ever told.
Parents, teachers, catechists, pastors, lectio divina enthusiasts -- whoever you may be: look into this Bible and see if it might not be the missing edition we have been waiting for. A last piece of good news: Bloomfield Books says they will be bringing out other companion volumes done in the same careful, thoughtful, and artistic manner. May God bless you richly in this literary apostolate!
Also, be sure to check out their other available product, the Rosary Flip-Book, an excellent resource for any family trying to pray the Rosary while keeping little ones occupied and/or older ones meditating rather than day-dreaming. I have included a few photos of this product below.
Buy The Holy Gospels of St. Luke and St. John at Amazon.com
↧
↧
New York's New St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians - Educating Those Working for the Church
How does one work for excellent music in the parish? One answer is to educate those working for the Church as musicians in the principles of sacred music and liturgy.
A few months ago, I announced the inaugural academic year of the St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians, a new initiative of the Office of Liturgy in the Archdiocese of New York, offered through St. Joseph's Seminary (Dunwoodie) in Yonkers. The initiative, brought about through the work of the director of the Office of Liturgy, Fr. Matthew Ernest, is afour-course, fully accredited program offered through St. Joseph’s Seminary in the field of liturgical music for the purpose of introducing musicians to the history, theology, and pastoral principles of liturgy and sacred music.
As Mary Jane Ballou puts it in her interview with Fr. Ernest in the upcoming issue of Sacred Music—
The new St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians is an ambitious program, aimed at “the troops in the trenches” — parish music directors.
The course offerings are:
- Introduction to Liturgy (3 credits)
- Liturgical Music: History of Sacred Music, Principles of Sacred Music,Liturgical Music Planning (3 credits)
- Liturgical Year/Art and Environment in Worship (3 credits)
- Principles of Chant – Theory and Practicum (3 credits)
As the new Director of Sacred Music and associate professor at St. Joseph's, I'll be teaching the course this spring semester—Liturgical Music: History of Sacred Music, Principles of Sacred Music, Liturgical Music Planning. The course is offered on Monday nights at both the Yonkers location (Dunwoodie, in-person) and Huntington (Long Island, remote conferencing).
There is a 50% discount on seminary tuition for those music directors sponsored by their parishes.
Why does the Academy exist? Here's what Fr. Ernest had to say in his interview:
In the New York area, some parishes are able to hire trained musicians as parish music directors. Other parishes rely on dedicated volunteers to provide music ministry. While these individuals are talented musicians, they often come to these positions, both salaried and unsalaried, with limited or no formation in the principles of liturgy and sacred music. For many years, there has not been a comprehensive formation program for pastoral musicians offered in the greater New York area. Numerous requests have been made by pastors of the archdiocese for a program wherein musicians can receive the education they need to effectively serve as pastoral musicians. With the support of Cardinal Dolan, the staff of the archdiocese’s Office of Liturgy and the faculty of St. Joseph’s Seminary began to discuss ways in which this need could be met in our area. The result of these discussions is the St. Cecilia Academy.While classes in the spring will be term-length, on-ground classes, the Academy is looking forward to diversifying its offerings and modes/formats of delivery/scheduling.
In the short term, I look forward to our summer chant intensive, which will offer a week-long, three-credit introduction to the history, spirituality, and reading of chant. Currently, we are looking to accommodate those interested students who live outside of our area and who may wish to travel to New York for this course. It is anticipated that this kind of outreach to musicians outside the tri-state area will continue through online offerings.
With respect to more long-range plans, I would like to see any expansion of the academy always retain a focus on educating and assisting parish musicians in their crucial work of leading the People of God in sung prayer. I believe that the academy’s success and future offerings should be evaluated primarily by the quality of sacred music and worship provided by our graduates in their parishes. With this in mind, it is my hope that the academy’s offerings can have a direct and positive impact on the life of the church in New York.
I am excited to begin my work at Dunwoodie and look forward to helping musicians offer their best work to the Church and to Our Lord through excellent and beautiful music for the liturgy.
For more information about the St. Cecilia Academy, go to www.nyliturgy.org or send an email to liturgy@archny.org.
![]()
![]()
For more information about the St. Cecilia Academy, go to www.nyliturgy.org or send an email to liturgy@archny.org.
↧
The Feast of Pope St Damasus I
Today is the feast of Pope St Damasus I, who elected in October of 366, at roughly the age of 60, and died on this day in 384. His family was of Spanish descent, but he himself was born in Rome, and served as deacon at the church of St Lawrence Outside-the-Walls. He was elected to the papacy in the midst of controversy, since a small group of the clergy supported another candidate, Ursicinus; the followers of this schism seized control of the Liberian Basilica (now St Mary Major), and could only be repressed with violence, and the exile of the anti-Pope.
St Damasus was a strenuous defender of the orthodox Christian faith, holding synods in Rome to condemn the heresies of Macedonius and Apollinaris, sending legates to the First Council of Constantinople, and excommunicating the Arian bishop of Milan, Auxentius, who was later succeeded by St Ambrose. It was at his behest that St Jerome revised the Latin text of the Gospels, and it is in a letter to him that Jerome famously describes the need for such a revision by saying, “There are as many versions (of the Bible) as there are copies.” St Jerome is traditionally represented as a cardinal because of the time he spent in Rome as Damasus’ secretary.
Pope Damasus is today venerated also as the patron Saint of archeologists, and particularly those who work in the field of early Christian archeology, because of his great encouragement of devotion to the Roman martyrs, and his efforts to preserve their memories. He built a church in honor of St Lawrence within his own house in the center of Rome, now known as “San Lorenzo in Damaso”, and also a shrine at the Catacomb of St Sebastian, where the bodies of Ss Peter and Paul were once kept, and the baptistery of the ancient basilica of St Peter. Within many of the Roman catacombs, he had the areas around the martyrs’ graves reworked to make them easier for pilgrims to find and more accessible.
