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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

Let This Holy Building Shake with Joy!

Richard J. Clark · April 10, 2015

HERE ARE TIMES when everything comes together. The congregation sings robustly, the celebrant is wonderful, and the choir sounds beautiful. That does not mean that everything was perfect, but it’s a sign that everyone is doing their job. It’s a sign of progress made when built upon previous hard work. It’s an example of full and active participation—participatio actuosa—participation that is richly external and internal.

How is this achieved? There is no one answer because it can only be achieved through teamwork. The priest cannot do it alone. Nor can the choir, or the congregation or any other ministers of the liturgy. Nor does it come about in a single instant.

Holy Week at St. Cecilia Parish in Boston was such an example. The congregation sang more loudly than I had ever heard in twenty-five years—which is saying a lot. Many times, the lines between choir and congregation were blurred. The faithful in the pews clearly took over at times as the “leader of song.”

There are many factors that contributed to this, but I will name a few:


1. THE INTENTIONALITY OF THE FAITHFUL

This includes not only the congregation but also the choir and all ministers of the liturgy. The faithful who come to worship are putting in a great deal of their own effort and energy. They listen intently. They respond intently. They pray passionately. They want to be there. They want to be nourished by the Word, by the liturgy.


2. THE MASS IS SUNG.

A priest who sings injects energy into liturgy. It is well-known that the best way to jumpstart congregational singing is to sing the dialogues—sing the mass. Singing the Presidential texts recto tono with a simple “Amen” response will go a long way to energize the liturgy while infusing greater reverence. (Reverence and energy are not mutually exclusive.)

Rev. James Flavin, the Episcopal Vicar of the Central Region in the Archdiocese of Boston, was the celebrant throughout Holy Week. His voice is not, shall we say…stellar…but he was clear, practiced, and confident. I would much prefer that he sing than not. As such, we ended up singing most of the mass (Ordinary Form). It was easier to list what was not sung.

Furthermore, unaccompanied music tends to illicit greater congregational response. With the unaccompanied dialogues, Missal Chants, and simple Gregorian melodies, new and ancient, this holy building shook with joy!


3. RUBRICS WERE FOLLOWED FAITHFULLY WITHOUT FEELING “STIFF”

The rubrics were followed faithfully, but without feeling stiff or forced in any way. It felt natural. And it should, if one is prepared and knows what is coming next. Secondly, musicians and ministers of the liturgy ere likewise prepared. It wasn’t perfect, but if a glitch arose, one can recover more quickly from it if prepared.

As I’ve written many times, following the rubrics is not the end, but the means. Following them opens the door for the Roman Rite to do what it is intended to do. It is not an obstacle, but an open pathway to “…the Glory of God and the edification and sanctification of the faithful.” (Tra le Sollecitudini, General principles §1)


4. PREPARATION OF THE CHOIR

Preparation time for choirs will vary for each choir’s needs and the demands placed upon it. We begin preparation at least a month prior to Holy Week, with significant rehearsals prior to certain liturgies. Doing so is akin to know knowing the rubrics. Learn the technical aspects of the music well, so that one may begin to infuse beautiful interpretation, emotion, and spirit. Know the technical aspects well, and a choir may better pray the words they are singing. Know the technical aspects well enough, that the music will sound natural—not stiff: Beautiful—not hesitant, Sacred—not mundane, Universal—not muddled.

Confidence with as much of the technical details of the music as is possible—even if far from perfect—opens the door to prayer.


5. ARCHITECTURE

It is worth mentioning the great importance of church architecture. While the music must be beautiful, sacred and universal, so must the architecture. This is something we may have no control over. However, it must be noted that carpeting is the enemy of congregational singing. It makes singing, and hence the liturgy, more difficult for everyone. It increases one’s reliance upon microphones. Nor is it aesthetically more pleasing or cheaper in the long run. I am grateful to our pastor, Fr. John Unni for getting rid of all of our carpeting! This truly helps music be more sacred.

Sometimes things all come together even in imperfection. This is a gift from God. Prepare, and enter into the mystery!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: congregational singing, Singing the Mass Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). 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 top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Random Quote

It is known that the “mora vocis” is part of the compulsory rules of recital of the “Vaticana” and is indicated in the Editio typica and its reprints by a somewhat larger spacing of the neume (one space-line) within one group of neuma.

— 1953 Schwann Edition (PREFACE)

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