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Views from the Choir Loft

A Papal Blessing

Fr. David Friel · March 14, 2013

HE EXCITEMENT we’ve all seen on the faces of people in St. Peter’s square the last few days is appropriate. It is never good for a family to be without a father for long, so joy and gladness are the right reaction to the election of a new Holy Father (even during Lent).

One of the moments that seems to have most moved onlookers was the new Pope’s request for the prayers of the people before giving his first Apostolic blessing. Two things impressed me about this particular action.

First, the pope asked for God’s blessing. Speaking in Italian, the new Holy Father said, “Pray to the Lord so that He blesses me.” As he embarks on his new mission, Pope Francis realizes that he needs the blessing of Almighty God. I pray that he will have it.

Secondly, the pope asked for our prayers. Notably, he did not ask for the blessing of the crowd. Blessings come to us only from God directly or through the hands of an ordained minister. But the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ are, indeed, powerful.

That moment of prayer on the balcony of St. Peter’s is very similar to an exchange that occurs four times in every Mass. When the priest says, “The Lord be with you,” it is really a prayer, asking that God would be present with all those in attendance. The people respond, also, with a prayer: “And with your Spirit.” The people’s prayer asks that the Lord would be with the minister, particularly in his role as a minister—a “steward of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1).

This action is bound to be interpreted variously. I see in it an expression of prayerful Christian solidarity ordered toward the reception of a unique blessing. May God’s blessing, which has come to us at the hand of Pope Francis, bring forth abundant fruit.

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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    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The “jolly good guy” kind of pastor can be an irritant. […] Ministers of the Gospel are not used car salesmen whose heartiness is a mile wide and an inch deep. A bemused layman told me that a bishop joked with him, but turned away like a startled deer when asked an important question…

— Fr. George Rutler (7 August 2017)

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