Views from the Choir Loft

Fota X Conference (and other Summer Opportunities)

Fr. David Friel · May 7, 2017

DD ANOTHER event to the list of liturgy conferences planned for this summer. In addition to Sacra Liturgia Milano, the CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium, the Los Angeles Sacred Music Symposium, and the Wethersfield Institute Chant Workshop, the annual Fota Conference has just been announced.

For the tenth consecutive year, liturgical scholars, students, and enthusiasts will gather in Cork, Ireland for a three-day conference hosted by the St. Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy. You can view my recap of last year’s excellent Fota IX conference, which I was fortunate to attend.

The subject for this year’s Fota conference is Resourcing the Prayers of the Roman Liturgy: Patristic Sources. Papers will be delivered by speakers including: Prof. Manfred Hauke (Lugano), Prof. Dieter Boehler (Frankfurt), Fr. Joseph Briody (Boston, MA), Gregory diPippo (New Liturgical Movement), Dr. Johannes Nebel (Austria), Fr. Jao-Paolo Mendanca Dantas, (Fortaleza, Brazil), and Fr. Kevin Zilverberg (St. Paul, MN).

For those keeping score at home, here is a chronological lineup of liturgy-related opportunities for Summer 2017:

Sacra Liturgia – Milan, Italy (June 6-9)

CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium – St. Paul, MN (June 19-24)

Sacred Music Symposium – Los Angeles, CA (June 26-30)

CMAA Ward Method Summer Course – Pittsburgh, PA (June 26-30)

Wethersfield Institute Chant Workshop – Amenia, NY (June 27-30)

Teaching Gregorian Chant to Children – St. Joseph’s Seminary Dunwoodie (July 5-8)

Fota X Conference – Cork, Ireland (July 8-10)

This summer will see chant activity in a wide array of areas: East coast, West coast, Midwest, Ireland, and Italy. Each of these events promises to introduce the treasury of the Church’s music to many new people. These workshops will also deepen the knowledge and experience of many folks already working with chant in their parishes and institutions.

The placement of these opportunities across the United States and Europe is very good news for the renewal of sacred music. It is simple evidence that there is a widespread need being met. May the Lord bring forth much fruit from each of these events!

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).

New Bulletin Article • “21 September 2025”

My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 21 September 2025) discusses some theological items—supported by certain verses in ancient Catholic hymns—and ends by explaining why certain folks become delirious with jealousy when they observe feats by Monsignor Ronald Knox.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!

It’s always amusing to see old diocesan newspapers—in huge capital letters—advertising the Cheapest Catholic Paper in the United States. The correspondent who sent this to me added: “I can think of certain composers, published by large companies in our own day, who could truthfully brag about the most tawdry compositions in the world!” I wonder what she could have meant by such a cryptic comment…

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Dom Murray Harmonies

Along with so many others, I have deep respect for Dom Gregory Gregory Murray, who produced this clever harmonization (PDF) of “O SANCTISSIMA.” It’s always amazed me that Dom Gregory—a truly inspired composer—was so confused when it came to GREGORIAN CHANT. Throughout his life, he published contradictory statements, veering back-and-forth like a weather vane. Toward the end of his life, he declared: “I see clearly that the need for reform in liturgical music arose, not in the 18th and 19th centuries, but a thousand years earlier—in the 8th and 9th centuries, or even before that. The abuses began, not with Mozart and Haydn, but with those over-enthusiastic medieval musicians who developed the elaborate and flamboyant Gregorian Chant.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Karl Keating • “Canonization Questions”

We were sent an internet statement (screenshot) that’s garnered significant attention, in which KARL KEATING (founder of Catholic Answers) speaks about whether canonizations are infallible. Mr. Keating seems unaware that canonizations are—in the final analysis—a theological opinion. They are not infallible, as explained in this 2014 article by a priest (with a doctorate in theology) who worked for multiple popes. Mr. Keating says: “I’m unaware of such claims arising from any quarter until several recent popes disliked by these Traditionalists were canonized, including John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. Usually Paul VI receives the most opprobrium.” Mr. Keating is incorrect; e.g. Father John Vianney, several centuries ago, taught clearly that canonizations are not infallible. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would be another example, although clearly much more recent than Saint John Vianney.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Vatican II Changed Wedding Propers?

It’s often claimed that the wedding propers were changed after Vatican II. As a matter of fact, that is a false claim. The EDITIO VATICANA propers (Introit: Deus Israel) remained the same after Vatican II. However, a new set of propers (Introit: Ecce Deus) was provided for optional use. The same holds true for the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great on 3 September: the 1943 propers (Introit: Si díligis me) were provided for optional use, but the traditional PROPRIA MISSAE (Introit: Sacerdótes Dei) were retained; they weren’t gotten rid of. The Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) makes this crystal clear, as does the Missal itself. There was an effort made in the post-conciliar years to eliminate so-called “Neo-Gregorian” chants, but (contrary to popular belief) most were retained: cf. the feast of Christ the King, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and so forth.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)

How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).

—Corpus Christi Watershed