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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

Three Categories of Liturgical Problem

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · May 22, 2014

0319_firefighter-mass-LG N DISCUSSIONS OF LITURGY, one often notices people lumping together problems that are really quite distinct and, therefore, demand different treatments. As a Thomist, I find it helpful to make distinctions and place phenomena in categories.

It seems to me that we are dealing with three categories:

1. The Discontinuous.
2. The Dubious.
3. The Abusive.

As an example of the first, one may cite the new calendar of the modern Roman rite, with its substitution of Ordinary Time for the Season after Pentecost, its abolition of the ancient octave of Pentecost, the removal of pre-Lent, Rogation days, and Ember days, and so forth. Speaking generally, many features of the Ordinary Form are discontinuous with the liturgical tradition that preceded it. This is a problem so serious that it can be repaired only by a pope or an ecumenical council, although naturally bishops and priests can do much to circumvent it simply by returning to the last integral expression of the Roman Rite, the 1962 Missale Romanum, and celebrating it more and more widely. This, in itself, will bring long-term healing by setting up the highest standard and introducing many faithful to the timeless riches of the ancient form of the liturgy.

The second category contains things that are anti-traditional but currently permitted―for example, communion in the hand, females in the sanctuary, the celebration of Mass against the people rather than towards the East, the use of organ during Lent, and other departures from centuries-old practice. Unlike the first, however, this category can be addressed directly by bishops and priests. In particular, bishops are empowered to keep the liturgical life of their dioceses safe from corruption or, if it is already damaged, to bring it back into harmony with Catholic tradition.

The third category refers to things that are not permitted by the Apostolic See but are nonetheless widespread, of which by far the most common example is the “habitual use of extraordinary ministers of holy communion,” which has been repeatedly excluded by church legislation. Of course, the combination of worldwide rebellion against the rules and an utter lack of will-power on the part of ecclesiastical authorities to implement them means, in practice, that nearly everything is tolerated and the rules are made a mockery of. Still, problems in this category are precisely the kind that any priest is allowed to repair on his own authority, since they are abuses of the discipline that he is required to uphold.

THE MORE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE become educated about their Catholic Faith, its traditions and history, the less they will be able to tolerate the postconciliar aberrations in any of these categories. The hermeneutic of rupture and discontinuity can survive only to the extent that people are poorly catechized and educated. Give them the truth, and they will say: “Why are we doing all this other stuff?” A sound theological education is pretty much the direct opposite of the spirit of Vatican II.

The Church is changing: the youth are more demanding and discerning, and they are not satisfied with glib, sentimental, condescending, or duplicitous answers. They are attracted to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite for its awesome stillness, its eloquent gestures, the richness of its prayers. It breathes the spirit of prayer, and if prayer is what you’re looking for, you want the real thing―glowing hot coals in the woodstove, not the electric heater. Yes, the rupturists and discontinuists will be around a lot longer, but the logic of their own position is such as to push them increasingly to the margins of the Church, from which they will eventually bail out when they see that their progressivist-modernist agenda is never going to win the day. Meanwhile, the tightly-knit, highly motivated, and extremely pro-clergy, pro-religious, and pro-family traditionalist movement, though relatively small in numbers, has the bloom and boldness of youth on it, and, simply from a demographic point of view, looks poised to be the major force shaping Catholicism in the coming decades.

As Fr. John Hunwicke so rightly said: “Benedict’s Age is a good age in which to be alive, an age of the very truest instauratio catholica.”

Please visit THIS PAGE to learn more about Dr. Kwasniewski’s exciting new publication,
Sacred Choral Works, a 273-page collection of a cappella choir music for the Liturgy.

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 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

    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

“The Humanists abominated the rhythmical poetry of the Middle Ages from an exaggerated enthusiasm for ancient classical forms and meters. Hymnody then received its death blow as, on the revision of the Breviary under Pope Urban VIII, the medieval rhythmical hymns were forced into more classical forms by means of so-called corrections.”

— Father Clemens Blume, S.J.

Recent Posts

  • Why A “Fugue” Here?
  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)

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