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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

An Unexplained Problem

Jeff Ostrowski · May 9, 2014

524 B16 URING THE EASTER VIGIL, after the 7th Reading (when there are no Baptisms) two possible options are given. There is nothing to indicate that one option should be preferred.

Notice that one option is identical to the Responsorial Psalm sung after the 5th Reading:

R. (3) You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Is. 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 — God indeed is my savior …

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Ps. 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 — A clean heart create for me, O God …

Music directors often choose the 2nd option to avoid repeating the same Responsorial Psalm that has already been sung after the 5th Reading.

Can anyone explain why the same Responsorial Psalm was assigned after the 5th and 7th readings? I’m not sure there’s another Mass like this. I know that the Offertory & Communion for the 1st Sunday of Lent are practically identical, but the musical setting is completely different.

Any thoughts? Let me know in the combox.

THE ANSWER COMES FROM STEVEN VAN ROODE:

The remarkable thing here is not so much that one of the options given already appeared after the fifth reading, but that the English translation of the Lectionary gets the rubric wrong!

The Latin reads, after listing Ps 41 as the responsorial psalm for the seventh reading: “Vel, quando celebratur Baptisma, Is 12 ut supra (post lectionem n. 5), vel etiam Ps 50…”

So, according to the Latin typical edition, Ps 41 ‘Like a deer’ is always sung after the seventh reading, except when there are Baptisms, when also Is 12 ‘You will draw water’ or Ps 51 ‘Create a clean heart’ may be chosen. The English however reverses the condition to choose the options: “When Baptism is NOT celebrated”!

The reasoning of the Latin rubric makes much more sense to me: when there are Baptisms and the fifth reading wasn’t used (yes, that’s possible), Is 12 can be chosen as responsorial psalm because of its clear Baptism theme. If the fifth reading was used and so Is 12 was already sung, Ps 51 can be chosen, which is also related to Baptism.

Holy Saturday Responsorial Psalms for Ordinary Form

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Identical Responsorial Psalm Easter Vigil, Lectionary Error Typo Last Updated: March 31, 2025

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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

It’s good that you are in the USA, otherwise who is going to—in the best sense—make music?

— Ignaz Friedman writing to Josef Hofmann (4 January 1940)

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