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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download: Rare Hymnal By Boston’s Archbishop

Jeff Ostrowski · January 12, 2015

461 William Henry O'Connell - Cardinal Archbishop of Boston ID YOU KNOW the Archbishop of Boston published a hymnal in 1915? It’s true: William Henry Cardinal O’Connell wrote the words and composed the melodies. (During his high school career, O’Connell excelled at music, particularly the piano and organ.)

      * *  PDF: Holy Cross Hymnal (1915)

Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the page explaining how VERNACULAR HYMNS were sung during the low Mass in 1915:

      * *  PDF: Vernacular Hymns at Low Mass

Can you imagine singing all those vernacular hymns while Mass is happening? And how can there be a hymn for the blessing, which—at Low Mass & High Mass—takes a grand total of 25 seconds?!!

Here’s a reproduction of that PDF:

A good method of using these Hymns for devotion at Mass is the following:

Before Mass

Hymn to the Holy Trinity

— or —

Hymn to the Holy Spirit

Beginning of Mass

Hymn of Holy Mass

After Consecration

The Blessed Sacrament

At Communion

Holy Communion

At the Blessing

Hymn for the Blessing

Between the beginning of Mass and the Consecration may be sung:

Hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary

— or —

St. Joseph

— or —

The Sacred Heart

— or —

The Guardian Angel

— or —

or any of the other Hymns as appropriate to the day.

A WHILE AGO, we posted a recording of Cardinal Cushing of Boston praying the Canon during JFK’s 1963 funeral Mass. Since that time, it appears the entire funeral has been posted online. Without question, the liturgy is deplorable. As you can see, there’s a soloist singing operatic songs most of the time, even during the reading of the Gospel. What cacophony!

When I asked a priest ordained in the 1950s to tell me the most horrible liturgy he’d experienced in the days prior to Vatican II, he immediately responded: JFK’s funeral said by Cardinal Cushing. It’s really too bad that it’s now on YouTube for all to see, because many will point to that example and exclaim, “See? That’s how every single pre-conciliar Mass was!”


P.S.

Many interesting things could be said about William Henry Cardinal O’Connell. Here’s an example:

O’Connell was late to two papal conclaves in a row—in 1914 and 1922—due to having to cross the Atlantic Ocean by boat. He made a protest to Pope Pius XI, who in response lengthened the time between the death of a pope and the start of a conclave. O’Connell was able to participate in the subsequent 1939 conclave, although by that time traveling by plane was possible.

Update:

Several years after we posted our version, archive.org has followed our lead.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Cardinal O Connell Hymnal, Holy Cross Hymnal 1915, Low Mass Vernacular Hymns, William Henry Cardinal OConnell Last Updated: May 2, 2023

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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

Far from dreading an encounter with the Iroquois, Fr. Garnier often told us he would be quite content to fall into their hands and remain their prisoner if—while they were torturing him—he at least had a chance of instructing them as long as his torments lasted. If they allowed him to live, it would afford him a golden opportunity to work for their conversion, which was now impossible, since the gateway to their country was closed as long as they were our enemies.

— Father Ragueneau (Jesuit Relations)

Recent Posts

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  • 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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