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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

CMAA Colloquium and Hoosier Hospitality

Andrew R. Motyka · July 9, 2014

ANY THINGS have been said about this past week in Indianapolis. We have seen pictures of the beautiful liturgies, we have listened to descriptions of edifying lectures, and of course, we have heard the transcendent music that resounded throughout the church. What cannot be shown in pictures or heard in recordings, however, are the connections that are made with fellow musicians dedicated to reverence in the sacred liturgy.

It is far too easy for musicians to be isolated in our own parishes, not connecting with our peers or broadening our knowledge and experience. I know that unless I force myself to attend events like the CMAA Colloquium or other events with fellow musicians, I run the risk of subjecting the local liturgy to my own limited ideas and intelligence.

Since this year’s Colloquium was in Indianapolis, it was easy for me to make the decision to attend. Because this is my home turf, it was a much more relaxed environment for me to socialize and communicate with my fellow attendees. I normally have a hard time in crowds of strangers, especially in groups like this that are filled with people that are much smarter than me. I was fortunate enough to give a presentation on Friday, which I hope to use as fodder for several posts in the future. The presentation was about the gradual implementation of the propers in the average parish, and one subject I focused on was making connections with the people in your parish. People should always be valued more than systems, and so it was with this gathering. Instead of interacting with forum avatars or Facebook messages, I could meet with people face to face and have real conversations.

The greatest connection for me, however, was actually singing with these people. I was in the polyphonic choir that sang Victoria’s Requiem a 4 on Saturday afternoon, a gorgeous piece of music by one of my favorite composers. For one thing, it is joy to sing in a choir which I am not directing. I don’t get to do that often, so I took in every moment of it. Furthermore, singing alongside someone creates a bond even between strangers. Sharing that kind of beauty was worth the entire week, in my opinion.

At the closing Mass, Archbishop Tobin mentioned the idea of “Hoosier Hospitality,” something my fellow Indiana residents take pride in. I can’t take credit for any of that; I am a born and raised Masshole. I do, however, understand what it is like to be taken in by this wonderful city and made to feel welcome in a place far from home. I have experienced that fabled hospitality since I arrived 2 years ago. I hope my fellow musicians felt the same this week, and were as edified and energized by the experience to get back to it in their own parishes.

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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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon
    This coming Sunday—10 August 2025—is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON is really gorgeous, and two of its features are worth mentioning. First of all, the Gospel reading assigned is from Saint Luke, whereas the the antiphon—although it matches the account—comes from Saint Matthew. (If anyone can point to a similar example, please notify me.) Furthermore, if you look at the authentic Gregorian Chant version posted on the feasts website, you’ll notice that it’s MODE III but ends on the ‘wrong’ note. A comparable instance of such a ‘transposed’ chant would be KYRIE IV.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly
    Using “Ye” vs. “You” is rather tricky, because it depends upon which era one is trying to recreate—if that makes any sense. In other words, the rules haven’t always been the same for these two. Nevertheless, Father Philip George Caraman (the legendary Jesuit scholar) gives us a masterclass using Saint Luke’s Gospel. Father Caraman was close friends with Monsignor Ronald Knox, Evelyn Waugh, and Sir Alec Guinness.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    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

Random Quote

It should be borne in mind that there is no preference expressed in the liturgical legislation for either “versus populum” or “ad orientem.” Since both positions enjoy the favor of law, the legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other accords more closely with the mind of the Church.

— ‘Congregation for Divine Worship (Vatican City), 10 April 2000’

Recent Posts

  • Is this what the new “Youth Mass” looks like?
  • “Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon
  • Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly
  • Installment #3 • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”

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