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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

“Ah, Holy Jesus” • Lent + Passiontide Hymn

Jeff Ostrowski · March 20, 2022

OBODY SEEMS TO KNOW anything about “Edward C. Currie,” who was deeply involved with the creation of the New Saint Basil Hymnal (1958). Indeed, the dates of his birth & death seem a mystery. In any event, Mr. Currie complained bitterly about hymn lyrics that “unduly emphasize the human nature of the Savior,” and declared such texts to be “positively harmful.” Regarding many of the texts in the Old Saint Basil Hymnal, he was undoubtedly correct, and (in a moment), I’ll have something to say regarding harmful movements in the Catholic Church.

Above Reproach: I have no idea what Mr. Currie thought of “Herzliebster Jesu” (a Passiontide Chorale). It was not included in the New Saint Basil, but other fine Catholic hymnals do include it, such as the London Oratory Hymn Book (1998) and the Brébeuf hymnal (2018). Dr. Marier’s hymnal and the New Westminster Hymnal include the tune, but use a different text. Below is the hymn we’re discussing, which I consider above reproach. According to the Brébeuf footnotes, the text is based on passages from Meditationes Divi Augustini by John of Fécamp, a Benedictine Abbot who died in 1097AD.

Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #692.

Whispering During Improvisation? Last Sunday, the females sang this hymn. They sang in unison—since we didn’t have time to rehearse SATB parts. Then, while improvising on the organ, I whispered to them “Add the Alto line!” Listen to how well they did:

*  Mp3 Download • “Ah, Holy Jesus” (Live Recording)

Also, check out this recording by the fabulous females in our volunteer parish choir.

Failed Movements: Mr. Currie made reference to a “bad movement” in the Church. Throughout the history of the Church, certain clerics have promulgated errors. (I wish I could say otherwise, but we must face the truth.) One particularly dangerous “movement” was Jansenism, started by the Roman Catholic bishop of Ypres. The Church is made up of frail, human, sinful men. Indeed, Judas Iscariot was chosen by our Lord to be one of the Apostles!

Rebuking Roche: These days, it seems like the Church’s “human side” is all too apparent. The current head of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Archbishop Arthur Roche, publicly attempted to ban the traditional Pontificale. But such an assertion was strongly rebuked by Pope Francis with a decree (02/11/2022). Some clerics at the Vatican have also tried to pretend the “Extraordinary Form” ceased to exist when the clock struck midnight on 15 July 2021. And yet, in the most recent high-level document from the Vatican—Praedicate Evangelium (03/19/2022)—such a notion is contradicted explicitly. The sad reality is that “careerism” in the Catholic Church is nothing new, although we’ve had some success eliminating nepotism.1

Fulton J. Sheen’s Response: Before his death on 17 January 2020, I would often ask Father Valentine on the telephone: “How are you doing, Father?” His answer was always the same: “As good as God wants.” The point is simple: God is the Creator, we are His creatures. We might exclaim: “I don’t understand why God allows powerful clerics to embrace heresy and lead the faithful astray.” But what good does such complaining accomplish? The response of holy saints—even when they observed scandals—remains simple: “Lord, do with me what Thou wilt.” And we should be careful … because Fulton J. Sheen used to say that if the Church were as holy as we wish, we’d be too afraid to join because of our sins.

New Choir Members: Let’s not waste our energy on Church scandals. Instead, let’s move forward with faith, hope, and charity! This season, my choirs gained approximately fifteen (15) new members—and they’re doing extremely well. Last Sunday, they sang a hymn to Saint Joseph (since 19 March was his feast day), and you can listen to how they did:

*  Mp3 Download • Hymn to Saint Joseph
—This hymn is #791 in The Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal.

Crucial Techniques: I introduced a “Kyrie Eleison” from Verdelot’s Missa Philomena a few weeks ago, and we’re learning it in sections. You can listen to our attempt—and remember this is the first time several of these singers have ever sung a cappella polyphony! Powerful techniques do exist which will help your volunteer choir sound amazing. You don’t have to be fearful once you start taking advantage of these techniques. This year, Sacred Music Symposium 2022 is dedicated to sharing these techniques with you. Instead of dreading working with amateurs, come to the symposium! You will learn how working with volunteer choirs can be a source of spectacular joy!


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1 In their pursuit of power, some clerics seem willing to make any statement—no matter how preposterous! Again, this is nothing new in the life of the Church. For instance, back in 1951, a clandestine Vatican committee (Commissio Piana) enacted a rather sloppy reform of the Easter Vigil. The major changes were: (1) modifications of the Easter Candle blessing; (2) elimination of much Sacred Scripture; (3) substituting a rather “cheap” glass container for the ancient baptistery; and (4) changing the time of the ceremony, based upon an incorrect historical hypothesis. In a shameless and bizarre speech in 1966, Annibale Bugnini had the nerve to say this botched reform brought “a breath of new life to the whole Church.” Annibale Bugnini went on to say that the experimental Easter Vigil “came like a sweet scented spring in full blossom.” What a curious thing to say! What sane person would equate eliminating Scripture readings with the “scent” of spring blossoms?

