For those of you in the NYC area or who can get there. HERE
On Thursday 26 February 2026 at 6:30 PM
at
Blessed Sacrament Church (152 W 71st St, New York, NY 10023)
Solemn Requiem Mass with Mozart’s Requiem. Usus Antiquior.
The intention for the Mass is the repose of the soul of Alex Klucik.
This is done in connection with Higher Word and a very cool initiative for young Catholic men in NYC Alexander Hall.
Alex Klucik, who died at age 19, was a uniquely virtuous young man devoted to the Eucharist and the Rosary, and his family is launching a Catholic fraternal residence in NYC in his honor. This Requiem Mass will be an opportunity to pray for Alex’s soul but also raise awareness about his life and the legacy being built through this housing project.
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Ooh.
Rare to get Mozart in actual Mass as opposed to concert.
…and if I have the correct place matched in my head, it’s a beautiful church. My grandparents were married there. I was in there once while passing through the neighborhood. I had hoped to get back for Mass for their 100th wedding anniversary a few years ago, but Covid (generally) and family medical issues (in particular) blew up that idea.
This is the awesome stuff Cardinal Dolan, to his credit, did not nitpick about post-TC — and I really hope Archbishop Hicks continues the tradition.
May this young man rest in peace and I hope his funeral Mass is consoling and beneficial.
I have a comment though, not specific to this particular Mass, but in general, about the liturgical, as opposed to strictly musical, value of the Masses written by the great composers of the 18th and 19th centuries: I don’t think they are suitable to the Mass. I find only chant to be suitable for the Mass.
(The Mozart-composed parts of the Requiem are quite beautiful but Mozart’s Mass in C Minor is arguably a greater artistic achievement than Mozart’s Requiem Mass. I consider the Et Incarnatus Est of the Mass in C Minor to be one of the supreme artistic acheivements in all of art and the Kyrie is also special. That said, the Requiem’s Introit, Kyrie, Dies Irae beginning and end (Lacrymosa), Domine Jesu of the Offertory, and Lux Aeterna of the Communion Hymn are all really good.)
donato2: I suspect you may never have been to a Solemn Requiem with Mozart’s Requiem (played/sung well). I have. Many times, as choir member, as clergy in choir and as celebrant at the altar.
I would not exchange those experiences for anything.
Excuse me, but my immediate reaction to that stuff by the dear donato2, whom I’m probably not doing justice, would be something like this:
“Ah, as expected: someone talks about a Mass composition and a liturgical purist feels the need to mention he doesn’t want suchlike at Mass. Fine. If it’s really so important to them, one might almost be inclined to give them Mass and be done with it.
After all, Mass really is something above the individuality of the participants but Christ’s action on us, and Gregorian chant really is the standard for it.
But it would be a mistake.
Also for a couple of serious reasons, among which the tradition of the Church, the decision of Trent on Palestrina, the use of these pieces of music for what they were (and are being) made for, the uplifting of souls, the festiveness, etc. But I’d almost (I said almost) be inclined to sacrifice all of that to keep our liturgical purists happy, present an united front, etc., were it not for one realpolitikal thing.
Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile. Supposing they had all Masses according to them, they’d go for not-just-psalmody Vespers and not-all-silent Eucharistic Adoration, and for worship&praise outside Mass, next. And once they’ve got that, they’ll go for the traditional popular Church-hymns, until everything is removed from divine service that is fun.”
Sorry.
May Alex Klucik’s soul rest in peace.