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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

A Model of Sacred Music at Priest’s First Mass

Richard J. Clark · May 27, 2016

HAT MUSIC DOES a newly ordained priest, who currently plays the drums in a jazz band, choose for his first Mass? This priest also has a degree from the Hartt School of Music in Music Production and Technology.

Why, he opts to sing nearly the entire Mass! He utilizes English settings of the propers. Sung parts included the readings and Credo! He chants a final blessing in Latin. The Mass was worthy of a CMAA Colloquium.

How did such a thing happen? One would have to ask Rev. Patrick Fiorillo of the Archdiocese of Boston about his musical interests and his calling to the priesthood. He speaks a little bit about it here in The Boston Pilot. I mostly suspect it comes from his understanding that sacred music is wedded to the Word. He understands that the role of sacred music is to help us pray the words of the Mass.

To the heart of Fr. Fiorillo’s understanding, please read his words below that were printed in the program of his first Mass. It is very much worth your time, and should give many of us hope, coming from someone with such a well-rounded musical and personal background.

His words are beautifully articulated for ordinary parishioners to understand, something of which he is most mindful. (This goes to his choice of English as a way of introducing the propers to parishioners.) Most impressive was the wonderful level of congregational singing, (despite a lack of mainstream songs or hymns), and the warm feedback from parishioners who clearly never experienced a Mass like this: one that was beautiful, prayerful, with a sense of transcendence.


FROM THE PROGRAM FOR FR. PATRICK FIORILLO’S FIRST MASS:

HE MUSIC AT TODAY’S MASS will undoubtedly be a new experience for many in attendance. One may notice right away the lack of hymns in the program. Instead of employing this common practice, we will be using what are referred to as the “chant propers” of the Mass: the introit, offertory, and communion. They are one or two sentences, often scriptural, that provide a spiritual meditation on the particular liturgical day. Every Sunday, Solemnity, and Feast Day has a specific set of propers assigned to them. The collection of these Latin chants for the entire liturgical year form the Roman Church’s most ancient repertoire of Gregorian chant; many date back to the 6th century and earlier, and have been used ever since! Thus, the proper chants of the Mass are not mere musical additions to the liturgy, but form an integral part of the whole liturgical action. While we will not employ the original Latin chants in today’s Mass, we will use the same texts set to adapted melodies in English.

One may also be struck by the amount of singing at today’s Mass. Why all this singing? The reason has not to do with a preference of style or musical taste, but with the nature of chant itself. In its broadest definition, chant is fundamentally an elevated form of proclamation. The melody serves not to draw attention to itself, but to reflect and emphasize the meaning of the text in a way that is more profound than a spoken proclamation. As soon as one hears a text chanted, even to the most basic melody, one instinctively recognizes that something beyond the sphere of everyday human activities is taking place. Indeed, at Mass we become participants in the heavenly liturgy. This is why the Church has always promoted the use of beauty in sacred art, architecture, and music as a means of aiding such participation.

While many know of my love for music through my drumming and production work, my deepest musical passion has more recently become Sacred Music. It is for this reason that I feel inspired to display the best of the Church’s musical tradition in a contemporary context at this Mass of thanksgiving. I am blessed with many talented musician friends who are able to sing in the choir today, and it is my sincere hope that their voices will help us to raise our hearts and minds to God in the greatest act of worship that we can render him: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. —Fr. Patrick

WAS HONORED TO HAVE been commissioned a new setting of the Introit for this occasion, which took place on the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish in Waltham, Massachusetts.

FREE DOWNLOAD:
PDF • Blessed Be the Holy Trinity • Introit
for Schola, SATB, Organ, Congregation

LISTEN HERE:
MP3 • Blessed Be the Holy Trinity • Introit

Bridgette Wargovich directed the extraordinary choir. Fr. Michael Ruminski from the Diocese of Hartford served as organist. Corey Bassett-Tirrell, a seminarian at Pope Saint John XXXIII Seminary was the cantor.

Offerings from several contemporary composers of sacred music were featured. The offertory and communion chants were by Fr. Samuel Weber. The Mass in Honor of the Immaculate Conception by Dr. Peter Latona, a Responsorial by Jeff Ostrowski, and an exquisite, yet simple arrangement of Jesu Dulcis Maria by Paul Jernberg were also sung. This was in addition to Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus and the Mode I Salve Ragina. Also noteworthy, was a superbly sung Gospel proclaimed by Fr. Ryan Sliwa of the Diocese of Springfield.

Photography by Darcie Nielsen
Recordings by Evan Landry

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 Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(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

Far from dreading an encounter with the Iroquois, Fr. Garnier often told us he would be quite content to fall into their hands and remain their prisoner if—while they were torturing him—he at least had a chance of instructing them as long as his torments lasted. If they allowed him to live, it would afford him a golden opportunity to work for their conversion, which was now impossible, since the gateway to their country was closed as long as they were our enemies.

— Father Ragueneau (Jesuit Relations)

Recent Posts

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