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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

“Mass of the Americas” • Solemn Pontifical High Mass in DC

Fr. David Friel · October 24, 2019

OLEMN PONTIFICAL High Masses are not common events, but one will be celebrated next month at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. The Mass will be offered by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 10 AM (EST).

This Mass in the Extraordinary Form is being organized by the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music & Divine Worship as a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Anyone is welcome to attend, and, for those who cannot be present, the Mass will also be aired on EWTN.

Two things are notable about this Mass. First, it is being billed as a “Mass of the Americas,” a reference to the music for the ordinary that will be sung during the liturgy. Composed by Frank La Rocca, the Mass of the Americas was commissioned by Archbishop Cordileone and originally intended for use in the Ordinary Form. La Rocca has now adapted the score for use with the Extraordinary Form. Thus, the upcoming Mass in Washington, DC will be the premiere of this revised work.

The second thing to note is that the Mass will be followed by an afternoon conference cosponsored by the Benedict XVI Institute and The Catholic University of America’s Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art. The interesting program includes the following:

Keynote: The Making of the Mass of the Americas: A Conversation with Composer Frank La Rocca, Conductor Richard Sparks, and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone

Craft as Soul Craft: A Poetry Reading and Workshop with James Matthew Wilson

Painting Beauty: A Workshop with Andrew de Sa

The Vision of the Soul: A Conversation with Artists and Philosophers of Art (James Matthew Wilson, poet, Villanova University; Prof. Robert Edward Gordon, The American Culture and Ideas Initiative, College of Fine Arts, University of Arizona; Prof. Sara Pecknold, clinical professor of Sacred Music, Catholic University of America; Andrew de Sa, painter)

Book Signing: The River of the Immaculate Conception with poet James Matthew Wilson

Attendance at this conference is free and open to all, but registration is required.

A Facebook event has been created for this Mass. You may also download the PDF flyer to help spread the word about this Mass and conference.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Contemporary Sacred Music, Extraordinary Form 1962 Missal, National Shrine Immaculate Conception 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

    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’ with regard to 1960s switch to 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
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th 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. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —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

“As often as possible they gathered together the children of the village and sat them down in the cabin. Father Brébeuf would put on a surplice and biretta and chant the Our Father, which Father Daniel had translated into Huron rhymes, and the children would chant it after him. Next, he taught them the sign of the cross, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Commandments.”

— Biography of St. Jean de Brébeuf

Recent Posts

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  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
  • Involving Women in the Communion?
  • “Toward a More Sacred Style With Pastoral Charity” • Guest Article by Dr. Myrna Keough

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