Views from the Choir Loft

New England Pueri Cantores Choral Festival and Mass • Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Richard J. Clark · November 22, 2019

OPE FRANCIS recently said, “Do not forget this: Liturgy is the first ‘teacher’ of catechism.” Singing liturgical music from our rich Roman Catholic tradition isn’t just about the music, but nurturing faith through the Sacred Liturgy.

I encourage Choir Directors to bring all treble and mixed voice choirs (grades 4-12) to the newly renovated Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston on Saturday, March 21, 2020 for the American Federation Pueri Cantores New England Choral Festival and Mass.

• Registration, and brochure:

• REGISTER ONLINE HERE

• PDF Download • New England Catholic Youth Choral Festival and Mass • 2020.

Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Robert P. Reed, President of Catholic TV and Auxiliary Bishop of Boston. Nationally celebrated conductor, Dr. Richard Robbins will conduct, and I will personally accompany the Mass and rehearsals.

• Eight Professional Development Credits will be extended to conductors of participating choirs!

• MP3 audio recordings and downloadable scores will are available for participating choirs.

I encourage choir directors to consider this festival not only for strong singers, but also for those for whom this may be a welcome challenge. The environment is nurturing, positive, and joyful!

For questions or information click here to email me.

I look forward to welcoming all of you to the Cathedral to share in this beautiful and prayerful event!

Richard J. Clark
Director of Music
Archdiocese of Boston
Cathedral of the Holy Cross

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

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).

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron).

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (1st Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 30 November 2025, which is the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is quite memorable, and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

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—Jeff Ostrowski