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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

What Is Currently Happening? Let’s Be Honest.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 4, 2013

EVERAL PEOPLE wrote to me after we posted this morning’s interview with Dr. Scott Smith. They all had the same basic question:

“What are these ‘bad texts’ referred to constantly during the interview? What do you mean people are ‘replacing’ the Propers? What does that mean?”

Those are good questions. I suppose the best answer would be for folks to listen to the rest of the interviews. However, let me try to quickly give some “Cliff’s Notes.” Toward the end, I will also give concrete examples of texts used to replace the Mass Propers.

Please note: I am not condemning anyone. I, myself, have replaced the Propers hundreds of times. This is not about denouncing anyone. I’m merely suggesting that we start a dialogue about why we’re doing what we’re doing.

INETY-NINE percent of Catholic parishes replace the texts given to us by the Catholic Church and tradition in the following way:

1. Entrance Antiphon (“Introit”): Anything we like, in any musical style, with a text written by anybody (Catholic, non-Catholic, sometimes even an atheist)

2. Offertory Antiphon: Anything we like, in any musical style, with a text written by anybody (Catholic, non-Catholic, sometimes even an atheist)

3. Communion Antiphon: Anything we like, in any musical style, with a text written by anybody (Catholic, non-Catholic, sometimes even an atheist)

Certainly the Church allows us to replace the Introit (a.k.a. “Entrance Chant”). It is also permitted to replace the Offertory and the Communion. However, let us recall that the Church has assigned special, ancient, beautiful texts from Scripture for each and every Mass, the vast majority of which date back more than 1500 years! Why do 99% of Catholic Churches replace 100% of the Propers 99% of the time?

EARLIER, I PROMISED to mention some specific texts and hymns (songs?) used in place of the Mass Propers. One example would be Stay With Me by Erich Sylvester, which I found by opening up the most popular Catholic hymnal of the last four decades (published by the largest Catholic publisher). Here are the lyrics to this song, still sung by many parishes:

I am a man without envy
No roof and no walls to defend me
In hope that someday you’ll defend me
And take all my troubles away

Walk with me, talk with me
Tell me about all the good things you’ve done
Stay with me, pray with me
Leave all your blues in your shoes at the door

I went to school for a long time
Expecting to stay in a straight line
Until I discovered that great minds
Don’t move in a straight line at all

I was a child once, I know it
My mother has pictures to show it
But she always knew I’d outgrow it
I guess that’s what pictures are for

I have no intention of going through “the list” and naming a bunch more songs. We all know “the list.” I think the last time I went through “the list” was for a 2007 article I wrote. Let’s consider just one more example. This song by Carey Landry was used fairly frequently by Catholic parishes when I was growing up in the 1990s. Although it’s been more than a decade, I can still sing this song, because it was often used to replace the Introit at Mass:

Refrain: Great things happen when God mixes with us;
Great things happen when God mixes with us;
Great and beautiful, wonderful things;
Great things happen when God mixes with us.

Some find life, some find peace; some people even find joy.
Some see things as they never could before
and some people find that they can now begin to trust.

Some find health, some find hope; some people even find joy.
Some see themselves as they never could before
and some people find that they can now begin to live.

Some find peace, some are disturbed; some people even find joy.
Some see their lives as they never could before
and some people find that they must now begin to change.

SOMETIMES IT HELPS to remind ourselves that Church music has been awful in the past (although never on the level of the situation following the Council). Consider this example, by Fr. Aidan Nichols:

In 1901, Fr. Fortescue suffered from a lady who sang badly while “beating on that kind of instrument whose altogether inappropriate name is Harmonium.”

What did Fortescue do? When he got his own parish, he worked extremely hard and made his little parish choir unbelievably wonderful. We are called to do the same. Let’s get busy!

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

    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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 which source text is chosen and what each translator wants to emphasize. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —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

“Place the missal in the hand of the faithful so that they may take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass; and that they faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church.”

— Ven. Pope Pius XII

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