Views from the Choir Loft

Assumption Mass 1

Fr. David Friel · August 3, 2015

OR ALL THOSE in striking distance of the Delaware Valley, please make note of the open invitation to the Assumption Mass being offered this Friday evening in Philadelphia. The annual Assumption Mass is offered as an act of gratitude to God for the establishment of Mater Ecclesiae, the first diocesan-owned and staffed TLM parish in the United States (part of the Camden Diocese). This is the second year that the Mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Philadelphia.

The celebrant of the 15th annual Assumption Mass will be the Rev. Robert C. Pasley. In addition to his primary duties as Rector of Mater Ecclesiae Chapel, Fr. Pasley also serves as Chaplain to the Church Music Association of America (CMAA).

Each year, the Assumption Mass features terrific orchestral and choral music. The Ars Laudis Festival Chorus, conducted by Dr. Timothy McDonnell, will provide the sacred music for this year’s celebration.

This Solemn High Mass of the Assumption, celebrated in the Extraordinary Form, will begin at 7 PM at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul (18th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia). All are welcome.

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served for five years as Parochial Vicar at St. Anselm Parish in Northeast Philly. He is currently a doctoral candidate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Too much music!

Choosing music for the Sacred Music Symposium requires careful consideration. We make sure (always) to have great variety. Because the schedule is so full, there’s never sufficient time to discuss the music fully—indeed, we could easily do a month-long seminar on each piece! For example, last year Dr. Calabrese conducted a setting of the Magnificat by Father Guerrero (d. 1599). It is one of the most magnificent (pardon the pun) pieces ever written, and I wish I had time to point out the brilliant way he syncopates the word “dispersit,” which means “He has scattered” or “He has dispersed.” Superb!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Sharing Is Caring”

I would like to share a message from a highly respected scholar. (His articles appear in distinguished journals such as Études grégoriennes and Oxford’s Early Music.) He wrote as follows:

The Brébeuf Hymnal is very tastefully done. Your team has exquisite literary and musical taste. I see from my copy of the hymnal that you also set Ex more docti to “Rockingham” (one of my favorite melodies for “When I survey the wondrous cross”). I especially appreciate the background information at the bottom of the page. When I played at the Lutheran church, I would always have a little note about the music, sometimes about a hymn, if the “Hymnal Companion” offered something of interest. The church we attend has battered Worship II hymnals (one per pew), but almost nobody seems to want to sing. I congratulate you on the staggering amount of work it took to produce the Brébeuf hymnal: excellent contents and production.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What Frightens Me

The world’s experts have been releasing contradictory statements Re: Covid-19. I am neither a doctor nor a scientist, so I won’t comment; but I have something to say about the spine-tingling predictions made by certain politicians. When I was growing up, they told us “within ten years” we would starve due to overpopulation. The next year, they said “within ten years” we would fry due to global warming. The next year, they told us “within ten years” the oceans would have no fish because of overfishing. The next year, they told us “within ten years” the deficit would become unsustainable and we’d all go bankrupt. The next year, they told us “within ten years” there would be no clean water due to pollution. None of these things happened.

I believe in taking every precaution. I urge our readers to take Covid-19 seriously. At the same time, we have an obligation to consider the effects of our “reaction”—yet few seem to be doing this. And that really scares me.

—Jeff Ostrowski