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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

7 Points • “The Joy of Lent”

Dr. Alfred Calabrese · February 23, 2017

339 Ash Wednesday OME PEOPLE SEEM to dread the season of Lent. I’m not sure why that is exactly, but I can guess. Perhaps they think there is too much focus on negative things, like sin. Maybe they don’t want to think about depriving themselves by fasting, or going without meat on Fridays. Maybe the Lenten hymns aren’t uplifting or “happy” enough for them, or maybe they’re uncomfortable with extra silence during the Mass. I’ve even had priests tell me that people just tend to be in a really bad mood during Lent, and that complaints about all sorts of things, especially the music, are going to start pouring into the church.

Well, I don’t buy it. If we help people to understand all the positive aspects of Lent, the more they will appreciate it. In fact, the more I think about it, I think that Lent just might be my favorite time of the Church year.

Some of the reasons I look forward to the Lenten season:

(1) Great choral music

There is so much passionate, expressive, moving, and just plain GREAT choral music that really only makes sense during Lent. From Allegri’s famous Miserere (not to mention settings by Lotti, Byrd and Palestrina) to Morley’s Nolo mortem peccatoris, Tu solus qui facis mirabilia by Josquin, Byrd’s In jejunio et fletu, Anerio’s Christus factus est; the list is endless and I haven’t even mentioned the great anthems in English! Joy in both singing and listening.

(2) Hymnody

Unmistakable tunes like HEINLEIN, ST FLAVIAN, ERHALT UNS HERR, PASSION CHORALE, and ATTENDE DOMINE are so associated with Lent that we are immersed in the flavor of the season immediately upon their sounding, while their hymn texts are like little mini-homilies, leading us through the Biblical and theological highpoints of our Lenten journey.

(3) The Rites of Christian Initiation

Each week we welcome and get to know our brothers and sisters who will soon be in full Communion with us in the faith. That’s pretty uplifting if you ask me.

(4) A return to the confessional

Many parishes and dioceses put a renewed emphasis on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Extra penance services are held and people are encouraged to make a good Lenten confession before Easter. Lines for confession get longer and more people seem to take their faith more seriously. A reason to rejoice!

(5) Time for reflection

The restriction of the organ and other instruments to only accompany singing leaves more time for silence. As I mentioned earlier, this extra silence might make some people feel uncomfortable. But we can learn to use this time as a chance for extra prayer and active listening. How wonderful to have the opportunity to heighten our internal joy even as we place limits on our external pleasures.

(6) Increased use of chant and Latin

During Lent many parishes will sing a Latin Agnus Dei or Sanctus. Some choirs may include a chanted Introit. And in some fortunate places, the priest may even sing more of his parts! While these things certainly should take place all year ‘round, this is still a positive sign for which we should all be thankful.

(7) Laetare Sunday

Rejoice, Jerusalem! We are closer than ever to our Easter joy.

As I mentioned above, there is so much great choral music from which to choose during Lent, and I love that process. I am thrilled that I will get to share that process and some of my favorite pieces at the Sacred Music Symposium 2017 this coming June. In the meantime, have a listen to one of my favorite English anthems for Lent:

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

President’s Corner

    “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
    Jeff’s Mother Joins Our Fundraiser
    To assist our fundraiser, Mrs. Kathleen Ostrowski has drawn several beautiful sketches which she offers to all our readers free of charge. If you have a moment, I invite you download them at this link.
    —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

“If I could only make the faithful sing the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei…that would be to me the finest triumph sacred music could have, for it is in really taking part in the liturgy that the faithful will preserve their devotion. I would take the Tantum Ergo, the Te Deum, and the Litanies sung by the people over any piece of polyphony.”

— ‘Giuseppe Cardinal Sarto, Letter to Msgr. Callegari (1897)’

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