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Views from the Choir Loft

No Salvation From Decrees (1 of 3)

Jeff Ostrowski · September 9, 2013

HOSE WHO DISAGREE with the Church’s traditional embrace of Gregorian chant often make the following claim:

“Vatican II never said Gregorian chant should have pride of place in the liturgy. This only applies to Masses celebrated in Latin.”

As my friend Andrew recently noted, this wrongheaded interpretation is beginning to gain traction. For instance, a 2007 USCCB Committee came out with a document providing “guidelines” (their word) for preparing liturgies in the United States. It is called Sing To The Lord, and §72 acknowledges that Gregorian chant should have “pride of place in liturgical services” under normal circumstances, but provides a footnote:

Musicam Sacram, no. 50a, further specifies that chant has pride of place “in sung liturgical services celebrated in Latin.”

The implication is clear . . . but is that the whole story?

NO, IT IS NOT the whole story. The Second Vatican Council ordered (Sacrosanctum Concilium, §116) that Gregorian chant be given “first place” in liturgical services under normal circumstances because it is “specially suited to the Roman liturgy.” However, a document issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites four years later (Musicam Sacram) contains an entire section on the use of Latin, which repeats §36 of Sacrosanctum Concilium (“the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites”).

      * * Please take note of the following underlined words.

Toward the middle of that section on Latin, three (3) statements are made:

50. In sung liturgical services celebrated in Latin:

(a) Gregorian chant, as proper to the Roman liturgy, should be given pride of place, other things being equal. Its melodies, contained in the “typical” editions, should be used, to the extent that this is possible.

(b) “It is also desirable that an edition be prepared containing simpler melodies, for use in smaller churches.”

(c) Other musical settings, written for one or more voices, be they taken from the traditional heritage or from new works, should be held in honor, encouraged and used as the occasion demands.

In other words, taken in context, absolutely nothing in Musicam Sacram modifies or amends §116 of Sacrosanctum Concilium. In the section dealing with the use of Latin in the liturgy, this later document merely reminds us that Gregorian chant retains pride of place in these ceremonies (which is no surprise). As a matter of fact, 50a has a “deeper meaning” regarding 50b, but I can’t go into any of that right now — Susan Benofy get into some of it here.

IN CONCLUSION:

Billy claims all Americans can swim. Joseph is an American. Billy says Joseph can swim.

So … where’s the news? I never thought I’d say this, but:   NO.   BIG.   DEAL.

This article is part of a series:

Part 1   •   Part 2   •   Part 3

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

    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

“The pope regrets that this trade in African slaves, that he believed having ceased, is still exercised in some regions and even more cruel way. He begs and begs the King of Portugal that it implement all its authority and wisdom to extirpate this unholy and abominable shame.”

— ‘Pope Pius VII, writing to the King of Portugal’

Recent Posts

  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
  • 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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