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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

“Adoremus In Æternum” … Heretical?

Jeff Ostrowski · September 19, 2013

DOREMUS IN AETERNUM is a traditional prayer that’s been popular for hundreds of years. The Catholic Church assigned it to be sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament for a long time. There are many different melodies in many different modes. Here’s an organ accompaniment for the most common melody [source], along with an audio recording. I’ve also provided a video recording which is best viewed full screen

Because this prayer has been so favored by the Church, I was surprised to read comments made by John Ainslie on 13 September 2013:

However traditional ‘Adoremus in aeternum’ is — I see that Allegri wrote a setting of it — the words are not good theology. We will not be adoring the Blessed Sacrament for all eternity, nor should we wish to.   [source]

A priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff responded:

I won’t need to adore the Blessed Sacrament when I get to heaven, but I am looking forward to enjoying Jesus face-to-face for the rest of eternity. There is a continuity between the one I now adore in the form of the Eucharistic Presence and the one I will adore face-to-face, so think I can say to him while he is the Blessed Sacrament that I will love him for ever. If a fiancé said “I will love my girlfriend for ever”, who would dare to say to him: “You are wrong, because you will no longer love your girlfriend when she becomes your wife”!

I would be interested to hear what readers have to say.

SPEAKING OF JOHN AINSLIE, in the years following the Second Vatican Council, he created a book with the following title:

The Simple Gradual for Sundays and Holy Days Revised Edition (Full Music Edition for Cantor, Choir and Organist)

I don’t own this book (but I would like to). It appears to be an English version of the Graduale Simplex. A reader saw our posts about the Simplex, and sent me some samples of Ainslie’s book:

      * *  Sample Page of John Ainslie’s Simple Gradual (ENGLISH)

If anyone is willing to email me more samples, please do. Ainslie’s work appears to have been based on the 1969 ICEL translation of the Graduale Simplex (as was By Flowing Waters by Paul Ford). I believe John Ainslie was also responsible for creating the British Processional (Antiphonal). We’ve been talking a lot about Propers, the Graduale Simplex, Bugnini, and we’ll continue to do so, because there’s a lot to take in. Gary Penkala seems to have been ahead of the game on this, as you can see by his article, “What have we done?”

Here are three (3) interesting recordings of the Graduale Simplex:   01   •   02   •   03

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Heretical GIA Hymns Last Updated: March 24, 2021

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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

    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“The chants of the Proper of the Mass—that is, the Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion—in sung Masses may be chanted in the vernacular to melodies legitimately approved.”

— Statement (20 April 1964) by the Consilium, the group Paul VI put in charge of inventing the New Mass

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