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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

New Musical Settings for the Blessing of the Holy Oils

Fr. David Friel · March 24, 2019

HE ANNUAL blessing and disbursement of oils within the diocese is an eloquent expression of ecclesiology. Just as Jesus is the Christ—the Anointed One—who came to bring to bring good news to the afflicted and to bind up the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1), so the bishop blesses the sacred oils in order to perpetuate the Lord’s ministry within the local Church. The gathering of the priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful of the diocese, together with their bishop, expresses the unity to which the Church is called. Apportioning the oils to each parish after the Chrism Mass highlights the connection between the bishop and the whole of the ministerial activity that takes place within his see.

Anointing, of course, is an action central to many of the Church’s liturgies. The Church makes use of sacred oils to initiate new Christians and to heal the sick, to ordain new clergymen and to dedicate new churches.

The Chrism Mass, as a whole, is perhaps the most exemplary manifestation of the local Church and of the bishop’s ministry. That the blessing and consecration of the sacred oils is among the principal features of this liturgy reflects the oils’ tremendous importance in the life of the Church.

The prayers for blessing and consecrating the oils have been newly translated and published in a ritual book entitled, Order of Blessing the Oil of Catechumens and of the Sick and of Consecrating the Chrism. It is available exclusively through the USCCB bookstore. This book took effect for all dioceses in the USA on Ash Wednesday 2019. The new prayers, therefore, are normative for the Chrism Mass from 2019 onward.

LONG with the fresh translations, this volume includes musical settings for the prayer texts and responsories. In order to assist bishops and liturgical musicians, the USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship has made PDF versions of these new chant settings freely available on their website.

The PDF chant settings include:

The hymn for the procession of the oils, O Redemptor (O Redeemer)

The prayer of blessing of the Oil of the Sick

The prayer of blessing of the Oil of Catechumens

The three texts related to consecration of the Chrism: 1) Invitation to Prayer, 2) Prayer of Consecration (first option), and 3) Prayer of Consecration (second option)

The website with the new musical settings also features useful catechesis on the significance of the rite of blessing and consecration. It offers recommendations, moreover, for the reception of the oils during the parish Mass of the Lord’s Supper.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: ICEL Chants, Proper of the Mass in English, Singing the Mass, USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship 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

    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) 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
    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Some are called not to much speaking, | nor to conversations about the Church, | but, rather, to a deep silence | and to a life hidden in the heart of the Church, | far from wrangling tongues, from speculations, and discord. […] This is the essence of a Eucharistic monastic life.

— Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby (Meditation on Colossians 3:3)

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  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”

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