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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

Guide for Large-Scale Celebrations

Fr. David Friel · May 22, 2016

ARGE-SCALE liturgical celebrations are not infrequent in the modern, globalized world. I have been part of several, myself, including during papal Apostolic journeys, World Youth Days, and the World Meeting of Families last September. The quality of such celebrations has varied widely, from the carefully executed liturgies of Pope Benedict XVI’s very successful UK visit to many less worthy celebrations.

Following the 2005 Synod of Bishops, the CDW started work on a document that would provide guidelines for such circumstances. An initial document was published in 2007 in Italian (Le grandi celebrazioni: una riflessione in corso, Notitiae 43, 2007, 535-542). In 2014, the document was revised and expanded, but published only in Italian and Spanish. Now, the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship has commissioned an unofficial English translation of the 2014 document, for the benefit of all who contribute to the organization of large liturgical gatherings.

Here are ten points made in the text that are noteworthy:

1. The new English translation is available in the current (March-April 2016) issue of NewsLetter, published by the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship (more information here). Following are a few observations about this overall very good document:

2. One section of the document (paragraph 12) deals directly with sacred music. Notably, it states that, “While attention should be given to different praiseworthy approaches and traditions, Gregorian chant, proper to the Roman Liturgy, retains its constant value.”

3. The same section addresses matters of language, including this praise for the use of the language of the Church: “In a celebration of international character, so as better to express the unity and universality of the Church, a more ample place can be given to the Latin language.”

4. Another section (paragraph 22) deals with the location of the schola, suggesting that the singers be placed outside the sanctuary and facing the altar, so as to help the choir exercise their function more easily and to make “full participation in the Mass easier for everyone.”

5. Surprisingly, this Guide encourages (paragraph 27) that the Eucharistic Prayer, or at least the words of consecration, be sung, “since in addition to highlighting the sacred character of the Prayer, this makes it easier to synchronize the words.”

6. The document (in paragraph 8) encourages organizers of major liturgies to consider whether the liturgy celebrated should be Mass or something else.

“The celebration of the Mass presupposes and requires that those gathered in the Lord’s name are able to feel that they are part of a praying assembly . . . and that the concelebrating priests can manifest their essential connection to the altar. For this reason, it is well on occasion to consider whether it is opportune to have Mass or whether it might not be preferable, given the circumstances, to opt for another type of liturgical celebration or prayer service.”

Other options given include the Divine Office, a celebration of the Word of God, a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament, exposition/benediction, or a prayer vigil.

7. Paragraph 26 deals with the offertory. When it is not possible to fit all the elements to be sacrificed on the altar, itself, a strange recommendation is made. In this case, “prior to the presentation of the gifts, some non-concelebrating priests, deacons, or instituted acolytes, carrying a ciborium in their hands, should position themselves near the altar.” This, I believe, is common practice at large papal Masses.

8. There is a laudable encouragement (in paragraph 6) that the Sacrament of Penance be made available in advance (or even during) large-scale Masses.

9. There is a curious directive (in paragraph 25) that “large-scale celebrations are a case in which the chair would seem to be the most suitable place for holding the homily.” I say this is curious only because there is no explanation given for why this is to be preferred more at large-scale celebrations than at other liturgies.

10. A whole paragraph (13) is devoted to the role of silence in large-scale liturgies. This reminds me of the unforgettable experience I had during Eucharistic adoration on Copacabana Beach at WYD 2013, when three million people fell utterly silent.

Many other recommendations are made in this Guide for Large-Scale Celebrations. These ten points are simply those that most caught my attention.

If anything were to be added, I would recommend something along the lines of the remarks Msgr. Guido Marini made to those of us serving the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families last September (see HERE for a summary). These deeply insightful remarks would serve as a great addendum to the very good Guide for Large-Scale Celebrations.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Gregorian Chant, Latin, On the Manner of Distributing Holy Communion Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). 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 the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“By a decree of the synod of the diocese of Exeter in 1284, no one should claim any seat in a church; but whoever first entered a church for the purpose of devotion, might choose at his pleasure a place for praying.”

— A work by Fr. Husenbeth (d. 1872)

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