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Views from the Choir Loft

The Famous “Agatha Christie” Indult

Jeff Ostrowski · June 9, 2014

381 Latin ANY IN OUR SOCIETY live and die by surveys. It’s a free country, so folks can do as they wish, but I know a bit too much about polling methodologies to take seriously such things. “Law and sausage are two things we should never see being made.” Similarly, surveys are nice things to toss around, as long as nobody starts asking uncomfortable questions.

For example, I never respond to surveys, because I’m too busy doing things like providing for my family. Therefore, surveys can never represent my views, in spite of the most sincere assurances by creators: “Oh, we take people like you into consideration.” In the end, surveys only reveal the feelings of people willing to take surveys.

Many love to imagine how “ordinary Catholics” felt about post-conciliar liturgical changes. One extreme claims that 100% of good Catholics rejected 100% of the changes. The other extreme adheres to the “black hole” theory of Bugnini. At some point in the future, I will give my own opinion — although I’m not sure what difference it makes.

Anyhow, search Google for Agatha Christie Indult. I think you’ll be surprised at what you find. I’d be interested to learn from our readers in England how widespread this indult was. However, it’s important to realize that this was for the 1965/1967 Missale Romanum, not the 1962, and there’s a huge difference. I was surprised to see Vladimir Ashkenazy on the list. 1

THOSE WHO HAVE READ HIS BOOK realize that Archbishop Bugnini was a staunch opponent of the 1962 Missale Romanum. His book comes across as one gigantic “pout” — those who disagree with him are called “slanderers” and “persecutors” — and appears to have been published to “even the score” with everyone who crossed him. By the way, here’s what Bugnini wrote about the Agatha Christie Indult.

A few tidbits from his book:

Page 287:   After all, despite his well-known traditionalist views, he was an intelligent man…

In other words, “In spite of his traditionalist leanings, he wasn’t an idiot.” How insulting!

Page 282:   On the feast of Corpus Christi, 1967, Una voce sent the Pope a petition, signed by, among others, educated non-Catholics and expressing “alarm and amazement” at the liturgical reform.

The way he stresses “non-Catholics” strikes me as gratuitous: does he oppose ecumenism? Hundreds more examples could be cited, especially when Bugnini talks about liturgical musicians like Fr. Hignio Anglés. Those who read the book can decide whether they agree that Bugnini’s tone is “hysterical.”

But let us consider one more quote:

Page 296:   It must be acknowledged in all honesty that the Roman authorities were even too understanding and patient.

I disagree strongly with this assertion. (See below.)

ON 3 OCTOBER 1984, the Vatican gave limited permission for use of the 1962 Missal, but the document (Quattuor Abhinc Annos) seems to treat lovers of the Traditional Mass as if they’re criminals. For example, look how “rigid” the rules are:

(a) That it be made publicly clear beyond all ambiguity that such priests and their respective faithful in no way share the positions of those who call in question the legitimacy and doctrinal exactitude of the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

(b) Such celebration must be made only for the benefit of those groups that request it; in churches and oratories indicated by the bishop (not, however, in parish churches, unless the bishop permits it in extraordinary cases); and on the days and under the conditions fixed by the bishop either habitually or in individual cases.

(c) These celebrations must be according to the 1962 Missal and in Latin.

(d) There must be no interchanging of texts and rites of the two Missals.

(e) Each bishop must inform this Congregation of the concessions granted by him, and at the end of a year from the granting of this indult, he must report on the result of its application.

Sometimes I wonder what might have happened if Church authorities had been as “rigid” when it comes to prohibiting secular styles of music at Mass.

Last Sunday, visiting a parish we don’t normally attend (in a very rich part of town), we saw that somebody had decorated the entire Church with little “doves” made of white plastic — in honor of Pentecost, I guess. Yet, they totally omitted the Sequence (which is forbidden by liturgical law). If somebody asked why the Sequence was omitted, they’d probably respond, “Oh, singing the Sequence would require too much preparation.”

Can you imagine if such “rigid” rules were in force?

(f) It is not allowed to omit the Sequence on Pentecost. If hundreds of little plastic doves are used for decorations on Pentecost, these efforts shall be redirected to learning the Sequence from the Lalemant Propers, which is an easy version consisting of only three notes.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Of course I know all about him, and have followed his career for years, but I consider him a “minor” pianist compared to giants like Hofmann, Godowski, Tiegerman, Rachmaninov, and Horowitz. Then again, almost all the truly great pianists had died by 1971 …

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Annibale Bugnini Reform, Omitting The Sequence On Pentecost 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

    PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
    EVIN ALLEN was commissioned by Sacred Music Symposium 2025 to compose a polyphonic ‘middle section’ for the GLORIA from Mass III, often denoted by its trope name: Missa Kyrie Deus sempiterne. This year, I’m traveling from Singapore to serve on the symposium faculty. I will be conducting Palestrina’s ‘Ave Maria’ as well as teaching plainsong to the men. A few days ago, I was asked to record rehearsal videos for this beautiful polyphonic extension. (See below.) This polyphonic composition fits ‘inside’ GLORIA III. That is, the congregation sings for the beginning and end, but the choir alone adds polyphony to the middle. The easiest way to understand how everything fits together is by examining this congregational insert. You may download the score, generously made available to the whole world—free of charge—by CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED:
    *  PDF Download • Gloria III ‘Middle Section’ (Kevin Allen)
    Free rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #24366. Related News • My colleague, Jeff Ostrowski, composed an organ accompaniment for this same GLORIA a few months ago. Obviously, the organist should drop out when the polyphony is being sung.
    —Corrinne May
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Yahweh” in church songs?
    My pastor asked me to write a weekly column for our parish bulletin. The one scheduled to run on 22 June 2025 is called “Three Words in a Psalm” and speaks of translating the TETRAGRAMMATON. You can read the article at this column repository. All of them are quite brief because I was asked to keep within a certain word limit.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    When to Sit, Stand and Kneel like it’s 1962
    There are lots of different guides to postures for Mass, but I couldn’t find one which matched our local Latin Mass, so I made this one: sit-stand-kneel-crop
    —Veronica Brandt
    The Funeral Rites of the Graduale Romanum
    Lately I have been paging through the 1974 Graduale Romanum (see p. 678 ff.) and have been fascinated by the funeral rites found therein, especially the simply-beautiful Psalmody that is appointed for all the different occasions before and after the funeral Mass: at the vigil/wake, at the house of the deceased, processing to the church, at the church, processing to the cemetery, and at the cemetery. Would that this “stational Psalmody” of the Novus Ordo funeral rites saw wider usage! If you or anyone you know have ever used it, please do let me know.
    —Daniel Tucker

Random Quote

“The sun’s disc did not remain immobile. This was not the sparkling of a heavenly body, for it spun round on itself in a mad whirl, when suddenly a clamor was heard from all the people. The sun, whirling, seemed to loosen itself from the firmament and advance threateningly upon the earth as if to crush us with its huge fiery weight. The sensation during those moments was terrible.”

— ‘Dr. Almeida Garrett, professor of natural sciences at the University of Coimbra (1917)’

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “Polyphonic Extension” (Kevin Allen) for Gloria III
  • “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
  • PDF Download • “Text by Saint Francis of Assisi” (choral setting w/ organ: Soprano & Alto)
  • “Yahweh” in church songs?
  • “Music List” • Pentecost Sunday

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