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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

Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani (1890-1979)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 13, 2013

ANY TIMES in the past I have talked about the following phenomenon: one notices a word or person and then within 24 hours one finds that same word or person mentioned in a completely random, surprising place. I’ve also said that I will not blog on this topic anymore, since readers are probably sick of hearing about it. That doesn’t mean I’m not tempted . . . this phenomenon happens so frequently. For instance, the self-same day I happened to research Cardinal Ottaviani, a friend of mine posted the picture in the upper right hand corner. Odd, is it not?

I feel the time is right for somebody to write a biography of Cardinal Ottaviani. Here are three (3) things I recently read about him (if I make any mistakes, I hope readers will correct me):

1. He was made a Cardinal before being consecrated a bishop, which is rarely done these days.

2. He had a triple doctorate, just like Fr. Adrian Fortescue.

3. He was blind later in life (similar to how Beethoven and Fauré were deaf later in life, but that’s another story!).

Over the course of my life, I’ve often read about Cardinal Ottaviani, but I am certainly no expert. I will mention just a few more things before I bring this blog to a close.

During the Second Vatican Council, before being famously cut off, he said:

“Are we seeking to stir up wonder, or perhaps scandal, among the Christian people, by introducing changes in so venerable a rite, that has been approved for so many centuries and is now so familiar? The rite of Holy Mass should not be treated as if it were a piece of cloth to be refashioned according to the whim of each generation.”

This sounds very much like Pope Benedict XVI, who said (speaking without a translator in an off-the-cuff interview [url]):

“We are today not another Church as 500 years ago. It is always the same the Church. What is one time holy for the Church is always holy for the Church and is not in another time an impossible thing.”

Benedict XVI also said:

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.” — 7 July 2007 (Letter accompanying Summorum Pontificum)

Someone has written that as a young Peritus at the Council, Ratzinger acted as “one of the theological young Turks leading the charge against the status quo Ottaviani emodied . . . Ratzinger was among the behind-the-scenes plotters who ensured theat the council foiled Ottaviani on virtually every issue.” This may or may not be the case. Probably, young Ratzinger had some problems and issues with the Curia Romana. That’s ironic, because people “in the know” have told me Benedict had to resign as Pope because he no longer had the strength to fight against the out of control Curia Romana. In any event, perhaps we’ll know someday, if a true historian writes a biography of Ottaviani. Unfortunately, really good historians who actually know something are rather short in supply these days, and that’s a fact.

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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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —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 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

“If a pope were only ever applauded, he would have to ask himself whether or not he was doing things right.”

— Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (2016)

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