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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Are you Praying the Mass?

Andrew Leung · February 18, 2016

CTL Prayer in the Liturgy AST WEEK, I wrote about the Three Common Misconception about Chant and most people seem to agree with my observations. In that post, I mentioned “a deeper problem that has to do with ‘prayer’” since people complain about not being able to participate externally. I thought it would be appropriate to write a reflection on “Prayer and Liturgy”, especially at the beginning of this sacred season of Lent. This is a topic that comes up frequently in my conversations with my spiritual director.

My spiritual director, whose name I will keep private, is a very holy priest in his late 70s. He is the “Latin Mass Guru” in our diocese and he celebrates both Forms of the Mass regularly. He started his seminary formation before the Council and was ordained in 1964. He is one of the few of his generation who never gave up wearing the cassock in public. He is a very wise and inspiring priest. I love discussing liturgical questions with him because he knows exactly what happened before, during and after Vatican II.

There are many articles that deal with problems of the liturgy nowadays; I have written some of them myself. People write about the orientation of the celebration, the language we use in our Worship, the Old Mass and the New, etc. However, I believe the root of all the problems we see nowadays is the understanding of prayer. People do not know how to pray! Here are a few quotes from my wise spiritual director on prayer and the liturgy:

“The changes that the Council Fathers made to the liturgy were meant to help people to pray better. However, the outcome is not what they wanted.”

“It is our fault. It was us, my brother priests and I, who stopped those little old ladies from praying the rosary at Mass. They actually know how to pray.”

“In order for the people to appreciate the Church’s music, they must first learn how to pray.”

I can’t agree with him more. We must learn to enter into deep interior prayers. Prayers are our conversations with God. There are many forms of prayer. Physically doing, or saying, or singing something are ways of praying. Many people come to Mass to enjoy homilies, to sing songs and to focus on “what they can do”. These are all good ways to participate, but they are exterior and superficial. We need to listen to God so that we can have deep conversations with Him. We need to learn to meditate in silence, and eventually in melismatic chant. Maybe one thing we can do during this Lent is to stop criticizing the homilies, music and the tiny mistakes that happen at Mass, and focus more on the Body and Blood of Christ on the altar.

Finally, I would like to end with a remark that I often hear from my spiritual director when he thanks me for singing his Masses:

“The music was beautiful. It was beautiful because I can hear that you were praying.”

Are you praying the Mass? When you sing, are you praying?

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

President’s Corner

    Cardinal Ranjith on “Active Participation”
    From 2005–2009, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith served as Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He was considered ‘papabile’ during the last conclave. On 8 December 2008, he wrote this powerful statement concerning Gregorian Chant, participatio actuosa, celebration “ad orientem,” and other subjects. When it comes to the question of what “sacred” means, Monsignor Robert A. Skeris provides a marvelous answer.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 22nd in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 31 August 2025, which is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “The Worm That Dieth Not”
    My pastor asked me to write a column for our parish bulletin with reflections on the sacred liturgy and church music. In my most recent article, I discuss “The Worm That Dieth Not.” At this website, you can access it conveniently; simply scroll down to the one dated 31 August 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
    How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“I prefer to preach,” said one priest “even without immediate preparation, for I can always draw—from the various studies stored away during the seminary years—enough material to interest our good Catholic people. But when I have to go to the altar and sing High Mass or a Requiem, and I know that I cannot read a note of the Preface and the ‘Pater Noster’, I feel like going to martyrdom. Yet the notes are right there before my eyes, but they seem to mock my ignorance.”

— From a 1920 article by Very Rev. Leo P. Manzetti

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  • Cardinal Ranjith on “Active Participation”
  • Exec. Director of ICEL weighs in on our series • “PDF comparison chart” included
  • “Music List” • 22nd in Ordinary Time (Year C)

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