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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 • “O’Fallon Mass Propers” (483 Pages)

Jeff Ostrowski · July 29, 2024

ODAY, FOR THE FIRST time in history, we release the complete set of Englished Gregorian Propers—all 483 pages!—created by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O’Fallon, Missouri. Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel spent two decades as chaplain to these sisters at their motherhouse in O’Fallon before being transferred to Saint Louis.* Before I provide the download links, let me suggest four reasons composers should set the Sung Propers and not the Spoken Propers, which were included in the SACRAMENTARY for priests offering Mass privately or without music. In 2007, the chairman of the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship correctly pointed out that the Spoken Propers “differ substantially” (his words) from the Sung Propers and “were never intended to be sung” (again, his words). Archbishop Bugnini wrote, very succinctly: “The entrance and communion antiphons of the Missal were intended to be recited, not sung.”

(1 of 4) Disrespect for Scripture • The “spoken” propers often modify the traditional text in subtle ways. For example, the ENTRANCE CHANT for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time at first glance seems identical to the “sung” version, but closer examination shows how the “spoken” version omits the references to God “conquering” or “destroying” enemies. (The 1970s reformers considered such Scripture passages insufficiently “nice.”) But Sacred Scripture should not be bowdlerized. Something similar was done on the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

(2 of 4) Theological Distortions • The “spoken” propers sometimes downplay traditional theology. For example, the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time assigns Acceptábis Sacrifícium as the COMMUNION CHANT. But that chant “emphasizes” or “reinforces” or “calls to mind” how the Mass is primarily a sacrifice. Because of this, the “spoken” version eradicated the traditional passage, inexplicably replacing it with a completely different one.

(3 of 4) No More Sin? • Broadly speaking, the “spoken” propers de-emphasize, minimize, or eliminate texts which dwell on sin (and especially sorrow for sin). For example, the “spoken” version of the ENTRANCE CHANT for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time at first glance seems identical to the “sung” version. However, a close examination reveals that plorémus ante eum (“let us shed tears before the Lord”) was inexplicably excised.

(4 of 4) Connections Severed • The most important reason to avoid the “spoken” propers is obvious: they have no history. The GRADUALE ROMANUM is astronomically ancient, far more ancient than the ORDINARIUM MISSAE. Why on earth would we wish to sever the connection to these ancient prayers, and (by so doing) gain absolutely nothing?

Needless to say, the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O’Fallon, Missouri, used the Sung Propers. (The Spoken Propers wouldn’t be invented for another five years.)

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (1 of 7) —39 pages
—“Advent to Septuagesima” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (2 of 7) —51 pages
—“Septuagesima to Easter Vigil” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (3 of 7) —58 pages
—“Easter Vigil to the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (4 of 7) —64 pages
—“4th Sunday after Pentecost to Advent” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (5 of 7) —84 pages
—“Common of the Saints” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (6 of 7) —163 pages
—“Feasts of the Saints” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

*  PDF Download • “O’FALLON PROPERS” (7 of 7) —24 pages
—“Plainsong Burial Rite” • Sisters of the Most Precious Blood (O’Fallon, Missouri).

Final Thoughts • Sadly, they didn’t include the feast of Saint Isaac Jogues and Companions, who are the Patron Saints of North America. Jim Randazzo informs me that the eye-catching artwork on the book covers was designed by one of their own: Sister Hiltrudis Powers. I would very much like to know why they included the word “alleluia” on the Requiem cover. (In the west, the word “alleluia” was not said as part of the Requiem Mass until after Vatican II.) From a musical perspective, some of the settings are very well done, very clever, and very tuneful.

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Photographs courtesy of Cynthia Ostrowski.

Addendum (27 November 2024):

The PREFACE to the first book says: “A very special word of acknowledgment is due to the late Dom Ermin Vitry, O.S.B., who bequeathed to the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood the fruits of his many years of research and study in Gregorian chant. His careful and authoritative analyses of hundreds of Gregorian antiphons have been the chief reference in the work of adapting these melodies to the vernacular texts.”

* Some believe that Monsignor Martin Hellriegel was quite involved with the creation of the O’FALLON PROPERS.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Dom Ermin Vitry, Graduale Romanum Roman Gradual Propers, Mass Propers Proprium Missae, Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel, O'Fallon Missouri Mass Propers, Propers, Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, Sung Vs Spoken Propers Novus Ordo Last Updated: November 27, 2024

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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

    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th 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 top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Little Encouragement?
    In the Gospel, our Savior tells about 10 lepers who were healed. Only one went back to give thanks. Precious few express gratitude, yet many have endless energy to complain. For that reason, I deeply appreciate receiving messages like the following, which arrived a few days ago (about the parish where I direct in Michigan): “Last Sunday, a couple I knew from Grand Rapids was at Mass at 10:00 a.m. I got a chance to talk to them after Mass. I wanted to let you know what they said about the choir. They were absolutely floored by our sound!!!!! They both said they could continuously listen to our choir and the beauty of it. They asked me: “Do you always sound like that?” And they were also very surprised at how packed the church was. They said it was nice for them to be in such a full church. I just thought you would be interested to know their thoughts about our choir.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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
    “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

Random Quote

“In all this mediaeval religious poetry there is much that we could not use now. Many of the hymns are quite bad, many are frigid compositions containing futile tricks, puns, misinterpreted quotations of Scripture, and twisted concepts, whose only point is their twist. But there is an amazing amount of beautiful poetry that we could still use. If we are to have vernacular hymns at all, why do we not have translations of the old ones?”

— Fr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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  • Little Encouragement?

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