Views from the Choir Loft

Easter Vigil Readings With Dancer • St. Patrick Catholic Church (Seattle, Washington)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 9, 2015

HIS DISTURBING VIDEO appeared on the internet. It’s from the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday evening in Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church (Seattle, Washington): ¹

This video doesn’t affect my family—in a certain sense—because it’s not my parish.

On the other hand, what if someone in the parish reported this incident to their local bishop? I’m not sure what actions could be taken, because the USCCB Liturgy Committee declared in 2012 that important sections of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) can be ignored. What’s to stop other sections from being ignored?

Moreover, if you read all the documentation provided by Daniel Craig, you’ll notice a justification being given. The GIRM says clearly (§48) that songs replacing the assigned texts must be approved by the Episcopal Conference. The “American Adaptation” for the GIRM—approved by Rome—says the local bishop can also give permission. But the Bishops’ Committee said the GIRM can be ignored, because “local musicians” without permission can decide for themselves which alternate texts are acceptable:

“The guidelines articulated in Sing to the Lord (2007) are given to guide composers in their composition and those who plan/prepare liturgy in the choice of music…”

You probably think I’m going to say: “See? Judge by that video whether people can make their own liturgical decisions.” But that’s not what I’m going to say.

The GIRM is specific about getting a bishop’s approval because of accountability. We need to start following the GIRM as soon as possible! Then, if a bishop approves the type of goofy songs excoriated by Fr. Paul Scalia, that bishop will receive feedback.

UPDATE :

Judging from their facebook page, this parish seems to have similar things each week:

956 David Haas Liturgical Dancing

I was surprised to see composer David Haas comment in support. It might be instructive to compare the processional of an Extraordinary Form Mass with their procession dance.

NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1 I’m 95% sure the current pastor, Fr. Patrick Clark, is the priest shown in several videos on their YouTube channel.

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

About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

“Music List” • 19th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10 August 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 feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

This Sunday’s Communion Antiphon

This coming Sunday—10 August 2025—is the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The COMMUNION ANTIPHON is really gorgeous, and two of its features are worth mentioning. First of all, the Gospel reading assigned is from Saint Luke, whereas the the antiphon—although it matches the account—comes from Saint Matthew. (If anyone can point to a similar example, please notify me.) Furthermore, if you look at the authentic Gregorian Chant version posted on the feasts website, you’ll notice that it’s MODE III but ends on the ‘wrong’ note. A comparable instance of such a ‘transposed’ chant would be KYRIE IV.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly

Using “Ye” vs. “You” is rather tricky, because it depends upon which era one is trying to recreate—if that makes any sense. In other words, the rules haven’t always been the same for these two. Nevertheless, Father Philip George Caraman (the legendary Jesuit scholar) gives us a masterclass using Saint Luke’s Gospel. Father Caraman was close friends with Monsignor Ronald Knox, Evelyn Waugh, and Sir Alec Guinness.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

“Many other things most justly keep me in the bosom [of the Catholic Church]. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate.”

— Saint Augustine (Epistle against Manichaeus)