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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

“My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective

Mark Haas · July 4, 2025

YEAR AGO, I was hired as Director of Music at a new parish, which celebrates Mass in both the Ordinary Form (Novus Ordo) and the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass). This was a new experience for our family as well as being the first parish in which I was tasked with regularly leading music for the Latin Mass. As I conclude my first full year, I find myself deeply grateful and newly inspired. My role as Director of Music has given me a privileged vantage point to observe, participate in, and grow through this beautiful form of the liturgy. At the outset, let me say: I do not come to this discussion with an agenda. I’ve never had a “dog in the fight,” so to speak, when it comes to liturgical forms. I believe both the Novus Ordo and MISSALE VETUSTUM can both be reverent, dignified, and heavenly. And in our parish, we strive to make this a reality. Our English and Spanish Novus Ordo Masses are beautifully celebrated and well attended. This is certainly also true of our Latin Masses. Moreover, I have been able to recruit some fantastic singers, as you can hear by this live audio recording from one of our Masses:

*  Mp3 Download • Live Rec. (Schola Cantorum)
—“Meditábor in mandátis tuis” • Schola Cantorum founded by Mark Haas.

To conclude such a unique year, I thought that I would offer a few observations:

The Schola:

When I began directing the music for the Latin Mass a year ago, our Schola Cantorum consisted of about a dozen young men and women. Now, we have nearly doubled in size, with 20 to 22 singers—primarily high school and college-aged voices; all with minimal recruiting on my part. New voices would simply show up each week. This growth has been organic and driven by the singers themselves. They are deeply committed to learning the chants of the Church and take personal responsibility for the liturgical beauty they help convey. Their dedication is evident not only in their sound but also in their appearance: the young women wear ornate veils and modest, elegant dresses, while the men arrive in coats and ties. There is a sense of reverence and formality that is striking, even countercultural—and yet it is embraced wholeheartedly.

The Congregation:

What has surprised me most, however, is not what happens in the choir loft, but what happens in the pews. Our Sunday Latin Mass regularly draws 400-600 people. They are overwhelmingly young. Babies ‘coo’ and squirm, toddlers rustle in their pews, and the sound of little voices punctuates the sacred silence; constant reminders that the Church is alive and growing. It’s a welcome noise—proof that the faith is being handed down. I had often heard: the people at the Latin Mass are often disengaged and not participating. Contrary to this stereotype, nearly everyone has a missal open, their eyes carefully following each Latin prayer, each sacred gesture, each response. They are deeply invested—both intellectually and spiritually—in what is unfolding before them. This sense of engagement is perhaps the most moving thing I have witnessed. There is no sense of passivity. Instead, there is attentiveness, hunger, and awe. They are participating. Actively, dare I say.

Holy Communion:

Another aspect that has shaped my experience is the reception of Holy Communion. In the Traditional Latin Mass, Holy Communion is only received kneeling at the altar rail, on the tongue. Also, the communicant does not say “Amen.” This is not a liturgical political statement. Rather, it is the only way to receive at the Latin Mass, as it is written in the Rite this way. Regardless of one’s personal preference on the matter, this mode of reception has a profound effect. For me, there is a heightened sense of reverence and vulnerability. I feel acutely aware of the state of my soul as I kneel and prepare to receive the Lord up at the front of the church in front of God and all His angels and saints. It is a moment that is truly “set apart,” and it invites an encounter that is both humbling and transformative. The piety of the community is not confined to that single moment. Many arrive early to pray in silence before Mass. After the final blessing and postlude, a large number remain to continue their prayer—long after the choir has finished singing. This culture of prayerfulness is not enforced by rules or signs; it is simply the organic fruit of a liturgy that draws the soul upward.

Gregorian Chant:

Singing Gregorian Chant is one of the most profoundly spiritual experiences I’ve known. There is a stillness and depth to it that seems to quiet the soul. Often, I feel my heart rate slow as I sing, as if my body itself is being drawn into prayer. The chant doesn’t seek to dazzle or impress—it simply invites. It pulls me into a space of silence and reverence where I feel fully present and fully attentive. There’s a tactile connection to the liturgy in these moments. It’s as if I start singing in the middle of a story that is constantly being sung in heaven. What moves me the most, though, is the deep sense of connection—both with my fellow singers and with the Church across time. Chant unites us in a way that’s hard to explain. Breathing together, moving as one voice, we become part of something far greater than ourselves. And beyond our small Schola Cantorum, I feel linked to the saints and faithful Catholics who have sung these same melodies for centuries. There’s a quiet awe in realizing that these tones, these prayers, have carried the worship of generations. These same chants have edified the great saints like St. Teresa of Ávila and St. Padre Pio. They have bolstered the minds of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross. To sing Gregorian Chant is to take up their song and add your own voices to the living memory of the Church.

Unity:

Our parish is blessed with a community that treasures the liturgy in all of its expressions. Many parishioners attend the English or Spanish Masses as well as the Latin Mass. The consistency is reverence, music, and adherence to liturgical documents across all forms. Each Mass, regardless of language or rite, belongs to the same parish family, united in love for the Lord.

Final Thoughts:

Assisting at the Traditional Latin Mass has changed me. It has sharpened my awareness of the sacred, deepened my love for the Church’s musical heritage, and inspired me to strive for greater holiness. I am grateful for this past year—and I look forward with hope and excitement to what lies ahead.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Missale Vetustum, Traditional Latin Mass Last Updated: July 4, 2025

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About Mark Haas

Mark Haas is a composer and speaker whose music has been sung in over 600 parishes and 10 countries. He lives in Florida with his wife and seven children.—(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). 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 the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —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

[on Latin] “No change in Mass: people have missals and can read. More vernacular can be useful in the Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Extreme Unction, Matrimony.”

— Cardinal Spellman (one of the Vatican II fathers)

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