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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

Carmel 1

Fr. David Friel · July 16, 2017

S A SON of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Doylestown, PA, my favorite title for Mary is an easy pick. Of course, the feast of Mt. Carmel, which we celebrate every July 16th, has long been associated with the brown scapular. For those of us who wear it, the scapular is meant as a sign of Mary’s protection and a reminder that we are her children.

The actual place called Mount Carmel—a 1,724-foot ridge in the Holy Land—has been the site of a monastery from around the 12th century. Since that time, men and women have lived there, devoting themselves to prayer and contemplation. This is the special charism of all Carmelites: prayer and contemplation.

The word Carmel, itself, is a Hebrew word meaning “God’s Vineyard.” Every Carmelite monastery, therefore, tries to be a fruitful vineyard of prayer. At the very heart of Carmelite spirituality, of course, is a special devotion to the Blessed Mother. Just as we would say that Jesus is the New Adam—the obedient Man who undid the disobedience of the first Adam—so Carmelites would tell us that Mary, herself, is not only the new Eve, but also the new Eden.

St. Louis Marie de Montfort says it well: “Our Blessed Lady is the true terrestrial paradise of the New Adam, and the ancient paradise was but a figure of her” (True Devotion, #261). Like the Garden of Eden, our Blessed Lady is, in herself, abundantly fruitful, overflowing with every form of riches, beauties, and sweetness.

Just like Mary, we are all called to be Carmels—fruitful vineyards for God. Through the work of prayer and contemplation, we, too, can bear fruit for the Lord and for those around us. By learning from Our Lady’s example, we may even bring forth that most blessed fruit: Jesus, Himself.

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 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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 22nd in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 31 August 2025, which is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “The Worm That Dieth Not”
    My pastor asked me to write a column for our parish bulletin with reflections on the sacred liturgy and church music. In my most recent article, I discuss “The Worm That Dieth Not.” At this website, you can access it conveniently; simply scroll down to the one dated 31 August 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    A Nice Hymn In Spanish
    In my humble opinion, this is a really beautiful hymn in Spanish. If I practice diligently, I’ll be able to pronounce all the words properly. If you’re someone who’s interested in obtaining a melody only version (suitable for your congregational ORDER OF WORSHIP) you can steal that from this.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    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

Random Quote

“Of course, the Latin language presents some difficulties, and perhaps not inconsiderable ones, for the new recruits to your holy ranks. But such difficulties, as you know, should not be reckoned insuperable. This is especially true for you, who can more easily give yourselves to study, being more set apart from the business and bother of the world.”

— Pope Saint Paul VI (15 August 1966)

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