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Jesus said to them: “I have come into this world so that a sentence may fall upon it, that those who are blind should see, and those who see should become blind. If you were blind, you would not be guilty. It is because you protest, ‘We can see clearly,’ that you cannot be rid of your guilt.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Diversity Of Thought

Jeff Ostrowski · March 26, 2015

114 Saint Thomas Aquinas Stained Glass OBODY WILL OBJECT if you come out strongly in favor of “diversity of thought.” This is one of the few dogmas embraced by everyone in our society. (To mention the uncomfortable fact that no one is allowed diversity of thought regarding accepting diversity of thought is considered impolite.) Politicians realize the value of universally-accepted notions which can be spoken at a moment’s notice, and most of them begin with: “More could be done in the area of…”

Speaking of worthless statements by politicians, I once mistakenly assumed an acquaintance could recognize how silly they are. A presidential candidate responded to a question with a typical answer—something like, “I feel strongly that we should stand up and oppose unjust persecutions.” I blurted out, “Oh, I think we ought to encourage unjust persecutions.” Failing to understand my sarcasm, the acquaintance looked at me as though I were a lunatic.

“Diversity of thought” sounds great when you first hear it, but examined more closely becomes problematic. For example, suppose 100 people support BLOODLETTING as a valid medical practice, while 37 agree with modern doctors (who condemn it as a dangerous pseudoscience). Is “diversity of thought” here really a positive thing? Surely not. (The question of whether it should be illegal to hold a false view about bloodletting is a different debate and will not be explored today.)

Over the years, I’ve occasionally skimmed publications 1 by liturgical “progressive” organizations. They clamor for a reformed Catholic Church “where all voices are heard.” (This mantra is beloved and repeated incessantly by one of the Collegeville Press blogs.) Let’s think about this, though. When it comes to reforming the liturgy, do we really want “all voices” heard? Should liturgical opinions of—for example—those convicted of unspeakable crimes be given consideration? I suspect the folks at Collegeville Press would respond as follows:

“We do advocate that all voices be heard; but we reserve the right to disqualify voices we deem too extreme.”

…and that is an altogether different matter, isn’t it?



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   A particularly large trove is here.

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 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

    Is the USCCB trolling us?
    I realize I’m going to come across as a “Negative Nancy” … but I can’t help myself. This kind of stuff is beyond ridiculous. There are already way too many options in the MISSALE RECENS. Adding more will simply confuse the faithful even more. We seriously need to band together and start creating a “REFORM OF THE REFORM” Missale Romanum so it will be ready when the time comes.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Common” Responsorial Psalm?
    I try to avoid arguing about liturgical legislation (even with Catholic priests) because it seems like many folks hold certain views—and nothing will persuade them to believe differently. You can show them 100 church documents, but it matters not. They won’t budge. Sometimes I’m confronted by people who insist that “there’s no such thing” as a COMMON RESPONSORIAL PSALM. When that happens, I show them a copy of the official legislation in Latin. I have occasionally prevailed by means of this method.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 5th Sunday of Easter (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 5th Sunday of Easter (18 May 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The Communion Antiphon was ‘restored’ the 1970 Missale Romanum (a.k.a. MISSALE RECENS) from an obscure martyr’s feast. Our choir is on break this Sunday, so the selections are relatively simple in nature.
    —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

“From the responses received, it is thus clear that by far the greater number of bishops feel that the present discipline [Communion on the tongue and not in the hand] should not be changed at all—indeed, that if it were changed, this would be offensive to the sensibility and spiritual appreciation of these bishops and of most of the faithful.”

— Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (29 May 1969)

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