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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

Re: Copyright Status of “Abbey Psalms & Canticles” (PDF Chart)

Jeff Ostrowski · November 4, 2024

N THE YEAR 2013, six years after CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED was founded, we adopted a policy making clear we would no longer respond to any copyright inquiries. We adopted this policy because we’d been burned too many times. People would write to us asking copyright questions—and we’d respond. Those people would then go online and twist our words. Why did they do this? Some were malevolent. Others, however, had a false understanding of copyright. No matter how patiently we tried to explain matters to them, it didn’t make any difference. Certain people have a belief in their head and nothing can change it. You can talk until you’re blue in the face, but it won’t make any difference. Such people are the reason for our policy.

Abbey Psalms & Canticles

Brief History • Over the past few months, there’s been considerable discussion about whether the Abbey Psalms and Canticles is under copyright. If you’re wondering what the “Abbey Psalms and Canticles” translation is, please research it on GOOGLE. (It would take too long to explain its provenance.) For the purposes of this article, all you need to know is that the USCCB claims the Abbey Psalms and Canticles will someday replace the translation of the Responsorial Psalms printed in USA lectionaries. Whether this will actually take place is anyone’s guess.*

Damage Control • The Abbey Psalms and Canticles seems to be an effort at “damage control” after the USCCB’s copyright scheme with the Revised-Revised Grail was revealed publicly. Essentially, the copyright for the mandatory psalter had been given to a privately owned, non-Christian company (GIA PUBLICATIONS). Anyone who wanted to celebrate Mass, reproduce the Mass texts, or even broadcast the Mass on television or radio had to first obtain permission (!) from the non-Christian company and pay them money. If control had been given to a Protestant (non-Catholic) organization, that would have caused scandal; and rightly so. The fact that full control of our mandatory liturgical texts was given to a non-Christian organization (!) is even more shameful. As you might imagine, these heinous actions caused public outrage when they became known. For the record, the managing editor of the Church Music Association of America published an article claiming the Revised-Revised Grail translation had also been embedded in the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal.

Considerable Discussion • I’ve already reminded readers that our long-standing policy forbids our giving copyright guidance—under any circumstances—so I won’t be revealing my opinion on this matter. Nevertheless, there’s been considerable discussion online vis-à-vis whether the Abbey Psalms and Canticles translation is a candidate for copyright. Our readers have a right to know what the argument is about. Here’s a chart I made showing common Catholic translations for PSALM 33:

*  PDF • COMPARISON CHART (“Abbey Psalms & Canticles”)

The Issue Described • If I sneak into the LOUVRE tomorrow and draw a mustache on Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, that doesn’t mean I suddenly gain copyright on the Mona Lisa. That’s not how copyright works, even though some publishers claim otherwise. To place the entire issue into a nutshell, the Abbey Psalms and Canticles is virtually identical to translations which exist already. Because it’s so similar, folks are demanding to know whether it can be placed under copyright. They argue that merely changing a word here and there is insufficient to copyright the translation. Consider the first verse of Psalm 33:

Douay-Rheims-Challoner:
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise shall be always in my mouth.

Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition)
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Westminster Translation (1958)
I will bless the Lord at all times:
His praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Ladies of the Grail (1963)
I will bléss the Lórd at all tímes,
his práise álways on my líps;

The New American Bible
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be always in my mouth.

Revised-Revised Grail Psalter
I will bless the Lord at all times;
praise of him is always in my mouth.

Abbey Psalms & Canticles
I will bless the Lord at all times,
praise of him is always in my mouth.

I could easily provide more examples, but hopefully you get the point.

Trolling Us? • Sometimes, it almost seems as if the people in charge are clowning us. For instance, in PSALM 28 they left everything the same except for one word. “Sat” they changed to “sits.” Are these people serious? Keeping liturgical musicians in suspense for twenty years … for changes like that? Are these people for real?

* For years, the USCCB claimed the Revised-Revised Grail translation was going to be printed in USA lectionaries. Some books, such as the WORSHIP IV HYMNAL (GIA Publications, 2011) attempted to “get a leg up on competition” by printing the Revised-Revised Grail in their books. But their plan backfired because the USCCB—it turns out—was being dishonest when they said the Revised-Revised Grail would appear in lectionaries. At some point, the USA lectionary itself may also be replaced or updated we are being told. It could be here (perhaps) as early as 2029. When the “new” lectionary was announced in 2012, Donald Cardinal Wuerl said: “The sooner we get started, the sooner some of you will live to see it.”

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Abbey Psalms and Canticles, New Lectionary Edition USA Last Updated: November 20, 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

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

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

“Now with the elimination of Latin, the choirs that performed the treasures of sacred music are dying. Someone remarked that the study of sacred music is the history of its disappearance. In place of the authentic music demanded by the Vatican Council, all kinds of secular forms and inferior dance and combo music are heard.”

— Monsignor Richard J. Schuler (1971)

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