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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

False! • “Youthful” Music Attracts the Young

Mark Haas · August 1, 2025

OR YEARS, I’ve heard a familiar refrain from well-meaning pastors, youth ministers, and catechists: “If you want to get the youth into the Church, you have to give them ‘youthful’ music.” The assumption is understandable in a world dominated by digital media and pop culture—surely the only way to reach young hearts is through a contemporary medium, right? I may have even believed this myself at one time or another. But after years of working as a Catholic music director in several parishes, I can confidently say: this is a false claim.

This past June, our parish hosted a week-long Chant Camp for children and teens ages 8 to 17. I was hoping we would have a camp of at least 30 singers, but we welcomed 60 participants (with a waiting list)! The camp was led by the apostolate CANTICLE, based in San Diego, California, under the direction of Mary Ann Wilson (www.canticle.org). CANTICLE specializes in teaching Gregorian Chant to young people, and their approach is both joyful and deeply rooted in tradition.

*  Mp3 Download • Live Rec. (Chant Camp Mass)
—“Pánis, quem égo dédero” • Chant Camp Mass, Ave Maria Catholic Church – Ave Maria, FL.

A sense of discovery • From the very first day, the energy was unmistakable. These young people—many of whom are growing up in a culture that rarely pauses for silence—entered into the world of chant with enthusiasm. They learned the fundamentals of solfège, vocal technique, Mass etiquette, liturgical prayer, and the mechanics of singing Gregorian melodies from square notes. They did so not out of obligation or boredom, but out of a sense of discovery and purpose.

As the week progressed, something remarkable began to unfold. The students didn’t just learn to sing these ancient melodies—they began to own them. The chant, far from feeling distant or irrelevant, became a living language of prayer and beauty. On the final day of camp, these 60 young voices filled the church with the sacred sounds of the full Gregorian chant Propers, and the complete Missa Orbis Factor (Mass XI). The reverence in their posture, the clarity of their tone, and the visible joy on their faces gave witness to a truth often ignored in pastoral ministry: Gregorian Chant is not a relic. It is alive.

This isn’t a new idea. The Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, clearly states:

“The Church acknowledges Gregorian Chant as especially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services” (SC, 116).

This isn’t a nostalgic nod to the past; it is a recognition that chant speaks a unique spiritual language—timeless, contemplative, and oriented toward the sacred mysteries.

Far greater than ourselves • We often underestimate the spiritual hunger of our youth. But children and teenagers are drawn to beauty, truth, and transcendence. What they encounter in Gregorian Chant is not just music—it is prayer that transcends time. It is the same sound heard in monasteries a thousand years ago, the same melodies sung by saints. It connects them to something far greater than themselves.

There were no modern gimmicks at our Chant Camp. No fog machines, electric guitars, slogans or themed hashtags. Just children, sacred music, and the Church’s sacred tradition. And it worked. It turns out the wheel has been created, and there’s no pressing need to reinvent it.

Don’t underestimate! • We must stop underestimating our youth. They do not need us to dilute the Church’s treasury of sacred music in order to make it accessible. They need us to lift them into it. The real “youthful music” of the Church is the music that lifts the soul, teaches discipline, cultivates wonder, and draws one deeper into the mystery of the Eucharist.

Let us take seriously the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who once said:

“The liturgy is not a theatrical text, and the altar is not a stage. The music of the Church must always express the holy, and the true artist must humble himself before the majesty of God.” (The Spirit of the Liturgy)

At our Chant Camp, the youth did not perform—they prayed. And in doing so, they discovered what the Church has always known: Gregorian Chant is not merely music. It is the song of the Church, the voice of the Bride singing to her Bridegroom. And it still speaks—clearly, powerfully, and beautifully—to the hearts of the youth.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: chant, Chant Camp, Children at Mass, Liturgy For Children Last Updated: August 1, 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 serves as the Music Director at Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, Florida where he lives with his wife and seven children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th 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 top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Random Quote

When the matter is thus regarded, an assertion which is being made today, not only by laymen but also at times by certain theologians and priests and spread about by them, ought to be rejected as an erroneous opinion: namely, that the offering of one Mass, at which a hundred priests assist with religious devotion, is the same as a hundred Masses celebrated by a hundred priests. That is not true.

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

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