Views from the Choir Loft

Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II

Richard J. Clark · April 27, 2014

VER SINCE MY WIFE was expecting our third child, I began composing this mass setting in thanksgiving to God for my son, Sean Paul to whom it is dedicated. While composed in a chant style, each melody is reminiscent of a simple lullaby. (The Agnus Dei is perhaps the best example.) Like chant, when one sings a lullaby, one often doesn’t focus on meter and timing. The words and melody flow naturally and are fully devoted to the child. Likewise, chant is fully devoted to God flowing in much the same way. As such, this mass can even be sung effectively in three ways:

1 • Unison without accompaniment

2 • Cantor/Unison Schola and Organ

3 • SATB and Organ

• The voice-leading is designed to be simple; the accompaniment is well-suited for an organ of humble means.

• Using the 2010 English translation of The Roman Missal, Third Edition, it is published with the approval for liturgical use by the Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

DOWNLOAD Complete Score (2.3 MG):
PDF • Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II (for SATB, Schola, Organ)

DOWNLOAD Unison/Organist Edition:
PDF • Mass in Honor of Pope Saint John Paul II (for Schola, Organ)

• Recordings by the St. Cecilia Choir, Boston, MA, with the 1999 Smith & Gilbert Organ:

      YouTube:  Penitential Act C | Kyrie
      YouTube:  Gloria
      YouTube:  Sanctus
      YouTube:  Memorial Acclamation A
      YouTube:  Memorial Acclamation B
      YouTube:  Memorial Acclamation C
      YouTube:  Doxology, Amen
      YouTube:  Agnus Dei

• LISTEN and FREE DOWNLOADS of 24 bit audio here

AM ABSOLUTELY NOTHING without my wonderful volunteers and colleagues who are generous, talented, and devoted to prayer. Many thanks to Mark Donohoe, Allesandra Cionco, Jaime Korkos, Emily Lau, Michael Olbash, Peter Tetrault, Ryan Lynch, Doug McNicol, Benjamin Mead, Robert Gregory, Gillian Lynn Cotter, Ghinwa Choueiter, Heather Young, Joseph Houley, Mark Brown, Rachel Edelman, Robert Boland, Kathleen Boland, Libby Boland, Cynthia Wanner, William Brown, Chuck Olivieri, Matthew Gallup, Anna Maria Licameli, Rose Sun, Michelle Ong, Patricia Almond, Rebecca Wettemann, Patricia Driscoll, Perpetua Charles, and Timothy Edward Smith.

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

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He is also Chapel Organist (Saint Mary’s Chapel) at Boston College. His compositions have been performed worldwide.

From a Catholic priest…

Regarding the CCW mailing list, a priest (Father E. J.) wrote to us yesterday:

“Sometime ago, you wrote something along the lines that none of your emails are copies or merely pitches; each one is individual. I respect you so much for that. I don’t always get to read through them, but they remain in my inbox for when I have time. I can’t over estimate how much I appreciate you and your team’s work, how many times I’ve turned to CCwatershed for guidance, tips, and ideas. Unfortunately I’m not in a position to choose or direct music at my assignment. I may have said this to you once before but: I look forward to when I can. One of the first things I’d do in a parish is bring your resources aboard (gradually, of course).”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Does Gregorian Chant ever skip a 7th?

I’ve really been enjoying singing from the Père Daniel Kyriale (126 pages), which is a fabulous little book. I had no idea it would turn out so nicely—incredibly useful, and the printing is super crisp. I noticed something quite strange the other day: Kyrie X (an extremely ancient chant) contains a skip of a seventh. Sometimes that’s the result of a missing Trope, but not in this instance. (I know, because I also examined the Troped version.)

—Jeff Ostrowski

We love getting messages like this one…

“I am a 25-year-old organist and cantor from the mountains of Northern Colorado. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your friends for working hard to bring excellent content to your website and my inbox. I have found many, many awesome resources to help me stay faithful to the Church’s stance and traditions on good, beautiful sacred music at the local parishes for which I play the organ and cantor. Truly refreshing to see all the good content. Mere words fail me. I wish you could know how helpful you’ve been. I can sense your passion for this, and it’s contagious. We were able to start to implement the chanted antiphons in English, and I am more comfortable singing the traditional Latin propers at Holy Communion or Offertory. I have a tremendous appreciation for the beauty handed down by our forefathers, especially with the Extraordinary Form Mass… I wish we could have them more often, but good things are starting to happen to sacred music. Other church musicians I know and used to work with are grateful for your resources and hard work. You influence more people than you know!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Many declare that Vatican Council II brought about a true springtime in the Church. Nevertheless, a growing number of Church leaders see this “springtime” as a rejection, a renunciation of her centuries-old heritage, or even as a radical questioning of her past and Tradition. Political Europe is rebuked for abandoning or denying its Christian roots; but the first to have abandoned her Christian roots and past is indisputably the post-conciliar Catholic Church.

— ‘Pope Francis’ Chief Liturgist (31 March 2017)’