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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Black Vestments & Wisdom From Wives

Jeff Ostrowski · November 5, 2013

231 Requiem Click to enlarge image AM MARRIED to the most wonderful woman in the world. Cynthia has a thousand wonderful qualities and is a superb artist. However, it would be inaccurate to claim she’s as interested in (obsessed with?) the liturgy as I am. For this reason, her comments are often of much greater value.

Having attended Mass on 2 November, she asked, “Why didn’t the priest wear black vestments? Have they been forbidden?” I explained to her that, following the Second Vatican Council, black vestments aren’t usually worn because they’re considered too “spooky and scary.” Her astonishment — or was it indignation? — rang out: “Scary? That’s stupid … they just seem more respectful to me.”

I COULD NOT agree more. Black vestments have always been my favorite, ever since I was a little boy and saw my first Solemn Requiem Mass. The black vestments are often “gilded” (if that’s the right word) with gold or silver. They are powerful, impressive, and edifying. I cannot say enough to praise them. Furthermore, Cynthia is correct. They’re supremely respectful.

A few years ago, when I explained that the Novus Ordo has ancient Propers assigned to each Mass, my wife’s tone was similar as she exclaimed, “But then, why doesn’t everybody sing the texts assigned by the Church?”  Why indeed … ?

Her question is similar to one asked by students of Professor László Dobszay:

For my university students it always came as a shock to open Dom Hesbert’s Antiphonarium Missarum Sextuplex or the eleventh century Gradual of the Roman basilica of St. Cecilia, and to find there, on the same days, the same Proper chants as they read in the Liber Usualis printed in 1950. And without any coaching from me, their first question after the initial surprise was, “Then why should we sing others, instead of these?”  Why indeed …?

Dobszay’s full article is provided in a piece I wrote a while back:

      * *  “And I Will Raise You Up” — Voice Of God Songs During Mass

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Requiem, Traditional Catholic Vestments Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

“The following few hints on the selection of voices may be useful: (1) Reject all boys who speak roughly, or sing coarsely; (2) Choose bright, intelligent-looking boys, provided they have a good ear; they will much more readily respond to the choirmaster’s efforts than boys who possess a voice and nothing more; therefore, (3) Reject dull, sulky, or scatter-brained boys, since it is hard to say which of the three has the most demoralizing effect on his more willing companions.”

— Sir Richard Runciman Terry (1912)

Recent Posts

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  • “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
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  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

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