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Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Colloquium 2013

Fr. David Friel · June 23, 2013

ALT LAKE CITY is a beautiful place. I have spent the last week here, along with some of you, participating in the annual Sacred Music Colloquium, sponsored by the CMAA. So many of the graces of my first Colloquium two years ago have been renewed throughout this week.

Again this year, I learned an incredible amount. With the help of a talented faculty, I cracked the code on the basics of chironomy, learned the fundamentals of modern conducting, and gained the confidence to approach the bass part of Guerrero’s phenomenally colorful Requiem Mass. We were blessed to hear an engaging personal witness from Msgr. Wadsworth of ICEL, and Archbishop Sample of Portland offered the most extraordinary statement on sacred music and the cosmic liturgy I have heard from any bishop other than our beloved Pope Emeritus. We participated in liturgies brimming with beauty, and the Gloria from the Mass of the English Martyrs (available from Corpus Christi Watershed!) was even featured at Sunday’s closing Mass.

Perhaps more than any of these things, what I have enjoyed most about my Colloquium experiences has been the opportunity to meet other musicians committed to making music consonant with the mind of the Church. When we think we are alone—that no one else longs for authentically sacred music—we should remind ourselves that it isn’t so. There are good people throughout our country (and beyond) who share the vision and the burden.

The folks I have met in Pittsburgh and in Salt Lake City are not merely kindred spirits, but true friends. For this reason, Colloquium is a wonderful experience. If you have never been to one, consider attending next year, perhaps bringing along another choir member or priest. It’s a time for those of us who know each other mostly via the Internet to spend time in one another’s presence; it’s a time to challenge one another, to learn from one another, and to encourage one another.

May the Lord continue to prosper the work of our hands, our hearts, and our voices!

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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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Custom preserves many things in liturgy after their first reason has ceased.”

— Father Adrian Fortescue (writing in 1916)

Recent Posts

  • “Musicam Sacram” (5 March 1967) • Does It Apply?
  • “What Martin Luther Said…”
  • “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Worship the Lord in Holy Attire
  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”

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