He also decorated the graves of many martyrs with epitaphs, composed by himself, and carved into marble with a special kind of lettering invented for the purpose. This font, in which the bars of the letters are alternately thick and thin, with curves serifs at the corners, is known as either “Philocalian” lettering from its inventor, a friend of his named Furius Dionysius Filocalus, or “Damasian” after himself. We have a total of about 70 of these inscriptions; about 40 of the originals are preserved, while the rest are recorded in various sources, although the stones themselves have been lost.
One of the best preserved of these is at the church of St Agnes Outside-the-Walls on the Via Nomentana, the high altar of which sits over her gravesite. As seen in the photograph below, only the upper left corner is missing.
![]()
After recounting the martyrdom and burial of St Agnes, (including the story that when her clothes were torn off, her hair miraculously grew to cover her) the final line asks the “renowned martyr to favor the prayers of Damasus”. These inscriptions are particularly valuable witnesses to the authenticity of various martyrs, and the liturgical devotion paid to them, since we know that Pope Damasus took care to inform himself about the martyrdoms as best he could. At the grave of Ss Peter and Marcellinus, who were killed in the persecution of Diocletian in 304 A.D., he placed an epitaph in which he gives the story of their death, and then notes that he learned the details when he was a boy by interviewing the martyrs’ own executioner. Being himself born in the very heart of the persecution, and therefore a young cleric in Rome in the early years of the peace of the Church, he must also have known people who had witnessed the martyrdoms of Ss Agnes, John and Paul, and Sebastian, just to name a few.
St Damasus was a strenuous defender of the orthodox Christian faith, holding synods in Rome to condemn the heresies of Macedonius and Apollinaris, sending legates to the First Council of Constantinople, and excommunicating the Arian bishop of Milan, Auxentius, who was later succeeded by St Ambrose. It was at his behest that St Jerome revised the Latin text of the Gospels, and it is in a letter to him that Jerome famously describes the need for such a revision by saying, “There are as many versions (of the Bible) as there are copies.” St Jerome is traditionally represented as a cardinal because of the time he spent in Rome as Damasus’ secretary.
 |
| St Jerome in His Study, Antonio da Fabriano, 1451. |
 |
| The Basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso |
One of the best preserved of these is at the church of St Agnes Outside-the-Walls on the Via Nomentana, the high altar of which sits over her gravesite. As seen in the photograph below, only the upper left corner is missing.
After recounting the martyrdom and burial of St Agnes, (including the story that when her clothes were torn off, her hair miraculously grew to cover her) the final line asks the “renowned martyr to favor the prayers of Damasus”. These inscriptions are particularly valuable witnesses to the authenticity of various martyrs, and the liturgical devotion paid to them, since we know that Pope Damasus took care to inform himself about the martyrdoms as best he could. At the grave of Ss Peter and Marcellinus, who were killed in the persecution of Diocletian in 304 A.D., he placed an epitaph in which he gives the story of their death, and then notes that he learned the details when he was a boy by interviewing the martyrs’ own executioner. Being himself born in the very heart of the persecution, and therefore a young cleric in Rome in the early years of the peace of the Church, he must also have known people who had witnessed the martyrdoms of Ss Agnes, John and Paul, and Sebastian, just to name a few.
↧
New Coloring Book for Children on the Sacred Heart of Jesus
This is a book intended to help teach about this great Catholic devotion. One hopes also that it might reawaken an interest in a few of the grown up parents as well as their children! It is written by Dr William Fahey, president of Thomas More College of Liberal Arts and who has dedicated the college to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Illustrations are by myself.
Devotions are very important in the Catholic lexicon of prayer and they play a large part in forming the culture of faith which is the springboard of all culture. A well balanced prayer life has liturgical piety at its heart, but has also-liturgical prayer, devotional prayer and personal prayer. The non-liturgical elements should be ordered so that in the prayer life of the person, each relates to the other and each is derived from and points to this liturgical center. In this way they act as another part of that spiritual bridge between Sacred Liturgy and those aspects of liturgy, considered in its broadest meaning - completing the work of God, which involve love of God through love of neighbor.
↧
Dominican Rite Solemn Mass, December 8, Portland OR
A Solemn High Mass according to the Dominican Rite was celebrated by the friars of Holy Rosary Church in Portland, Oregon--a ministry of the Western Dominican Province (Most Holy Name of Jesus).
The celebrant was Fr. Stephen Maria Lopez, O.P., Prior of the Dominican community. Fr. Vincent M. Kelber, O.P., Pastor, and Br. Andrew Dominic Yang, O.P., served as deacon and subdeacon, respectively. The homily was preached by Fr. Dismas Sayre, O.P., parochial vicar of the parish.
Music was sung by Cantores in Ecclesia under the direction of Blake Applegate: Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd, Ave Maria by Josquin de Prez, and the Gregorian Chant Propers.
For more photos from the Mass, visit our parish Facebook page. The next Dominican Rite Mass at Holy Rosary Church will be on Christmas Day at 11:00 a.m.
I thank Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., for this report and photos.![]()
The celebrant was Fr. Stephen Maria Lopez, O.P., Prior of the Dominican community. Fr. Vincent M. Kelber, O.P., Pastor, and Br. Andrew Dominic Yang, O.P., served as deacon and subdeacon, respectively. The homily was preached by Fr. Dismas Sayre, O.P., parochial vicar of the parish.
Music was sung by Cantores in Ecclesia under the direction of Blake Applegate: Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd, Ave Maria by Josquin de Prez, and the Gregorian Chant Propers.
 |
| Credo |
 |
| Kissing the Pax tablet |
 |
| Elevation of the Host |
I thank Fr. Vincent Kelber, O.P., for this report and photos.
