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Views from the Choir Loft

Carmel

Fr. David Friel · July 23, 2012

As a son of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Doylestown, PA, my favorite title for Mary is an easy pick. Of course, the feast of Mt. Carmel, which we celebrate every July 16th, has long been associated with the brown scapular. For those of us who wear it, the scapular is meant as a sign of Mary’s protection and a reminder that we are her children.

The actual place called Mount Carmel—a 1,724-foot ridge in the Holy Land—has been the site of a monastery from around the 12th century. Since that time, men and women have lived there, devoting themselves to prayer and contemplation. That is the special charism of all Carmelites: prayer and contemplation.

The word Carmel, itself, is a Hebrew word meaning “God’s Vineyard.” That’s what every Carmelite monastery tries to be: a fruitful vineyard of prayer. At the very heart of Carmelite spirituality, of course, is a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. Just as we would say that Jesus is the New Adam—the obedient Man who undid the disobedience of the first Adam—so Carmelites would tell us that Mary, herself, is not only the new Eve, but also the new Eden.

St. Louis Marie de Montfort says it well: “Our Blessed Lady is the true terrestrial paradise of the New Adam, and the ancient paradise was but a figure of her” (True Devotion, #261). Like the Garden of Eden, our Blessed Lady is, in herself, abundantly fruitful, overflowing with every form of riches, beauties, and sweetness.

Just like Mary, we are all called to be Carmels—fruitful vineyards for God. Through the work of prayer and contemplation, we, too, can bear fruit for the Lord and for those around us. By learning from Our Lady’s example, we may even bring forth that most blessed fruit: Jesus, Himself.

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.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“One must pray to God not only with theologically precise formulas, but also in a beautiful and dignified way. The Christian community must make an examination of conscience so that the beauty of music and song will return increasingly to the liturgy.”

— Pope Saint John Paul II (26 February 2003)

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