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Corpus Christi Watershed

“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

Something That Would Fix So Much … But Nobody Mentions It

Jeff Ostrowski · February 16, 2016

750 Queen of Hearts HEN I WAS GROWING UP, my brothers and I hated the villains in television shows, especially the annoying ones. But now I realize that people watching the shows are supposed to hate the villains; that’s why they say “the villain you love to hate.” I suspect this is why the topic of Watergate—a subject I know a lot about—endlessly fascinates historians, who continue producing documentaries about it. After all, Nixon was such a captivating villain! He was passionate, complicated, sneaky, intelligent, and had severe emotional issues. 1

When it comes to Church music, addressing one liturgical abuse would fix a whole bunch of problems instantly—but this abuse is not being promoted by a “bad guy” like Richard Nixon. The villain is…SILENCE.

That’s right: silence. Nobody cares. Nobody will listen. Nobody will lift a finger.

EVER SINCE VATICAN II, CHURCH LAW has required approval from the local bishop to replace the Mass texts—but this requirement has been ignored. Indeed, the Bishops’ Liturgy Committee confirmed on 20 November 2012 that we are not obligated to follow the GIRM. To get around this, they said each local bishop gives his “tacit approval” to texts he’s never seen. To make matters worse, the USCCB “approval” on the front page of some hymnals doesn’t apply to any of the music! But the answer is silence. Nobody cares. As a result, 90% of Church musicians are not taught what Church law requires.

Try sending the following letter to your bishop’s office. You won’t receive a response:

    * *  PDF Download • Sample Letter to your Ordinary

Many liturgical blogs claim they wish to improve the sacred liturgy. Yet, the crucial issue—this purported “tacit approval” which has been abused by 90% of parishes for 40+ years—is never mentioned. Here at Watershed, we will continue doing what we can (in our own small way) to promote authentic Church music. But it’s strange how few seem willing to talk about this most serious liturgical abuse.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The documentaries often show “good guys” denigrating Nixon, but neglect to mention that many of these men have been caught playing fast and loose with truth. After all, why complicate things? It’s easier to simply make Nixon the “bad guy” and the ones against him the “good guys.” Please note: I’m not excusing Nixon’s deplorable behavior. I’m merely pointing out that many of his enemies were pretty unsavory human beings, too.

Here’s something you might not know. The whole point of Watergate was proving that “nobody, no matter how high up in government, is above the law.” However, at least one highly placed man never got punished for his crimes. You see, the famous source that gave information to Bob Woodward about Watergate was referred to as “Deep Throat”—and people sought his true identity until 2005. It turns out “Deep Throat” was Mark Felt, of the FBI. The reason he waited so many years to reveal his identity was that his actions were highly illegal. Moreover, “spilling” information about cases to the press was against the FBI code of conduct, considered by his colleagues to be extremely dishonorable. Mark Felt went on trial later on for other crimes he committed—having nothing to do with Watergate—but Ronald Reagan pardoned him.

Someone amazingly came to Mark Felt’s defense, giving money to his legal defense fund and even testifying on his behalf in court. That man was Richard Milhous Nixon.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Hilgartner 20 November 2012, Hymns Replacing Propers, Traditionis Custodes Vernacular, USCCB approval Last Updated: October 15, 2022

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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

    “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

“The Pope is not an absolute monarch whose thoughts and desires are law. On the contrary: the Pope’s ministry is a guarantee of obedience to Christ and to his Word. He must not proclaim his own ideas, but rather constantly bind himself and the Church to obedience to God’s Word, in the face of every attempt to adapt it or water it down, and every form of opportunism.”

— ‘His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI (11 May 2005)’

Recent Posts

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  • “What Martin Luther Said…”
  • “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Worship the Lord in Holy Attire
  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”

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