↧
↧
Epiphany Lessons & Carols in London
Looking ahead to Epiphany, the annual Friends of the Ordinariate Epiphany Service of Lessons and Carols followed by Benediction will take place on Thursday 8 January 2015 (6.30pm) at the church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory (Warwick Street, London, W1).
The service will be led by Mgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and lessons will be read by guest readers, including the former Cabinet minister, Lord Deben, and the Superior of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother Winsome.
Music, provided by the acclaimed Schola Cantorum of The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School (which we featured in a recent article here) will include The Lamb by John Tavener, The Three Kings by Peter Cornelius and Morten Lauridsen's setting of O Magnum Mysterium.
Refreshments will be served after the Service and a collection will be taken for the work of the Friends of the Ordinariate.
The annual Epiphany Service is always a very popular event, and all are most welcome.
![]()
![]()
The service will be led by Mgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and lessons will be read by guest readers, including the former Cabinet minister, Lord Deben, and the Superior of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother Winsome.
Music, provided by the acclaimed Schola Cantorum of The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School (which we featured in a recent article here) will include The Lamb by John Tavener, The Three Kings by Peter Cornelius and Morten Lauridsen's setting of O Magnum Mysterium.
Refreshments will be served after the Service and a collection will be taken for the work of the Friends of the Ordinariate.
The annual Epiphany Service is always a very popular event, and all are most welcome.
↧
Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis - A Review by Dom Alcuin Reid
I would like to personally thank Dom Alcuin for offering to NLM this review of Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis: Sacred Liturgy, the Traditional Latin Mass, and Renewal in the Church, by our contributor Dr Peter Kwasniewski of Wyoming Catholic College, now available from Angelico Press.
![]()
Following the recent appointment of the new Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, the American commentator Rocco Palmo suggested that, as a result, the Congregation was now likely to “hew closer to [Pope] Francis’ own liturgical approach.” Palmo continued: ”As one op summarized its principles: ‘Go by the book. Don't make a fuss about it. And remember that liturgy’s always a means to an end—not an end in itself.’” Whether Palmo is in fact correct about the Holy Father’s approach is by no means clear. I suspect that he is doing the Pope a disservice—after all, to borrow a phrase from Mark Francis CSV, Pope Francis “is not a trained liturgist.”
Be that as it may, what is much more significant is Palmo’s blithe assertion that making a fuss about the liturgy is inappropriate, and that the liturgy is always a means to an end, not an end in itself, for this simply casts aside the fact that our first duty, in justice, is the worship of Almighty God. The first commandment of the Decalogue, the Rule of St Benedict, the teaching of St Thomas Aquinas and the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, amongst others, make this perfectly clear. So does the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “God’s first call and just demand is that man accept him and worship him” (n. 2084).
Certainly, the Council teaches that the Sacred Liturgy is the source and summit of the Church’s life and mission (SC 10), and that the “liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church” (SC 9). Nevertheless, the Sacred Liturgy enjoys priority. It has a literally fundamental place in Christian life. As the Council states: “no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree” (SC 7). Indeed, the Council teaches that the “the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord’s supper” (SC 10).
Let us be clear: according to the Second Vatican Council (and two millennia of Catholic tradition leading up to it) apostolic works are not ends in themselves, but are a means to bring people to the optimal worship of Almighty God in His Church. The worship of God is the end of Christian life, and we realize this ecclesially, liturgically. Christian faith is not a form of social activism; it is an essentially cultic relationship with the person of Jesus Christ living and acting in His Church today in and through the Sacred Liturgy. To be a Christian is to be called to full participation in the Sacred Liturgy in this life and to rejoice in the heavenly liturgy in the next. To obscure or to forget this is to reduce Christianity to a mere proponent of humanitarian welfare—an NGO. Indeed, to deny the fundamental primacy of the Sacred Liturgy for all Christian life—to regard it as a mere means to an end—is, perhaps, to give life to what may well be called the anti-liturgical heresy of the early 21st century.
You do not have to be a trained liturgist to recognize this, as Cardinal Ratzinger demonstrated when he wrote in 1997 that “the true celebration of the Sacred Liturgy is the center of any renewal of the Church whatever,” and when, as Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 he promulgated the Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis and the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. In his letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum, which established the right of all to the free use of the pre-conciliar liturgy, he spoke of the need “of coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church,” and asked his brother bishops to “generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.”
Peter Kwasniewski understands the place of the liturgy in the life of the Church; equally he is in no doubt about the profound crisis affecting not only the perception of its nature, but also about the crisis that has followed on from its reform following the Council in both its official (on paper, in Latin) forms and in the widespread and sometimes mutant applications of these. His premise—of the existence of a crisis—is tenable, surely, if we but reflect on the fact that the majority of Catholics do not regularly participate in any liturgical rite ever. They simply stay away. The reformed liturgy has neither retained them, nor has it brought them back to their first duty—the worship of Almighty God. Certainly, the greater proportion of Western Catholics who do worship regularly do so according to some interpretation of the reformed rites, but this is but part of a small fraction.
Yes, the Western Catholic Church is in crisis and whilst there may be many factors contributing to this, the liturgy produced following the Second Vatican Council has neither prevented nor sufficiently addressed it. In the midst of this crisis Kwasniewski underlines the importance of the resurgence of the usus antiquior—the more ancient use of the Roman rite—for the life of the Church in the twenty-first century, and of the necessity of celebrating the modern rights in a manner that is consciously in continuity with it.
