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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

“Simple English Propers” • Error this Sunday?

Jeff Ostrowski · April 27, 2025

N THE VERY FIRST document ratified by the Second Vatican Council, we find the following mandate (SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM, §23): “There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them.” But during the season of Easter, the 1970 kalendar made an insanely confusing change: the numbers are all mixed up. For instance, in the traditional kalendar, this coming Sunday—27 April 2025,1 with the familiar “Quasi modo” INTROIT—is referred to as the 1st Sunday after Easter. But in the 1970 kalendar, this coming Sunday—27 April 2025, with the familiar “Quasi modo” INTROIT—is referred to as the 2nd Sunday of Easter. This confusion lasts all throughout Eastertide. For instance, next Sunday (4 May 2025) in the traditional kalendar is the Second Sunday after Easter. But in the 1970 kalendar, next Sunday (4 May 2025) is referred to as the Third Sunday of Easter. In the traditional kalendar, 11 May 2025 is the Third Sunday after Easter. But in the 1970 kalendar, 11 May 2025 is called “The Fourth Sunday of Easter.”

Did the good of the Church
“genuinely and certainly”
require this confusing change?

“SEP” Error • In light of all the changes, it’s not surprising errors crept in. I believe I may have found an error in the Simple English Propers (CMAA, 2011). Specifically, the ENTRANCE CHANT for this coming Sunday,1 which uses the wrong psalm:

The correct psalm is PSALM 80: “Exsultáte Deo adjutóri nostro; jubiláte Deo Jacob.”

I have no idea how this “typo” or “mistake” or “error” crept in. Perhaps there’s a reason they didn’t use PSALM 80—but that’s what been used for centuries. It’s also what’s assigned by the Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) as well as the 1974 GRADUALE ROMANUM:

If anyone can explain this, I’m all ears.

Addendum • Getting back to my initial theme … as far as I can tell, the traditional naming of the Sundays after Easter goes back many centuries. Below is an excerpt from 1066nimes|1066, a manuscript that was (perhaps) created sometime around the year 1066AD:

Vatican II said: “There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them.” What specifically was “deficient” about the traditional naming system? Were millions of Catholics begging the pope to change it? This seems like yet another example of change for the sake of change.

What specifically changed in the year 1970 that made such tinkering necessary? How was the Catholic Church able to produce so many amazing and inspiring saints (for so many centuries) before that change was made? It seems like the ancient Christians got along just fine with the traditional naming system… Would Saint John Bosco have been a better saint if he’d experienced the new naming system? How about Saint Francis of Assisi? How about Saint Isaac Jogues? What about Bernadette Soubirous? What about Saint Andrew Bobola? They all seem to have been just fine.

One final time I ask: Did the good of the Church “genuinely and certainly require” that the 5th Sunday after Easter be changed to the 6th Sunday of Easter?

1 This Sunday has many names: (a) Low Sunday; (b) “Dominica in Albis” or White Sunday; (c) Octave Day of Easter; (d) Divine Mercy Sunday; (e) Quasi Modo Sunday; etc.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Dominica in Albis, Low Sunday, Quasi Modo Introit, SEP Simple English Propers CMAA Last Updated: April 28, 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

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    “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 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

Random Quote

“Unfortunately there are few organists or singers nowadays whose knowledge of Latin is sufficient to enable them to follow easily the meaning of the liturgical texts.”

— Monsignor Charles E. Spence (18 Dec. 1952)

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