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Views from the Choir Loft

Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro (1891-1976)

Jeff Ostrowski · February 28, 2017

335 Cardinal Lercaro CONSILIUM PRESIDENT HE BISHOPS of Vatican II who voted for Sacrosanctum Concilium (December 1963) assumed the reforms would be undertaken by the Sacred Congregation of Rites. However, Pope Paul surprised everyone on 25 January 1964 by taking this job away from them and establishing a new body called the CONSILIUM to enact the liturgical reforms. It soon became apparent the Consilium wanted to go “beyond” Vatican II, while the Sacred Congregation of Rites attempted to retain only what the Council fathers mandated—and (sadly) met with precious little success. 1 Archbishop Piero Marini publicly admitted this in a 2007 book.

Ready for confusion? The Sacred Congregation of Rites was headed by CARDINAL LARRAONA whereas the Consilium was headed by CARDINAL LERCARO.

Larraona (1887-1973) was a Spanish Cardinal who had participated in the preparation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. Lercaro (1891-1976) was Italian, and served as Archbishop of Bologna. He turned his episcopal palace into an orphanage and was mentioned numerous times in La riforma liturgica (Rome, 1983), a work by Annibale Bugnini which attempts to hide neither its bias nor its triumphalism.

When Bugnini’s book appeared in English in 1990, Monsignor Richard Schuler said:

Of course, there are “good guys” and “bad guys” according to Bugnini’s story. The “bad guys” are the church musicians and those wishing to retain some use of the Latin language, conservatives who evoke the anger and sarcasm of the author because of their efforts to defend the heritage of the Church in its liturgical texts and the musical settings (from Gregorian chant to modern compositions). Bugnini attributes bad will to many of those sitting with him on the various commissions, especially the members of the Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae.   [emphasis added]

You can read everything Msgr. Schuler had to say about Archbishop Bugnini in 1990, including this devastating assessment of the book:

There remains throughout the presence of Bugnini—his bias, his anger, and his prejudice—making one continuously ask the unanswerable question: “Why?”

FATHER LOUIS BOUYER, a close friend of Pope Paul VI and important member of the Consilium, had this to say about Cardinal Lercaro:

Unfortunately, on the one hand a deadly error in judgment placed the official leadership of this committee into the hands of a man who, though generous and brave, was not very knowledgeable: Cardinal Lercaro. He was utterly incapable of resisting the maneuvers of the mealy-mouthed scoundrel that the Neapolitan Vincentian, Bugnini—a man as bereft of culture as he was of basic honesty—soon revealed himself to be.

Here are some pictures and video of Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro, President of the Consilium:


(For the record, although it’s certainly not sacred music, I find that video’s soundtrack striking.)

10 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 9 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 8 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 7 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 6 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 5 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro

5904 Cappa Lercaro 4 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 2 Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro

6x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 5x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 4x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 3x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 2x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro 1x Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   The Sacred Congregation of Rites was occasionally able to block the Consilium—such as when the Consilium tried to eliminate Hebrew words like Hosanna, Amen, and Alleluia from the liturgy.

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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

Indeed I might add that although unfamiliar with it myself, the Extraordinary Form expressly reminds us that Mass in either form is not merely a communion meal but a ritual of love, a sacrifice at Calvary, by which, for you and for me, yes, here and now, Jesus Christ lays down his life.

— ‘Most Rev. Philip Egan, Bishop of Portsmouth’

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