The Recovering Choir Director

This afternoon I watched the ordination of Archbishop Augustine DiNoia, who is becoming the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.  Many of these episcopal consecrations turn into circuses, marred by applause in a triumphalist milieu.

Not today.  A few things:  When the archbishop went around the church blessing people, the Te Deum chant was sung.  This is one of those moments that tends to be smeared with cheering and the like.  But that doesn’t seem to happen when the accompanying Te Deum setting is to Gregorian chant.  Also, Cardinal Levada sang most of the celebrant’s prayers, which really is a magical formula for making the liturgy work better.  This kind of singing tends to make the celebrant less of a “president” and more of a co-participant in the goings on.  Maybe that’s not the best way to say it, so if someone else can chime in, feel free.

Finally, at the end of the ceremony, Archbishop DiNoia ascended the pulpit and said something to the effect of, “At the conclusion of such a glorious liturgy as this one, there is a great temptation to congratulate ourselves.  But to God belongs all the glory.”  I’ve always wondered when I might hear a clergyman say this.  I had to bend down and pick my jaw up off the floor.  The archbishop continued on with some very appropriate, perfunctory remarks which were the antithesis of egotism.  Of course, some people still clapped, but the applause sounded tepid, as if most of the congregation did get what diNoia was trying to tell us.

If this, in conjunction with the music selected for today (which no doubt benefitted not only from DiNoia’s requests but also music director Peter Latona’s leadership) is any indication, things are looking up at the CDW.