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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

Are We Humble Enough To Open The Door And Walk In?

Richard J. Clark · May 29, 2015

OST OF THE YEAR, I work seven days a week, working at two Church jobs. Lamenting the difficulty of juggling family life with small children and with jobs that keep me busy all weekend and evenings, I realize I must temper my grievance. It is far better to be too busy as a musician than not busy enough.

But the end of Psalm 23 at times has an ironic meaning for me: “I shall live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life.” Through no virtue of my own, it sure seems to be working out that way. Working in the “house of the Lord” everyday is often far from easy. But it is cause for deep gratitude. As Psalm 23 begins, “The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want” God provides all that we need “even though I walk through the dark valley…”

As such, I hear difficult news from time to time from fellow colleagues. Immensely talented and devoted to the Church, they find themselves under-employed or suddenly unemployed for reasons that range from economic to ideological. At one time or another, all of us go through some experience similar to this.

Yet our wounds are often another reason to remain grateful—not easy to comprehend while walking through the dark valley. To live in the house of the Lord requires obedience to His wants and desires. This sometimes requires pruning and trial. Eventually, we will derive meaning from such suffering which fuels our service to others.

RIESTS, WHILE NOT IN DANGER of losing a job, at times suffer much in service to the Church. They are human, lest we forget! These days in Boston, a lot of priests are getting moved around as part of the Disciples in Mission pastoral plan of the Archdiocese of Boston. Changes in assignments no longer follow the old expectations. A lot of pastors are no longer pastors, either by choice or not. Others are now assigned to multiple parishes—not unusual in other parts of the country. The Church is changing.

This is very difficult for many priests for a variety of reasons. In light of such changes, one priest who was reassigned from his beloved parish to take charge of multiple parishes elsewhere remarked, that (in contrast) “celibacy is easy. Obedience is difficult.”

Amen. Obedience is difficult for us all, whether we take a vow or not.

O, I RECENTLY ATTENDED a school concert at St. Agatha’s Parish in Milton, Massachusetts where my children attend. The entire concert was planned as a tribute to the longtime pastor. Fr. Peter Casey, who after seventeen years of service was being reassigned. In a time of decreasing enrollment in Catholic schools, St. Agatha School has enjoyed robust enrollment, thanks in large part to Fr. Casey.

After a deeply heartfelt tribute to his longtime service, Fr. Casey spoke a few words. True to form, he was brief and to the point; tranquil, yet commanding in his leadership. I cannot recall all of his exact words, but this much he made clear: On a night all about him, he deflected attention from himself to God. He wanted the focus on Jesus’ relationship with us, on the value of Catholic education, and God’s loving and ever-present role in our lives. All about God—all in a few short minutes.

Anyone who knew him expected no less. But it was extraordinary to witness. Fr. Casey was teaching until the end just as he always had for seventeen years.

It was a lesson in humility, which obedience requires. To live in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives is a privilege and a joy. We will experience it if we are humble enough to open the door and walk in.

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 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

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —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 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

“We must remember that the important elements of a rite are not the things that will first be noticed by a casual and ignorant onlooker—the number of candles, colour of the vestments and places where the bell is rung—but just those things he would not notice: the Canon, fraction and so on, the prayers said in a low voice and the characteristic but less obvious rites done by the celebrant at the altar.”

— Fr. Fortescue explaining that Anglicanism does not preserve Sarum

Recent Posts

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  • False Accusations
  • (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
  • PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
  • “Can Choral Music Survive?” • 3 Reasons It Will

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