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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

    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
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —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

“In my opinion, there should be reached the aim that all priests could continue to use the old Missal.”

— ‘Cardinal Ratzinger, Letter to Wolfgang Waldstein (14 December 1976)’

Recent Posts

  • PDF Download • “2025 Booklet for Participants for the Sacred Music Symposium” — (155 pages)
  • Luis Martínez Must Go!
  • Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
  • PDF Download • “Gospel Acclamation” for 29 June (Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles)
  • “Hybrid” Chant Notation?

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

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