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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

Young Boys Who “Play” Mass

Veronica Moreno · December 18, 2022

Y SON started by carrying a stick (as processional cross) around the house. He would don a towel and carry sticks around the house. In time, it slowly evolved. By the time he turned 10, it was the entire Mass. This mother couldn’t help it; I bought him a “play vestment set” one Christmas. Then some play vessels. One day he found a vintage silver-plated goblet (now a chalice!) in his grandmother’s garage, and slowly his MASS KIT grew. Visiting a colonial Mexican town, we bought him candy that looked like hosts.

His Bell Summons My Children • At first, he “played” the entire Mass—from beginning to end—in our living room. He memorized (broadly speaking) the entire Mass in Latin. He single-handedly functioned as priest, altar server, and choir. But like the “instruments” and “tools” of Mass, this also grew. My other children learned to accept that during his “Masses,” they’d have to go to Communion when they heard his bells ring. The bells. I forgot to mention the different bells he went through until he found the right set. I am not joking about this: He memorized most of the Latin Mass server responses, priest prayers, and chanted chants.

*  PDF Download • Excerpt from Fulton Sheen’s Autobiography
—Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen speaks about children and priestly vocations.

Possible Vocation? • To be perfectly honest, my husband and I didn’t know how much or which way to nurture this. We’re happy to see him grow in his faith, but we’re also aware that our excitement needn’t turn into “pushing.” If he has a priestly vocation, God will let him know. And if not, God will also let him know. We’re going to stand by his side as he becomes a man and hopefully see him lead a long life as a holy Catholic man.

Recruiting “Whomever” • My son started recruiting altar servers and “parishioners” outside of our immediate family. A recent family and friend gathering turned into a Low and a High Mass. We are used to it. He even has a little brother to boss around the altar. But this time he had a “real altar server”. This time he had a friend who actually serves at the altar in a real Mass. This time his altar server actually has an attention span longer than his little brother’s 3.7 minutes. So what you see in that video is a glorious event for my son. (above)

Introibo Unrequited? • I’m not sure anyone but his mother will recognize the intense pride he has in this video. Only his mother may recognize what it may mean for his friend to ring the bells at the right moment, with the right cadence. Only this mother may recognize a complete “Prayers at the Foot of the Altar” after hearing countless unrequited INTROIBO AD ALTARE DEO’S. (He didn’t have to respond to himself. Finally someone to answer back!)

Not Alone • It seems my son is not the only child who does this. We were sent the following images of our son’s friend:

Purchasing Mass Sets For Boys • My friend had a good experience buying children’s vestments, chasubles, maniples, burses, corporals, chalices, patens, and other items from Vestments For Juniors on Etsy. We have bought from Lil Catholic Novelties who make and sell Mass sets for boys.

M Know of additional
M vestment makers?
M Email: seekenchantaspire@gmail.com

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Boy Chasuble, Child Vestments, Children Mass Set Vestments, Young Boy Playing Mass Last Updated: December 18, 2022

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About Veronica Moreno

Veronica Moreno is married to a teacher and homeschools five children. She has been cantor at her local Catholic parish for over a decade.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —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

“Much of the reordering [in 1970] of the pieces of the Roman Gradual seems arbitrary and useless; nevertheless, with some exceptions, it does not affect the shape of the service, since like pieces are exchanged for like.”

— Dr. William Peter Mahrt

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