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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

PDF • “Spiritual Mass Plan for Church Organists”

Keven Smith · February 16, 2021

MUST THANK MY Corpus Christi Watershed colleague, Fr. David Friel, for his article last summer, “Bishop Sheen on Sanctifying the Moment.” Not only did he provide many helpful quotes from Bishop Sheen, but he also recommended the great prelate’s book, Calvary and the Mass.

I finally got a copy of the book and read it last week. It’s fantastic. It’s not a step-by-step explanation of the words or actions of the Mass, but rather a sort of spiritual game plan for maintaining the right kind of recollection at each part of the Mass.

Source: gospelimages.com

The book focuses on the Seven Last Words of Christ and links each of these words to a part of the Extraordinary Form Mass:

  • Confiteor: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)
  • Offertory: Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)
  • Sanctus: Woman, behold your son….behold your mother (John 19:26-27)
  • Consecration: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46)
  • Communion: I thirst! (Matthew 27:46)
  • Ite Missa Est: It is finished. (John 19:30)
  • Last Gospel: Father, into Your hands I commend My Spirit. (Luke 23:46)

As a Catholic, I was immediately eager to apply this book to the very next Mass I attended. As a Church musician (specifically, a choir director increasingly pressed into organ duties), I also wanted to apply this book to the Masses I play.

Playing the organ at Mass is a privilege and a joy. But as I’ve discussed here before, one of the challenges is to stay recollected—to be at Mass, and not just play at Mass. You play a bit, pray a bit, play a bit. You’re constantly jumping back and forth between your hand missal and the organ bench. And I don’t want to give up and say, “Well, if I’m playing five Sunday Masses, I only have to be prayerful at the first one to fulfill my obligation.” What a recipe for spiritual mediocrity!

One thing that has helped me immensely is the concept of “praying the organ.” Simply put, you improvise on the Gregorian chant and try to pray the text mentally as you’re playing. It’s a profoundly spiritual experience, and the results are audible to the congregation. Do it convincingly, and you might hear people tell you, “The music was very prayerful today.”

Even so, it’s hard to switch gears between praying the chant and returning to the missal. So Bishop Sheen’s book seemed to be an ideal way to tie together those stretches in between propers and make the Mass seem more cohesive for me when I’m playing.

Over the weekend, I used the book to put together a Low Mass Plan for Organists. This plan helps me integrate the Seven Last Words into my habit of praying the propers while I play them.

*  PDF Download • Mass Plan for Organists

I share this document not with any sense of authority, but as a starting point for your customization. (I think this plan can work for the Ordinary Form, too, but that’s not my bailiwick.) You’ll notice that the plan calls for nothing but improvisation. I know minimal repertoire, and I love to improvise on the chant propers. But you’ll do as you like.

You’ll also notice that this is a very bare-bones document. I include the text of the Seven Last Words, but you’ll want to read Bishop Sheen’s book to put meat on those bones.

My initial results? I used this Mass Plan in my five low Masses yesterday. As always, by the time the 7:00 PM Mass rolled around, it was challenging to keep my mind prayerful because I’m human. But I did better than usual. I found that each of these brief Last Words “anchored” me to each part of the Mass and kept me from overthinking how my playing was going or what I was about to play next.

Also, I had always understood that Mass is a re-presentation of Calvary. But this book drives the point home in an especially poignant way. You’ll excuse me if I never play in major tonality again. (I’m half-joking.)

In the Extraordinary Form, the organ will soon go silent for most of Lent. But I look forward to using this Mass Plan (with continued refinement) on Laetare Sunday as well as on the handful of feast days that permit organ. Many thanks to Fr. Friel, and of course, to Bishop Sheen.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: organ Last Updated: February 16, 2021

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About Keven Smith

Keven Smith, music director at St. Stephen the First Martyr, lives in Sacramento with his wife and five musical children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Music List” • 29th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 19 October 2025, which is the 29th 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 sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

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

“Although the Mass contains much instruction for the faithful, it has nevertheless not seemed expedient to the fathers that it be celebrated everywhere in the vernacular. The holy synod commands pastors and everyone who has the care of souls to explain frequently during the celebration of the Masses, either themselves or through others, some of the things that are read in the Mass, and among other things to expound some mystery of this most Holy Sacrifice, especially on Sundays and feastdays.”

— ‘Council of Trent, XII:8 (1562)’

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