A collection of essays published over a number of years, Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis succinctly examines liturgical formation and education, the effect of the liturgical reform on ecumenism, liturgical language, the necessity of solemnity, concelebration and private Masses, the vernacular and much, much more. Kwasniewski challenges much of what we might call (recently) ‘established’ liturgical wisdom in a manner which is both insightful and educative:
Let it be said that Kwasniewski is no uncritical traditionalist who draws a line beyond which no liturgical reform or development is possible. Indeed, his consideration of the ways in which the scriptural readings of the 1962 Missale Romanum could profitably be augmented betokens sensitivity and insight (pp. 129-30). So too, a good deal of his critique could serve to inform the much-needed reform of the reformed rites (the validity of which rites he explicitly accepts).
In response to the crisis he so clearly identifies Kwasniewski calls on pastors and all who are able urgently “to heal the wounds exactly where the blows have fallen.” This, he argues, “must consist of, or at least necessarily involve: 1. The restoration of the traditional liturgy. 2. The proclamation of Catholic social teaching in its fullness. 3. The reestablishment of St Thomas as Common Doctor” (p. 195). His appreciation of the integrated religious, social and political value of traditional Corpus Christi procession serves as an instructive example of what needs to be done (pp. 193-94). As we self-consciously busy ourselves with the urgent task of evangelization, ‘new’ or ‘old’, we would do well to take time to ensure that we have understood the nature and extent of this crisis and the content and sources of the remedy the author proposes.
Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis is powerful, persuasive and pulls no punches. It is the cry of a layman—a husband and a father—who has lived in different parts of the Western Church these past decades, who has suffered many and varied interpretations of the new liturgical rites and who knows only too well the difficulty so many have in simply obtaining regular access to the usus antiquior, or even the modern liturgy celebrated faithfully and fully. Kwasniewski writes with moral certainty that the wider celebration of the older liturgical rites are key to the life and mission of the Church in our day and argues his case articulately and with intellectual rigor. Certainly there are some instances where his references could be expanded, etc., and there is much room for further discussion on much of what is said, but I challenge any of those who regard the post-Vatican II liturgical forms as exclusively normative to study this book with an open mind and not be changed as a result. Kwasniewski certainly uses strong language in arguing his case, but when grave danger confronts one’s family, what father will not employ all of his strength in their defence?
Dom Alcuin Reid is a monk of the Monastère Saint-Benoît, in the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France, and editor of Sacred Liturgy: The Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church, published by Ignatius Press.
Be that as it may, what is much more significant is Palmo’s blithe assertion that making a fuss about the liturgy is inappropriate, and that the liturgy is always a means to an end, not an end in itself, for this simply casts aside the fact that our first duty, in justice, is the worship of Almighty God. The first commandment of the Decalogue, the Rule of St Benedict, the teaching of St Thomas Aquinas and the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, amongst others, make this perfectly clear. So does the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “God’s first call and just demand is that man accept him and worship him” (n. 2084).
Certainly, the Council teaches that the Sacred Liturgy is the source and summit of the Church’s life and mission (SC 10), and that the “liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church” (SC 9). Nevertheless, the Sacred Liturgy enjoys priority. It has a literally fundamental place in Christian life. As the Council states: “no other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree” (SC 7). Indeed, the Council teaches that the “the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord’s supper” (SC 10).
Let us be clear: according to the Second Vatican Council (and two millennia of Catholic tradition leading up to it) apostolic works are not ends in themselves, but are a means to bring people to the optimal worship of Almighty God in His Church. The worship of God is the end of Christian life, and we realize this ecclesially, liturgically. Christian faith is not a form of social activism; it is an essentially cultic relationship with the person of Jesus Christ living and acting in His Church today in and through the Sacred Liturgy. To be a Christian is to be called to full participation in the Sacred Liturgy in this life and to rejoice in the heavenly liturgy in the next. To obscure or to forget this is to reduce Christianity to a mere proponent of humanitarian welfare—an NGO. Indeed, to deny the fundamental primacy of the Sacred Liturgy for all Christian life—to regard it as a mere means to an end—is, perhaps, to give life to what may well be called the anti-liturgical heresy of the early 21st century.
You do not have to be a trained liturgist to recognize this, as Cardinal Ratzinger demonstrated when he wrote in 1997 that “the true celebration of the Sacred Liturgy is the center of any renewal of the Church whatever,” and when, as Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 he promulgated the Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis and the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum. In his letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum, which established the right of all to the free use of the pre-conciliar liturgy, he spoke of the need “of coming to an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church,” and asked his brother bishops to “generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.”
Peter Kwasniewski understands the place of the liturgy in the life of the Church; equally he is in no doubt about the profound crisis affecting not only the perception of its nature, but also about the crisis that has followed on from its reform following the Council in both its official (on paper, in Latin) forms and in the widespread and sometimes mutant applications of these. His premise—of the existence of a crisis—is tenable, surely, if we but reflect on the fact that the majority of Catholics do not regularly participate in any liturgical rite ever. They simply stay away. The reformed liturgy has neither retained them, nor has it brought them back to their first duty—the worship of Almighty God. Certainly, the greater proportion of Western Catholics who do worship regularly do so according to some interpretation of the reformed rites, but this is but part of a small fraction.
Yes, the Western Catholic Church is in crisis and whilst there may be many factors contributing to this, the liturgy produced following the Second Vatican Council has neither prevented nor sufficiently addressed it. In the midst of this crisis Kwasniewski underlines the importance of the resurgence of the usus antiquior—the more ancient use of the Roman rite—for the life of the Church in the twenty-first century, and of the necessity of celebrating the modern rights in a manner that is consciously in continuity with it.
