A great point, which I myself alluded to here.

I have at times felt a desire -- perhaps even "need" is not too strong a word -- to compose a Mass setting. No secular text that I can think of seems to have quite the same level of solemnity (for lack of a better word) required to serve for a worthy successor to the Mass settings of the past. I'm not sure how much of this is due to a lack of imagination on my part, and how much is due to the fact that the perception of the Mass text is the result of cultural factors beyond my individual control, and beyond the content of the text itself. But in any case I fear I may be stuck with "yes, I'm an atheist, but only this would do."

Of course, I'll gladly take suggestions, if anyone has any.