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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

Children and Organ Failure

Andrew R. Motyka · June 19, 2013

ICHARD CLARK, my impressive co-blogger, had a picture on his Facebook of his children watching him play a postlude on Father’s Day. I thought, “Aw, that’s cute.” And by “Aw,” I mean, “impressive that they’re listening to the piece instead of, say, actively trying to destroy the instrument.”

Perhaps I should explain. A couple of years ago, I had just begun working at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona, PA, which boasts a 1931 Steinmeyer organ, a truly majestic instrument which I was able to trick everyone into thinking I was at all qualified to play. I was still new on the job, only about 3 weeks in, and still very self-conscious about, well, everything since this was my first Cathedral gig. This sets a fertile backdrop for the mischief of my offspring.

My wife (Julie) arrived for Mass with my two daughters, aged 4 and 2, and was bringing the elder, Mary, to the choir loft to sit with me during Mass (separating the girls was the most effective way to get them to behave, and Mary would sit quietly even then). The younger, Lucy, darted up the stairs to the loft and closed the door, locking herself in. Oh, and I wasn’t up there yet. Julie came running down to tell me that Lucy was locked in the loft. Horrified and thinking of my rambunctious 2 year-old leaning over the edge of the rail, I ran up to unlock her.

Thankfully, she wasn’t leaning over the edge, just standing on the organ pedals and pressing buttons. She wasn’t even making any noise, which is practically well-behaved for a child of 2. I checked everything on the organ to make sure it was okay, and we were good to go.

5 minutes before Mass, I pressed whatever combination I had prepared for my prelude, and started to play. No sound came out. I checked, and the organ was indeed on (don’t ask me why I have the experience to know to troubleshoot that particular problem). Everything was set correctly, but no sound was coming out. Panicked, and having exactly 1.5 minutes before the beginning of a radio-broadcasted Mass, I called an audible at the line and ran down the stairs to use the piano for the Mass (please don’t kill me, Dr. Kwasniewski).

The Mass went fine, but as soon as it was over I started panicking again. There was a special event Mass that evening, complete with brass, and there was no way I could get the organ company out to look at the instrument before then. It was also my third week on the job, and I was pretty sure my irresponsible parenting had just cost the parish several thousands of dollars in repairs. Things weren’t looking so good for our hero, Andy.

I phoned my predecessor, not knowing what else to do (telling the rector was absolutely not on the list of possibilities). I explained the situation, and he laughed a bit. Laughed, the jerk. Apparently, the same thing happened once to his predecessor (the organ not sounding part, not the Father of the Year locking your child in the choir loft part). He directed me to one of the old combination stops on the instrument, marked “all stops off.” Indeed, it was pushed in, and once reset, it worked just fine.

In my defense, this organ was restored in 1992, and all of the old combination stops were left on the console, just for the historical look of the thing, and also to mess with the newbies. How was I supposed to know to check not the pistons that are functioning and in use today, but the pistons that are 75+ years old and never used?

So that’s yet another embarrassing story from the choir loft. The organ wasn’t broken, I wasn’t fired, and Lucy wasn’t hurt on her solo adventure into the loft. I couldn’t be mad at her; she was 2, and at least she didn’t get hurt. It could have been much worse.

No, just kidding; I was still pretty ticked since I almost gave myself a panic attack. But again, Lucy was 2, and even to this day uses her cuteness as a defense mechanism. I was helpless.

Happy belated Father’s Day, everyone!

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 Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

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

What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.

— ‘His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)’

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