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Views from the Choir Loft

Sequence For Martin Luther? • (Sung to the melody of “Victimae Paschali Laudes”)

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2022

OD GAVE TO MAN free will. As a result, some members of the clergy do evil things. Our Blessed Lord Himself chose Judas as one of the Apostles! Our Lord did that—it would seem—to teach us something important. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen used to say: “If the Church were as pristine and holy as some demand, I would be afraid to join because I am a sinner.” Sometimes church legislation needs to change; and we have seen this throughout history.

Change In Approach • After the Council of Trent, there was an emphasis given to Sacred Scripture by “pruning” the many sequences that had developed over the centuries. (Broadly speaking, sequences don’t come from Sacred Scripture.) After Vatican II, we saw the reverse. The reformers who came after Vatican II generally chose to downplay Sacred Scripture; e.g. they eliminated about 50% of Sacred Scripture from each Mass. This decision by the post-conciliar reformers was almost ‘unforgivable’ because the Proprium Missae prior to Vatican II had been the primary way Catholics came into contact with Sacred Scripture, since it was divided into tiny little snippets, easily absorbed by the faithful.

Father Valentine’s Discovery • The reformers who came after Vatican II also carefully removed certain parts of Sacred Scripture, making sure congregations would never hear or sing those parts at Mass. An example would be Saint Paul’s warning about unworthy reception of Holy Communion. Father Valentine Young (d. 2020) discovered this omission in the 1980s. Later on, in 1997, Alfons Cardinal Stickler wrote about Father Valentine’s discovery:

Pastorally “unpopular” passages—often of fundamental theological and moral significance—were simply eliminated. A classic example is the text from I CORINTHIANS 11:27-29. Here, in the narrative of the institution of the Eucharist, the serious concluding exhortation about the grave consequences of unworthy reception has been consistently left out, even on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

A Sequence For Martin Luther?

Father Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923) wrote as follows:

“Luther’s Wicked Deceits” • The heretical contrafactum by John Nass was called Invicti Martini laudes intonant Christiani (“Christians sing aloud the praises of the invincible Martin”), and appeared in the 1520s. But on the weblog of Gerhard Eger, we find Pessimas Lutheri Fraudes, which is a Carthusian Sequence condemning the false teachings of Martin Luther, written by Thomas Kress (also circa 1520). The translation begins: “Luther’s most wicked deceits let Christians flee.”

*  PDF Download • ENGLISH TRANSLATION

How Does It Sound? • A note explains that this text it is to be sung to the tune of Victimae paschali laudes (the famous Easter sequence). Gerhard Eger explains: “The text cleverly adapts the Easter sequence to portray Luther as a veritable Antichrist.” Dr. Luca Ricossa, professor of Gregorian chant at the Haute école de musique in Geneva, has made a recording:

The heretical ex-monk Martin Luther did tremendous damage to the Bride of Christ—there’s no question about that. However, there were others as well: Henry VIII, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and so forth.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Bishop Fulton J Sheen, Contrafactum or Contrafact, Glaring Omission Vatican II Lectionary, Martin Luther Heretic, Rev Fr Adrian Fortescue Liturgy, Victimae Paschali Laudes Last Updated: August 2, 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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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    Hymn by Cardinal Newman
    During the season of Septuagesima, we will be using this hymn by Cardinal Newman, which employs both Latin and English. (Readers probably know that Cardinal Newman was one of the world's experts when it comes to Lingua Latina.) The final verse contains a beautiful soprano descant. Father Louis Bouyer—famous theologian, close friend of Pope Paul VI, and architect of post-conciliar reforms—wrote thus vis-à-vis the elimination of Septuagesima: “I prefer to say nothing, or very little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed (with no good reason) Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piddledy, all based on notions of their own devising!”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
    “Candlemas” • Our choir sang on February 2nd, and here's a live recording of the beautiful INTROIT: Suscépimus Deus. We had very little time to rehearse, but I think it has some very nice moments. I promise that by the 8th Sunday after Pentecost it will be perfect! (That Introit is repeated on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.) We still need to improve, but we're definitely on the right track!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
    Anyone who desires simplified antiphons (“psalm tone versions”) for 2 February, the Feast of the Purification—which is also known as “Candlemas” or the Feast of the Presentation—may freely download them. The texts of the antiphons are quite beautiful. From “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium” you can hear a live excerpt (Mp3). I'm not a fan of chant in octaves, but we had such limited time to rehearse, it seemed the best choice. After all, everyone should have an opportunity to learn “Lumen Ad Revelatiónem Géntium,” which summarizes Candlemas.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“If we continue to tolerate sad examples of liturgical abnormalities, experimentation, abuse, and simply poor-quality liturgies, why should we single out those connected to the ancient rites of the Church for special vigilance? It just doesn’t seem right.”

— An Example of a response (sent to Pope Francis) Re: the TLM

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  • Introit • Candlemas (2 February)
  • Simplified Antiphons • “Candlemas”
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