Cardinal Roche on discouraging or limiting “ad orientem” celebration: “It is an absurdity”
Ponder this statement by the prefect for the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (a.k.a. “CDW”).
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.”

Ponder this statement by the prefect for the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (a.k.a. “CDW”).

This treatise (324 pages) is a “must read” for anyone who cares about liturgical music in the Catholic Church.
If you’ve been considering attending the Sacred Music Symposium, I suggest you send in your application as soon as possible. The committee that meets to evaluate each candidate has been going through them—and they are scheduled to convene again this week. (They do their best to get through as many as they can as quickly […]
I’m currently in the process of creating a website where all the organ accompaniment booklets for Vespers are posted for download. At the moment, you can download the 25-page booklet I used yesterday, to accompany vespers for Sexagesima Sunday.

Saint John Mary Vianney (d. 1859) is one of my favorite saints. Our readers will want to download this gorgeous stained glass window which depicts Father Vianney, the holy Curé d’Ars.

“Make it an unbreakable rule to ingrain the rudiments of music theory into the very bones of the beginning student, preferably before the age of nine or ten.” —Dr. Lucas Tappan
People often complain: “Catholic priests won’t pay a living wage for choir directors, yet gladly pay millions to purchase a pipe organ.”

Arthur Cardinal Roche has not had an easy time of it lately.
During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world’s experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. You can hear this brief excerpt taken during our […]

Authentic sacred music should attract people. It should not drive them away.
“Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here’s a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th […]

Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I’m not a fan of […]

“The Sacred Music Symposium was a vehicle of grace that changed my life.” —2019 Participant
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