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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Young Father Ratzinger Offers Mass In Bavaria

Jeff Ostrowski · March 9, 2013

ERE ARE TWO pictures that were sent to me. I am not sure where these pictures came from. The first one is a young Fr. Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), taken on 17 August, 1952. The picture may possibly have come from this website [url], where you can download a bunch more high quality images of Fr. Ratzinger, like this one [image]. Some will remember that when we first began Views from the Choir Loft (December 2012), we used a 1951 picture of the newly ordained Fr. Ratzinger serving as Subdeacon (read more here and here). I’ll talk about the second picture in a minute.

We are grateful to have precious images like these, of such a holy and great man as Pope Benedict XVI at an early (I almost said “nascent”) stage of his priesthood. Viewing them, ideas may present themselves to the mind like, “Oh, I wish there were a billion more of these pictures.” However, that gets one thinking a little deeper. In today’s day and age, it is actually possible to video tape every moment of one’s life from birth. I know this, because I have often been tempted to do so with my children. For instance, during the last two hours, my daughter has done the most amazing, splendid, remarkably cute things imaginable. I cannot even list them all here, but I will give one example: when the water in the bath is being drained, this 2-year-old girl always says, “Bye, water!” and waves to it as it goes down the drain. These are the moments that make a parent want to, literally, record every moment of a child’s life.

And yet . . . when we start to really ponder, we realize this is not good. Too much photography is bad. It might encourage one to focus too much on “legacy.” After all, everybody knows deep down that “legacy” is worthless. What matters is whether you go to Heaven or Hell when you die. Nothing else matters. A person who dies and goes to Hell will not be thinking, for all eternity, “Well, I’m in Hell, but at least I made a name for myself when I was alive.” Nobody will be thinking that. Nobody in Hell will be saying, “I’m in Hell, but at least people are on the internet downloading my latest video.” There is no need to keep going on and on about this. It ought to be obvious to all, even though most of us go to great lengths to avoid thinking about these “four last things.”

I would, therefore, submit to the reader that we can go “overboard” on taking pictures and videos of our lives. Besides, too many pictures might remind us of the bad as well as the good. For instance, the second image (below) would seem to be a 1950s picture of the Mass at a military base. I cannot help but notice that several of the men are not kneeling and appear not to care what is happening. “Seems like the more things change, the more things stay the same,” as somebody once said . . .

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

Filed Under: Articles 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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President’s Corner

    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on what each translator wants to emphasize and which source text is chosen. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF example) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Nothing should be allowed that is unworthy of divine worship, nothing that is obviously profane or unfit to express the inner, sacred power of prayer. Nothing odd or unusual is allowable, since such things, far from fostering devotion in the praying community, rather shock and upset it—and impede the proper and rightful cultivation of a devotion faithful to tradition.

— Pope Paul VI • 10/13/1966

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