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Views from the Choir Loft

How Dare We Complain?

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2014

HY DO WE COMPLAIN about the sufferings of this world? Nobody has ever lived in such luxurious times as ours.

Can you imagine trying to provide lunch for your family in the year 1300AD? How about 600AD? How about 50BC?

Someone might say, “Oh, well, people in those days grew their own gardens.” But this is not true, because some were tax collectors, others were soldiers, others servants, and so on. Moreover, what if the soil wasn’t fertile? What if a drought came? What if bugs, animals, thieves, or enemy soldiers stole fruits from your garden? What if you didn’t know how to cultivate a garden, or what types of plants to grow? What if you were handicapped, or mentally challenged, or very sick? What if you had to raise (and butcher) an animal whenever you wanted a bit of meat? How can you maintain a balanced diet when you must rely on that which you scavenge? What did they do before refrigeration? What did they do before running water? What if you had both arms amputated, like so many after the Civil War? What did they do before modern medicine, electricity, alarm systems, telephones, cars, email, and all our modern technology?

This whole thing started because I was showing a friend of mine one of the ancient manuscripts found in the Jogues Missal. This particular one came from 1070AD:

954 NEW


My friend said the manuscript “looked OK“—whereas I think it’s marvelous, glorious, fantastic … especially considering the difficulties of ordinary life in those days!

Sometimes I think people have a hard time understanding history. They really don’t understand the difference between life in 1850AD, 1450AD, or 600AD. Perhaps I have an advantage. Ever since I was a child I’ve studied the lives of the great pianists (1+2), whose biographies are “bound up with history” (as Fulton Sheen would say).

Getting back to the main point: How blessed we are! How dare we complain? How dare we shirk the work God has given to us?

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come…”

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jogues Illuminated Missal Lectionary Gradual 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

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —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

“In condemning us, you condemn all your own ancestors—all the ancient priests, bishops and kings—all that was once the glory of England, the island of saints and the most devoted child of the See of Peter. For what have we taught, however you may qualify it with the odious name of treason, that they did not uniformly teach?”

— Father Edmund Campion (to the Anglicans about to murder him)

Recent Posts

  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
  • 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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