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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

Funeral Mass • Justice Antonin Scalia

Jeff Ostrowski · February 20, 2016

736 Fr Paul Scalia HE FUNERAL for Justice Antonin Scalia took place on 20 February 2016 in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass was said—and homily delivered—by Fr. Paul Scalia. One of the readings was by Justice Clarence Thomas, who attended two Catholic seminaries in his youth. For the record, I had tremendous admiration for Scalia and listened to his presentations over and over—to the point that I felt I knew him. He will be missed.

Fr. Paul Scalia, who resembles his father, did a beautiful job singing the Mass, and the entire Mass was certainly dignified. Some of the musical selections were quite beautiful. The Responsorial Psalm by Richard Rice actually came from the Chabanel Psalm website. Other choices struck me as a bit uninspired.

It’s difficult to understand why the Mass was Ordinary Form since Justice Scalia was known to attend the Extraordinary Form exclusively. Moreover, while the musical selections were (generally speaking) fine, they were nothing compared to Requiem settings by Victoria, Guerrero, Morales, and so forth. 1 Perhaps the problem is me; I find the traditional Requiem so powerful & consoling, nothing else comes close.

You can view the full video of the Funeral Mass:

    * *  VIDEO • Funeral Mass for Justice Antonin Scalia

You can download the entire Funeral Program:

    * *  PDF Download • PROGRAM (Justice Scalia’s Funeral)

738 Justice Scalia Funeral Mass


Random Observations :

— White vestments. (Allowed for the Ordinary Form)

— The Basilica is filled with people, all the way back to the doors.

— Mass is offered facing the people, although the current edition of the Roman Missal (Ordinary Form) seems to indicate otherwise.

Here’s a summary, provided by the CMAA forum:

The Knell is tolled.

Organ music.

A men’s schola chants the Introit “Requiem aeternam” according to the Graduale Romanum.

Organ music.

Hymn “O God Our Help in Ages Past.”

Welcoming Remarks by Donald Cardinal Wuerl.

Collect is sung by Father Scalia.

1st reading: Wisdom, read by Leonard Leo (a friend of Justice Scalia).

Psalm 23:1-6: sung by the National Shrine choir.

2nd reading: Romans 5 — read by Justice Clarence Thomas.

Verse: sung by the National Shrine choir.

Gospel: Deacon Colin Davis (a seminarian for the diocese of Arlington).

Homily: Fr. Scalia.

Offertory motet: Beati quorum via (Stanford).

Preface dialogue: chanted.

Sanctus: XVIII (chanted, with organ).

The Roman Canon (EP I).

Memorial Acclamation: When… (chanted, with organ).

Amen (chanted, with organ).

Our Father (chanted sonorously by all present).

Peace Dialogue (chanted).

Sign of Peace (omitted).

Agnus Dei — Victoria, Missa Quarti Toni (National Shrine choir).

A treble schola chants the Communion verse “Lux Aeterna” according to the Graduale Romanum

Communion Hymn: Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All (Faber)

Communion motets: Franck’s Panis Angelicus and Mozart’s Ave Verum.

Post-communion dialogue: chanted.

In Paradisum: English, sung by the National Shrine choir.

Recessional: O God Beyond All Praising (Holst).

The casket is asperged by Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop Vigano, Bishop Loverde and Bishop Higgins, and draped in the American flag and—as the knell tolls again—is carried out of the basilica, past a long line of concelebrating priests chanting the Salve Regina. The casket is saluted by Supreme Court Police and placed in the hearse.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I’m not trying to be a curmudgeon. I’m simply pointing out that there’s no comparison between truly great settings of the “Missa Pro Defunctis” and several of the utilitarian musical choices for this Funeral. Singing Victoria’s Requiem, for example, would seem the least that should have been done to honor Justice Scalia. Obviously, this is just my opinion, and I could be wrong. I’m not infallible.

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 Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ with regard to 1960s switch to vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The old Roman rite had the offering by the people and then, as offertory-prayer, what we call the “Secret.” The name “Secreta” means that it was said in a low voice, because the offertory-psalm was being sung. For the same reason it is not preceded by “Oremus.”

— Father Adrian Fortescue

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