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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Easter Monday

Fr. David Friel · April 1, 2013

ASTER MONDAY is a good day not to bug your pastor (unless, of course, someone is in need of the Sacraments). After the rush of Lent & Triduum liturgies, Easter Monday is an unofficial though widely embraced opportunity for clergy types to decompress and recharge. It is a necessary day of rest for many priests, who like to spend the day quietly or even alone.

I did just that thing today by driving up to the Delaware Water Gap, a gorgeous National Recreation Area in the Pocono mountain region of northeastern Pennsylvania. My goal was to climb Mt. Minsi, which I did under the mantle of very pleasant weather (high 50’s, partly cloudy). Why? Because leisure is essential to our souls. In the words of one of my favorite philosophers: “Work is the means of life; leisure the end. Without the end, work is meaningless —a means to a means to a means . . . and so on forever” (Roger Scruton).

A great deal of my childhood was spent out in the woods, leisurely hiking and camping. My hike today reminded me of how deeply formative those times were on my body, mind, and spirit. In a real sense, although I first met God in my parish church, I came to know Him in the woods of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire and Virginia and New Mexico. God speaks in so many ways, not least through the marvelous beauty of His creation.

When I reached the summit, I took my breviary out of my pack to pray Sext (Midday Prayer). Here is what I prayed:

O LORD, our God, how majestic is Your name through all the earth!
Your majesty is praised above the heavens.
From the mouths of children and of babes, You have found praise to foil Your enemy,
to silence the foe and the rebel.
When I see the heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars which You arranged,
what is man that You should keep him in mind,
the son of man that You care for him?
Yet, You have made him little lower than the angels;
with glory and honor You crowned him,
gave him power over the works of Your hands.
You put all things under his feet.
All of them, sheep and oxen, yes, even the savage beasts,
birds of the air, and fish of the sea that make their way through the waters.
O LORD, our God, how majestic is Your name through all the earth!

Today, I give glory to God not only for His triumphant Resurrection, but also for His kind hands, which have fashioned a world that reveals His majesty and permits true leisure. May God be praised!

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 is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on what each translator wants to emphasize and which source text is chosen. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF example) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“You have thereby removed from the celebration of the Mass all superstitions, all greed for lucre, and all irreverence … removed its celebrations from private homes and profane places to holy and consecrated sanctuaries. You have banished from the temple of the Lord the more effeminate singing and musical compositions.”

— ‘Bishop Racozonus, speaking at the last session of the Council of Trent (1563)’

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