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Corpus Christi Watershed

“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

Initial Response To Pope Francis’ Recent Actions Regarding Monsignori

Jeff Ostrowski · January 5, 2014

ATICAN INSIDER REPORTS that Pope Francis has put an end to the naming of Monsignori, unless a priest be over the age of 65. Will this move have any effect on the scandalous and damaging secular music performed each Sunday in so many Catholic churches? Will it help solve the massive crisis of faith afflicting our Church since the Council? Will it cause even one lapsed Catholic to resume attending Mass on Sundays? I suppose only time will tell, but these are some of the most pressing priorities on Francis’ plate.

One writer said it’s an effort to curb careerism, but he obviously has no clue. The best way to stop careerism would be mandating a minimum period of time a priest must serve in a “typical” parish setting before being assigned to teach in the seminary or do Chancery work. Such inaccurate analysis, however, is not surprising, since gibberish from unqualified sensationalists abounds when it comes to Pope Francis. The naming of Monsignori had been a way individual bishops could recognize faithful service, and each bishop was free to name them or not. The hypocrisy of some applauding this action is unbelievable, since these same quarters are usually in favor of “individual bishops governing their own dioceses without interference from Rome.”

YOU’RE PROBABLY THINKING, “OK, Jeff, since you’re so smart, what reforms should Francis enact?” I would like to see Francis start to curb the “horse barn” mentality of the Church. What? You never heard of that mentality? I will explain:

One of the favorite techniques of the “liturgical progressives” since the Council is to allow a forbidden practice for a period of time. Then, when Rome finally demands an account, the perpetrator says, “Oh, but this already being done. The horse is already out of the barn. We can’t turn back the clock now …” In other words, halting a (forbidden) practice already being done has somehow been considered unthinkable. A reliable witness has told me that Archbishop Weakland often used this technique in his now notorious dealings with Rome.

I’m reminded of an “open letter” written last year by Roger Cardinal Mahony. In it, he responded to Archbishop José Gomez, who had been forced to strip him of all public duties owing to Mahony’s malfeasance in concealing clergy sex abuse (for which his diocese paid nearly a billion dollars in damages). I’m not going to quote the entire letter, which is extremely petulant and self-serving, but here’s an excerpt:

I have stated time and time again that I made mistakes, especially in the mid-1980s. I apologized for those mistakes, and committed myself to make certain that the Archdiocese was safe for everyone. Unfortunately, I cannot return now to the 1980s and reverse actions and decisions made then.

Once again, we see the “horse barn” mentality … but, what is the proper response? Well, for starters, Mahony should not have attended the Conclave, because his judgment is obviously not sound. Also, he should have spent the rest of his life in a monastery doing penance, as well as giving his personal funds to the victims and meeting with them each year. I could keep going, but in essence, merely saying, “Oops!” is insufficient. If I break your window and sincerely apologize, you ought to say, “I accept your apology … but you still must repair the window you broke!”

In my humble opinion, I think eliminating Monsignori under 65 is akin to “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.” However, I believe all Monsignori are obligated pay some kind of special “tax” each year, on account of their office. Perhaps all that money can now be pledged to support our efforts here at CCW!   Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Pope Francis 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: “What Martin Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest) was an apostate and infamous heretic whose ignorance of the True Faith was only outdone by his 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 ratio of voices in modern choirs is usually wrong. Basses should be numerically greatest, then altos, then tenors, then sopranos. One good soprano can carry a high “A” against 30 lower voices.

— Roger Wagner

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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