A collection of essays published over a number of years, Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis succinctly examines liturgical formation and education, the effect of the liturgical reform on ecumenism, liturgical language, the necessity of solemnity, concelebration and private Masses, the vernacular and much, much more. Kwasniewski challenges much of what we might call (recently) ‘established’ liturgical wisdom in a manner which is both insightful and educative:
The ultimate ‘children’s Mass’—and I mean for everyone, from the wee lad to the ancient, who seeks to live out the vocation of spiritual childhood, not for those who remain (or who would have others remain) locked at a childish stage of human development—is a Tridentine Mass with all the stops pulled, thundering orthodoxy and whispering mystery to all present. If you want a church full of Catholics who know their faith, love their faith and practice their faith, give them a liturgy that is demanding, profound, and rigorous. They will rise to the challenge (p. 27).His consideration of the nature of liturgical participation and its modern misinterpretation is penetrating:
The call for the laity to ‘participate’ arose because of the deleterious influence that the devotio moderna had on liturgical life, coupled with an approach to liturgy that emphasized the juridical over the artistic, the utilitarian over the aesthetic. If genuine participation was sometimes poor prior to Vatican II, the post-Vatican II liturgical reformers erred grievously by seeking to achieve participation through the deconstruction and minimalization of the liturgy. Many of them appeared to understand active participation to mean doing something: singing, reading, helping out with the distribution of Holy Communion. A premium was placed on the doing, even when it meant making the liturgy banal and simplistic to assure that such participation could be actually realised (pp. 122-23).Whereas, Kwasniewski asserts: “Man’s highest activity is the silent contemplation of divine reality through the power of his mind elevated by grace, and this is the activity toward which the liturgy should be leading all of us” (p. 122).
Let it be said that Kwasniewski is no uncritical traditionalist who draws a line beyond which no liturgical reform or development is possible. Indeed, his consideration of the ways in which the scriptural readings of the 1962 Missale Romanum could profitably be augmented betokens sensitivity and insight (pp. 129-30). So too, a good deal of his critique could serve to inform the much-needed reform of the reformed rites (the validity of which rites he explicitly accepts).
In response to the crisis he so clearly identifies Kwasniewski calls on pastors and all who are able urgently “to heal the wounds exactly where the blows have fallen.” This, he argues, “must consist of, or at least necessarily involve: 1. The restoration of the traditional liturgy. 2. The proclamation of Catholic social teaching in its fullness. 3. The reestablishment of St Thomas as Common Doctor” (p. 195). His appreciation of the integrated religious, social and political value of traditional Corpus Christi procession serves as an instructive example of what needs to be done (pp. 193-94). As we self-consciously busy ourselves with the urgent task of evangelization, ‘new’ or ‘old’, we would do well to take time to ensure that we have understood the nature and extent of this crisis and the content and sources of the remedy the author proposes.
Resurgent in the Midst of Crisis is powerful, persuasive and pulls no punches. It is the cry of a layman—a husband and a father—who has lived in different parts of the Western Church these past decades, who has suffered many and varied interpretations of the new liturgical rites and who knows only too well the difficulty so many have in simply obtaining regular access to the usus antiquior, or even the modern liturgy celebrated faithfully and fully. Kwasniewski writes with moral certainty that the wider celebration of the older liturgical rites are key to the life and mission of the Church in our day and argues his case articulately and with intellectual rigor. Certainly there are some instances where his references could be expanded, etc., and there is much room for further discussion on much of what is said, but I challenge any of those who regard the post-Vatican II liturgical forms as exclusively normative to study this book with an open mind and not be changed as a result. Kwasniewski certainly uses strong language in arguing his case, but when grave danger confronts one’s family, what father will not employ all of his strength in their defence?
Dom Alcuin Reid is a monk of the Monastère Saint-Benoît, in the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France, and editor of Sacred Liturgy: The Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church, published by Ignatius Press.
↧
Schola Sancta Caecilia releases new CD of Advent and Christmas music
In Bethlehem features unaccompanied sacred vocal music sung by five ladies in high school and college. Formed at the parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Schola Sancta Caecilia has been singing for the Extraordinary Form Mass since 2012. While the members are young, their approach to the music is very mature. This CD, recorded at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic church, features hymns and chant for the seasons of Advent and Christmas.
For blend, balance, intonation and sheer beauty the Schola Sancta Caecilia is a group to watch carefully. A true musical gem from the Great Lakes State.[Kurt Poterack, Adjunct Professor of Music Director, Choir and Schola Gregoriana Christendom College]
Another wonderful CD by the Schola Sancta Caecilia. A full array of genres from chant to folk melodies are performed with a stark beauty that stands as a welcome alternative to the typical Christmas fare heard on the radio. These young women have provided us a beautiful album that should find its way onto everyone's shelf.The Schola continues to grow and change, as Director Stephanie Pestana attends Michigan State University, two members leave for religious life at the Community of St. John and the Benedictines of Mary, and new members from the parish join to fill the ranks. CDs and downloads are available now on CDBaby, iTunes and Amazon. All proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to the Sacred Heart of Jesus music program. A short video of the recording session for “In Bethlehem” is available below:[Heath Morber, Director of Music, St. John's Catholic Newman Center Champaign, IL]
↧
Winter Chant Intensive
Winter Chant Intensive - Last Chantce!
![]()
![]()
The upcoming Winter Chant Intensive in Phoenix, Arizona is a fantastic opportunity for both people who know little or nothing and those who think they know quite a bit.
Why? From January 5th to the 8th, participants in the Chant track will have an opportunity to work with Jeffrey Morse, an acknowledged expert in chant and an amazing teacher. The essentials of Gregorian Chant will be taught - notation, solfege, and a practical and natural approach to rhythmic interpretation. More advanced singers and schola directors can refine their own understanding and watch a master teacher at work.
