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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

Returning Home

Fr. David Friel · August 14, 2013

Y PARISH is in a neighborhood called Parkwood Manor. Most of the folks in our parish at some point moved to this neighborhood from another Philadelphia neighborhood. Some of them have roots in Kensington & Fishtown, others in West Oak Lane or South Philly. Many of them moved here as young couples in the 1960’s, and others have moved in more recently.

No matter where you are from, if you have ever relocated, you know that it can be quite a difficult experience to go back. It can be an eye-opening venture when you take a drive through “the old neighborhood.” Things change after we have moved on, and, when we go back, rarely do we ever think they have changed for the better. The new owners may have painted over the woodwork or put up a new fence or let some part of the house fall into disrepair. It can be hard to observe the changes to a place we once loved. I remember my parents taking our family once on a drive by the house we lived in when I was very young. I hardly remembered the house, myself, but I’ll never forget how my dad went on a tirade about how the new owner had let the bushes in front of the house grow wild.

Perhaps this was the reason for the Assumption. Jesus spent his earliest days in Mary’s womb; He went on to spend 30 years at her side; she was there when He died. Perhaps Jesus couldn’t bear to allow His Mother’s body to decay, like all of ours will some day. She is the Immaculate Conception, after all, so we ought not to be indignant that she would receive special treatment. All of us are sinners, and the “wages of sin” are death and decay. But Mary was sinless from the first moment of her conception. Just as our Lord preserved her from the stain of sin before her conception, we believe that He preserved her from the stain of decay after her death. Instead, He chose to bring her, body & soul, to heaven. This we call the Assumption.

It can be hard to go back to the neighborhood where we grew up. Ultimately, though, the place we really come from isn’t a neighborhood, but the heart of God, Himself. On this feast of the Assumption, Mary shows us the way back home. Where our Blessed Mother has gone, we hope to follow!

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

    “Music List” • 22nd in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 31 August 2025, which is the 22nd 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “The Worm That Dieth Not”
    My pastor asked me to write a column for our parish bulletin with reflections on the sacred liturgy and church music. In my most recent article, I discuss “The Worm That Dieth Not.” At this website, you can access it conveniently; simply scroll down to the one dated 31 August 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    A Nice Hymn In Spanish
    In my humble opinion, this is a really beautiful hymn in Spanish. If I practice diligently, I’ll be able to pronounce all the words properly. If you’re someone who’s interested in obtaining a melody only version (suitable for your congregational ORDER OF WORSHIP) you can steal that from this.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
    How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    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

Random Quote

“Who dreamed on that day that within a few years, far less than a decade, the Latin past of the Church would be all but expunged, that it would be reduced to a memory fading in the middle distance? The thought of it would have horrified us, but it seemed so far beyond the realm of the possible as to be ridiculous. So we laughed it off.”

— Most Rev’d Robert J. Dwyer, Archbishop of Portland (d. 1976)

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