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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 • “Entrance Chant” for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Jeff Ostrowski · May 13, 2025

HE SUPREME AUTHORITY vis-à-vis the sacred liturgy (except for the pope) during the 1960s was the CONGREGATION OF RITES. Even the Consilium had to seek approval from that dicastery for its decisions. More than a year after Vatican II promulgated the Constitution on the Liturgy (“Sacrosanctum Concilium”), the CONGREGATION OF RITES warned that Latin must remain primary while the vernacular was supposed to be secondary.1 To be precise, that dicastery warned (on 23 July 1964) that using the vernacular to the exclusion of Latin would create an undesirable “paradox” (their word), lamenting that if such were to occur: “Latin imposed as a basis would become an exception, and the vernacular, which must be given a secondary place, would occupy the main position.”

Accepting Reality • The situation we ended up with is a Mass without any Latin at all. This was done in violation of the explicit mandate of Vatican II—but what can I do about it? I’m not a bishop. I’m not even a priest. I’m a husband and father who just wants to make it to heaven.

Consider the following:

*  PDF Download • Musical Score
*  PDF Download • Organ Accompaniment

Here’s the direct URL link.

(1 of 5) English Adaptations • I don’t believe our Lord wants me to spend each day bewailing the fact that most Masses eliminated Latin in spite of what Vatican II mandated and in spite of the warning I quoted earlier (from the CONGREGATION OF RITES, dated 23 July 1964).

(2 of 5) English Adaptations • Instead of spending my energy complaining, I’ve been attempting to promote the splendid English adaptations of Gregorian Chant by the CHAUMONOT COMPOSERS GROUP. Specifically—as you can see above—I’ve been harmonizing them and creating rehearsal videos.

(3 of 5) English Adaptations • Dr. Lucas Tappan once told me he’d attempted to program at his Masses popular Proprium Missae adaptations in English,2 but could not continue using them because his choir felt bored out of their minds with them (and his priest felt the same way). I must admit, he is correct. There are some atrocious plainsong ‘adaptations’ out there. Some companies produce the equivalent of “artificial intelligence” adaptations: boring, uninspired, inartistic, and eminently forgettable.

(4 of 5) English Adaptations • The settings by the CHAUMONOT COMPOSERS GROUP are gorgeous, and I wish you could hear the females in my choir singing these each Sunday. Their beauty melts my heart—and unfortunately a recording device or microphone cannot ‘capture’ their wonderful sound accurately.

(5 of 5) English Adaptations • I never thought I would do plainsong in English. My whole life has been dedicated to singing, teaching, recording, promoting, and studying Gregorian Chant in Latin. But let’s be honest: there was no “perfect time” for the Catholic liturgy. Some bloggers claim the liturgy was perfect before 1954—but that’s false. Indeed, the “pre-1954” Missale Romanum contained many undesirable items, such as insanely ancient feasts being replaced by modern feasts. Those who claim to follow the “pre-1954” missal unwittingly create a “mixture” or “hybrid” liturgy; e.g. they allow Solemn Mass with incense even if there’s no Deacon and Subdeacon, they offer evening Masses, they distribute Holy Communion to the faithful during Mass, they modify the fasting laws, and so forth. I repeat: There is no “perfect” year for the sacred liturgy. Indeed, the liturgy during the 19th-century was unrecognizable because local feasts and modern feasts frequently replaced the ancient TEMPORALE.

Final Thoughts • Father John Vianney never offered the Roman Rite. (Or, if he did, it happened only towards the end of his life.) In those days, France had various “Neo-Gallican” rites. Nonetheless, I believe Saint John Vianney was a great saint. And this is why I don’t think God wants me to spend all day complaining that people violated the mandates of Vatican II. Instead, I feel called to make the best of the situation we have—and to give God as much glory as we possibly can.

1 According to Vatican II, the local bishop was “to decide whether, and to what extent, the vernacular language is to be used.” After the council, certain dishonest people pretended they didn’t know the meaning of the word “whether.” On this, cf. SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM §36.3. The phrase used by Vatican II was amplior locus (“more space”). The specific Vatican II mandate regarding the vernacular said “the limits of its employment may be extended.” It did not say Catholics should eliminate Latin and replace it with the vernacular. ALFONS CARDINAL STICKLER attended Vatican II as a perítus (“expert”). In a 1999 interview, he said: “I still remember very well how after several radical proposals a Sicilian bishop rose and implored the fathers to allow caution and reason to reign on this point, because otherwise there would be the danger that the entire Mass might be held in the language of the people—whereupon the entire hall burst into uproarious laughter.” The idea that liturgical Latin would be abandoned was absurd to the fathers of Vatican II.
2 If you think I’m going to reveal which set of propers Dr. Tappan was speaking of … I’m not. I already have enough enemies—the last thing I need is more people angry with me!

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Chaumonot Entrance Chant Collection, Congregation for Divine Worship, Congregation of Rites, English Adaptation Gregorian Chant, English Adaptation Plainsong, Plainsong in English Last Updated: May 13, 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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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

“Worse, composers are now setting the introits of the missal [instead of the Graduale] to music, even to chant, though these texts were explicitly for spoken recitation only.”

— ‘Dr. William Mahrt (Fall, 2015)’

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