During the same time (January 5th-8th), a special "Sing the Mass" course will work with priests, deacons, seminarians, and teachers of all the aforesaid on the chanting of the Mass parts. This course assumes no prior musical knowledge or experience, so neophytes need not fear. Perhaps a priest or other liturgical minister knows some of the chants but fears the Exsultet and the prefaces. Those fears will be replaced with confidence as the participants work with Matthew J. Meloche, Director of Music at the Cathedral of SS. Simon and Jude.
Both courses will conclude with a shared liturgy. And of course, Epiphany will be celebrated as well.
Today is the closing day of registration, so get on board right now at www.musicasacra.com.
↧
↧
How the Traditional Latin Mass Fosters More Active Participation than the Ordinary Form
Active/Actual Participation
People who take the time to sit down and study Sacrosanctum Concilium are often struck by how much of this document is unknown, ignored, or contradicted by contemporary Catholic practice. Often, there are phrases that are so rich, and yet the manner in which they have been turned into slogans has undermined their original nuance and depth.The most notorious victim of this process of journalistic simplification has been the notion of “active participation” or participatio actuosa—which, in fact, is better translated “actual participation,” where actual has the philosophical sense of really entering into possession of something, rather than having an unrealized capacity for it. In contemporary English, “active” is the contrary of passive or receptive, whereas “actual” is the contrary of potential. Thus, I can be actually receptive to the Word of God; I can be fully actualizing my ability to be acted upon at Mass by the chants, prayers, and ceremonies, without my doing much of anything that would be styled “active” in contemporary English. As St. John Paul II explained in an address to U.S. bishops in 1998:
Active participation certainly means that, in gesture, word, song and service, all the members of the community take part in an act of worship, which is anything but inert or passive. Yet active participation does not preclude the active passivity of silence, stillness and listening: indeed, it demands it. Worshippers are not passive, for instance, when listening to the readings or the homily, or following the prayers of the celebrant, and the chants and music of the liturgy. These are experiences of silence and stillness, but they are in their own way profoundly active. In a culture which neither favors nor fosters meditative quiet, the art of interior listening is learned only with difficulty. Here we see how the liturgy, though it must always be properly inculturated, must also be counter-cultural. [link]If your choir or schola sings Proper chants or motets at Mass, or if you’d like to see this happen someday, make sure you have this text from John Paul II ready for the person who objects: “But the people need to be singing everything!” Dom Alcuin Reid explained the Council’s intention very succinctly in an interview last December:
The Council called for participatio actuosa, which is primarily our internal connection with the liturgical action—with what Jesus Christ is doing in his Church in the liturgical rites. This participation is about where my mind and heart are. Our external actions in the liturgy serve and facilitate this. But participatio actuosa is not first and foremost external activity, or performing a particular liturgical ministry. That, unfortunately, has been a common misconception of the Council’s desire. [link]Now, even with the common misunderstanding of “actual” cleared out of the way, it is an extremely curious fact that the full expression from Sacrosanctum Concilium 14 is rarely quoted: “Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” (in the original: "Valde cupit Mater Ecclesia ut fideles universi ad plenam illam, consciam atque actuosam liturgicarum celebrationum participationem ducantur, quae ab ipsius Liturgiae natura postulatur"). Whatever happened to “full” and “conscious”?
Conscious Participation
Let’s probe this matter further. After several decades of attending Mass in both the OF and the EF (both celebrated “by the books”), I’ve become convinced that there is paradoxically a far greater possibility of not consciously paying attention to the Mass in the vernacular, precisely because of its familiarity: it becomes like a reflex action, the words can go in and out while the mind is far away. The vernacular is our everyday comfort zone, and so it doesn’t grab our attention. This is why when we are in a busy place where lots of people are speaking, we tend not to notice that they are even talking—whereas when we hear a foreign language, something other than our mother tongue, suddenly our attention is caught by it.Of course, this lack of attentiveness can happen in the sphere of any language: as someone once put it, I can be doing finances inside my head while chanting the Credo in Latin—if I have been chanting it every week for years. But it nevertheless seems evident that this danger is significantly less present with the usus antiquior, for two reasons:
First, its very foreignness demands of the worshiper some effort to enter into it; indeed, it demands of the worshiper a decision about whether he really wants to enter into it or not. It is almost pointless to sit there unless you are ready to do something to engage the Mass or at very least to begin to pray. The use of a daily missal, widespread in traditional communities, is a powerful means of assimilating the mind and heart of the Church at prayer—and for me personally, following the prayers in my missal has amounted to a decades-long formation of my own mind and heart, giving me a savor for things spiritual, exemplars of holiness, ascetical rules, aspirations and resolutions. When I attend the EF, I am always much more actively engaged in the Mass, because there is more to do (I’ll come back to this point) and it seems more natural to use a missal to help me do it.
Second, the traditional Latin Mass is so obviously focused on God, directed to the adoration of Him, that one who is mentally present to what is happening is ineluctably drawn into the sacred mysteries, even if only at the simplest and most fundamental level of acknowledging the reality of God and adoring our Blessed Lord in the most Holy Sacrament. I am afraid to say that it is not clear at all that most Catholics attending most vernacular OF liturgies are ever confronted unequivocally and irresistibly with the reality of God and the demand for adoration. Or, to put it differently, the old liturgy forms these attitudes in the soul, whereas the new liturgy presupposes them. If you don’t have the right understanding and frame of mind, the Novus Ordo will do very little to give it to you, whereas the EF is either going to give it to you or drive you away. When you attend the EF, you are either subtly attracted by something in it, or you are put off by the demands it makes. Either way, lukewarmness is not an option.
At a Low or High Mass, depending on the feast, one might make the sign of the Cross 8 times:
- In nomine Patris…
- Adjutorium nostrum…
- Indulgentiam…
- Cum Sancto Spiritu (end of the Gloria)
- Et vitam venturi (end of the Credo)
- Benedictus (in the Sanctus)
- if the Confiteor is repeated at communion;
- At the final blessing.
