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Views from the Choir Loft

Pope Pius X: The Pope Who Carried His Shoes

Jeff Ostrowski · August 22, 2013

OPE PIUS X was known above all for his humility and poverty. There are hundreds of stories that illustrate this. For example, as a young child, he often carried his shoes on his back during long commutes to and from school. This was to prolong their life, since shoes were expensive, and his family was extremely poor. Even after becoming Pope, his devotion to Apostolic poverty was extreme, bordering on imprudence.

Any man can be elected Pope. As the good Father Leslie Rumble reminded us, Pope Leo XIII was a Prince by blood, whilst his immediate successor, Pope Pius X, was the son of a poverty-stricken mail carrier.

WHILE MOST KNOW of his humility, not all are aware of his devotion to Sacred music. Everyone should read the following 2003 article, published by the former director of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred music (PIMS) on the 100th anniversary of Pius X’s motu proprio:

      * *  2003 Article on Pope Pius X (Dr. Robert Skeris)

Here are some excerpts:

In 1882 as Vicar General of Treviso, Mons. Sarto personally participated in the Gregorian Congress at Arezzo, which passed resolutions affirming the problematic nature of the then papally privileged Regensburg Medicaean edition of the chant, and calling for a revival of the traditional liturgical melodies along the lines which Dom Joseph Pothier, O.S.B. had sketched out in 1880.

Named Bishop of Mantua (which at that time was beset with many problems), Sarto began in 1884 to teach dogma courses in the Seminary, giving each student a personal copy of the Summa Theologiae. He also personally conducted chant rehearsals for the students, so that the Mass chants would be sung correctly.

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 Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Symposium Draft Schedule Released!
    Those who head over to the Symposium Website will notice the tentative schedule for 2023 has been released. This is all very exciting! Very soon, we will begin accepting applications, so please make sure you have subscribed to our mailing list. If you are subscribed, that means you'll hear announcements before anyone else. (It’s incredibly easy to subscribe to our mailing list; just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.)
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Good Friday Polyphony by L. Senfl
    The editor of the Sacred Music Magazine recently made available to the public this splendid article by our own Charles Weaver. It includes an edition of polyphony for the GOOD FRIDAY “Reproaches.” Renaissance composers often set the various offices of Holy Week; e.g. readers will probably be familiar with the beautiful TENEBRAE setting by Father Tomás Luis de Victoria (d. 1611). From what I can tell, Ludwig Senfl (d. 1543) was originally a Catholic priest, but eventually was seduced by Luther and ended up abandoning the sacred priesthood.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Coming Soon! • Symposium 2023
    A few weeks ago, dates were announced for Sacred Music Symposium 2023. The rehearsal videos are beginning to appear! For example, the KYRIE ELEYSON contains sections by Lassus, Victoria, and Palestrina. You can see and hear Part 1 at this link. Much more information about this wonderful conference will be released soon!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Let us ponder the incontrovertible fact that Eucharistic Adoration in the Ordinary Form (“Novus Ordo”) is always and everywhere celebrated “ad orientem.” Why, then, is there such opposition to Mass being celebrated in that way, which is actually stipulated by the 1970 Missal rubrics?

— A Benedictine Monk (2013)

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