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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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Richard J. Clark

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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Can You Spare 33 Seconds?

Here’s an audio excerpt (33 seconds) of a setting for Kyrie VIII which was recorded live last Sunday at our parish in Los Angeles. The setting (“Missa de Angelis”) is by composer Richard Rice, and you can download the free PDF if you click here and scroll to the bottom. I think Richard’s composition is marvelous. I missed a few notes on the organ, but I’ll get them right next time.

—Jeff Ostrowski
5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski
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“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

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“The Chasuble, or upper garment, represents the purple garment which the soldiers put upon Jesus Christ, and the heavy cross that He carried on His blessed shoulders to Mount Calvary.”

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