Moreover, one will end up striking the breast up to 15 times (!)
- 3x at the “mea culpa” of the servers’ Confiteor;
- 3x at the Agnus Dei;
- 3x at the second Confiteor;
- 3x at the Domine, non sum dignus;
- 3x at the Salve Regina (O clemens, O dulcis, O pia).
While the postures of the faithful at certain times in the Mass are not as regimented as in the Novus Ordo, a Low Mass will typically have the faithful kneeling for a long time (from the start all the way to the Gospel, and from the Sanctus all the way through the last Gospel), which is a demanding discipline and really keeps one’s mind aware that one is in a special sacred place, taking part in a sacrifice. At a Sunday High Mass, there will be quite a lot of standing, bowing, genuflecting, kneeling, and sitting, which, together with the signs of the cross, the beating of the breast, the bowing of the head, and the chanting of the responses, amounts to what educators call a TPR environment—Total Physical Response. You are thrown into the worship body and soul, and, at almost every moment, something is happening that puts your mind back on what you are doing. The OF has tended to drop a lot of these “muscular” elements in favor of merely aural comprehension and verbal response, which, by themselves, constitute a fairly impoverished form of participation, and surely not a full one.
Most distinctive of all, perhaps, is the immensely peaceful reservoir of silence at the very center of the traditional Latin Mass. When the priest isn’t reading the Eucharistic Prayer “at” you, as it were, but instead is offering the Canon silently to God, always ad orientem, it becomes much easier to pray the words of the Canon oneself in union with the ministerial priest, or, if one prefers, to give oneself up a wordless union with the sacrifice. This makes the Canon of the Mass a time of more intensely full, conscious, and actual participation than is facilitated by the constant stream of aural stimulation in the Novus Ordo.
A Culture of Prayer
An observation at the blog Sensible Bond fits in very well with the foregoing analysis:One can still hold the new rite to be integrally Catholic, and yet consider that the culture of the extraordinary form, where the people are supposedly passive, tends to teach people to pray independently, while the culture of the ordinary form often tends to create a dynamic in which people just chat to each other in church unless they are being actively animated by a minister.What we have seen, therefore, is a conclusion that flies completely in the face of the conventional wisdom. “Active participation,” in the manner in which it is usually understood and implemented in the Novus Ordo sphere, actually fosters passivity, while the Catholic who receives in a seeming passivity all that the traditional Mass has to give is actualizing his potential for worship to a greater extent. Consequently, if you are looking to fulfill the Council’s call for full, conscious, and actual participation, look no further than your local traditional Latin Mass and you will find, with due time and effort, a richness of participation more comprehensive than the reformed liturgy allows.
↧
Winter Issue of Sacred Music
The upcoming issue of Sacred Music features many excellent new essays, including a particularly insightful essay by Harold Boatrite, a few essays about "Viennese Masses", and an article by Dr. John Pepino about Louis Bouyer.
There are also some important announcements from the CMAA at the very tail end of the issue, which I cross-link here for convenience.
![]()
There are also some important announcements from the CMAA at the very tail end of the issue, which I cross-link here for convenience.
Yearly subscriptions are part of a CMAA annual membership and are available here.
For those who have yet to renew your membership, you may do so here, or by submitting the renewal envelope in the issue.
The new issue should arrive in mailboxes soon!
The new issue should arrive in mailboxes soon!
- Participation | William Mahrt
- Louis Bouyer and the Pauline Reform: Great Expectations Dashed | John Pepino
- Beyond the “Viennese Mass”: Thoughts on the History, Use, and Modern Understanding of the Eighteenth-Century Austro-German Orchestral Mass Repertoire | Erick Arenas
- Problems in Church Music in Late Eighteenth-Century Vienna and Their Relevance for Catholic Church Musicians Today | Jane Schatkin Hettrick
- Aural Asceticism: The History and Spiritual Fruits of Silencing the Organ During Certain Liturgies | Jennifer Donelson
- A Stunning Pentecost Motet: Jacobus Gallus’ Factus est repente | William Mahrt
- Art and Its Replacements | Harold Boatrite
- Announcing the St. Cecilia Academy for Pastoral Musicians: An Interview with Father Matthew Ernest | Mary Jane Ballou
- Mystic Modern: The Music, Thought, and Legacy of Charles Tournemire | New CMAA Publication
- Introducing the CMAA Annual Fund
- CMAA Colloquium XXV
↧
Composer on Composer - Roman Hurko Reviews Paul Jernberg’s Mass of St Philip Neri
I am no expert on these things, but when listening to and singing Paul Jernberg’s music for the liturgy, especially his Mass of St Philip Neri, I am excited by a number of things. This music is accessible to the ear - in my opinion it has beauty and dignity appropriate to the Mass, so that, without compromising on traditional principles, I have noticed that even congregations who are not schooled in traditional chant and polyphony enjoy it.
It is also, I find, accessible for the singer - I would say that most parish choirs could sing this well (although not all perhaps as beautifully as the professional choir on the CD). I could also hear different influences in his style, especially liturgical music for the Eastern rite. Nevertheless it seems wholly appropriate for the Roman rite for which this is written.
I was curious therefore to know of the opinion of an established composer in the Eastern rite, Roman Hurko, so I asked him what he thought about it and, if he liked it, would he write a review of it for us.
Roman writes for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic liturgy. I have put a recording of his music at the bottom of this article along with some of Paul's music (both would make a good present for someone!) You can hear more at www.romanhurko.com, and if you want to purchase his music on iTunes, then the link is here.
