Why Are We Bored At Mass?

Corpus Christi Watershed · October 18, 2013

N THIS WONDERFUL talk, Dr. Scott Hahn admits to sometimes being bored at Mass and explains why. He also talks about how his daughter “doesn’t want to go to Heaven.”

You owe it to yourself to watch the entire presentation (an hour), but if you don’t have time, make sure to at least watch the following brief excerpt:

* * 6-minute excerpt by Dr. Hahn

Incidentally, at the very beginning of the talk, Dr. Hahn praises Adam Bartlett, who had just given a beautiful talk on Sacred music.

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

Hymn by Cardinal Newman

During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Introit • Candlemas (2 February)

“Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”

Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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