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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Revealed! • A Fascinating Mass Rubric Very Few Know

Jeff Ostrowski · September 7, 2019

HE COMMITTEE which worked for five years to produce the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal was quite a diverse group. Some were laymen, others were priests—and most of our time was spent examining hymn texts and tunes. One of the members discovered an intriguing rubric that was still “on the books” much later most authors realize. As late as 1957, the Roman Missal contained this rubric:

Minister autem dextera manu tenens
vas cum vino et aqua, sinistra vero mappulam,
aliquanto post Sacerdotem eis porrigit purificationem,
et mappulam ad os abstergendum.

The Server, however, holding in his right hand
a vessel with wine and water, and in his left a napkin,
a little behind the Priest proffers them

[i.e. the communicants] the purification,
and the napkin to wipe their mouths.

That’s correct: An altar boy followed the priest, giving water and wine to those who have just received Holy Communion.

The member of our committee who discovered this is very smart and very honest. Nevertheless, you can verify the truth of his discovery by a Google search. (Don’t look in the 1962 edition, because this rubric was removed.) I know many liturgical blogs, but I am not aware of any author who has spoken about this rubric. However, Fr. Herbert Thurston (d. 1939)—a friend of Fr. Adrian Fortescue—was certainly aware of this rubric. His 1911 article is encyclopedic:

* *  PDF Download • Article by Fr. Herbert Thurston, SJ (1911)

Here’s an excerpt from his article:

82760 HERBERT THURSTON

An article from 1943 rightly says:

The Ritus Servandus, we may here remind ourselves, still preserves the medieval direction that the server follow the priest, as he distributes Communion, in order to give each communicant a sip of wine and water. How surprised people would be next Sunday to see the direction being carried out!

Please read two pages from an 1883 article by Fr. James O’Kane:

* *  PDF Download • Article by Fr. James O’Kane (1883)

Fr. O’Kane explores whether the rubric can lawfully be ignored. He also discusses where the practice has fallen into disuse and where it has not—giving the following reasons for why it became unpopular:

“…the danger of effusion, the poverty of the churches, the difficulty of presenting it to each when there is a crowd of communicants, the nausea some would feel, and so on.”

I mentioned how a member of the Brébeuf committee made this discovery. He told me that he saw this practice observed when he was ordained.

We must be very careful when it comes to the Sanctissimum. For many years, I have encouraged my choir members to drink water after receiving Holy Communion, although the current rubrics only require the celebrant to do so. In very old Catholic Churches (going 1,000+ years) there are fountains near the front which used to be filled with water, so the faithful could drink immediately after receiving Holy Communion. Nevertheless, Fr. Herbert Thurston was probably correct to write, in 1911:

“Nay more, I will go so far as to say that if any priest did carry out the rubric in question, he would—at an early date—have his attention called to the matter by his Bishop, and would be reminded that it was not for private individuals to revive obsolete observances, when they have been suffered to fall into desuetude by a Church fully competent to enforce her own enactments if she wishes to do so.”

UPDATE: We have been notified that three (3) days after our discovery, the blog of the Church Music Association of America has written an article commenting on this discovery.


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   We desire to thank Berthold Kress, who found the image (see above) and posted it as part of a magnificent collection.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Last Updated: January 1, 2021

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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

    Liturgical Round (“Canon”) in C-Major
    Those who direct children’s choirs are always on the lookout for repertoire that’s dignified, inspired, and pleasing—yet still within reach of young choristers. Such directors will want to investigate this haunting liturgical round (PDF download) which has been married to the KYRIE from Mass VI (EDITIO VATICANA). I have provided an accompaniment, but it’s only for use during rehearsal; i.e. when teaching this round to your choristers. I also provided an organ accompaniment for the KYRIE—which some know by its trope (Kyrie Rex Genitor)—so that your congregation can take part when this round is used as a choral extension during Mass.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The Latin language, “far from being held in little regard, is certainly worthy of being vigorously defended.”

— Pope Saint Paul VI (15 August 1966)

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