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Views from the Choir Loft

Church Music Dubia Remain Unanswered

Jeff Ostrowski · September 29, 2017

Y PARENTS raised us to behave in a certain way. We were taught to treat others with respect, use our time wisely, place God before anything else, and never be dishonest. My mother grew up in extreme poverty, causing a special sensitivity for the poor. She would personally drive mothers in desperate situations to the supermarket and let them buy 5-6 bags of groceries—and then she would pay the bill. Along with her on such errands would come all five children (including me). Both my parents had zero tolerance for laziness or disrespectful behavior.

Today’s world strikes me as a completely different place: a real clown show! Even things everyone used to agree on, such as standing during the National Anthem, are out the window.

Many people, even those who self-identify as “traditional” Catholics, sit on Twitter and hurl childish insults in a most disgusting and reprehensible manner. Decent people these days seem few and far between.

Perhaps this is why the “Church Dubia” remain unanswered. We’ve stated the Dubia over and over on this blog, as our readers know (e.g. 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08) and I won’t be going through all that again.

ONE OF THE MAJOR QUESTIONS in the “Church Dubia” is as follows:

What styles of music should be forbidden at Mass?

For fifty years, progressive liturgists have insisted that all styles of music are “equally suitable” for use during Holy Mass. But sensible people realize different styles of music do different things. For example, it’s hard to imagine anything more repugnant than WWF wrestling. But if you look on YouTube, the music they choose is perfectly suited to that trashy “sport.”

Consider the following (which is not church music, but still very nice):

    * *  Mp3 Audio • Excerpts from Gladiator Movie

Can there be any doubt that different styles of music evoke different feelings?

I fear that a serious discussion regarding which styles of music are appropriate for the Holy Mass will not commence until a generation arrives that can process a statement longer than 140 characters. I hope I am wrong.

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 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

“If you begin by telling a man that in a word like ‘Deus’ the first syllable corresponds to the weak beat, the second to the strong beat of a modern bar, the one thing that will succeed in accomplishing is to bewilder him thoroughly.”

— Father Heinrich Bewerunge writing to Dame Laurentia

Recent Posts

  • Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
  • Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini
  • 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “My First Year with the Latin Mass” • A Music Director’s Perspective
  • 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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