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Commissio Piana, Edward C Currie, Herzliebster Jesu Hymn, New Saint Basil Hymnal, Passiontide Chorale, Praedicate Evangelium Last Updated: April 13, 2022

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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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President’s Corner

    PDF Comparison Chart • “Serious Problems with the Lectionary Translation”
    EARS BEFORE truly revolutionary changes were introduced by the post-conciliar reformers, Evelyn Waugh wrote (on 16 August 1964) to John Cardinal Heenan: “I think that a vociferous minority has imposed itself on the hierarchy and made them believe that a popular demand existed where there was in fact not even a preference.” We ask the kind reader— indeed, we beg you—to realize that those of us born in the 1940s and 1950s had no cognizance of Roman activities during the 1960s and 1970s. We were concerned with making sure we had the day’s bus fare, graduating from high school, taking care of our siblings, learning a trade, getting a job, courting a spouse. We questioned neither the nuns nor the Church.1 Do not believe for one instant any of us were following the liturgical machinations of Cardinal Lercaro or Father Bugnini in real time. Setting The Stage • To never question or resist Church authorities is praiseworthy. On the other hand, when a scandalous situation persists for decades, it must be brought into focus. Our series will do precisely that as we discuss the Lectionary Scandal from a variety of angles. We don’t do this to attack the Catholic Church. Our goal is bringing to light what’s been going on, so it can be fixed once and for all. Our subject is extremely knotty and difficult to navigate. Its complexity helps explain why the situation has persisted for such a long time.2 But if we immediately get “into the weeds” we’ll lose our audience. Therefore, it seems better to jump right in. So today, we’ll explore the legality of selling these texts. A Word On Copyright • Suppose Susie modifies a paragraph by Edgar Allan Poe. That doesn’t mean ipso facto she can assert copyright on it. If Susie takes a picture of a Corvette and uses Photoshop to color the tires blue, that doesn’t mean she henceforth “owns” all Corvettes in America. But when it comes to Responsorial Psalm translations, certain parties have been asserting copyright over them, selling them for a profit, and bullying publishers vis-à-vis hymnals and missals. Increasingly, Catholics are asking whether these translations are truly under copyright—because they are identical (or substantially identical) to other translations.3 Example After Example • Our series will provide copious examples supporting our claims. Sometimes we’ll rely on the readership for assistance, because—as we’ve stressed—our subject’s history couldn’t be more convoluted. There are countless manuscripts (in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin) we don’t have access to, so it would be foolish for us to claim that our observations are somehow the ‘final word’ on anything. Nevertheless, we demand accountability. Catholics in the pews are the ones who paid for all this. We demand to know who specifically made these decisions (which impact every English-speaking Catholic) and why specifically certain decisions were made. The Responsorial Psalms used in America are—broadly speaking—stolen from the hard work of others. In particular, they borrowed heavily from Father Cuthbert Lattey’s 1939 PSALTER TRANSLATION:
    *  PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART —We thank the CCW staff for technical assistance with this graph.
    Analysis • Although certain parties have been selling (!!!) that translation for decades, the chart demonstrates it’s not a candidate for copyright since it “borrows” or “steals” or “rearranges” so much material from other translations, especially the 1939 translation by Father Cuthbert Lattey. What this means in layman’s terms is that individuals have been selling a translation under false pretenses, a translation they don’t own (although they claim to). To make RESTITUTION, all that money will have to be returned. A few years ago, the head of ICEL gave a public speech in which he said they give some of “their” profits to the poor. While almsgiving is a good thing, it cannot justify theft. Our Constant Theme • Our series will be held together by one thread, which will be repeated constantly: “Who was responsible?” Since 1970, the conduct of those who made a profit by selling these sacred texts has been repugnant. Favoritism was shown toward certain entities—and we will document that with written proof. It is absolutely essential going forward that the faithful be told who is making these decisions. Moreover, vague justifications can no longer be accepted. If we’re told they are “making the translations better,” we must demand to know what specifically they’re doing and what specific criteria they’re following. Stay Tuned • If you’re wondering whether we’ll address the forthcoming (allegedly) Lectionary and the so-called ABBEY PSALMS AND CANTICLES, have no fear. We’ll have much to say about both. Please stay tuned. We believe this will end up being the longest series of articles ever submitted to Corpus Christi Watershed. To be continued. ROBERT O’NEILL Former associate of Monsignor Francis “Frank” P. Schmitt at Boys Town in Nebraska JAMES ARNOLD Formerly associated w/ King’s College, Cambridge A convert to the Catholic Church, and distant relative of J. H. Arnold MARIA B. Currently serves as a musician in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Those aware of the situation in her diocese won’t be surprised she chose to withhold her last name.
    1 Even if we’d been able to obtain Roman journals such as NOTITIAE, none of them contained English translations. But such an idea would never have occurred to a high school student or a college student growing up in the 1960s. 2 A number of shell corporations claim to own the various biblical translations mandated for Roman Catholics. They’ve made millions of dollars selling (!) these indulgenced texts. If time permits, we hope to enumerate these various shell corporations and explain: which texts they claim to own; how much they bring in each year; who runs them; and so forth. It would also be good to explore the morality of selling these indulgenced texts for a profit. Furthermore, for the last fifty years these organizations have employed several tactics to manipulate and bully others. If time permits, we will expose those tactics (including written examples). Some of us—who have been working on this problem for three decades—have amassed written documentation we’ll be sharing that demonstrates behavior at best “shady” and at worst criminal. 3 Again, we are not yet examining the morality of selling (!) indulgenced texts to Catholics mandated to use those same translations.
    —Guest Author
    “Music List” • 17th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (27 July 2025). 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 the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Communion • “Ask & You Shall Receive”
    All of the chants for 27 July 2025 have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (both text and melody) are exceedingly beautiful and ancient.
    —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

Pope Gelasius in his 9th Letter to the Bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving the priest at the celebration of Mass. Since this abuse had spread to the Greeks, Innocent IV strictly forbade it in his letter to the Bishop of Tusculum: “Women should not dare to serve at the altar; they should be altogether refused this ministry.” We too have forbidden this practice in the same words in Our oft-repeated constitution “Etsi Pastoralis” (§6, #21)

— Pope Benedict XIV • Encyclical “Allatae Sunt” (26 July 1755)

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