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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

“Missa de Jerry Seinfeld” and Praying as a Family

Richard J. Clark · July 19, 2013

NE OF MY GREATEST LAMENTS as a full-time church musician is the inability to go to mass with my family with any regularity. With Saturday and Sunday evening masses and rehearsals, this precludes most any possibility. We get to attend mass together as a family perhaps four or five times a year, so when we do, it is a rare and special treat.

My wife and I met at church. Until we had children, she played clarinet at most every mass that I directed. Meanwhile, she has been quite saintly in handling our children by herself at our local parish, as it is now sometimes impractical for them to attend mass where I work. For example, she must negotiate with my three-year-old son, “the liturgist” who apparently knows exactly when mass should be over. Around the fifty-five minute mark, he expresses “in his own special way” the “dismissal.”

My son is also quite an expert in liturgical music, once yelling only a few rows behind the organist at another parish, “I want Daddy’s music! I want Daddy’s music. DADDY’S MUSIC!!” (I love my son. He’s a very good boy.) My poor wife, horribly embarrassed, was trying to quiet him, but little could be done to mitigate this social faux pas. I’m not sure if they’ve ever been back to that parish.

I digress.

Recently, we had such an opportunity to attend mass together as a family. It was even more extraordinary; while traveling with my wife’s extended family, we were all together at mass—all nineteen of us!

When traveling, of course, it is difficult to be picky about where to go. This particular mass that we attended (in an unnamed and undisclosed parish somewhere in America…) presented some “challenges” for me. The game show atmosphere and steady stream of jokes throughout mass grossly distorted the flow and shape of the liturgy. This included a well-timed joke about celibacy from the celebrant that drew riotous laughter. The music had nothing to do with the liturgical calendar, but was a list of “Catholic top-40” and was more closely related to the secular calendar. (OK, so the Lalemant Propers were out of the question.) The cantors were in fact quite talented and excellent, if for Broadway.

However, looking around, the church was full and the congregational singing was quite robust despite microphones set to eleven. (I’m dating myself again with the “Spinal Tap” reference.) The homily was in fact quite prayerful and intelligent despite the stand-up routine from the celebrant throughout the rest of the mass. The people seemed very happy to be there. The atmosphere was welcoming, if bereft of reverence and very much not my cup of tea. (Btw, welcoming and reverent environments are NOT mutually exclusive!)

In all of my dismay, in which I felt I was doing great penance to endure such a mass, I must remind myself that I am a huge sinner and far from perfect. (My great sinfulness has and will continue to be a regular topic in this blog.) Plus, I must be mindful that I wasn’t such a great liturgical musician twenty years ago. (Although the “Missa de Jerry Seinfeld” from a clearly intelligent celebrant is disheartening.)

(Please forgive me for this obnoxious post, because I am the luckiest man alive; I have the love of my family. Furthermore, the love of Christ should be good enough for me.) And therefore…

Someday, what I will remember most about this mass are none of its misguided liturgical abuses, however well received they were. What I will remember is that I knelt side by side with my daughter during the consecration. I will remember reciting the Creed in my fidgety three-year-old son’s ear as I held him. I will remember singing with my children, even if the music was not the best the Church has to offer. I will remember that I married a most wonderful woman from a wonderful family—that all nineteen of us made it to mass together. I will remember that we are united in the Eucharist—that the love of Christ is the center of our prayer, of our Universal Church, and of our family. For this unique time with God and with my family, I am deeply blessed and most grateful beyond words.

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 Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

An Indult of the “Commission for Russia” (25 November 1929) authorizes Bishops and Administrators Apostolic in Russia to permit the celebration of Mass and the reception of Holy Communion in the afternoon or evening, on condition that a Eucharistic fast of four hours from noon be observed.

— Sacred Congregation of Rites, 25 nov 1929

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