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Views from the Choir Loft

The Work of God & the Work of Man

Fr. David Friel · August 5, 2011

The Church celebrates today the patron saint of all priests, St. Jean-Marie Vianney, the Cure d’Ars. He is famous and beloved for his depth of holiness and his exceptionally dedicated service to the people of his parish.

The collect in the missal for this memorial recalls and praises Jean-Marie’s “priestly zeal.” Mindful of that prayer, I found a certain irony in the way I spent this day for the first time as a priest, myself. As the schedule worked out, I was “off” today and went kayaking with another priest and a transitional deacon.

Yet, while I didn’t spend the day going about the labors that are typical of my life as a parish priest, I realize that I did do the most essential work I have as a priest. That is, I celebrated Mass today. Just like I have done every day since my ordination, I offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. No other efforts I undertake on any day―no matter how enthusiastically―amount to anything by comparison to what is accomplished by the offering of the Mass. How could one be any more consumed with “priestly zeal” that to seek to celebrate Mass faithfully, fervently, and fruitfully?

In the words of the Cure d’Ars, himself: “All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison, for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man.”

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 Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and teaches liturgy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    [Quiz] • “Do You Know Your Hymns?”
    In case you missed it, many readers have enjoyed taking this little Quiz On Hymns. In the context of that article, I included a sensational quote about the Holy Mass by Monsignor Ronald Knox. Moreover, I talk about how Abraham Lincoln's mother died, as well as a fabulous Eucharistic hymn by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • Simple “Agnus Dei” Canon
    Time flies! Back in July, I posted a PDF setting of a perfect canon by William Byrd (d. 1623) arranged as an AGNUS DEI for three voices. Last Sunday, we sang that arrangement with our volunteer choir. To hear a ‘live’ recording of it, click here (Mp3). In my humble opinion, this would be a perfect piece for a choir just beginning to experiment with polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“These French offices represent a new case of the old tendency towards local modification—which the Council of Trent had meant to repress. They are commonly attributed to Gallican ideas and are supposed to be not free from Jansenist venom. Some of these local French uses survived almost to our own time. They were supplanted by the Roman books in the 19th century, chiefly by the exertions of Dom Prosper Guéranger (d. 1875).”

— Dr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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