Views from the Choir Loft

The Dedication of a Church • The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Voyage, Boston

Richard J. Clark · April 21, 2017

HE DEDICATION of a church is a sometimes rare event, especially in many places where parishes are being closed. But with changing demographics, the needs of the faithful change. Such is the case in the booming Seaport District in Boston, Massachusetts.

New construction is everywhere. You can watch a story on Boston’s ABC affiliate WCVB here.

You can read more about the opening in today’s Boston Globe here.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Voyage will be dedicated on Saturday, April 22 with His Eminence Seán P. Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. as Principal Celebrant and Homilist. You may view the partial and unofficial draft of the worship aid here. (Certain music is listed but not included in this PDF.)

NIQUE TO this occasion is that it falls within the Octave of Easter. As such, the Sequence, Victimae Paschali laudes is being sung, optional on the Second Sunday of Easter in the Novus Ordo (and throughout the Octave). The Dedication Mass will also include works by Bruckner, Byrd, Marier, Ostrowski, and Peloquin among others.

It is a rare privilege to be a part of such a Mass, a rare opportunity in a lifetime. As such, I have composed several antiphons specific to the Rite of the Dedication to a Church as well as a communion proper for the Dedication of a Church. Those interested in viewing the settings, please contact me.

Built with a great deal of marble and wood (and no carpeting) Our Lady of Good Voyage is blessed with extraordinary acoustics. The interior is rather traditional in design and makes wonderful use of repurposed materials from other closed churches. In this way, the prayer of the faithful generations before live on in this beautiful place of worship.

Please pray for the good work of this Shrine and of the Universal Church. May the the doors of the Church be wide open and the Gospel spread far and wide.

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).

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—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