• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • Our Team
  • Catholic Hymnal
  • Jogues Missal
  • Site Map
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

“Ad Orientem” • Archbishop Naumann’s Letter

Jeff Ostrowski · December 6, 2016

VER SINCE I RELEASED an article about Bishop Libasci’s letter, my inbox has been exploding. I had no idea there was such a groundswell of support for “ad orientem,” especially among younger priests. What’s even more surprising is the extremely positive feedback priests are reporting. Indeed, several Midwestern bishops publicly celebrated “ad orientem” even before the special appeal by Cardinal Sarah, who was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship by Pope Francis in 2014.

Some bishops are making an appeal for “uniformity” in Catholic worship, as Bishop Doherty’s terse letter does. Archbishop Naumann’s letter (SEE BELOW) seems to encourage uniformity, yet makes clear that “ad orientem” has equal footing with “versus populum.”

But the uniformity emphasis is hard to reconcile with numerous statements from the USCCB. Consider this official statement signed by Bishop Serratelli:

23 April 2009 — The reformed liturgy offers a variety of options, encourages ministerial creativity, and at times admits a diversity of forms. The participation aid should be so designed as not to establish, once and for all, a single or rigid pattern of liturgical celebration. […] The arrangement or selection of liturgical texts must not result in the suppression of alternatives and options for the congregation (or for the celebrant and other ministers, as applicable).

The following letter is the most extensive treatment I’ve seen:

588 Archbishop Naumann ad orientem A

588 Archbishop Naumann ad orientem B


When I lived in Kansas, my friend ARCHBISHOP KELEHER hadn’t retired yet. Because I’ve only visited Kansas twice since 2005, I don’t feel qualified to comment on the current liturgical situation. Nevertheless, if there’s an authentic move towards liturgical uniformity, I hope more dioceses will start enforcing what Vatican II mandated:

116. The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, under normal circumstances, it should be given first place in liturgical services.

There are more items which could use some “uniformity.” For example, Vatican II mandated the retention of Latin; it is not optional.

Several related articles:

* *  Chief Reasons For Mass “Facing The People”

* *  Bishop of Manchester • Letter Re: “Ad Orientem”

* *  Why I’m Rejoicing over Catholic Herald Errors

* *  Does Your Bishop Enforce The GIRM?

* *  Showdown in Arkansas over “Ad Orientem”

* *  Indisputable Facts About “Ad Orientem” Celebration

* *  When To Face the Altar & When To Face The People

* *  Screenshots Proving “Versus Populum” Was Allowed By The 1572 Missal

* *  Additional Articles • Re: “Ad Orientem” Celebration

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ad Orientem Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe to the CCW Mailing List

Jeff Ostrowski

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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

Surprising Popularity!

One of our most popular downloads has proven to be the organ accompaniment to “The Monastery Hymnal” (131 pages). This book was compiled, arranged, and edited by Achille P. Bragers, who studied at the Lemmensinstituut (Belgium) about thirty years before that school produced the NOH. Bragers might be considered an example of Belgium “Stile Antico” whereas Flor Peeters and Jules Van Nuffel represented Belgium “Prima Pratica.” You can download the hymnal by Bragers at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • To Capitalize…?

In the Introit for the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, there is a question regarding whether to capitalize the word “christi.” The Vulgata does not, because Psalm 27 is not specifically referring to Our Lord, but rather to God’s “anointed one.” However, Missals tend to capitalize it, such as the official 1962 Missal and also a book from 1777 called Missel de Paris. Something tells me Monsignor Knox would not capitalize it.

—Jeff Ostrowski
15 February 2021 • “Sung vs. Spoken”

We have spoken quite a bit about “sung vs. spoken” antiphons. We have also noted that the texts of the Graduale Romanum sometimes don’t match the Missal texts (in the Extraordinary Form) because the Mass Propers are older than Saint Jerome’s Vulgate, and sometimes came from the ITALA versions of Sacred Scripture. On occasion, the Missal itself doesn’t match the Vulgate—cf. the Introit “Esto Mihi.” The Vulgate has: “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in domum refúgii…” but the Missal and Graduale Romanum use “Esto mihi in Deum protectórem et in locum refúgii…” The 1970s “spoken propers” use the traditional version, as you can see.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders”—is that English idiom? “For the Nazis, and all the Germans, except they say Heil Hitler! meet not in the street, holding their lives valuable”—is that English idiom?

— Monsignor Ronald Knox

Recent Posts

  • (Screenshots) • Proving Holy Saturday Took Place In The Morning
  • “Homily: Second Sunday of Lent” • Father Valentine Young, OFM
  • Part 2 • “Starting Your Own Traditional Latin Mass”
  • Is This Really The Same Church??
  • Solmization from the Inside

Copyright © 2021 Corpus Christi Watershed · Charles Garnier on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.