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“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

EWTN Classic • “Theology of Worship” with Fr. Robert Skeris (1998)

Jeff Ostrowski · June 22, 2015

ANY KNOW FR. ROBERT SKERIS as a professor at the Catholic University of America. Others knew him when he was head of the Theology department at Christendom college. In the CMAA journals, Msgr. Schuler often referenced “Fr. Skeris of Rome” since he ran the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music during the 1980s. I was present when Fr. Skeris gave a lecture to the Sacred Music Colloquium—which he helped found 30+ years ago—and received a standing ovation from a packed auditorium. The audience just kept applauding for the longest time…to the point where my ears started to hurt!

I recently obtained a marvelous interview (7 January 1998) where Mother Angelica of EWTN asks Fr. Skeris to explain the Theology of worship.

This excerpt addresses participatio actuosa (“active participation”):


Mother Angelica asks why liturgical music has to be sacred:


Fr. Skeris mentions what the fathers of Vatican II actually voted upon regarding Latin in the liturgy:


You can obtain this 60-minute DVD by searching Google. I think it was in the range of $17.00, and you’ll enjoy hearing Fr. Skeris give candid answers to excellent questions from the audience. He speaks about the relationship of text & music; why Gregorian chant is the Church’s preference; whether we can use orchestral Masses based on secular tunes; and numerous other topics. I like the part where Mother Angelica presses Fr. Skeris to tell his favorite piece of music!

EWTN posted a 1990 article by Fr. Skeris:

    * *  PDF Download • “Participatio Actuosa” (1990)

If you doubt the importance of discussions by the fathers of Vatican II, read this 1976 reference to the Conciliar relationes.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Participatio Actuosa Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Vespers Booklet (4th Sunday of Lent)
    The organ accompaniment booklet (24 pages) which I created for the 4th Sunday of Lent (“Lætare Sunday”) may now be downloaded, for those who desire such a thing.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Vespers Booklet, 3rd Sunday of Lent
    The organ accompaniment I created for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (“Extraordinary Form”) may now be downloaded, if anyone is interested in this.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Weeping For Joy! (We Hope!)
    Listening to this Easter Alleluia—an SATB arrangement I made twenty years ago based on the work of Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel—one of our readers left this comment: “I get tears in my eyes each time I sing to this hymn.” I hope this person is weeping for joy!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing—direct murder by the mother herself. And we read in the Scripture, for God says very clearly: “Even if a mother could forget her child, I will not forget you: I have carved you in the palm of my hand.”

— Mother Theresa (11 Dec 1979)

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