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Views from the Choir Loft

Not. Just. Catholics.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 17, 2021

AVE YOU EVER heard the word triggered ? A subject or concept that instantly makes people furious? I’m not fond that word—because it often escalates friendly conversations into sinful quarreling—but I think it applies to today’s topic. You see, certain souls become instantly “triggered” whenever somebody discusses whether particular musical styles are suitable for the Holy Mass. Over the past ten years, our blog has frequently discussed this question (e.g. 01 and 02). To be completely honest, I’m bored with it, because I’ve come to realize that some people refuse to admit certain musical styles are inappropriate for Mass…and yelling until I’m blue in the face can never change that. As a matter of fact, such people claim that all musical styles are okay for Mass: Rap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Polka, Disco, Country, Reggae, Bluegrass, Broadway—whatever you can think of. Our readers are aware we believe certain musical styles are too secular for the Holy Mass. Our readers also know we believe the Catholic Church is experiencing a liturgical crisis, and the most unthinkable sacrileges (e.g. 01 and 02) occur without any ecclesiastical sanction.

Not Just Catholic Churches :

Roman Catholics are not alone in this situation. I could easily post examples from Protestant sects—Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, and so forth—where any concept of “sacred” or “other” seems lost. 1

Here’s an example from the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. (which is not Catholic, although the building looks quite Catholic):

As I’ve said, I could easily post examples from many other Protestant sects.

I just wanted to make it clear these problems are not unique to the Catholic Church.


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Not that I would ever seriously compare the Catholic Church to a Protestant sect, because Jesus Christ founded one Church; our Lord did not found many different churches. But I believe the Church teaches that even Protestant sects can contain elements of truth.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Anglican Music, Episcopalian Music Last Updated: April 20, 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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Tempo?? • 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘞𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦
    Once, after Mass, my pastor said he really loved the hymn we did. I said: “Father, that's Holy God, We Praise Thy Name—you never heard it before?” He replied: “But the way you did it was terrific. For once, it didn't sound like a funeral dirge!” Last Sunday, our volunteer choir sang that hymn. I think the tempo was just about right … but what do you think?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Don’t You Agree About These?
    If you want to make Jeff Ostrowski really happy, send him an email with effusive praise about the individual voice recordings for hymn #296. [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] They came out dazzlingly sensational, don't you agree?
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Since the English is not meant to be sung—but only to tell people who do not understand Latin what the hymn text means—a simple paraphrase in prose is sufficient. The versions are not always very literal. (Literal translations from Latin hymns would often look odd in English.) I have tried to give in a readable, generally rhythmic form the real meaning of the text.”

— Father Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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