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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

Fr. Valentine Young, OFM — R.I.P.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 20, 2020

PRAESTA, quaésumus, Dómine, ut ánima
fámuli tui Valentíni Sacerdótis,
quem in hoc saéculo commorántem
sacris munéribus decorásti,
in caelésti sede gloriósa semper exsúltet.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord,
that the soul of Valentine thy servant
and Priest, whom thou didst adorn
with hallowed duties whilst he dwelt
in this world, may rejoice for ever,
full of glory, in a heavenly seat.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father Valentine Young, OFM—a faithful priest—died on 17 January 2020 around 8:00am.

ELOW IS ONE of the last messages I received from Fr. Valentine in September of 2019, after I attempted to thank him for all the things he did for me, going back all the way to the 1990s, when his kindness and spiritual guidance (literally) saved me from Hell. I reproduce only one section from that letter:

Jeff, I’m happy and optimistic for the future of the Church especially because of people like you. I’m happy to share any knowledge that I have. I’m grateful for the training in Gregorian chant which we received in the years before my ordination in 1956. Hopefully such training is beginning to appear again at least in certain places. Gregorian chant has a “God-centerness” which most other music doesn’t have. I first learned from our instructor, Fr. John de Deo Oldegeering, OFM, “Qui cantat bis orat.” Sometimes he would add “canta pro me” instead of the usual “ora pro me.”

Over the next few years, I will try to share with you things that Fr. Valentine taught me; I remember almost everything he ever said to me. His humor, his wisdom…he was so amazing.

Official Obituary:

Well into retirement, Franciscan Fr. Valentine Young, OFM, served where he was needed. At 80, he was teaching Latin at Roger Bacon High School. When he died Jan. 17 at the age of 88, he was still ministering to the Tridentine Mass Community as chaplain. “He has gone out of his way so often to be of service to those who have called upon him,” said Bishop Roger Foys of the Diocese of Covington in 2016 when Fr. Young celebrated his 60th anniversary of ordination. Christened Wilbert, he was born Feb. 20, 1931, one of 11 children of Clarence and Margaret (Groh) Young of Bellevue, Ky. Hoping to become a missionary priest, he entered the early high school program at St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati in 1943. After graduation he was invested in the Franciscan Order in 1947, made first profession with the Province of St. John the Baptist in 1948, and continued his education at Duns Scotus College in Southfield, Mich. Solemnly professed in 1952, he studied theology at Holy Family House of Theology in Oldenburg, Ind., and was ordained a priest in 1956. Early life as a priest led Fr. Young to Native American missions in Arizona from 1956-1959. He returned to Cincinnati for four years as a teacher at Roger Bacon and nine years at his alma mater, St. Francis Seminary. Back in the Southwest from 1972-1998, he served primarily Navajo and Hispanic communities in Arizona and Mexico as an associate or pastor and worked in administrative roles for the Franciscans. Fr. Young began offering Mass and other sacraments in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite in the 1990s when he made retreats with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. From 1998 to 2010, he served Latin Mass communities in Maple Hill, Kansas, Rapid City, S.D., and Lexington, Ky. In residence at St. Clement Friary in St. Bernard since 2010, he returned to Roger Bacon as a part-time teacher in 2011 and was celebrating Mass at parishes in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati as recently as last week. Preceded in death by all of his immediate family, Fr. Young is survived by a number of nieces and nephews. His body will be received by the friars at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, at St. Clement Church, 4536 Vine St. in St. Bernard. A Mass of Christian Burial follows at 7 p.m. Interment is at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at St. Mary Cemetery in St. Bernard. Memorials may be sent to the Franciscan Friars in care of FriarWorks, 1615 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.

They left out so much!  As time allows, I will try and fill in more information as time allows.

Father Valentine Young, OFM died on January. 17 at the age of 88. Preceded in death by all of his immediate family, Father Valentine is survived by a number of nieces and nephews. He was born Feb. 20, 1931, one of 11 children of Clarence and Margaret (Groh) Young of Bellevue, Ky.

1942- Entered Saint Francis Seminary in Cincinnati
1948- First profession
He did his studies at Duns Scotus College in Southfield, Mich.
1952- Solemn profession
He studied theolog in Oldenburg, Ind.,
1956- Ordination to the Priesthood

Assignments:
1956-1959: Native American missions in Arizona
1959-1963: Teacher at Roger Bacon
1963-1972: Teacher at St. Francis Seminary
1942-1998: Served Associate or Pastor of Navajo and Hispanic communities in Arizona and Mexico
1998-2010: Served Latin Mass in Maple Hill, Kansas, Rapid City, S.D., and Lexington, Ky.
2010-2020: In residence at St. Clement in Cincinnati, Part-Time teacher at Roger Bacon

A sister of Fr. Valentine Young, OFM, saved this photograph, circa 1956:


Fr. Valentine frequently spoke about his mother in his sermons.

I once told Fr. Valentine about a dream I had—asking him whether it might be a message from God? Fr. Valentine replied: “Be very careful when it comes to dreams; for instance, I often dream that my mother is still alive…”

There are certain people you think will never die—at least not in your lifetime. Fr. Valentine Young was one of those for me. What a shock to hear the news this wonderful priest and friend has passed ! I will never forget how happy he ALWAYS was at the different retreats of the FSSP. We would sit and compare errata from the breviary. He always reminded me of Friar Tuck. A Franciscan who had given up everything yet God provides him with a cookie jar figure. How God rewards a man who has given all to Him!! What joy he possessed! And like Friar Tuck do NOT ever underestimate this smiling Friar! Well versed in Latin and also playing the organ he was a man of many talents. Someone you would not to go against especially regarding our Catholic Faith! The love of God was apparent in Him. Owning NOTHING yet possessing all things!! May God reward you my friend. May we meet in heaven! Requiescat in pace!  —Fr. George Gabet, FSSP

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Rev Fr Valentine Young OFM, Valentine Young SERMON Last Updated: November 27, 2023

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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

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). 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 the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —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

Pope Gelasius in his 9th Letter to the Bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the Bishop of Tusculum: “Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry.” We too have forbidden this practice in the same words in Our oft-repeated constitution “Etsi Pastoralis” (§6, #21)

— Pope Benedict XIV • Encyclical “Allatae Sunt” (26 July 1755)

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