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Views from the Choir Loft

A Faithful Bishop

Andrew Leung · January 7, 2016

CTL A Faithful Bishop 1 HESE PAST TWO WEEKS, we are blessed to have Bishop Roger Foys, Bishop of the Diocese of Covington, KY, and a former priest of the Diocese of Steubenville, staying with us in the rectory. Bishop Foys is a very good friend of my pastor (you can probably tell from the picture on the right). It is a new experience for me since I have never lived with a bishop before. It is great to be able to serve his Masses. He is a very kind and friendly person, and like many bishops, he has many stories to tell.

Bishop Foys was consecrated and installed as the Bishop of Covington in 2002. Under his care, the vocation to the priesthood increase significantly. While many parishes were being merged around the country, he didn’t close a single church in his diocese. He encouraged his faithful not to destroy those nice and old churches in the diocese. He has encouraged his priests to move the tabernacles to the center and put up crucifixes in the newer churches.

Some of you may remember the famous pastoral letter and decree he wrote back in 2011, when the Third Edition of the Roman Missal came out, and it made it on Fr. Z’s blog. Among his many directions, the address on the proper posture of the faithful during the Our Father (4c in the decree) was widely discussed. Here is a PDF file of Bishop Foys’ Pastoral Letter with the Decree Bulletin Insert from 2011:

    * *  PDF • BISHOP FOYS’ LETTER AND DECREE

Since this is a blog mainly focus on Sacred Music, I would like to highlight specifically his points on Liturgical Music. In his decree’s point 2, he made the Chant Ordinaries in the Roman Missal a mandatory setting that all his faithful should learn it. He explains:

a. This one setting is mandatory so as to foster a unified participation of the faithful at Mass throughout the Diocese.

And here is another good point regarding the proper place of the choir:

5. That choirs and other musicians use choir lofts in churches that are structured as such. While this is not mandated, we strongly recommend it.

He then continues to explain the role of the choir and the purpose of the sanctuary:

a. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, informs us of the importance that choirs have in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy and that they have a distinct role in fostering the active participation of the faithful by means of supporting the people’s singing. (see GIRM 103-104) It should be noted that the primary purpose of any choir is to support the singing of the faithful gathered in prayer, so as to allow the full, active, and conscious participation of all the faithful. While this does not eliminate pieces of Sacred Music restricted to just the choir, it is a reminder that choirs are not preforming at Mass.

b. The sanctuary is reserved for the Priest Celebrant, concelebrants, the Deacon and the other ministers who serve at the Altar. (see GIRM 294)

I am very thankful that I get to know this faithful Bishop of Covington. May God bless him and his work.

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 Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Thus the priest-celebrant, putting on the person of Christ, alone offers sacrifice, and not the people, nor clerics, nor even priests who reverently assist. All, however, can and should take an active part in the Sacrifice. “The Christian people, though participating in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, do not thereby possess a priestly power,” We stated in the Encyclical Mediator Dei (AAS, vol 39, 1947, p. 553).

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

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