• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

We’re a 501(c)3 public charity established in 2006. We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and run no advertisements. We exist solely by the generosity of small donors.

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • Ordinary Form Feasts (Sainte-Marie)
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

True Liturgical Abuse … And Rex Harrison

Jeff Ostrowski · October 13, 2013

N MORE THAN ONE occasion, I’ve come across books dealing with “liturgical abuses.” Often, they’re formatted as lists … for example, they go down a list of the Top Ten Abuses at Mass. As far as I’m concerned, these books often miss the mark. They tend to focus on abuses which, quite frankly, do not have a tremendous impact on the faithful. Off the top of my head, I remember one dealing with “Self-Communication from the Chalice” (forbidden). Another talked about sacred vessels made from the wrong materials (also forbidden).

Please notice: I am not implying that such abuses are OK. They’re not, and the people responsible will answer for them before Almighty God. But it seems to me that one of the most deplorable liturgical abuses at Mass has to do with the musical styles. Often, the styles are secular, trite, uninspired, and (to be frank) goofy. At Mass, we’re supposed to use music written in a sacred style. Pope Pius XII said it should be “lofty.” Such music ought to remind us of the holiness of God. Secular styles do just the opposite.

Secular styles in no way “fit” the Mass. For example, the Mass is 2,000 years old. We have manuscripts of the Roman Rite Mass prayers (almost verbatim the same as our current Mass) going all the way back to the 7th century. Even somebody without any knowledge of Theology — even an atheist — would know that secular “tunes” currently considered as “hits” aren’t appropriate for such an action. I hope to write more about this topic at a later date.

Using secular music at Mass is incredibly harmful, but in an insidious way. As each year passes, I become more and more aware of the terrible impact such music has on souls. Again, the music itself is not necessarily bad (some is), but using it during Mass is harmful. The music has an effect on every single member of the congregation. You can’t escape it. You can put your hands over your ears, but you’ll still hear it, and it will have an influence on your ability to properly assist at Mass. Whether we like it or not, music does have an effect on us. After all, man is composed of body and soul. He is not pure spirit.

THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE to consider about “liturgical abuses.” Unfortunately, good Catholics sometimes make fools of themselves trying to “correct” liturgical abuses. The reality is, ever since the Second Vatican Council, liturgical law has been changing so rapidly, staying “current” is difficult. For example, on 17 April 1980, Pope John Paul II approved and confirmed a document which said:

Women are not permitted to act as altar servers.   (Inaestimabile Donum, §18)

On 15 March 1994, however, the Pope changed his ruling, saying that individual bishops can allow female altar servers in their dioceses. Since the 1960s, literally thousands of pages have been printed by the Vatican treating liturgical subjects. That’s why I say lay folk (sometimes) get it wrong … but it’s not really their fault! The laws ought not be changed so frequently, and we’ll be discussing the consequences more on this blog. (I’ve already briefly touched on this subject here.)

DID YOU EVER NOTICE Rex Harrison can’t sing? It’s true … he “sings by speaking” (but in a much more pleasant way than that dreadful sprechstimme). The songs had to be composed in an ingenious way for Harrison. Now that we have two young children, I often hear songs on the kids’ shows … and they’re terrible! What’s really awful is the lack of melody. The characters “sing by speaking,” just like Rex Harrison. It grates on one’s ears, and I fear it’s teaching our kids how NOT to sing! Hopefully they don’t grow up and get married six (6) times, like Rex Harrison did.

Many of today’s Mass songs (written in a secular style) employ this same speech song. It represents a type of “lowest common denominator” approach to Church music. Now, I’m not saying each one of us has to be a great singer. Of course not everyone can be. But is it too much to ask that we attempt to sing melodies?

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

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).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —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

But the revisers did not leave them altogether untouched. Saint Ambrose had to be “corrected.” The Iste confessor was greatly altered and the hymn for the Dedication of a Church, which no one ought to have touched, was in fact completely recast in a new meter.

— Father Joseph Connelly

Recent Posts

  • Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
  • (Rehearsal Clips) • Sacred Music Symposium 2025
  • Hidden Gem: Ascendit Deus (Dalitz)
  • PDF Download • Soprano Descant — “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above”
  • “Dom Jausions had a skilled hand. His transcriptions are masterpieces of neatness & precision.”

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

The election of Pope Leo XIV has been exciting, and we’re filled with hope for our apostolate’s future!

But we’re under pressure to transfer our website to a “subscription model.”

We don’t want to do that. We believe our website should remain free to all.

Our president has written the following letter:

President’s Message (dated 30 May 2025)

Are you able to support us?

clock.png

Time's up