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Views from the Choir Loft

Returning from Rio

Fr. David Friel · August 4, 2013

EVER IN MY LIFE did I expect to go to Rio. This time last week, however, I was standing on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, preparing to concelebrate the closing Mass of World Youth Day with our Holy Father, Pope Francis. Rather than add to the blog-o-squabble concerning the music, let me instead say a word about the silence.

At several points throughout World Youth Day, we were gathered on Copacabana Beach. We were surrounded by many noises—talking, traffic, the roar of the sea, etc. Against what one might have expected, though, the crowd actually became utterly silent at a few different moments.

The first such moment came when Pope Francis asked for a moment of silence to pray for a pilgrim who had been injured in a car accident. But this was only a warm up.

On the evening of the vigil, there were reportedly 3 to 4 million people on the beach and in the nearby streets. Were it not for the palpable presence of Christian charity, this would have been chaos. In the midst of all these people, it was the Real Presence that instructed order upon the gathering. When the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for adoration on the altar, those 3 to 4 million people became truly, utterly, deafeningly silent. From where I knelt on the beach, my group and I were able to relish in this beautiful silence. The only human voice we could hear was an occasional, “Sombrinha!” (Portugese for “umbrella”), the shout of an irreverent salesmen who continued to canvas the beach. The silence was stunning.

The third occasion of deep silence came after the reception of Holy Communion at the papal Mass on Sunday. With similarly enormous crowds, it was edifying to stand in the midst of huddled, silent masses, each person offering thanksgiving to God for the gift of His grace. Accomplishing this feat would be difficult in most of our parishes; that it was accomplished in a crowd of millions I interpret as a sign of the Spirit’s presence.

Dr. Kwasniewski recently completed an excellent series of blogs on silence. Every good musician, moreover, knows the essential role that silence plays within a piece of music. I was privileged to experience hallowed silence on a grand scale. Perhaps an even greater challenge is to cultivate this silence in an abiding way in our hearts.

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 served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

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Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

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“It is difficult to imagine a more unjust situation than abortion, and it is very difficult to speak of obsession in a matter such as this, where we are dealing with a fundamental imperative of every good conscience—the defense of the right to life of an innocent and defenseless human being.”

— Pope St. John Paul II

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