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Views from the Choir Loft

Pope Pius XII’s First Communion Day

Veronica Brandt · October 11, 2014

929 Pius XII NY REASON WILL DO to mention Pope Pius XII. He is the first Pope to visit America, the first to publish papal speeches in the vernacular and the first representative of any major organization to make an official denunciation of Nazism.

After Jeff’s post about children gamboling around our sovereign pontiff, a friend gave this comment:

Pope Pius XII was, in his own way, perhaps the boldest innovator among the Popes of the twentieth century, the most frequently quoted in Vatican II, both overall, and in every single document except Gaudium et Spes. He started a program to recognize the maturity of the faith in missionary countries by ordaining native born bishops (including in Australia), made the statement “The Laity are the Church“, anticipated the Second Vatican Council in pointing out that the laity are called to evangelical perfection (Evangelii Praecones, 36; Mystici Corporis, 17), pointed out that the laity do “in a sense, offer the divine victim” (Mediator Dei, 86), anticipated the later emphasis on Collegiality (properly understood) by placing the relationship of the Episcopate to Christ before talking about the significant role of Peter and his successors (Mystici Corporis, 40-43), encouraged ecumenism (Mystici Corporis, 96; The Holy Office Instruction, On the Ecumenical Movement). In fact, I would hold that recognizing the continuity of Pope Pius XII with the Second Vatican Council is key to reading the Council correctly. – Br Robert OP

So I flipped to my trusty biography of Pope Pius XII by Cardinal Cushing and find the anniversary of this Pope’s death was just a few days ago on October 9. Maybe one day that will be his feast day.

Not to be put off, I scanned through the handy chronology and found that today is the anniversary of Eugenio Pacelli’s first Holy Communion in 1886. He was ten years old.

I’d like to share some photos with you. He served through turbulent times yet made time for the liturgy.

After the bombing near St John Lateran Archbishop Pacelli assisting POWs Archbishop Pacelli with POWs Pope Pius XII reaching out to a youngster Pope Pius XII saying Mass Young Pope Pius XII
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 Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s Remarkable Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), complaining that the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be sad about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —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

“Dom Pothier does not belong to the dim past, as the silence which surrounds his name would lead one to believe. Only a few years separate us from the time when—growing old and heavily burdened by trials—Dom Pothier was concentrating his ever keen attention on the study of manuscripts in the Belgian place of retreat where his community had found refuge. For he was the abbot; and there can be no doubt that the cross he wore during those days was a cross of sorrow, though he bore it with a smile.”

— Dom Ermin Vitry, OSB (31-OCT-1936)

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