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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

Join a Choir! Now!

Richard J. Clark · August 31, 2018

RJC_FaureRequiem R. ALFRED CALABRESE hit the nail on the head this week when he published Saving the Church, One Choir at a Time. Read his article before you read mine (below), especially his three wonderful suggestions on what musicians can do. He also states, “Do not be fooled into thinking there is nothing we can do, lowly church musicians that we may be. We have the power because we’re on the ground, in the parishes. We have credibility…Now is the time for action.”

If you are thinking about singing in a choir, now is the time to join one! Join your local parish choir. Just sing. The camaraderie and endorphin rush alone is worth it!) If you are already in a choir, know that your sense of purpose is greater than you know.

Having served in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2002 when the crises hit, I recall that as we made music each week, we made music more fervently. It was a deeply profound prayer that brought us closer to God in time of pain and, yes, anger. It was a prayer no one could take away from us, nor from the faithful who continued to pray at Mass despite frustration, anger and despair.

When you sing in a choir, know that you will impact people’s lives in ways you cannot imagine and likely in ways you will never know. There is no line between sacred music and prayer. Music IS prayer. Preparation is prayer. Do it with love because God is love and God is a prayer.

Join a choir! Rehearsals are the prayer that bond musicians together as one with God.

Y NOW, MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE of my other recent professional developments. Soon I will begin a new role as Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. As a new position in Boston, the Director of Music of the Archdiocese is not a position of power or prestige but of service. Nor is it to micromanage 280+ parishes in the Archdiocese, but to offer guidance and support—liturgical, musical, and pastoral. There will be more about this later at an appropriate time.

While I go with joy to serve in this new role, truth be told, I am in no celebratory mood at this time. My heart breaks, and words cannot describe the unspeakable harm and pain suffered by too many for too long. Fury, anger, and exasperation barely begin to describe the mood of the faithful today.

However, these circumstances only punctuate a call to serve. Giving of ourselves in service is why we do what we do.

IF YOU LIVE AROUND BOSTON, consider joining your parish choir, the Archdiocesan Choir or the Cathedral Choir:

• THE CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS CHOIR WELCOMES NEW SINGERS! (11:30 a.m. Mass.) Ability to read is necessary, but it doesn’t have to be stellar at first. It will improve greatly over time. Ability to sing straight tone when called upon is a huge help. If interested click here to email me.

My first Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross is Sunday, September 16th. Most fittingly the Cathedral will celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. (The Introit Chant Nos autem gloriari is in order!) As it is the Titular Feast of the Cathedral, the celebration is moved to the nearest Sunday. (Sept. 14)

• THE ARCHDIOCESAN CHOIR WELCOMES NEW SINGERS! Singers from all over the Archdiocese are welcome to sing at special Archdiocesan events.

Coming up soon: Permanent Diaconate Ordination, Saturday, September 29th at 10 a.m. With the Cathedral still under renovation, it will take place at the beautiful Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury. If interested click here to email me.

Soli Deo gloria

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 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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th 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 dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on which source text is chosen and what each translator wants to emphasize. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF example) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 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 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Giovanni Doni is known for having changed the name of note “Ut,” renaming it “Do.” He convinced his contemporaries to make the change by arguing that 1) “Do” is easier to pronounce than “Ut,” and 2) “Do” is an abbreviation for “Dominus,” the Latin word for the Lord, Who is the tonic and root of the world. There is much academic speculation that Giovanni Doni also wanted to imprint himself into musical canon in perpetuity because “Do” is also ulteriorly an abbreviation for his family name.

— Giovanni Battista Doni died in 1647AD

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