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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

Bugnini Wanted To Eliminate Ash Wednesday!

Jeff Ostrowski · December 29, 2013

909 ashes ERE IN SOUTH TEXAS, Ash Wednesday is an incredibly popular day. The Churches are literally packed from early morning to late evening. Many more people come to Church on Ash Wednesday than any other day, including Christmas and Easter.

Believe it or not, Annibale Bugnini and his crew tried to get rid of Ash Wednesday so Lent could begin on a Sunday (justified partially by an alleged statement of Leo the Great, later proven to be fictitious). However, in an uncharacteristic move, Pope Paul VI put his foot down, refusing to scrap Ash Wednesday. By the way, I used to hate hearing people attribute bad things to Bugnini. I thought it unfair. After all, the new liturgy was elaborated by commissions (not a single person) and introduced under the authority of the Pope and appropriate Curial Office, right? While that’s all true, I’ve come to understand (by reading a lot) that Bugnini truly was pulling the strings and had great influence over the Pope, and he even brags about this in his (massive & polemical) book. Many of the postconciliar reforms have born terrible fruit, but this is hardly the first time the Church has “reformed” something in a bad way — just look at Pope Urban’s “reform” of the ancient breviary hymns!

Anyhow, you can read all about the “Ash Wednesday elimination saga” in Collects of the Roman Missals, an impressive scholarly work by Dr. Lauren Pristas, Professor of Theology at Caldwell College. Dr. Pristas (who had access to certain important documents from the Council) also treats several other interesting topics, e.g. the rearrangement of the Christmas Season.

What I found most interesting (depressing?) was the unbelievably haphazard way these changes came about. No wonder people often get confused about whether the Baptism of the Lord is still Christmastide! Even the USCCB website accidentally labeled it as “First Sunday of Ordinary Time” … which is false, of course: it replaces the First Sunday in Ordinary Time (sometimes).

The reformers themselves were quite confused about these things, and kept voting on different options without finding a satisfactory solution. They failed to realize that one cannot simply “sit down over tea and crumpets” and VOTE INTO BEING the Church calendar. It’s supposed to develop organically. Incidentally, one of the reformers (in the minority, because he wanted to keep Ash Wednesday) pointed out to his comrades what the Council Fathers decreed: “There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them.” Unfortunately, the reformers frequently ignored this and many other clear directives. László Dobszay called many of the liturgical reforms “change for the sake of change,” e.g. altering the venerable chants of Holy Week — even using a Tract followed by a Gradual on Palm Sunday! — and other bizarre innovations.

AS TROUBLING AS THE CALENDAR REVISION IS, something worse is what Msgr. Richard J. Schuler referred to as the “vulgarity” in the approved Scripture translations for Mass. To me, this is particularly scandalous in the Lectionary translation for the Passion of our Lord. (By the way, I looked at the 1970s version of the Lectionary and found that it was even worse!)

Yes, Msgr. Schuler uses that precise word (“vulgarity”) several times in his writings. If you don’t believe me, you can read Msgr. Schuler’s own words:

      * *  1993 Editorial: “More Trouble From ICEL” • (Msgr. Richard J. Schuler)

      * *  1990 Editorial: “Our English Translations” • (Msgr. Richard J. Schuler)

      * *  1984 Editorial: “The Tridentine Mass” • (Msgr. Richard J. Schuler)

Just like the Mass Propers, respect for Sacred Scripture seems to have “gone by the wayside” following the Council (in spite of its clear directives to the contrary). Why couldn’t a reverent, traditional version of Scripture be allowed for the Ordinary Form, as an option? What possible harm could there be in that? Yet, as we’ve mentioned many times, the same bishops who pontificate about “pastoral sensitivity” and “avoidance of rigid uniformity” often fight tooth and nail to prevent such an option being given to the faithful. Can anyone explain this supremely puzzling dichotomy?

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Annibale Bugnini Reform, Novus Ordo Lectionary Reform, Reform of the Reform, The Old ICEL Translation of the Mass Last Updated: July 18, 2022

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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

    Why A “Fugue” Here?
    I believe I know why this plainsong harmonizer created a tiny fugue as the INTRODUCTION to his accompaniment. Take a look (PDF) and tell me your thoughts about what he did on the feast of the Flight of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Egypt (17 February). And now I must go because “tempus fugit” as they say!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

A hymn verse need not be a complete sentence, but it must have completed sense as a recognisable part of the complete sentence, and at each major pause there would be at least a “sense-pause.” Saint Ambrose and the early writers and centonists always kept to this rule. This indicates one of the differences between a poem and a hymn, and by this standard most of the modern hymns and the revisions of old hymns in the Breviary stand condemned.

— Fr. Joseph Connelly

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  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”

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