Roman wrote as follows:
‘Composer Paul Jernberg has composed a new setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for a cappella choir. It was recorded this past summer with the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle in Chicago under the direction of Maestro J. Michael Thompson, and is now available for purchase at: www.pauljernberg.com
‘I find this Mass setting very beautiful; very contemplative. As a composer from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church tradition, I feel very much at home in its aesthetic, one that I would characterize as eschewing the harshness of electric light in favor of the soft glow emanating from candlelight.
‘As in the Eastern church tradition, this Mass setting is sung completely from A – Z by priest, choir, and readers. Mr. Jernberg’s musical transitions between priest and choir are stylistically coherent and seamless. I would recommend that all young composers study Mr. Jernberg’s organic setting, as I have often found it jarring when a priest sings chant and is then responded to by the choir in a completely different musical style.
‘Another eastern rite similarity is the use of a melody over an is on, or drone. This essentially monophonic device is complemented in this setting by polyphonic consonant harmonies, with a judicious use of suspensions and appoggiaturas, often ending with stern, medieval sounding open fifth chords. However, no matter the harmonic texture, the text of the prayers is always clear to the listener (kudos to Maestro Thompson and his choir!), and is always served beautifully by the music. Clearly, Mr. Jernberg was guided in his compositional process by the principle of Noble Simplicity, and although there are similarities to the Eastern polyphonic style in this setting, it is clearly grounded in the greatness of the Western tradition.
‘Finally, in a mere forty years, the year 2054 will mark the millennium of the Great Schism between the ‘two lungs’ of the church: Eastern and Western. To my mind, Mr. Jernberg’s setting helps bring these two traditions closer together. Kudos to Mr. Jernberg and kudos to the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle under the direction of Maestro Thompson!’
A couple of notes: when Mr Hurko refers to the ‘polyphony’ of Paul's music I understand that he is using the word in the broadest sense, i.e. ‘many sounds’, rather than the narrower meaning some will be used to, which refers to the form of music dominated by counterpoint as in for example, the polyphony of the High Renaissance. Some might use the word ‘homophony’ to apply to Paul’s music instead.
Also, if anyone like me didn’t know, an appoggiatura is a non-harmonic tone that happens on a strong beat or strong emphasis in the melody and ultimately resolves into the main note. Paul uses these judiciously, but in way that adds greatly to the beauty of the overall piece. Without knowing the technical word, I could hear that he was momentarily ‘stepping out’, so to speak, in order add to the sense of resolution when he steps back in again at the end of a phrase.
Below we have the Our Father from Paul Jernberg’s Mass, and below that Holy God from Roman Hurko’s Liturgy No.2
It is also, I find, accessible for the singer - I would say that most parish choirs could sing this well (although not all perhaps as beautifully as the professional choir on the CD). I could also hear different influences in his style, especially liturgical music for the Eastern rite. Nevertheless it seems wholly appropriate for the Roman rite for which this is written.
I was curious therefore to know of the opinion of an established composer in the Eastern rite, Roman Hurko, so I asked him what he thought about it and, if he liked it, would he write a review of it for us.
Roman writes for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic liturgy. I have put a recording of his music at the bottom of this article along with some of Paul's music (both would make a good present for someone!) You can hear more at www.romanhurko.com, and if you want to purchase his music on iTunes, then the link is here.
Roman wrote as follows:
‘Composer Paul Jernberg has composed a new setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for a cappella choir. It was recorded this past summer with the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle in Chicago under the direction of Maestro J. Michael Thompson, and is now available for purchase at: www.pauljernberg.com
‘I find this Mass setting very beautiful; very contemplative. As a composer from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church tradition, I feel very much at home in its aesthetic, one that I would characterize as eschewing the harshness of electric light in favor of the soft glow emanating from candlelight.
‘As in the Eastern church tradition, this Mass setting is sung completely from A – Z by priest, choir, and readers. Mr. Jernberg’s musical transitions between priest and choir are stylistically coherent and seamless. I would recommend that all young composers study Mr. Jernberg’s organic setting, as I have often found it jarring when a priest sings chant and is then responded to by the choir in a completely different musical style.
‘Another eastern rite similarity is the use of a melody over an is on, or drone. This essentially monophonic device is complemented in this setting by polyphonic consonant harmonies, with a judicious use of suspensions and appoggiaturas, often ending with stern, medieval sounding open fifth chords. However, no matter the harmonic texture, the text of the prayers is always clear to the listener (kudos to Maestro Thompson and his choir!), and is always served beautifully by the music. Clearly, Mr. Jernberg was guided in his compositional process by the principle of Noble Simplicity, and although there are similarities to the Eastern polyphonic style in this setting, it is clearly grounded in the greatness of the Western tradition.
‘Finally, in a mere forty years, the year 2054 will mark the millennium of the Great Schism between the ‘two lungs’ of the church: Eastern and Western. To my mind, Mr. Jernberg’s setting helps bring these two traditions closer together. Kudos to Mr. Jernberg and kudos to the Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle under the direction of Maestro Thompson!’
A couple of notes: when Mr Hurko refers to the ‘polyphony’ of Paul's music I understand that he is using the word in the broadest sense, i.e. ‘many sounds’, rather than the narrower meaning some will be used to, which refers to the form of music dominated by counterpoint as in for example, the polyphony of the High Renaissance. Some might use the word ‘homophony’ to apply to Paul’s music instead.
Also, if anyone like me didn’t know, an appoggiatura is a non-harmonic tone that happens on a strong beat or strong emphasis in the melody and ultimately resolves into the main note. Paul uses these judiciously, but in way that adds greatly to the beauty of the overall piece. Without knowing the technical word, I could hear that he was momentarily ‘stepping out’, so to speak, in order add to the sense of resolution when he steps back in again at the end of a phrase.
Below we have the Our Father from Paul Jernberg’s Mass, and below that Holy God from Roman Hurko’s Liturgy No.2
↧
More Pages to Explore .....
