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Views from the Choir Loft

Beautiful Vestments Vs. Ugly Vestments

Jeff Ostrowski · October 16, 2013

327 Vestments Click to enlarge image SOMEONE HAS GIVEN me a beautiful gift. It’s a big, thick book with color images of a Catholic parish I used to belong to as a child. This book traces the history of the parish going back more than 120 years.

The image on the right hand side was taken in the sacristy where I used to put on my cassock and surplice to serve Mass. Once, when I was acting as M.C. for Fr. Joseph Bisig, FSSP, I asked him if we could pray the Angelus (since it was noon). He replied, “That’s fine, but I know it in Latin only.” Boy, was I glad I had it memorized in Latin! (This may seem insignificant, but these things meant a lot to a small boy!)

ONE THING STRIKES ME again and again as I look through this book. In the days before the Second Vatican Council, the priestly vestments used to be so beautiful. Even in the days when the parish had absolutely no money — not a cent! — the priests always wore edifying vestments. Then, following the Council, it seems like folks made a conscious decision to wear only ugly vestments (the ones that look like cheap bed sheets). Has anyone else noticed this?

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Traditional Catholic Vestments 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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
    Here's a live recording of one of the choral “warm-up” exercises my choir enjoys. It was taken during our rehearsal on 27 January 2023. It’s good to make sure each chord is perfectly in tune and balanced before moving to the next one. That only happens when each singer has the correct vowel. If you like, you can freely download that vocal exercise.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The introduction of the vernacular will certainly be a great sacrifice for those who know the beauty, the power and the expressive sacrality of Latin. We are parting with the speech of the Christian centuries; we are becoming like profane intruders in the literary preserve of sacred utterance. We will lose a great part of that stupendous and incomparable artistic and spiritual thing, the Gregorian chant. We have reason indeed for regret […] We are giving up something of priceless worth.”

— Pope Paul VI

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  • Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
  • PDF Download • Belgian Book of Gregorian Accompaniments (Official Edition)
  • Don’t You Agree About These?
  • Choral Vowels? Yes? No?
  • Crucial Tip For Choir Directors

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