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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

The Ordinary Form’s Incredible Freedom

Jeff Ostrowski · August 29, 2015

354 Pope Paul VI ANY AUTHORS HAVE COMMENTED on a paradox of the post-conciliar reforms which—sooner or later—will have to be addressed. On the one hand, the reformers said they wanted to return to an ancient “pristine” liturgical tradition. But on the other, they tried to make the liturgy more acceptable to a creature they called “modern man.”

Yet another paradox exists, which has not received that much commentary. On one hand, the reformers claimed that modern priests were so busy they required (for example) a much shorter version of the Divine Office. On the other hand, they provided priests with an unthinkable amount of choices when it comes to (for example) readings at daily Masses, naïvely thinking priests would spend hours each week choosing them. Ten years later—having conceded that no priests were actually doing this—they went back and provided a “cheat sheet” (explained here).

Did you know that the Ordinary Form rubrics allow musicians to choose anything they like? Consider, for example, what the 1974 Graduale says:

    * *  PDF Download • The choices of the Ordinary Form

Those are just a few of the possibilities, and that’s why the JOGUES MISSAL shows only the most traditional chants:

    * *  PDF Download • Sample Page from the Jogues Missal

The whole idea was to make it easy on the congregation.

IF I MAKE IT TO HEAVEN, I would like to ask Pope Paul VI why he was in such a hurry to promulgate the Ordinary Form. (If you doubt he was in a hurry, read the quote on Page iii.) I believe that someday the Ordinary Form will be reformed and some problematic elements—such as the numerous options described above—will be eliminated. However, I believe the Ordinary Form can only be reformed if the Church leaders reach consensus, like when the bishops voted to adopt the 2011 Missal translation by an overwhelming majority. 1

Speaking of options, Pope Benedict in 2007 promulgated Summorum Pontificum, which said that any priest desiring to do so can celebrate the 1962 Missal. The same folks who always pushed for as many liturgical options as possible—I’m speaking here of the ones who hate the Traditional Latin Mass—could say nothing in the face of the document, because it was presented as an option. It reminds me of a famous quote by Professor László Dobszay:

If the right is given to African tribes to include their pagan traditions in the liturgy, I think the same should also be given to the rite of a thousand year-old Christian Church, based on a much older Roman tradition.




NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   I have yet to come across a bishop who argues in favor of the previous version. By the way, a common argument made after the Council said “one must accept the reforms in their entirety or reject them in their entirey; but don’t quibble about individual changes.” Sensible people have rejected this argument, because how can a thing be judged except by the thing itself? Their argument would be as bogus as saying, “You must either accept Janet’s behavior entirely or reject it entirely; but don’t start questioning individual incidents where she did this or that.”

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Professor Laszlo Dobszay Last Updated: January 13, 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

    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

A hymn verse need not be a complete sentence, but it must have completed sense as a recognisable part of the complete sentence, and at each major pause there would be at least a “sense-pause.” Saint Ambrose and the early writers and centonists always kept to this rule. This indicates one of the differences between a poem and a hymn, and by this standard most of the modern hymns and the revisions of old hymns in the Breviary stand condemned.

— Fr. Joseph Connelly

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