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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Catholic Education & the Epiphany

Fr. David Friel · January 10, 2012

I am proud to be a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which you may have seen, in the news, has just begun a restructuring of our vaunted school system intended to sustain and reinvigorate Catholic education in our territory. The hope and difficulties associated with this news led me to an interesting meditation this weekend.

The Epiphany, which the Church celebrates either on January 6th or on the nearest Sunday, is the arrival of the Magi at the scene of the nativity. These three men go by many names: Magi; kings; wise men; Gaspar, Melchior, & Balthazar. At their root, of course, they were historically not kings, but very learned men from the East. In fact, they were among the leading scientists of ancient times. Their knowledge of the stars and constellations far surpassed the knowledge of their contemporaries in the West. These were men of learning, men of education, men of science.

And yet, if that had been all, they would have been forgotten in the record books of history. What has made their memory endure—what has caused us to celebrate this solemnity since before we even celebrated Christmas—is the fact that they were not only men of science, but men of science who allowed themselves to be led by the light of a star to Bethlehem. These men, who had devoted their lives to studying the stars and the heavens came to Bethlehem in humility to see the Star and heaven, itself, in a lowly manger.

The three wise men knew something that has been challenged a thousand times in our own day. They knew that faith and reason are not opposed, nor are they inconsistent. Rather, faith and reason are inseparable. Indeed, faith is reasonable.

This is the great gift of Catholic education! Our schools offer not only top-notch academic training, but also formation in Christian living and the ways of faith. Faith & reason thrive together in our schools and in our religious education programs. You likely know people in your own life who are highly education, but who, in fact, have become so “educated,” that their faith has fallen to the wayside. That type of “education”—the type that leads one away from faith—is false. It is not true education. True education always leads to truth—academic truths, and the ultimate Truth, Who is Jesus Christ, Himself.

The Catholic Church has an incredible history of providing education.
• The preservation of ancient manuscripts is the gift of Catholic monks.
• The creation of the scientific method is the gift of Catholic educators.
• The beginning of the science of genetics is the gift of a man named Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian, Catholic priest.
• The education of the poor and of foreigners and of those with disabilities is the gift of Catholic nuns (like St. Katharine Drexel) and missionaries.
• Even the academic gowns worn at graduations owe their origin to the clerical garb worn by Catholic clergy centuries ago.

That history, of course, is meaningless if we do not continue the work in the present. The word “education,” itself, comes from Latin words meaning “to lead out.” As Catholics, we understand that to mean being led out of the shadows of darkness & doubt and being led into the light of truth & faith. As the Magi knew, life is not just about being led to facts; it is about being led to the Person of Jesus.

I personally owe a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid for 21 years of Catholic education that have led me to the Star of Bethlehem—the very Star the Magi came to adore. I’ve long been inspired by a sign that hangs in most Catholic schools and that I think captures the meaning of Catholic education. It says this:

“Let it be known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school: the unseen, but ever-present Teacher in its classes, the model of its faculty, the inspiration of its students.”

With the Magi as our model, may we all be loyal students of this great Teacher!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

The Sanctus and Benedictus are one text and should be sung through without a break. The practice—once common—of waiting till after the Consecration and then singing: “Benedictus qui venit…” is not allowed by the Vatican Gradual.

— Father Fortescue, writing in 1912

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