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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Secret Sympathy

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · February 20, 2020

“I feel that our souls are moved to the ardor of piety by the sacred words more piously and powerfully when these words are sung than when they are not sung, and that all the affections of our soul in their variety have modes of their own in song and chant by which they are stirred up by an indescribable and secret sympathy.”
—Saint Augustine, Confessions, Book X, chap. 33, MPL, XXXII, 799ff.

“In the beginning was the Word…and the Word became flesh.” John 1:1.

Words, words, words. Just think for a minute about the overwhelming waves of words that our culture washes over us. Through the nearly infinite spawn of digital devices, automatically generating and sending words constantly to all corners of the globe, it seems that the goal of our society is to create more words, as if the ever-increasing amount will bring us happiness.

It is true, however that we are hard wired to receive meaning from communicating through language. The words that we devise to speak to each other and to sing to each other have inherent meaning for our human nature.

We are reminded by the Word of God that in the beginning, before all else, was the Word, the Logos. This is quite profound. The one who created all, created the very idea and possibility of communication. But we can also note that the Word of God is quite different. It can come in a still small voice, or as in the psalms, a thunder that cracks trees…however, this word is definite, it does not change, and it never loses it’s meaning, in other words it is Divine. This word is definitive and certain. When the Father spoke to the Son confirming his divine status during the mystical event of the Transfiguration, is was a declaration that was eternally true.

As well, I am reminded of the age-old practice of meditating in prayer upon a single word or phrase—Lectio Divina. The practice involves meditation on a holy word or phrase in the presence of the Lord, and sitting in an attitude of receptiveness to the divine and spiritual nurture from the Holy Spirit that flow from that word.

So, as Augustine says, how wonderful and significant is our task, that of joining words—the Logos—to music. Music also speaks to us as a divine word. I am convinced that there is a divine quality in music that emanates from this original Logos, coming directly from God, as a unique gift. In some mystical way which I don’t understand, the singing of this Logos creates a higher level of meaning and somehow connects to our understanding in a more profound way. Let us understand the profundity of the ministry that we cultivate—even as we praise the Logos in “indescribable and secret sympathy” amongst oceans of meaningless words.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: February 27, 2020

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About Dr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a composer and performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“For any member of laity, who is at least somewhat literate, the ignorance of the Latin tongue, which we can call a truly Catholic language, indicates a certain lack of affection towards the Church.”

— Pope Pius IX

Recent Posts

  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • The Tallis Scholars
  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
  • Pope Saint Paul VI to Consilium (14 October 1968)

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