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Views from the Choir Loft

Let Me Lent You Some Advice

Andrew R. Motyka · March 5, 2014

OMETIMES I LOSE TRACK of what day it is. More frequently, I lose track of what week it is. Because I am constantly working ahead with liturgical preparation, practice, and rehearsal, it is easy to be focused on a completely different week than I am currently living. For example, I have been focused on Lent since the Christmas season, and my choir has even been working on a few of our more difficult Easter pieces for over a month.

For this reason, it’s easy to look past the season you are living in, forgetting that you, too, can benefit from it. This most often happens, for me, in Advent and Lent. I am so focused on Christmas and Easter that I forget that I need spiritual growth in the season, as well.

This Lent, take a moment and remind yourself that just because you work for the Church doesn’t mean you don’t need her graces, too. You have to intentionally make time to live your own faith, and it will pay off with everyone around you.

I hope you have a most edifying Lent, one that strengthens your faith, purges your weakness, and makes you ready to celebrate the joys of Easter. Please keep your fellow music directors, and me, in your prayers as we do our best to make the liturgy beautiful for the edification of all the faithful.

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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Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

I want to say one thing to you strongly, especially today: virginity for the Kingdom of God is not a “no,” it is a “yes!”

— Pope Francis (10/4/2013)

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