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Views from the Choir Loft

Cardinal Schönborn Consecrates “IKEA Altar”

Jeff Ostrowski · March 31, 2022

HEN FATHER Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923) arrived at his parish, he had to offer Mass inside a barn, because the church had not been built yet. Father Fortescue later spent years improving the church every way he could. He even wrote a famous book—Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described—so he could raise funds to make his church nicer, more beautiful, more worthy of God. Saint John Vianney also constantly raised money to make his church more beautiful. When Father Fortescue was diagnosed with cancer, he was seen to kiss devoutly the simple Altar on which he had so frequently celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass before traveling to the hospital to die.

Poverty Vs. Scandal: If someone has no money, they are justified to offer Mass in a barn until a proper church can be constructed. But what can we say about those who deliberately spend the faithful’s money on ugly and offensive avant-garde art? In a Dominican Church in Vienna, Cardinal Schönborn has consecrated what some are calling the “IKEA” Altar.

This is not an “April Fools” joke.
This actually happened in Austria, as the following photographs demonstrate:

54300-Dominican-Church-Vienna-Cardinal-Schonborn-IKEA-ALTAR
54301-Dominican-Church-Vienna-Cardinal-Schonborn-IKEA-ALTAR
54297-Dominican-Church-Vienna-Cardinal-Schonborn-IKEA-ALTAR
54298-Dominican-Church-Vienna-Cardinal-Schonborn-IKEA-ALTAR

PEAKING OF SCANDALS, someone keeps trying to illegally remove this awful Ash Wednesday music which was performed in Germany. However, the category of “fair use” allows bits and pieces to be reproduced (legally) for purposes of criticism. It’s disgusting that somebody is giving people copyright “strikes” when what is being reproduced is far less than what’s allowed by fair use.

The following video keeps
being removed illegally:

*  Direct Download • 22.4MB
—Download this video file directly from GloriaTV.
*  Direct Download • 22.4MB
—Download this video file directly from a Google Mirror.
*  Complete Mass • On YouTube
—Ash Wednesday Mass • Basilica of St. Cunibert (6 March 2019).
*  Watch Video • On GloriaTV
—Watch this video on GloriaTV.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Ash Wednesday Germany, Cardinal Schonborn, Novus Ordo Music, Rev Fr Adrian Fortescue Liturgy Last Updated: April 5, 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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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28 May 2022 • “Pristine” Vatican Rhythm

My choirs have been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana rhythm, which is (technically) the official rhythm of the Catholic Church. I haven’t quite decided how I want the scores to look yet, but this one I’ve produced for tomorrow, Dominica Post Ascensionem (“Sunday after the Ascension”).

—Jeff Ostrowski
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—Jeff Ostrowski
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Random Quote

“Gregorian chant is the sacred chant, proper and principal of the Roman Church. Therefore, not only can it be used in all liturgical actions, but unless there are mitigating circumstances, it is preferable to use it instead of other kinds of sacred music.”

— §16, De Musica Sacra (1958)

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