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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

Cardinal Lercaro: A Key Player In Liturgical Reform

Aurelio Porfiri · September 23, 2014

5903 Giacomo LERCARO ITHOUT A DOUBT, one of the most influential cardinals at the time of the liturgical reform was GIACOMO CARDINAL LERCARO (1891-1976), Archbishop of Bologna. As was the case with so many other protagonists of the post-conciliar “liturgical wars”—such as Bugnini, Paolo VI himself, Lefebvre—Lercaro was the recipient of an immense amount of gossip for decades, stemming from intentions both good and bad. In January of 1968, Lercaro was dismissed from the Diocese of Bologna. Some people believe his dismissal resulted from American pressure following a very polemical homily by Cardinal Lercaro against the war in Vietnam. However, recent research by the historian Eliana Versace has dismissed this interpretation. 1

Most of my readers already realize that Cardinal Lercaro was one of the most influential actors in the post-conciliar liturgical reform, leading the commission that applied conciliar directives for a reformed liturgy. This makes him revered by one faction (identified as “liturgical progressives”) and deeply despised by another (“liturgical conservatives,” not to mention the traditionalists). In 1967, a Tuscan writer named Tito Casini addressed to Cardinal Lercaro a booklet: La Tunica Stracciata (“The Trashed Tunic”), with a preface by Cardinal Antonio Bacci. This booklet, along with the works of Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, constituted the most critical voices against the liturgy’s “new directions.” It was nothing short of a vehement denunciation of Cardinal Lercaro’s labors to implement this new liturgy: efforts which Casini perceived to be a work of destruction.

This booklet made a big noise. Even Paul VI was forced to publicly defend Cardinal Lercaro and condemn the thesis contained therein. Five decades later, perhaps the reasons behind Casini’s booklet can be better understood, just as we can (perhaps) understand more clearly the reasons for Lercaro’s decisions.

5904 Cappa Lercaro 4 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 2 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro

IT’S NOT EASY TO SUMMARIZE HERE these polemics and judge the intentions of Cardinal Lercaro in carrying out the liturgical reforms in one direction instead of another. If we apply here the regressive method of history (represented mainly by Marc Bloch, founder of Annales), we may notice that the present situation of the liturgy could say to us something about how the reforms were conceived, initiated, and carried out.

I am not sure Cardinal Lercaro would be happy with the present situation, were he alive today. As for me, I would be very happy to understand the reasons behind certain decisions made by important church leaders during the 1960s and 1970s and if—assuming we may to talk with these church leaders now in heaven (as we all hope) and ask these questions—they would still repeat those same decisions with the benefit of hindsight.

To see more images of Cardinal Lercaro, please click here.

Video excerpts of Cardinal Lercaro are here:



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   An interesting article by the Italian Vaticanist Sandro Magister, Montini, Siri, Lercaro. L’enigma del Cardinale Destituito (2011), mentions this episode and several possible interpretations.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro Consilium President Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Aurelio Porfiri

Renowned as composer, conductor, theorist, author, pedagogue, and organist, Aurelio Porfiri has served the Church on multiple continents at the highest levels. Born and raised in Italy, he currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Composer in Residence for Santa Rosa de Lima School (Macao, China).

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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

Thus the priest-celebrant, putting on the person of Christ, alone offers sacrifice, and not the people, nor clerics, nor even priests who reverently assist. All, however, can and should take an active part in the Sacrifice. “The Christian people, though participating in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, do not thereby possess a priestly power,” We stated in the Encyclical Mediator Dei (AAS, vol 39, 1947, p. 553).

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

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