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Views from the Choir Loft

“When You See Rome, You Will Lose Your Faith.”

Aurelio Porfiri · July 29, 2015

461 Colosseum ECENT MONTHS SAW news dealing with liturgical issues. The most relevant was probably Cardinal Sarah’s article in the Osservatore Romano. In this article, the Cardinal addressed liturgical issues, showing his awareness about abuses and his willingness to fight them, as well as his attention for the dignity and sanctity of the liturgy. I think Pope Francis, having chosen him to lead the Congregation for Divine Worship, is certainly on the same page with the Cardinal. But I also think that the Pope has not an easy life in his own city, Rome. Indeed, only the blind can avoid facing this reality: the biggest crisis in liturgy (and liturgical music) is really in Rome.

Many years ago, a German priest told me a common phrase I had not known: Roma veduta, fede perduta (“When you see Rome, you will lose your faith”). I know this kind of idea can be attached to anti-Roman feelings coming from German people, but this priest was very conservative and a great supporter of the Latin Mass. I think this kind of idea has more to do with bad reputation of Roman curia and so on.

Indeed, there are also saints living and working in Rome, saints that we don’t know well because their work is often in the shadow. But is true that the phrase Roma veduta, fede perduta is not far from reality when we take into account the level of once glorious musical institutions. Also here, not all is terrible—there are still brilliant people trying to do their best, but it’s true that the standards in recent years have fallen dramatically. I think Pope Francis must look to his own city (and my own city) to hope for a general reform in the life and discipline of the Church. He has to fight the terrible disease of clericalism that has such an impact on liturgy and music in Rome. But I know that this disease is so big and serious that it’s difficult to see the day when our Church will be freed from this curse.

Will I ever see that day?

More articles by Aurelio Porfiri can be found on ilnaufrago.com.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Pope Francis, Robert Cardinal Sarah Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Aurelio Porfiri

About Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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Quick Thoughts

Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • To Capitalize…?

In the Introit for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, there is a question regarding whether to capitalize the word “christi.” The Vulgata does not, because Psalm 27 is not specifically referring to Our Lord, but rather to God’s “anointed one.” However, Missals tend to capitalize it, such as the official 1962 Missal and also a book from 1777 called Missel de Paris. Something tells me Monsignor Knox would not capitalize it.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • “Sung vs. Spoken”

We have spoken quite a bit about “sung vs. spoken” antiphons. We have also noted that the texts of the Graduale Romanum sometimes don’t match the Missal texts (in the Extraordinary Form) because the Mass Propers are older than Saint Jerome’s Vulgate, and sometimes came from the ITALA versions of Sacred Scripture. On occasion, the Missal itself doesn’t match the Vulgate—cf. the Introit “Esto Mihi.” The Vulgate has: “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in domum refúgii…” but the Missal and Graduale Romanum use “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in locum refúgii…” The 1970s “spoken propers” use the traditional version, as you can see.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Young people have entrusted me with their absolute preference for the Extraordinary Form… […] But, above all, how can we understand—how can we not be surprised and deeply shocked—that what was the rule yesterday is prohibited today? Is it not true that prohibiting or suspecting the Extraordinary Form can only be inspired by the demon who desires our suffocation and spiritual death?”

— Cardinal Sarah to Edward Pentin (23 September 2019)

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