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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

PDF Download • “Order of the Mass without a Congregation” (1970)

Andrea Leal · September 12, 2020

NE OF THE CONTROVERSIES during the 1960s, now long-since forgotten, was the question of whether the private Masses of a priest could be said in the vernacular. The Second Vatican Council had declared as follows: “since the use of the mother tongue…frequently may be of great advantage to the people, the limits of its employment may be extended.” Although the Council had declared that the use of the Latin language was to be preserved in the Latin rites, (see Section 36.1) the reformers probably realized that once the Mass was in the vernacular, it would only be a matter of time before even private Masses would be changed to the vernacular.

I thought about this when I came across this interesting document from 1970 for Masses without a congregation:

*  PDF Download • Order of Mass (1970)
—NIHIL OBSTAT by Daniel V. Flynn; IMPRIMATUR by Joseph P. O’Brien.

In case somebody couldn’t download the PDF file, here are some screenshots:

74697-ORDER-of-Mass-1970
74697-ORDER-of-Mass-1970-B
74697-ORDER-of-Mass-1970-C

A few months ago, there was a controversy involving plagiarism, “ad orientem” celebration, and the Most Reverend Peter Christensen (Bishop of Boise, Idaho). Without rehashing the entire controversy, one of the false statements Bishop Christensen made—which was actually plagiarized from a priest named Fr. Paul Turner—is as follows:

“There has been an attempt to justify the ad orientem practice because the Order of Mass indicates places when the priest should face the people. (However, it never asks him to turn away, [!!!] as the preconciliar Missal did.)”

Articles by my colleagues have demonstrated the above statement is false; but it is interesting that the “Order of the Mass Without a Congregation” does actually tells the priest when he should face the Altar and when he not should face the Altar. This just goes to show that you cannot just take everything you find on the Internet at face value. Question everything, and whenever possible, go directly to the source.

As an aside, for those interested in the restoration of the Traditional Mass, it is important to remember that there are in fact small steps that can be taken to move towards a Mass which is more traditional in it’s expression. For example, although today Las Vegas has the Extraordinary Form, it was not always so. Before it was the EF, it was first a Novus Ordo Mass in Latin, ad orientem. The Novus Ordo in the vernacular but celebrated ad orientem is a simple but profound way to return focus to Christ.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ad Orientem, Bishop Peter Christensen Last Updated: September 12, 2020

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About Andrea Leal

Andrea Leal is a wife and homeschooling mother of 6 children. She serves as choir director for the Traditional Latin Mass in Las Vegas.—(Read full biography).

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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

“And thus, when we renounce for Thee | Its restless aims and fears, | The tender mem’ries of the past, | The hopes of coming years, | Poor is our sacrifice, whose eyes | Are lighted from above; | We offer what we cannot keep, | What we have ceased to love.”

— Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman

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