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Views from the Choir Loft

Re: “Christ the King Hymnal” (Imprimatur, 1954)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 10, 2021

NE OF THE RAREST hymnals we ever released was produced by Father Gabriel Aloysius Knauff (Saskatchewan, Canada) and Sister Pauline of Saint Clare Convent (Cincinnati, Ohio). I am speaking about the Christ the King Hymnal (232 pages), which Corpus Christi Watershed scanned and uploaded in October of 2015. The vast majority of these hymns will be unfamiliar to most USA Catholics since they come from the German tradition. Although the hymnal was unsuccessful, the effort they put forward was truly extraordinary: second to none! Many Catholics still don’t realize that in the pre-conciliar United States—that is to say, before the Second Vatican Council—it was extremely common to sing hymns in English during Low Mass. We have provided massive evidence of this:

*  Vernacular Hymns during Traditional Latin Mass
—A series of articles by Corpus Christi Watershed.

If you scroll to the bottom of this article, you will see even more evidence, directly from the Christ the King Hymnal (1954).

Vernacular Hymns During Latin Mass?

It is true that—in a 1958 document—Pope Pius XII explicitly allowed vernacular hymns during High Mass:

However, as we have already discussed, the legislation before the Second Vatican Council never had in mind vernacular hymns during the distribution of Holy Communion at High Mass, because distributing Holy Communion at High Mass (except on Holy Thursday) was very rare. When Holy Communion was given to the Faithful, such a distribution usually took place outside of Mass. Writing in 1917, Father Adrian Fortescue reminded us that distributing Holy Communion to the congregation was extremely rare, although theoretically possible:

Some people believe the current situation—where 99% of Catholics receive Communion at every Mass with scant preparation—has caused Catholics to regard the SANCTISSIMUM in a “casual” way. In the 1980s, Father Valentine Young pointed out a glaring omission in the Ordinary Form’s Lectionary. As far as I know, Father Valentine is the first one to notice this—and I think his discovery needs to be dealt with in a serious way. Catholics should not treat the SANCTISSIMUM in a casual way. And the irreverence which is frequently shown to the Blessed Sacrament is heartbreaking.

See It For Yourself:

The 1954 Christ the King Hymnal—a fully Roman Catholic book—provides examples of hymns sung during Low Mass:

In Los Angeles, we often sing #814 from the Brébeuf hymnal during the distribution of Holy Communion:

Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #814.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: High Mass with Vernacular, Low Mass Vernacular Hymns Last Updated: May 11, 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

    PDF • “For the Season of Pentecost”
    During the season of Pentecost, you might consider using this 2-page Piece “for the season of Pentecost.” Rehearsal videos are available at #40691, but the lyrics are different. Therefore, make sure your choir members understand that one can rehearse songs that have different lyrics (“CONTRAFACT”).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • (This Coming Sunday)
    Our volunteer choir appreciates training videos, so here's my attempt at recording “Exáudi Dómine Vocem Meam,” which is the INTROIT for this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday is Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the feast of the Ascension”). It is sung according to the official rhythm of the Catholic Church.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Volunteer Choir Attempts “Kýrie Eléison”
    My volunteer choir attempted the polyphonic KYRIE that will be sung at this year's Sacred Music Symposium. If you're interested, you can listen to the live recording from last Sunday. The piece is based on the ancient plainchant hymn melody: Ave Maris Stella. Polyphony like this is truly intricate and wonderful. It reminds me of the quote by Artur Schnabel: “music that's greater than it can be performed.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Iconographic tradition has theologically interpreted the manger and the swaddling cloths in terms of the theology of the Fathers. The child stiffly wrapped in bandages is seen as prefiguring the hour of his death: from the outset, he is the sacrificial victim, as we shall see more closely when we examine the reference to the first-born. The manger, then, was seen as a kind of altar.”

— Pope Benedict XVI (2012)

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