Tag Archives: widor

The news is slow these days. There isn’t much for Trad Dad to muse upon this evening. Well, there are a few items here and there…

The bishop of the moribund diocese of Steubenville, OH just cancelled Latin Mass at Franciscan University. I know several students there. They won’t be happy. His reasoning, by some accounts, is that he is trying to “protect the Latin Mass”. If that is his intent, God bless him for trying but he might want to get a brain scan stat. Protecting the TLM by focusing all of one’s liturgical and juridical efforts on the place where the other side supposedly has direct control to shut you down is a losing game plan for sure.

I had a lengthy conversation today with my brother-in-law about our plans should the bomb drop on April 3rd as has been speculated. He mentioned a particular plan to me. “What is bizarre,” I said to him, “is that the same exact thought came into my head on my way to morning Mass today.” Clearly great minds think alike. We shall see what comes to pass.

Finally, it was some kind of “women’s day” celebration or something today. I would like to thank my mother who bore sixteen children while running the daily operations of our home and teaching us. She was once told by her own sister-in-law that “Times have changed. You should be going after the things of value that we women have been denied through history…” Mom replied, “There is nothing more high value than raising children. I chose to do this – to cooperate with God – and I’m quite happy with the life He gave me.” Bravo, Lady. We love ya’.

Finally finally, here is an organ piece I want to share with you. This is the famous Toccata by Charle-Marie Widor. The organist is the obviously talented Frederick Hohman. What I love is that he is not only performing this on the magnificent Schantz organ in Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart; but that he is performing it at the proper tempo. Widor himself was know to remark that many organists raced through the piece as if to showcase their virtuosity. Mr. Hohman plays it just right. I heard this piece performed (by other organists) many times on that very organ when, as a seminarian, I served Masses at the Basilica. Let the sound of this piece focus your attention on the upcoming joy of Christ’s victory of sin and death.

St. Cecilia, pray for us!