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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

“I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice”

Andrew Leung · July 18, 2016

CTL Renew the Liturgy with Charity WAS TALKING TO a friend of mine—who incidentally is also quite an orthodox and conservative bishop—about Cardinal Sarah’s address and the controversy that has erupted as a result. The bishop pretty much agrees with everything in Cardinal Sarah’s speech.

As we were talking about the controversy, he said something I think is worthy of reflection. He told me that, while he deeply loves the liturgy and the Church’s traditions, he would never fight with people on liturgical matters—even before he became a bishop. Moreover, he said: “We shouldn’t seek to win arguments over the liturgy.”

In most LITURGICAL ARGUMENTS, people bring their personal preferences into the discussion. Actually, I think it is pretty safe to say that at least one side of the argument, sometimes both sides, would argue based on personal preferences. These arguments would rarely end with good outcomes. It is a waste of time to argue over personal preferences. Catechesis and formation is what we need. I didn’t write my article about “Ad Orientem” celebration to win a fight, but to explain why the Church allows it.

The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ, a sacrifice of love. We can’t offer sacrifices as the Body of Christ to an all-loving God when we do not love our neighbors. Bishops receive their authority as teachers and shepherds from the Holy Mother Church. They certainly deserve our respect even though we may not agree with them on everything. So as our pastors, brothers and sisters in Christ, they and their preferences should be respected, too. So let us be positive and charitable when we discuss about the liturgy. Our Lord would definitely not be happy if we turn the Mass into a battlefield. That is why he asked the Pharisees to learn the meaning of the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt 9:13).

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO? We can explain the Church’s teachings on the liturgy without forcing others to accept them. We can study the traditions of the Church and try to show the meanings behind those traditions to our brothers and sisters. Since the Cardinal’s address caught everyone’s attention, now is the perfect time for liturgical catechesis! Liturgical formation and explanation can be done even if our circumstances (pastoral reasons, obedience to the bishop/pastor, architectural reasons) don’t allow us to celebrate Mass “facing east.” Fr. Christopher Smith posted an excellent article about How to Introduce Ad Orientem to Your Parish on Chant Café. I thought the article was helpful and I really enjoyed reading it—especially the last part where he suggested how to introduce it gradually:

1. Daily Mass. Often your daily Mass crowd can give you a very good read on the temperature of reactions in the parish. Doing the position at some or all daily Masses, while tailoring catechesis to those Masses is a way to start.

2. School Mass. Catechizing school faculty, staff, parents and children through workshops, classes, and letters. It also means that children will grow up in an environment where the position does not carry the same baggage as previous generations carried about it.

3. Principal Mass. After 1 and 2, maybe during Lent, is a good time to do the position at the principal Mass. Especially if the Mass tends towards the “High Mass” variety with choir, incense and a serious complement of altar servers, it introduces the idea to Sunday worship while still giving options to those faithful who are not ready for the transition.

4. Holy Day Masses and Holy Week. Doing the position for those days highlights their solemnity by making them different, and the position can always be brought into the homily on that occasion.

5. All Masses. Repeat all of the catechesis again before doing this, and still keep a safety valve Mass, particularly the one where the oldest crowd, that might have more trouble receiving this change, go.

6. Mass with visitors. Keep Masses with the Bishop or visiting celebrants versus populum. Instead of making an issue out of the contrary position, it can be presented as making the celebration special when someone comes like the Bishop or as an act of hospitality to visiting celebrants who might not be used to it. The occasional reversion to versus populum will cause people to reflect on the differences between the two positions and want to explore the reasons for them, as well as their own reactions more.

As we continue to renew our liturgies, let us do it with charity, humility and joy.

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 Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“Abbat Pothier’s great accomplishment is having returned to the Catholic world—along with the traditional melody—the traditional way of performing it. The foundations laid by this providential man have been accepted by all those who practice Gregorian chant.”

— Dr. Peter Wagner (Commissionis Pontificiæ Gregorianæ Membrum)

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