• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

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.”

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
    • Jeff’s Mom Joins Fundraiser
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Feasts Website
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

Cardinal Sarah’s Missing Paragraph…

Jeff Ostrowski · October 3, 2016

ISHOP RENÉ GRACIDA recently posted an article (“I Used To Be A Human Being”) on his personal blog. The author was someone I never heard of—Andrew Sullivan—but I found his article intriguing (and eerily true). Speaking of cell phone addiction, I personally have never been a fan of photography during Mass, and if you carefully examine the speech given by Cardinal Sarah on 5 July 2016, you’ll notice that he condemns in the strongest terms priests taking pictures during Mass. 1

Cardinal Sarah initially said nothing about the laity taking pictures at Mass.

But after the conference ended, Cardinal Sarah published a revised version that included this paragraph:

It is equally a scandal and profanation for the lay faithful to take photographs during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. They should participate through prayer and not by spending their time taking photos!

The explanation given was that he did not have time to deliver the full comments. 2 However, because pictures were taken during a Mass offered by Cardinal Sarah at the conference where his comments were delivered—and this photograph is particularly beautiful—his comments require interpretation.

In my view, taking judicious photographs at Mass seems acceptable if the intention is to show our brothers and sisters that a particular parish might be worth exploring, and that reverence for the Blessed Sacrament can be found there. This should be only be done with the celebrant’s permission.

Apropos recordings at Mass, the FSSP.la choir was asked to sing for an 8:00am Saturday Mass during a conference by the Society for Catholic Liturgy, which ended last Saturday.

Here we are warming up:


The following are snippets from the actual Mass. Somebody had a pocket recorder in the Soprano section, which means the Soprano line sometimes comes through too loud. I apologize for the poor quality of the recording, but I hope anyone looking to join a Roman Catholic choir will give us a look:

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • KYRIE (Guerrero)

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • GLORIA (Viadana)

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • ALLELUIA (Guerrero)

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • HYMN TO THE SACRED TRINITY (Guerrero)

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • SANCTUS (Guerrero)

    * *  Mp3 “Live” • AGNUS DEI (Guerrero)

In spite of my aversion to photography during Mass (SEE ABOVE), I did snap a quick shot:

973 Society for Catholic Liturgy


Afterwards I was sorry more wasn’t recorded. Some of the contemporary pieces (as well as the SATB hymns) were sung very well. But that’s how the cookie crumbles!



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   If you scroll to the very bottom of an article by Daniel Craig, you’ll see the shocking photograph that may have been the catalyst for Cardinal Sarah’s comments.

2   Some have suggested Cardinal Sarah omitted that paragraph in order not to offend those at the conference, because photographs were being taken—just as they are routinely taken at the Vatican. While I have no reason to doubt the official explanation, I couldn’t help noticing that the missing paragraph would have required only about 11 seconds to include.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Photographs At Mass, Photos During Mass, Reform of the Reform, Robert Cardinal Sarah, Society for Catholic Liturgy Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th 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. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas
    Last Sunday, a children’s choir I’m teaching sang with us for the very first time at Sunday Mass. Females from our main choir sang along with them. If you’re curious to hear how they sounded, you can listen to a ‘live’ recording. That’s an English version of TANTUM ERGO by Saint Thomas Aquinas. That haunting melody is called GAUFESTRE and was employed for this 2-Voice Arrangement of a special hymn for 9 November (“Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome”) which replaces a Sunday this year.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of September (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The ratio of voices in modern choirs is usually wrong. Basses should be numerically greatest, then altos, then tenors, then sopranos. One good soprano can carry a high “A” against 30 lower voices.

— Roger Wagner

Recent Posts

  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
  • Involving Women in the Communion?
  • “Toward a More Sacred Style With Pastoral Charity” • Guest Article by Dr. Myrna Keough
  • “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.