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Views from the Choir Loft

English Prayers at EF Mass • How old are they?

Jeff Ostrowski · January 24, 2018

90605 ITE MISSA EST OW OLD are the English translations found in Extraordinary Form missals? Consider books currently being sold, such as the Campion Hymnal, which uses the Fr. Lasance translation. Or consider the famous “red books” popular in the 1990s. Or go back further, to the 1806 Roman Missal for Use by Laity (Fr. Husenbeth), which underwent numerous editions. Most of them use the same basic translation of the ORDO MISSAE—but how old is it?

I have previously mentioned that, in addition to the many contemporary texts composed specifically for the forthcoming Brébeuf hymnal, we also plan to include a few historic translations. Our research recently revealed a fascinating ORDO MISSAE in Latin & English from the year 1687:

    * *  PDF Download • ORDO MISSAE (Latin & English) … from 1687AD

Here are some excerpts, showing a breathtaking similarity to the English translation most “Latin Mass” Catholics have memorized:

90607 p326 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p310 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p298 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p292 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p286 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 Canon • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE

It’s the same one I know—almost verbatim!

I also enjoyed looking at the prayers they included to help the congregation achieve deeper devotion. Some excerpts:

90607 p338 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p336 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE 90607 p332 • Latin English Mass (1687) ORDO MISSAE

In the full PDF file (above) you’ll find interesting items such as:

A Prayer Before Confession

Prayer Before Receiving the Blessed Sacrament

Short Prayers during the Time of Mass
Necessary for the Better Understanding Thereof

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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Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“How can we account for differences in the Gospel accounts? Well, suppose after we left Church today, there was a terrible accident or explosion or fire. Soon the news media would be here, interviewing people as to what they saw or heard. Each person would probably say or report what struck him—or what he saw or noticed. All these reports would be different and yet they would be true.”

— Fr. Valentine Young (February 2019)

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