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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

“Do not let anyone make you feel discouraged.”

Richard J. Clark · June 24, 2017

OMETIMES IT IS not the words themselves, but the source that matters. Usually, words are cheap. Actions speak loudest. But sometimes, I hear words that move me to move my heart.

Recently, such words came from my mother. Simple. True. Words from a lifetime of living in faith. Words that bore the weight of authority:

“Do not let anyone make you feel discouraged.”

Working in a professional capacity for the Church, it is sometimes just as easy to become discouraged as it is to feel uplifted. Apparently, I’ve discovered that the Church is filled with people just like me: Flawed. Imperfect. Human. (Made in God’s image? Really?) That’s debatable from my all too human eyes. By the way, I’ve got huge planks in both of them.

My mother’s advice echo verse one of the African American Spiritual, There is a Balm in Gilead: “Sometimes I feel discouraged And think my work’s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my Soul again.”

Clearly my mother received the Gift of Wisdom from the Holy Spirit and tried passing it on to me. Maybe a tiny bit got through.

UT HERE’S WISDOM: Gratitude. When I feel discouraged about making a living for my family in this profession—and doing so with a modicum of ever-elusive peace, another thing happens.

It seems I can suddenly rattle off a list a ridiculously amazing blessings in my life:

All your children are healthy? Hmmm. Yeah. God is watching over you. In fact, He made all that possible.

You have friends who might drive you crazy, but stick by you year after year even when you screw up? Um. Yeah.

You had trouble paying bills, but your wife and kids love you? Unconditionally? OK. Stop.

Wait…you got to make music in praise of God with some seriously amazing musicians? You got to do this and this with these beautiful people?

This is not to discount the struggles. There are real problems in the Church and real problems in society that must be addressed. But do not discount that God knows every hair on your head, and knows how to take care of you better than you do. (I’m proof of this.)

And here’s the final lesson: Trust in God alone. While sometimes the Church is on fire (sometimes with the Holy Spirit and sometimes not), God is the only one to trust. I.e., Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall want for nothing.”

Soli Deo gloria

P.S. Thanks, Mom.

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

    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

“It is when they are practicing that large groups stop in order to sleep; they don’t give themselves a new impetus after a pause (even if it is minimal) and singers pause when they should not (quarter-bar, half-bar)—everything provides temptation to go to sleep! It is thus not a question of rhythm but of musical integrity.”

— Justine Ward (20 July 1952)

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