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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Was “Ordinary Time” Found in the 1962 Missal?

Jeff Ostrowski · January 14, 2025

S FAR AS I can tell, experts in Latin never use the term “Ordinary Time.” It’s a terrible translation of per annum. For example, Father Valentine Young, OFM, always translated it as “through the year.” Father Samuel Weber—who for many years taught Latin in the seminary—did the same thing. (Father Samuel Weber was a great admirer of Gregorian Chant. However, when he published his English adaptations, he used the Adalbert Propers instead of the ancient chants in the GRADUALE ROMANUM—and I would give a great deal to know why.)

1962 Missal • In the Roman Rite, Sundays which follow cardinal feasts have a “markèd character.” The Church’s three cardinal feasts are: Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost. But the reformers (for reasons which have never been explained) eliminated all Sundays of a markèd character. On the other hand, it’s important to realize that Tempus Per Annum initially came from the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, which was in many ways of “transitional” missal. I realize some of the so-called “ultra-traditionalists” deny this—but all you have to do is open up the 1962 Missal:

*  PDF Download • MISSALE ROMANUM (1962 edition)
—The term “Tempus Per Annum” comes from the 1962 Missal.

“Ordinal” Time? • Online commentators sometimes attempt to justify the faulty translation of tempus per annum by pretending it actually means “Ordinal Time.” That is to say: Sundays ordered one after another. As far as I can tell, there is no justification whatsoever for such a notion. If you don’t believe me, look up the word “ordinary” in the dictionary. Just because two words sound similar doesn’t mean they are synonymous.

Eucharistic Prayer No. 2 • Father Louis Bouyer (the one chosen by the pope to compose EUCHARISTIC PRAYER NO. 2) famously wrote as follows about the changes made to the calendar by the 1960s reformers:

“I prefer to say nothing, or 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-piggledy, all based on notions of their own devising! Because these three hotheads obstinately refused to change anything in their work and because the pope wanted to finish up quickly to avoid letting the chaos get out of hand, their project, however insane, was accepted!”

Someday, all of this must be sorted out.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Louis Bouyer Oratorian Priest, Propers Ignatius Press by Fr Samuel Weber, Rev Fr Valentine Young OFM, Traditional Latin Mass Last Updated: January 14, 2025

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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

    “Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 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 propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —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

“As often as possible they gathered together the children of the village and sat them down in the cabin. Father Brébeuf would put on a surplice and biretta and chant the Our Father, which Father Daniel had translated into Huron rhymes, and the children would chant it after him. Next, he taught them the sign of the cross, the Hail Mary, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Commandments.”

— Biography of St. Jean de Brébeuf

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