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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

Homily: 15th Monday in Ordinary Time (St. Kateri)

Guest Author · July 14, 2014

DMITTEDLY, THE FIRST READING from the Prophet Isaiah might be rather hard to understand. One can more or less sum up his message in the following way: the Prophet is condemning the people of his time for their apparent exactness when it came to the offering of the sacrifices and observance of rites. But they failed to observe God’s other commandments which had to do with love of neighbor, especially when it came to concern for widows and orphans and other unfortunate people. Failing to do these latter things made their religious practices useless in the eyes of God.

Now it might not be too hard to apply some of these ideas to our own lives. It isn’t too hard to imagine how a person might be faithful and exact when it comes to going to Church and Mass on Sunday, but be very remiss in their practice of charity or love of neighbor. Needless to say, this is a case where we want a person to be doing both.

*       *       *

TODAY IS THE FEAST OF ST. KATERI, the First Northern Native American to be canonized. She was a member of the Mohawk tribe, and was canonized in 2012. This was a very special event for all Native Americans especially in our country and in Canada. De facto she lived in both counties and both countries have shrines in her honor. She was very faithful to the practice of her religion and also to the virtue or practice of love of neighbor during her short life of twenty four years.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells us how following Him might even cause division between a person and members of one’s own family. I would say that Jesus tells us this to forewarn us in case it does happen. It isn’t something that we want to happen, but can for a variety of reasons. If it does, we have to be prepared to face and accept it. Unfortunately it seems to happen more in our day than it used to. It often happens when some members of our family give up the practice of their religion. It is usually difficult to say what one should do, and often there isn’t much one can do, except to pray.

St. Kateri’s conversion to Catholicism caused distress in her community, so much so that her confessor feared for her safety and urged her to flee. She fled under cover of night to a Christian village two hundred miles away near Montreal, Canada. There on Christmas Day, 1677, she made her First Communion. Even there, she had to face opposition. She resisted the idea of marriage, wanting instead to found a convent, but that did not work out. She did make a public vow of chastity, however. Soon after she fell ill and died at the age of twenty-four.

St. Kateri grew up in very unlikely circumstances of ever becoming a saint. But she did. I am sure there were many uncertain days in her life. Apparently her spirituality or way of life was very simple. It was just total dedication of herself to Jesus. We too can do that. We don’t have to do it all our life all at once, we just have to do it day to day, and not even that; just moment to moment.


We hope you enjoyed this homily by Fr. Valentine Young, OFM.

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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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

“When we force a boy to be a mediocrity in a dozen subjects we destroy his standards, perhaps for life.”

— C. S. Lewis

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