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Views from the Choir Loft

Sacred Music and The New Evangelization

Richard J. Clark · September 11, 2013

R. WILLIAM MAHRT REMINDS US that the Second Vatican Council “gave music, of all the arts, the most central position in the liturgical action.” (The Musical Shape of the Liturgy. Pg. 61) In other words, Vatican II reaffirmed the unique function of music within the sacred liturgy:

“Therefore sacred music is to be considered the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action…” (Sacrosanctum Concillium § 112)

While liturgical action is the guiding dynamic of sacred music’s implementation, the Word shapes the creation of this music. These are wholly countercultural realities: the Word and the liturgical action as the driving forces of music. As such, truly sacred liturgical music possesses a function—a responsibility—that is quite different from music of secular society and also of some religious denominations. Sadly, it also differs substantially from common liturgical practice in the Roman Catholic Church today. This is worth examining in light of music’s role in evangelization.

We are all familiar with the secularization of sacred music, not simply in style, but most importantly in its primary function and purpose: to make us feel good, to infuse energy or emotion, to express ourselves and our own feelings. These are not bad things in and of themselves. In fact, they are quite good and may even inspire deep devotion and inspiration. However, there must be an understanding of time (or timelessness) and place. The liturgical purpose of true sacred music is what sets it apart from the rest of the world, and hence, why divine worship is wholly transformative when music is wedded both to the Word and to the liturgical action. This is what makes music sacred—set apart from the world and “set aside” for the liturgy.

The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy. (Ibid)

F THE CURCH WERE TO RECLAIM the proper role and function of its very own music, it would go a long to way to repossessing the deeply influential significance of the liturgy in our everyday lives. In turn, this would most compellingly and powerfully foster evangelization. Acquiescence to secular culture or even to American religious culture in order to fill the pews is shortsighted. For those of us lost and craving a true presence of God in our lives, the mass, our greatest prayer, is the rock and foundation. It is the way to evangelization.

The New Evangelization describes the work of the Church as “…to bring all people into relationship with God, and also to transform and sanctify the society in which we live.” (U.S. Catholic bishops, Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization).

HE MASS IS WHERE WE FOSTER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD and as a result, with each other. As such, it is not overstated in the least that the mass is the most important work of the Church. It strengthens us to go out into the world to do the work of the Gospel. Therefore, it is no trivial matter to love the liturgy, to love the Word and to love the music to which it is wedded. If our work in sacred music is for the Glory of God alone, we are called to not only “preserve and foster sacred music with great care” as urged by Vatican II, but we are also called to evangelize through sacred music. Why? Because music, in no small, part nurtures our prayer and therefore our relationship with God and with each other.

THE WORD, MUSIC, AND HOW WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES are all connected. For those of us charged with shaping lives through music, let us not forget this responsibility. Furthermore, let us also pray for our pastors—the shepherds of the faithful who support musicians of sacred music. Their jobs are not easy, as they are responsible for more than most any person would dare to take on. Pray that they have the wisdom, courage, and foresight to support true scared music—music that is wedded to the Word, wedded to the liturgical action, and therefore wedded to our prayer.

We pray for all of this so that we may go forth and evangelize.

John 15: 16: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.”

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Evangelization 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

    PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
    EVIN ALLEN was commissioned by Sacred Music Symposium 2025 to compose a polyphonic ‘middle section’ for the GLORIA from Mass III, often denoted by its trope name: Missa Kyrie Deus sempiterne. This year, I’m traveling from Singapore to serve on the symposium faculty. I will be conducting Palestrina’s ‘Ave Maria’ as well as teaching plainsong to the men. A few days ago, I was asked to record rehearsal videos for this beautiful polyphonic extension. (See below.) This polyphonic composition fits ‘inside’ GLORIA III. That is, the congregation sings for the beginning and end, but the choir alone adds polyphony to the middle. The easiest way to understand how everything fits together is by examining this congregational insert. You may download the score, generously made available to the whole world—free of charge—by CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED:
    *  PDF Download • Gloria III ‘Middle Section’ (Kevin Allen)
    Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #24366. Related News • My colleague, Jeff Ostrowski, composed an organ accompaniment for this same GLORIA a few months ago. Obviously, the organist should drop out when the polyphony is being sung.
    —Corrinne May
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Yahweh” in church songs?
    My pastor asked me to write a weekly column for our parish bulletin. The one scheduled to run on 22 June 2025 is called “Three Words in a Psalm” and speaks of translating the TETRAGRAMMATON. You can read the article at this column repository. All of them are quite brief because I was asked to keep within a certain word limit.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962
    There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop
    —Veronica Brandt
    The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum
    Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.
    —Daniel Tucker

Random Quote

“Vatican II did not say anything about the direction of the celebrant. […] I love both directions of celebrating Mass. Both are full of meaning for me. Both help me to encounter Christ—and that is, after all, the purpose of the liturgy.”

— Christoph Cardinal Schönborn (February 2007)

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
  • “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
  • PDF Download • “Text by Saint Francis of Assisi” (choral setting w/ organ: Soprano & Alto)
  • “Yahweh” in church songs?
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