Views from the Choir Loft

Update on Sacra Liturgia Milano 2017

Fr. David Friel · November 27, 2016

LANS FOR Sacra Liturgia Milano continue to take shape. Building on the success of Sacra Liturgia proceedings in Rome (2013), New York City (2015), and London (2016), this gathering bills itself as an international conference on liturgical formation, celebration, and mission.

The conference will be held June 6-9, 2017, with presentations being given in the Aula Magna of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. All talks will be simultaneously translated in Italian and English.

Among the most interesting aspects of this symposium will be the accompanying liturgical celebrations, which will include both uses of the Ambrosian rite. Solemn vespers, led by His Eminence Dionigi Cardinal Tettamanzi, will open the conference. Liturgies will be held in the Basilica of St. Ambrose, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and another still-to-be-determined site.

Arrangements are being made for an organized afternoon of cultural visits, allowing participants to explore such places as the Bibliotheca Ambrosiana and the church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore.

At this time, the impressive list of speakers includes: His Eminence Robert Cardinal Sarah, His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Abbot Christopher Zielinski, Fr. Uwe Michael Lang, C.O., Dom Alcuin Reid, Prof. Jennifer Donelson, Msgr. Claudio Magnoli, Fr. Vincenze Nuara, O.P., Msgr. Timothy Verdon, Prof. Angelo Rusconi, Prof. Cesare Alzati, Msgr. Marco Navoni, Msgr. Ennio Apeciti, and Dr. Andrea Gramegna.

The conference website is set to launch in December, with registration opening by the end of January. In the meantime, the best way to stay informed of developments on Sacra Liturgia Milano 2017 is via their Facebook page.

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

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).

“Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 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 feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon

This coming Sunday—10 August 2025—is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON is really gorgeous, and two of its features are worth mentioning. First of all, the Gospel reading assigned is from Saint Luke, whereas the the antiphon—although it matches the account—comes from Saint Matthew. (If anyone can point to a similar example, please notify me.) Furthermore, if you look at the authentic Gregorian Chant version posted on the feasts website, you’ll notice that it’s MODE III but ends on the ‘wrong’ note. A comparable instance of such a ‘transposed’ chant would be KYRIE IV.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly

Using “Ye” vs. “You” is rather tricky, because it depends upon which era one is trying to recreate—if that makes any sense. In other words, the rules haven’t always been the same for these two. Nevertheless, Father Philip George Caraman (the legendary Jesuit scholar) gives us a masterclass using Saint Luke’s Gospel. Father Caraman was close friends with Monsignor Ronald Knox, Evelyn Waugh, and Sir Alec Guinness.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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