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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

Reader Feedback • “Reform of the Reform”

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 14, 2025

The following came from Chad H.
[We usually redact names for anonymity’s sake.]

LOVED YOUR RECENT ARTICLE about the “Reform of the Reform,” however to my mind it just adds more “fuel to the fire.” I co-ordinate our Sunday only TLM Mass and try to engage with the pews as much as possible. We are a sub-group of a Novus Ordo parish with our own chapel. We try diligently to be part of the overall parish structure. However, once the word “Latin” is mentioned, everything shuts down. As an elderly person, I grew up with the TLM and experienced 40 years as an amateur choir leader before going back to my liturgical roots. Throughout those 40+ years, I designed the music liturgy according to my sense of entertainment—without realising what it was supposed to be until much later. In that time, I’ve come to realise that ‘entertainment’ instead of ‘liturgical reverence’ is the attraction for most who are fulfilling their Sunday Obligation via the Ordinary Form. I’m convinced that if we had the ability to have Solemn High Masses—regularly or irregularly—our attendance would soar. To the average Catholic, all this bickering about what is ‘traditional’ and what is ‘pseudo’ traditional is irrelevant. If the TLM or OF makes it internally worthwhile for me to go to a Mass, then “count me in.” There is a TLM Mass Centre in another local suburb that was rather rabid several years ago—and still is to a lesser degree—about the meaning of Traditional Liturgy. It came close to destroying their community. Is there a clear answer? In my opinion OF verses EF has gone on too long. The hierarchy are at sixes and sevens, the priesthood is not very supportive, and most attendees at Mass have only ever known the Ordinary Form … therefore anything ‘else’ must be an aberration. Change has to be driven at the lowest level that engages the non-TLM generations. How do you eat an elephant? A mouthful at a time. God Bless you and your work.

The following came from Mateo B.
[We usually redact names for anonymity’s sake.]

ENJOYED YOUR ARTICLE about the “Reform of the Reform.” I have two thoughts: (1) I do feel that the ROFR might be running out of steam, as far as fixing the Novus Ordo goes. I think people have had enough time to realize that the “juice ain’t worth the squeeze”—that their efforts are subject to episcopal or presbyterial whim, houses built upon sand. I recall the exact moment I felt this: We were doing sung Novus Ordo Vespers at my parish for a while. I was really trying to have the music be as traditional as possible: I would diligently look up the correct antiphon in official (or no?) books; find the chant for it; it there was no chant for it, I’d try to make my own simple rendition in Gregorian tones; I’d find music for the hymn; I’d set the English of the hymn to the proper hymn tune from the Liber Hymnarius, fending off requests for Taizé music; etc. It took me hours the first time I did it, and only after weeks of this did I get the preparation time down to maybe 30 minutes. I found myself constantly making my own personal calls as to what the antiphon tune was even supposed to be, what translation of the hymn even matched the hymn tune, flicking from PDF to PDF, learning and practicing these novel chants, etc. And I realized one day, as I prepared: No one cares. Certainly not the bishops. And all my work would be as tears in the rain when next they shift their ponderous bureaucracy to drop a new translation … which will have typos, errors, and a shifting sand dunes of options. My printing hard-wrought Vespers packets—with an expiration date of a decade or so—no longer seemed like a good use of time. I have a wife and many children to think of. The TLM Vespers were so much easier to put together. Usually there was already a fully-complete packet somewhere. We started gathering at a friend’s house once a month to do that instead. It feels nice to practice an antiphon that’s a thousand years old, and that—I truly believe—will be sung until He comes again. (The post-1910 breviary has untraditionalism too, but I couldn’t convince anyone to go full-monastic with me.) My smart-guy quip to my sympathetic pastor: “Preparing for the Novus Ordo is like dealing with a surly teen: it hates when you pay too much attention to it but also hates being ignored—and it’s exhausting either way.” (2) Re: Poorly informed traditionalists. Since I’m in my early 30s, so I never experienced TLM in the olden days, nor even in a parish with people who remembered the olden days. My ideals of tradition are totally contradictory. For instance, celebrating first Vespers of a saint’s day followed by Mass doesn’t bother me at all, because that’s what I can actually attend. And also, give me 1950 Holy Week now, but Holy Saturday in the evening because fire is awesome in the dark. A mess, I know. Basically, I want to get away with as much fun tradition as I can—even if that means ignoring traditional rubrics as regards time. Perhaps I’m a troglodyte, but I just want to do what I’m able, with as much tradition as possible, when it’s possible to do it, with as little infection as possible from destroying, rationalizing men like Bugnini. (That’s the drive, for me, of wanting to return to the older Holy Week. You’re right: I don’t know what I’m asking for. But I don’t like anything Bugnini had a hand in creating.) Thank you for reading my rambles.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: CCWatershed Feedback, Reader Feedback Corpus Christi Watershed Last Updated: March 17, 2025

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th 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 spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“After a discussion lasting several days, in which arguments for and against were discussed, the Council fathers came to the clear conclusion—wholly in agreement with the Council of Trent—that Latin must be retained as the language of cult in the Latin rite, although exceptional cases were possible and even welcome.”

— Alfons Cardinal Stickler, Vatican II ‘peritus’

Recent Posts

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  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)

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