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!
