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Views from the Choir Loft

On Aweful Ambos and Lilliputian Lecterns

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · October 24, 2013

295 difference between pulpit lecturn Image from the Campion Missal & Hymnal HE LITURGICAL reformers of the 1960s and 1970s claimed that their decisions were motivated by a desire to recover elements of Christian antiquity and the worship of the “early Church.” I am continually surprised that their claims are taken seriously.

First, there is the simple problem that we know relatively little about worship in the apostolic period. Scripture gives us some precious insights, but rich detail on liturgical praxis comes much later on, when a significant amount of development had already taken palce. Second, the very fact that development occurred, and occurred with the approval of the Church’s leaders and people, should be enough to convince us that liturgy, too, is part of that “fullness of truth” into which Jesus promises we will be led by the working of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Third, the particular ways in which the liturgy slowly grew in reverence, solemnity, and symbolism are no less in God’s Providence than the original institution of the Most Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Hence, it is prima facie illegitimate to suggest that stripping away developments (called “accretions” by the scholars) is a path back to a liturgy that is somehow more perfectly what the Lord intended. This is a colossal begging of the question. It has been necessary from time to time to gently prune or carefully reorganize certain aspects of the Church’s liturgy, but the structure, ritual, major prayers, and chants have tended to be left intact, because of a humble spirit of reverence for what has been handed down, that is, tradition as such.

THE OTHER THING that should tip us off to the dissembling of the liturgical reformers is that they were highly selective in the ancient elements they retrieved, ignoring anything they didn’t happen to agree with. If the liturgical reformers had sincerely wanted to make the liturgy more like what they might have viewed as the liturgy’s “high period,” they would, for instance, have re-introduced majestic processions and have preserved or re-established the custom of preaching from the elevated pulpit.

Let me take up that last example, since it is rarely considered nowadays.

In Europe’s churches, it is pathetic to see the priest at Mass reading from an insubstantial lectern with a piece of unremarkable cloth or felt draped over it, when twenty feet above him to the side is a beautifully carved, mighty-looking perch from which the Word of God can be worthily proclaimed and a homily preached. Nowadays these pulpits collect dust and are barely noticed except by students of art history. In America, only older, European-derived churches had such pulpits, and even so, the “re-ordering” of the sanctuaries after Vatican II meant the destruction of many such pulpits along with the sanctuaries.

What is the secret fear of the appearance of solemnity, authority, majesty? Have we entirely lost confidence in the splendor of truth, the glory of religion, the beauty of God’s house, the thunder of God’s voice, the nobility of Christ’s priesthood? Are we afraid of giving a “triumphalist” impression? Do we want to reduce everything Christ said and did to a calm, comfortable living room soirée? Proclamation, dear friends, is not the same as either reading aloud or conversing pleasantly to pass the time!

If one wishes the “common people” to participate actively in the liturgy, then one will respect the most elementary facts of human psychology: a slowly processing line of beautifully vested ministers gracefully approaching the altar, to the accompaniment of the mighty sound of the pipe organ or the heavenly melody of chant, engages the senses and the soul with a deeper and more lasting effect than an ill-clad priest shyly stepping out of the sacristy door and beginning Mass at a toothpick lectern (as I often saw happen in Europe).

If any element or aspect of the liturgy does not effectively convey to a young child that this activity in which we are participating is different and special, then it has, at some level, failed. The bowing priest reciting the Confiteor, the acolyte swinging a censer, the subdeacon, deacon, and priest aligned hierarchically during solemn Mass, the awesome stillness of the Roman Canon—all of these things speak directly to the heart, to the heart even of a little child who has managed to sit still and watch.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Annibale Bugnini Reform Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

A graduate of Thomas Aquinas College (B.A. in Liberal Arts) and The Catholic University of America (M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy), Dr. Peter Kwasniewski is currently Professor at Wyoming Catholic College. He is also a published and performed composer, especially of sacred music.

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

“We cannot approve of the attitude of those who use the problems raised and discussed by the Council to create in themselves and in others an attitude of unrest and a desire for radical reformation, as if the Council gives every private opinion a chance to destroy the heritage of the Church. acquired during Her many centuries of history and experience.”

— Pope Paul VI (30 June 1965)

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