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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

“Confusion and Annoyance” — Pope Paul VI on the New Liturgy (1965)

Jeff Ostrowski · March 26, 2014

714 Paul VI N CERTAIN MATTERS, Catholics are free to disagree with statements by a pope so long as they express their disagreement in a respectful manner. Speaking for myself, I don’t agree with everything Pope Paul VI said in the following quotation — specifically his third paragraph. If you have any thoughts, please feel free to share them in the combox.

[ The following address was given by Pope Paul VI on 17 March 1965. ]

N AN AUDIENCE such as this our talk must deal with the topic of the moment, namely, the application of the liturgical reform to the celebration of the Mass. What we would really like, except that the public nature of this audience makes it unfeasible, is-as we do in private conversations-to ask your own views on this great change. It certainly merits our consideration. We believe, however, that your reply to our question would be much the same as those we have already heard.

CONFUSION AND ANNOYANCE:

Liturgical reform? The answers can be reduced to two categories. The first type of reply is that which manifests a certain confusion and therefore a certain annoyance. Previously, they say, there was peace, each person could pray as he wished, the whole sequence of the rite was well known; now everything is new, startling, and changed; even the ringing of the bells at the Sanctus is done away with; and then those prayers which one doesn’t know where to find; Holy Communion received standing; Mass ending suddenly with the blessing; everybody answering, many people moving around, rites and readings which are recited aloud … In short, there is no longer any peace and we now know less than we did before; and so on.

We shall not criticize these views because then we would have to show how they reveal a poor understanding of the meaning of religious ceremonial and allow us to glimpse not a true devotion and a true appreciation of the meaning and worth of the Mass, but rather a certain spiritual laziness which is not prepared to make some personal effort of understanding and participation directed to a better understanding and fulfilment of this, the most sacred of religious acts, in which we are invited, or rather obliged, to participate.

AN IRREVERSIBLE DEVELOPMENT:

We shall repeat what pastoral priests and teachers of religion have been saying frequently these days. First~ that in the beginning there will be a certain amount of confusion and some irritation is inevitable. It is of the very nature of a reform of religious practices which are deeply rooted and cherished, a reform both practical and spiritual, that it should cause some upset and be sometimes difficult. Secondly, that explanation and preparation and a certain degree of attentive assistance will speedily remove the uncertainties and soon give rise to an appreciation and enthusiasm for the new order. Because, thirdly, one must not imagine that after a short time we will once again be silent and devotional or lazy, as formerly.

No, the new scheme of things must be different and must prevent or stir up the passivity of those attending Mass. Previously it was enough to be there; now we must participate. Previously our presence was sufficient; now we demand attention and action. Previously one could doze or perhaps even have a chat; but no longer; now one must listen and pray. We hope that very soon both priests and people will be able to obtain the new liturgical books, and that in their new form, whether literary or typographical, these will reflect the dignity of the old books. The congregation will be alive and active—participation means that the activity flows from the soul, whether it be through paying attention, responding, singing, or gesturing.

The harmony of a communal act performed, not merely according to its external form, but under the interior impulse of the sentiment of faith and piety, endows the ceremony with a special power and beauty. It becomes a choir or symphony, the rhythm of an immense wing flying towards the heights of divine mystery and joy.

ENTHUSIASM AND PRAISE:

The second category of comments regarding the first celebrations of the new liturgy which have reached us is rather that of enthusiasm and praise. They say: now at last one can understand and follow the complicated and mysterious ceremonial; at last one can take pleasure in it; at last the priest speaks to the people and one can see that he is acting with them and for them. We have moving evidence from the ordinary people, from children and young people, from critics and onlookers, from holy people earnest in devotion and prayer, from men of wide and serious experience and of real culture. The evidence is positive. An old and most distinguished gentleman, a man of wonderful spirit and of a most refined spirituality, and therefore never fully satisfied, felt obliged to go along to the celebrant after the first celebration of the new liturgy to express to him frankly his happiness at having at last, perhaps for the first time in his life, participated to the full spiritual measure in the holy sacrifice.

TWO SPIRITUAL ACTS:

It may be objected that this type of interest and this type of holy excitement will quiet down and quickly settle into a new and peaceful habit. What is there that man will not grow accustomed to? But it is to be hoped that the religious enthusiasm stirred up by the new form of a worship will not lessen and that with it there will be a consciousness of the obligation to perform simultaneously two spiritual acts: on the one hand a true and personal participation in the ceremony, with all that this implies which is essentially religious; on the other hand, communion with the assembly of the faithful, with the “Church.” The first of these acts tends towards love of God, the second to the love of our neighbor. This is the gospel of love realizing itself in the souls of our time; it is truly something beautiful, new, wonderful, full of life and hope.

But you will have understood, dear sons and daughters, that this liturgical innovation, this spiritual renewal, cannot take place without cooperation, without your free and serious participation. We so desire your cooperation that, as you have seen, we have made it the subject of our talk; and in the confidence that you will indeed give it willingly we promise you many, many blessings from the Lord, of which we assure you with this our apostolic blessing.

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

    “What Martin Luther Said…”
    My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —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

They were not ashamed to lay their hands on Sedulius, on Prudentius, on St. Ambrose himself. Only in one or two cases does some sense of shame seem to have stopped their nefarious work. They left “Ave maris stella,” “Jam lucis orto sidere,” and St. Thomas Aquinas’s hymns alone (they would have made pretty work of “Sacris solemniis”). In 1629 their mangled remnants were published.

— Rev’d Adrian Knottesford Fortescue (25 March 1916)

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