Views from the Choir Loft

Communion Antiphons for Christmas on “Sounds from the Spires”

Richard J. Clark · December 5, 2016

RECENTLY joined Dr. Jennifer Pascual, Director of Music for Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, on her program Sounds from the Spires. I am very fortunate to have been on the show several times. This will explain any drop in the ratings.

Pascual’s weekly show can be heard on SIRIUSXM 129 Radio, The Catholic Channel, Saturday, 11pm-12am, Sunday, 6am-7am and 8pm-9pm (All Eastern times)

This recently aired interview featured sacred works for Christmas including several recordings of my Communion Antiphons for Christmas. In this and previous shows, Dr. Pascual and I have discussed at length the propers and the great joy of “singing the Mass.” As such, “Sounds from the Spires” has been a great supporter of sacred music in the liturgy, bringing choral music, chant, and the pipe organ to a broad audience. Furthermore, the music Pascual promotes is not only traditional music but quite often brand new music grounded in the ancient traditions of the Church and its prayer.

• You can listen to a PODCAST of this program broadcast on 12.4.2016:

MUSIC FEATURED ON THIS PROGRAM:
• Light Upon the World | Richard J. Clark, baritone; Produced by Paul Umbach | Available on iTunes and CD Baby.

• Communion Antiphons for Christmas | SATB, Organ, Trumpet, Assembly • World Library Publications • Recordings Directed by Paul French

• Madonna & Child | Organ • recorded on the Smith & Gilbert Organ (IV/52) at St. Cecilia Church, Boston

Although this conversation with my children happened before a prior interview, the story bears repeating:

My six-year-old son put me in my place before a radio interview. My daughter, who was eight, said, “Daddy is lucky because he is famous because he is being interviewed.” My son who was six responded: “No, he’s not famous. Never, ever! Only God is famous.” This, coming from a boy who loves getting into mischief, especially if it gets a laugh from his siblings and disapproval from his parents. But here he was dead serious and spot on!

Soli Deo gloria!

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

About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Offertory (9 Nov.)

This year, the feast of 9 November replaces the Sunday. The OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF file) for 9 November is exceedingly beautiful. The ‘Laterani’ mansion at Rome was the popes’ residence for a thousand years. The church there still is the cathedral church of Rome—“Mother and Head of all churches of the City and of the World,” says the inscription over the entrance. It is dedicated to Our Holy Savior, but has long been commonly known as “St. John Lateran” owing to its famous baptistery of St. John the Baptist. In this church, the pope’s own ‘cathedra’ (episcopal chair) stands in the apse.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Job Opening • $65,000 per year +

A parish 15 minutes away from me is looking for a choir director and organist. The parish is filled with young families. When I began my career, I would have jumped at such an opportunity! Saint Patrick’s in Grand Haven has a job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year including 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.” I lived in Kansas for 15 years, Texas for 10 years, and Los Angeles for 10 years. Michigan is the closest place I know to heaven!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski