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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

World Meeting of Families 2015 & the Papal Visit to Philadelphia — Part 2 of 2

Fr. David Friel · October 18, 2015

T HAS BEEN one month since the World Meeting of Families began here in Philadelphia. Last week, I shared some behind-the-scenes photos of the events. This week, as promised, I will share with you the final words of admonition from Msgr. Marini before the papal Masses began.

Several months of planning go into a papal liturgy, particularly when it is to be celebrated abroad during an Apostolic journey. The first plans for the recent liturgies in Washington D.C., New York, and Philadelphia were presented to Msgr. Marini’s office in the spring. In early September, Marini and several assistants travelled to each city to see the various places that would be used for the liturgies and to make necessary changes. Then, during the week of the Holy Father’s visit, several more practices were held before each liturgy, each time resulting in further adjustments and refinements.

Msgr. Guido Marini serves as the chief Master of Ceremonies for liturgical celebrations in the presence of the Holy Father. There are also eight additional MC’s who assist with papal liturgies. Among them, Msgr. Marini is known as “the Maestro.” Accompanying Marini on the visit to Cuba and the USA were Msgr. Vincenzo Peroni and Msgr. John Cihak.

Before the large papal Masses in the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul and on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Msgr. Marini met briefly with the seminarian servers and deacons in the sacristy to offer some final reflections before the start of the liturgies. As the MC working with the deacons, I had the opportunity to listen in to the Maestro’s final encouragement. The fervorino was similar both days, with Marini speaking in Italian as Msgr. Cihak translated into English. What follows are not direct quotes, but a good paraphrase of the three major points made by Marini:

1. We are preparing in a few moments to enter into the sacred liturgy. At this particular Mass, we will also be in the presence of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, which can cause us to be nervous. But I encourage you to enter into this Mass with a spirit of humility and faith. In many ways, the world looks upon the Holy Father as just another celebrity, no different from great athletes and rockstars and other famous personages. But that is not how we, as people of faith, look upon him. The Holy Father is the successor of Saint Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth. When the Holy Father speaks, he speaks for God, and so we listen with what St. Paul calls “the obedience of faith.” It is a great honor to be in the presence of Peter and an even greater honor to serve the liturgy.

2. The sacred liturgy is much like the scene of the burning bush. You remember how in the Book of Exodus, the Lord reveals Himself through a bush that is flaming, yet not consumed. That image is a symbol of God’s self-revelation, His personal manifestation of Himself to mankind. This happens also in the sacred liturgy. God reveals Himself to us so that we might come to know Him and love Him more deeply.

3. There is another passage in Exodus that teaches us about the meaning of the liturgy. In Exodus 34, Moses goes before the Lord, face-to-face. Upon returning to the people, Moses face is seen to be radiant. It is still filled with the fullness of God’s light. It is shining with the splendor of God, which Moses had experienced in a moment of privileged encounter. This is what happens in the sacred liturgy. We should serve the liturgy (and leave the liturgy) with a certain radiance. It should stir up within us a deep, interior joy—not an ebullient joy that attracts attention to itself, but the sort of joy that humbly reflects upon the favors received from God.

These reflections are profound in themselves. What struck me most about them, though, was not their actual content, but their spirit. With moments to go before the beginning of very large, high-profile Masses, the focus of Msgr. Marini’s remarks was not on practical details. In fact, his focus was entirely impractical and spiritual. Having attended to so many practical details in the months & days & hours leading up to these liturgies, the papal MC challenged each of us to go deeper and to experience the sacred liturgy in the same way Moses experienced the burning bush. He used these moments not as a time for reminders and corrections, but as a time for prayer and spiritual encouragement.

Sacred musicians, sacristans, MC’s, and so many others who take part in preparing liturgies at the parish level could learn from Msgr. Marini’s good example. Let’s put forth our best efforts and be diligent in all of our preparations, for sure. When we enter the sacred liturgy, however, remember that the essence of what we do remains a spiritual reality.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Msgr Guido Marini, Pope Francis 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

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —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

“There are no hymns, in this sense, till the fourth century; they were not admitted to the Roman office till the twelfth. No Eastern rite to this day knows this kind of hymn. Indeed, in our Roman rite we still have the archaic offices of the last days of Holy Week and of the Easter octave, which—just because they are archaic—have no hymns.”

— Adrian Fortescue (25 March 1916)

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