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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download (2,092 pages) • “Liturgical Notes on the Roman Missal” by Archbishop Schuster

Corpus Christi Watershed · August 8, 2020

ORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED has been informed that Arouca Press has recently republished an important collection by Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954). Whether you celebrate the Ordinary Form or the Extraordinary Form, these volumes are extremely important. Their scope is quite wide. For example, currently there is widespread confusion with regard to “Rood Screens”—Blessed Schuster deals with this topic. Church musicians will appreciate how the volumes contain many ancient hymns, such as “Salve Festa Dies” with English translation. Blessed Schuster even provides a “Hymn for Extreme Unction” (Volume 3, page 440). At the end of Volume 3, there is a “Hymn for the Holy Name,” which is an Acrostic on “JESUS.” The books each have an excellent index.

(The entire collection was translated into English by Arthur Levelis-Marke.)

Download the complete set as PDF files:

*  PDF Download • FIRST VOLUME (418 pages)
—Published in 1924 • Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954).

*  PDF Download • SECOND VOLUME (428 pages)
—Published in 1925 • Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954).

*  PDF Download • THIRD VOLUME (442 pages)
—Published in 1927 • Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954).

*  PDF Download • FOURTH VOLUME (456 pages)
—Published in 1929 • Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954).

*  PDF Download • FIFTH VOLUME (348 pages)
—Published in 1930 • Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster (d. 1954).

Notice that Part 8 is divided between Volume 4 and Volume 5:

In the olden days, liturgists would say “look it up in Fortescue.” If you are planning on writing anything regarding the sacred liturgy, it would be good to first “look it up in Schuster.” Corpus Christi Watershed has several PDF scans of important books by Father Adrian Fortescue which we plan to release soon (hopefully).

We congratulate Arouca Press for making it possible to purchase hard copies of the works by Blessed Schuster. The person in charge of the Arouca Press wrote to me: “Arouca refers to the northern region in Portugal where part of my family is from. Also, Blessed Mafalda, an incorrupt saint, is buried there.”

 


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

Note:   Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster was born in Italy. He was a Benedictine monk, but later became the Archbishop of Milan (from 1929 until his death in 1954). He accepted the name “Ildefonso” as a Benedictine monk and served as an abbot prior to his elevation to the cardinalate.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured, PDF Download Tagged With: Ildefonso Schuster Last Updated: November 21, 2020

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President’s Corner

    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
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —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

“The idea that the Roman basilica is the ideal design for a Christian church building because it made it possible for the priest and the people to face one another is complete nonsense. That would have been the last thing that the early Christians had in mind.”

— Father Louis Bouyer

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