Wedding Homily (7 min) by Fr. Valentine Young
“The late Archbishop Sheen once pointed out how the Greeks in their language had three different words for love…”
Stunning Harmonies! • “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above” (Hymn #783)
This has been called the “incomparable and indispensable” hymnal for Catholics.
What is the “Ordinary” of the Mass?
A few years ago—during the Sacred Music Symposium—I suggested to the audience that the “Our Father” and the “Alleluia” should be considered part of the Ordinary of the Mass (for the Ordinary Form). In my own settings, such as Mass of the English Martyrs, I treated the “Our Father” accordingly—and here in Los Angeles, we […]
Blog Contributors Speak About A “Favorite” Piece
This is a good way to get to know several contributors a little better!
“Pange Lingua” translated into English • Hymn by Saint Thomas Aquinas
I predict this smooth harmonization will go down in history—it fits the voice perfectly.
The best 5 seconds in Gregorian Chant…
“No concession should ever be made for the singing of the Exultet, in whole or in part, in the vernacular.” — Fr. Augustin Bea
Being Too Hard On Priests?
I’m usually a stickler when it comes to making sure priests sing their chants correctly, especially when priests often substitute a Perfect Fourth for the Minor Third in the famous Triple Alleluia on Holy Saturday. But I just found out the 1575AD Missale Romanum has a skip of a Perfect Fifth! So perhaps I need to […]
Can Sacred Music Be Saved? • (How exactly?)
I know of no greater composition than this one—and it was written by a devout Catholic priest.
For Shame! • Collegeville blog says looking at Crucifix “skirts the edge of idolatry”
The Roman Missal explicitly tells the priest to look at the Crucifix at various times during the Holy Mass.
“Virtual Mass Is Not The Same” • Sermon by Father Mark Ostrowski
On 26 April 2020, Fr. Ostrowski explained an unintended “Covid-19” consequence—from which we can learn.
Can Ordinary Form Masses Be “Enriched” By The Extraordinary Form?
Do we truly believe the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity becomes present at Mass? Is this how we treat the Sanctissimum?
Dealing With Calumny
All of us have probably been the victim of calumny. Calumny can be especially painful if the person telling lies is someone you helped. Next time this happens in your life, try an experiment: Write the person’s name on an Index card, place it on your shoulder, and flick it to the ground—meaning you will […]
“Christ The Lord Is Risen Today” • (Hymn #697)
…including several captivating attempts to translate “Victimae Paschali Laudes.”
Rehearsal • “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”
Including information about a *fabulous* liturgical book from the 1950s.
From “Vexilla Christus Inclyta”
Non ille regna cládibus, | Non vi metúque súbdidit: | Alto levátus stípite, | Amóre traxit ómnia.—“It is not by combat or force or fear that Christ subdues nations but lifted up upon the tree, he draws all things to himself by love.” Servat fides connúbia, | Juvénta pubet íntegra, | Pudíca florent límina | […]
