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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Church Dedication

Fr. David Friel · November 19, 2011

People dedicate all sorts of things. We dedicate plaques, bricks, car windows, songs, books, performances, etc.

As a Church, too, we dedicate things. Chapels, gardens, vessels, vestments, windows, statues, etc. Today, for instance, we celebrate the Dedication of the Churches of Saints Peter and Paul—two of the most famous, most recognizable basilicas in the world. But what do we celebrate when we celebrate their dedication?

In the Church, every dedication is an invitation. The dedication of a church building is an invitation to God, asking Him to be present in that space. Certainly, God is present in every part of creation. After all, “Where can I go from Your spirit? From Your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I lie down in Sheol, there you are” (Psalm 139:7-8). But God, nevertheless, always appreciates our invitation.

It is a tradition as old as humanity to set aside (that is, to make sacred) certain places. Today’s first reading from the fourth chapter of 1 Maccabees is just one of manifold passages in the Bible in which the dedication of a temple is recounted. Whenever a space is made sacred, God has been invited to dwell there and to manifest Himself. This can be done even in dedicating ourselves—inviting Him to abide in our own “Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19).

The most sacred place in the world is the place where man encounters God. May every church building be such a place for us!

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

    “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!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

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Religious worship supplies all our spiritual need, and suits every mood of mind and variety of circumstance.

— John Henry Cardinal Newman

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