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Views from the Choir Loft

Free PDF Download: The Fulton J. Sheen Sunday Missal (1961)

Jeff Ostrowski · April 15, 2014

HE FAMOUS “Fulton J. Sheen Sunday Missal” (1961) is now available for free and instant download. Needless to say, Archbishop Sheen did not produce the Missal alone: it was a joint effort by many, especially the Jesuit priests Rev. Philip Caraman and Rev. James Walsh. However, Sheen did compose the lengthy “Introduction” (which every Catholic ought to read) and seems to have exercised an influence on the general contents. For example, the choice of English translations — Msgr. Ronald Knox for the “Lauda Sion,” Gerald Manley Hopkins for the “Adoro Te,” and so forth — is a clear signal of Sheen’s involvement, because of his well-known admiration for those men.

* *  Part 1 of 2 — Fulton J. Sheen Missal (157MB)

* *  Part 2 of 2 — Fulton J. Sheen Missal (220MB)

IN ADDITION to the aforementioned “Introduction,” Sheen’s Missal has several other remarkable features. The descriptions of priestly vestments are excellent. It also includes the entire “Fore-Mass” (as Fortescue called it) and Offertory alongside the readings for every feast. That choice meant printing the “Kyrie Eleison,” for example, close to eighty times. Sheen was not known as a liturgist, but this choice was truly sensational, because those in the pews don’t have to turn to a different page for the Collect, Preface, Gloria, Offertory, and so forth.

668 bl Certain translations employed are noteworthy, especially poetic texts like the sequences and Pange Lingua. Similar to the Campion Missal, the editors made judicious use of Drop Caps and went out of their way to print all the “extra” post-Pentecost Masses in addition to every feast that could ever occur on a Sunday — a tremendous help to Catholics in the pews. The date of publication (1961) is fascinating, considering what would come a year later! The pages use a singular numbering system wherein Latin and English are combined. Furthermore, it’s nice that this book contains most of the changes of the 1962 Missal, such as the Holy Week of Pius XII and optional dialogue Masses.

This book must have been in production for many years. For one thing, it shows such elegance. The unified, lovely images (such as the Divine Pelican, often preached on by Sheen) appear to have been created specifically for this layout. In general, the book seems like an effort to make a significant contribution to Catholics’ liturgical life. I mentioned earlier the distinctive translations such as: “Raise your hearts.” — “They are raised to the Lord.”

For myself, the most interesting part of the book is the translation used for the “Pange Lingua” of Fortunatus (Good Friday). Producing the Campion Missal, we spent two whole weeks searching for different translations of this magnificent hymn. Sheen ultimately decided upon a metered translation which doesn’t rhyme.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Bishop Fulton J Sheen, Father Philip Caraman SJ, Fulton Sheen Sunday Missal, Traditional Latin Mass Tridentine Rite Last Updated: September 16, 2021

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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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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Ronald Knox explained why the Modernists do not compose hymns: “Birds of prey have no song.”

— Fr. George William Rutler (2016)

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