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Views from the Choir Loft

Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom

Fr. David Friel · December 7, 2014

HE EXCITEMENT brewing over the next World Meeting of Families (WMOF) intensified a few weeks ago when Pope Francis confirmed that he will be attending the event. This will be the Holy Father’s first visit to the United States of America, and preparations are well underway. Our local church here in Philadelphia is already being energized by the plans for what organizers hope will be a very memorable week of activities.

Local coverage here in Philadelphia has been largely positive, calling to mind the memories of John Paul II’s historic visit to our city in 1979. Plans for the coming World Meeting & papal visit have also stirred up memories of the Eucharistic Congress held here in the bicentennial year 1976. Although I wasn’t alive to experience either of those events, I have listened many times as people—both Catholics & non-Catholics—have recalled the impact that one or both of those occasions had on their faith. We are hopeful that this World Meeting of Families will have the same sort of profound & lasting impact, not only in Philadelphia, but throughout our nation and the Americas.

Just over a week ago, the staff for the World Meeting rolled out the official hymn for the event, entitled Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom. You can go to the WMOF homepage to view the LYRICS of the hymn. You can also go to YouTube to listen to a VIDEO recording. Take note, also, of the WMOF 2015 Icon, pictured above.

The text of the hymn was written by a priest from Saint Norbert College, Fr. Andrew Ciferni, O. Praem. The hymn tune has been given the appropriate name PHILADELPHIA, and its meter is 87.87.87 (like PANGE LIGUA, ST. THOMAS, GRAFTON, PLEADING SAVIOR, etc.). Its composer is a very capable artist named Normand Gouin, who formerly served as music director of Old St. Joseph’s Church in Old City, Philadelphia (America’s “most historic square mile”). Recently, Norm took the position of Assistant College Chaplain & Director of Liturgical Music at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Gouin has a number of excellent published compositions for the sacred liturgy. Two of his best pieces are given an excellent review HERE. Among his compositions are several commissioned works, together with a few collections of choral antiphons appropriate for certain seasons (Lent, Advent, Easter, etc.). His Mass of Ss. Peter & Paul is one of the finest & sturdiest settings of the new translation of the Roman Missal I have encountered.

The idea of having an official hymn for a massive event like the WMOF makes sense, just as in the case of World Youth Days and similar occasions. In fact, it makes eminently more sense than the incorporation of hymns into Mass, since the native home of hymns, in the Catholic tradition, is not the Mass, but devotions & other non-liturgical settings. Popular religious hymnody has a great power to draw people together, to catechize, and to foster genuine piety. Hopefully this new hymn will serve those purposes well.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Hymns Replacing Propers, Marriage Synod, Pope Francis Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s 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), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said 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

“Johann Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) held in trust a letter from Pius X giving him permission to use men and women in his festival choirs. He neither published it nor used it, lest he embarrass the Holy Father.”

— Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt (August 1957)

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