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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

The Young and the Extremely Young

Andrew R. Motyka · February 19, 2014

HINGS HAVE BEEN pretty crazy in the Motyka household for the last couple of weeks, what with my wife delivering our first born son, Thomas, as seen looking surly to the right. Because of that, it’s been a couple of weeks since I last contributed anything. I wrote this piece last week, but never got around to posting it. Here goes:

While speaking with my friend Mike on the phone yesterday, I was reminded of something I’m constantly harping about: the average Catholic in the pew just isn’t aware of the Church’s norms on liturgy in general and music in particular.

Mike is a professional musician, and he was telling me that despite being baptized Catholic, attending Catholic schools, and attending Mass regularly, he never knew about the Church’s musical heritage until the last few years. Now, he takes pride in the Requiem Mass, thinking “that’s our music” whenever his chorus sings a Requiem Mass. Even after many years of singing in choirs and performing sacred music, he never understood its proper place in the liturgy until fairly recently. I can sympathize with this view. Until I experienced sacred music in its proper context, it didn’t quite “click.”

One thing my parish is trying this year is the inauguration of an Archdiocesan Honors Choir, a select choir of high school students from the archdiocese to participate in major liturgies during the year. Their first experience in this choir will be on Holy Thursday, a perfect opportunity to expose the singers to the Church’s musical heritage. Holy Thursday is a perfect opportunity since it is glutted with ritual music. I hope to impart exactly what Mike described: show the students the inherent connection between music and the liturgical act. Forming connections with the local high schools to find quality singers is one way to put this kind of special group together, and we intend to make a big deal out of it; the singers will even receive invitations from the Archbishop.

One way the liturgical life of the Church will improve is through education. The constant cries for “catechesis” are easily tuned out, however, since opportunities and open minds are hard to come by. The Church’s youth are a good place to start. They have no idea what heritage they’re even missing, and it gives them an opportunity to be counter-cultural. Youth choirs are a great chance to feed that desire and develop the future of Catholic music.

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 Andrew R. Motyka

Andrew Motyka is the Archdiocesan Director of Liturgical Music and Cathedral Music for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on what each translator wants to emphasize and which source text is chosen. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF example) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“I, (Name), do declare that I do believe that there is not any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, or in the elements of the bread and wine, at or after the consecration thereof by any person whatsoever.”

— ‘From England’s Anti-Catholic Oath (1673)’

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