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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

High School Students

Fr. David Friel · July 21, 2013

IGH SCHOOL KIDS are busy. If you have a high schooler in your family or extended family, you know that’s true. They’re into a lot of things, and they try to balance their responsibilities to their family with the desire to spend time with their friends. During the school year, they have projects and homework and reading and tests to do. Some of them get heavily involved in sports. Others get into the band. Some of them have jobs. They devote a lot of time and energy to friends and relationships. And I can only imagine how much time they devote to building their digital profile through Vine and Instagram and whatever. With all that they do, high school kids can be a lot like Martha—Martha, who was “anxious and worried about many things.”

But Jesus insists: “there is need of only one thing.” What is that one, necessary thing? Spending time with Him. Of course, that is what Mary, Martha’s sister, does. She sits “at the feet” of Jesus, “listening to Him speak.” This time last week, I was on retreat with almost 25 high school students from my parish. It was an awesome experience—a very enthusiastic, energetic, energizing experience. You might not think of that as a great environment for listening to the Lord, but it was. They chose to put aside the tendency to be like Martha for a whole weekend so that they could practice being like Mary. Instead of rushing around, being busy about many things, they went on retreat. Unlike so many of their peers, these young men & women spent last Friday and Saturday night . . . in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Of course, things are different back home. Peter, James, & John could not stay atop Mount Tabor, and neither can we. Nevertheless, even though things are different, there is nothing to stop us from having a powerful experience of God at home, wherever we are. Since God can be found in all things, one need not be in a specific place to experience Him.

Many of the young people in our group mentioned to me how deeply moved they were during the time they spent in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The good news is that the Eucharist we worshipped last week on retreat is the very same Eucharist present in the tabernacle of our church here in Philadelphia. Think about it: in the story of Martha & Mary, where was Mary when she had her encounter with Jesus? Where was she as she sat at His feet? She was in her own home.

Lots of times it is easier to experience God when we are on retreat or on a pilgrimage. There is nothing wrong with that, but the challenge is to keep searching for Him when we return home. Home, in fact, is where we should be most comfortable sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. I pray that all who search for God will do so with energy and enthusiasm. No matter how intensely we search for God, He will always be searching a thousand times more intensely for us!

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

At papal Masses, the regulations against tardiness were more stringent than at Masses celebrated by cardinals or bishops. Giovanni Maria Nanino records that any singer who is not in his place—and in his vestments—by the end of the repetition of the “Introit” will be fined eight vinti. At papal Vespers, the singer who is not present at the “Gloria Patri” of the first psalm pays a fine of fifty balocchi.

— Giovanni M. Nanino (d. 1607), Papal “Maestro di Cappella”

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