• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“If we do not love those whom we see, how can we love God, Whom we do not see?” Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

  • Our Team
    • Views from the Choir Loft • “Our Team”
    • Our Editorial Policy
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Guillaume Couture Gregorian Chant
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Mass in Honor of Saint Noël Chabanel
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

Felix Culpa

Aurelio Porfiri · July 30, 2014

0319_agnus_dei-LG EA CULPA, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa… Those that want to find meaning to their existence should always recognize that we are in the condition of sinners. As I said previously, I am not really into this mindset of seeing everything as joyful, playful and full of spiritual laughter. And not because I dislike joy, not at all: but because I need to be honest with myself and recognize the reality of what surrounds me.

This misleading conception is never more true than in some of our modern Masses, where the joy is compulsory even during Good Friday, that is just borne because in a few days it will be Easter. But because we are redeemed through the Passion of Jesus, our sinful condition so became “felix culpa.” When I am in these liturgies full of clapping, jumping and going hand in hand, I feel that there is a betrayal of the nature of the liturgy itself. Some justify this with the fear of losing youth. But are you gaining them when you are immersing them in a lie?

Life is not a piece of cake. And the Mass is not a Sunday recreational moment. We need to feel the burning of being close to God. If we cannot be good, at least let us be honest. If we are close to God we know we should accept being part of His Passion. This is life, also at the deepest spiritual level. Divo Barsotti,1 a great Italian Christian thinker says it very well in his book Fissi gli occhi nel sole (The eyes fixed on the sun): “Some images defend the truth more than many abstract concepts. So the image of fire. God is Fire. You are not living a contact with Him without burning” (pg. 83, my translation). If we don’t accept this dimension in trying to be good, we are only being dishonest. The same Barsotti continues:

The man here on earth hides himself, defends himself against Fire, but if he really offers himself naked to the Fire, then his life will be no more that being invested from Fire, it is no more than burning. When will you be pure flame? So the image of piety. Your sin is hardening you and you want to be broken, destroyed. You say to God – your prayer is only one -: Break me, smash me, destroy me, O God (pg. 83, my translation).

BUT THE DIMENSION PRESENTED by the great Father Barsotti is not the one we are living in our Masses, where we need to appear as what we are not. Indeed the so called artists, are those that most willingly offer themselves naked to the fire. And this makes them look ridiculous to the eyes of other men, as said very well from Charles Baudelaire, in his poem about the Albatross, this animal that was the laughingstock of the common man because of appearing so awkward. And he compares this bird to the artist, the poet:

Le Poète est sembable au prince des nuées
Qui hante la tempête et se rit de l’archer;
Exilé sur le sol au milieu des huées,
Ses ailes de géant l’empêchement de marcher.

“The Poet is like the prince of the clouds,
Haunting the tempest and laughing at the archer;
Exiled on earth amongst the shouting people,
His giant’s wings hinder him from walking”

(Translated by Geoffrey Wagner, 1974).

But everyone knows that people still like to judge as ridiculous what in reality just threatened the emptiness of their own existence.


BOTTEGA • Aurelio Porfiri is where you can discover
many of Mæstro Porfiri’s compositions in PDF format.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   To learn more about Fr. Divo Barsotti, please see my previous article.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
    A young lady named Agnes wrote to us: “Dear Mr. Ostrowski, do you have the PDF score for Ave Corpus Domini set to the ADVENT melody? Last year, we sang the hymn tune “Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland” quite a bit using your contrafactum technique. My choir appreciates the Latin hymns and practice videos, especially in the ADVENT and CHRISTMAS seasons. Your recent article on Gregorian Psalm Tones is a great help to my organist brother, and reminds us of attending VESPERS years ago when we lived in California. Thank you so much for all the effort put into providing these wonderful resources!”   Agnes, if you are listening! Yes, the PDF file you desire can be downloaded for free at the Brébeuf Portal via this URL link. Thanks for writing to us!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Message from the Vice-President!
    The Vice-President of the Church Music Association of America, Dr. Horst Buchholz (who also serves as Director of Sacred Music for the Archdiocese of Detroit) sent us an email yesterday regarding the harmonizations (PDF) I composed for the Gregorian Chant psalm tones. Dr. Buchholz says: “Those settings are absolutely exquisite, as I'm used to when it comes from you. Bravo! Well done! Now, as a sequel, if you could write something for accompanying psalms in English that would be awesome.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Seven (7) Hymn Verses for November!
    In the month of November, we remember in a special way the souls in purgatory. The BRÉBEUF HYMNAL often includes text alone versions for its hymns; why is that? The short answer is: flexibility. The “text only” version allows each choirmaster to employ a myriad of melodies. For example, I recently set the English translation of “De Profúndis” with the DAVOST MELODY (PDF). We are singing this before November ends. Indeed, you can hear our volunteer singing this (in real life) if you click here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Catholic Church has a dignity far surpassing that of every merely human society, for it was founded by Christ the Lord. It is altogether fitting, therefore, that the language it uses should be noble, majestic, and non-vernacular.”

— Blessed John XXIII (22 February 1962)

Recent Posts

  • 1963 Photograph • Original Lyrics for Fr. Hellriegel’s “To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King”
  • My Response to Dr. Weaver’s Latest Article
  • Stumped by Psalms? Try This
  • Requesting Our Advent Eucharistic Hymn
  • Message from the Vice-President!

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.