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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 • Bishop Donohoe: “I wish you to definitely confront the priest…”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 1, 2021

UNTING FOR PRIESTS—when England became Anglican—was a real thing. Jesuit priests such as Father Edmund Campion, Father Edmund Arrowsmith, and Father Robert Southwell were betrayed, hunted down, tortured, and murdered in those days. I couldn’t help but think of that when I read the following letter: “I wish you to make it a matter of conscience to discover if such a Mass is being celebrated in any hall, house, or wherever within the confines or your parish. If so, I wish you to definitely confront the priest…” This was regarding a form of Mass which, according to Pope Saint Paul VI (19 November 1969), had “the same theological and spiritual import” as the Novus Ordo.

In the past, we have featured so-called Tridentine permission slips from the post-conciliar days. We have been contacted by a person who wishes to remain anonymous—and, incidentally, it was not our dear contributor Keven Smith who lives in Sacramento.

This might make your blood run cold:

*  PDF Download • Tridentine Permission Slip (1976)
—From Bishop Hugh A. Donohoe (d. 1987), at that time the bishop of Fresno.

It would be interesting to learn how Bishop Donohoe responded to Catholics in his diocese who made heretical statements, or who took part in liturgical abuses. And it would very interesting to learn what he did about goofy, disrespectful music played during the Holy Mass.

A Very Sad Comment: Speaking of the Traditional Latin Mass, on Twitter it was recently revealed that Pope Francis said the Catholic priests over the last 700 years—Saint John Vianney, Saint John Bosco, Padre Pio, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Isaac Jogues, and so forth—were “laughing at God” by using a sacred language for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is a very sad comment … and all I can say is: if the Catholic Church survived popes such as Pope Stephen VI, we can survive these present trials. But that is a very sad comment, and I really hope Pope Francis will apologize for what he said about all those holy saints. He should not have made the claim that all those holy saints were “laughing at God” by using a lingua sacra.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Traditionis Custodes Motu Proprio, Traditionis Custodes Vernacular, Tridentine Permission Slip Last Updated: September 2, 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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Only against this background, of the effective denial of the authority of Trent, can one understand the bitterness of the struggle against allowing the celebration of Mass according to the 1962 Missal after the liturgical reform. The possibility of so celebrating constitutes the strongest, and thus (for them) the most intolerable contradiction of the opinion of those who believe that the faith in the Eucharist, as formulated by Trent, has lost its validity.”

— Cardinal Ratzinger, 2001

Recent Posts

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  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)

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