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Views from the Choir Loft

Has The Church Rejected Her Inheritance?

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · March 10, 2016

“My son, you are here with me always. Everything I have is yours.” —Luke 15:31|

Prodigal HIS WAS WHAT the father of the estate said to his older son in the parable of the Prodigal Son, heard most recently this past weekend, the fourth Sunday of Lent. I’ve been thinking a lot about this parable lately, and in particular, why neither of the sons really understood what riches he had in his father’s house. Is that why the prodigal son left? Did he not realize what he had, and did he think things would be so much better elsewhere?

The father has inherited and maintained an existence that is well-ordered, successful, and respected, even coveted. The father is the caretaker of these riches, and the Prodigal Son is part of this inheritance. The rich blessings, fertile land, and beautiful adornments are his by right.

And yet, the Prodigal Son rejects all of it.

Imagine for a moment that the father and his house represent the Church. The sacraments are her wealth, and she is adorned with the richness of beautiful art, architecture, and music. The well-ordered success of the estate is akin to the Church’s time honored liturgical practices, steeped in history and tradition.

The father, clearly heartbroken by the son’s rejection, does not drastically change his house nor anything about it in an effort to lure back his son. He doesn’t rid himself of his possessions nor throw away all of his successful practices in order to join his son in the wasteful abandonment of all he knows. Rather, he remains steadfast, hoping that the son will realize what he has given up, and return to the life-giving love of the father and his house.

And yet it seems that many in the Church have not learned or understood this lesson. How many prodigal sons and daughters are still out there? Did the Church’s willingness to try to lure back her people really work? Did the abandonment of sacred tradition, of Gregorian chant, polyphony, and excellent hymnody, and of beautiful vestments and architecture, bring more people back home?

Those whose calling it is to work for the Church, those who understand what wealth really is, those who recognize the importance of beauty in the Father’s house, have a difficult task. Often they face ridicule, rejection, and heartbreak. Not an easy life. But the Gospel tells us that the prodigal children will one day return. To all of my colleagues—remain steadfast!

You are invited to experience something beautiful in Dallas,Texas this May. Please consider attending our conference on beauty and sainthood, and experience the world premiere of “A Rose in Winter” by composer Frank La Rocca. The registration fee is at an UNBELIEVABLY low price!

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 Dr. Alfred Calabrese

Dr. Alfred Calabrese is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, TX. He and his wife have two children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony. — One of our volunteer choirs also sang that SANCTUS on 24 September 2023, and you can listen to how that came out.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Legitimate and necessary concern for current realities in the concrete lives of people cannot make us forget the true nature of the liturgical actions. It is clear that the Mass is not the time to “celebrate” human dignity or purely terrestrial claims or hopes. It is rather the sacrifice which renders Christ really present in the sacrament.

— Pope Saint John Paul II (20 March 1990)

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