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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

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —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

“The chapter decides that henceforth neither singers nor instrumentalists may be loaned to any outside individual or organization, any more than can the chalices or copes owned by the cathedral. This prohibition applies to all those days of the church calendar for which polyphony is designated.” [From “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

— Sevilla: Chapter Resolution (13 June 1561)

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  • Boston Auxiliary Bishop: “In offering the Traditional Mass for the first time, after removing the vestments, I knelt in the back pew and wept.”

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