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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

Bishop François Charrière Vs. Hannibal Bugnini

Jeff Ostrowski · July 5, 2025

OR ABOUT FIFTEEN years, I have been reading (each day) about the reform of the sacred liturgy undertaken during the 1960s. It goes without saying that we will never know everything that took place. Nonetheless, a decent amount of documentation has emerged over the last twenty years revealing shameful tactics used by Hannibal Bugnini, whom Father Louis Bouyer labeled a “mealy-mouthed scoundrel.” Hannibal Bugnini not only pretended to speak for the pope; he also pretended to speak for the entire Church. For instance, Bugnini’s CONSILIUM on 2 September 1964—pushing for radical changes far exceeding what Vatican II mandated—wrote to the pope as follows:

“we see no reason to
further postpone the reform
awaited and desired by all.”

Sycophants • Piero Marini (Bugnini’s secretary and devotee) published a book in 2007 which fawns over every decision Bugnini’s CONSILIUM made. Some of Marini’s statements are so sycophantic that he comes across as a lunatic. For instance, he claims—without evidence—that the Curia’s operating principle was “fear.” But when it comes to Bugnini’s CONSILIUM, Marini writes: “Not fear, but scholarly rigor and pastoral concern for the faithful’s active participation” constituted their operating principle. Fernando Cardinal Antonelli (who began the liturgical reforms with a secret document called Memoria sulla Riforma Liturgica) wrote a message to the pope saying that those who resist the liturgical reforms do so out of “indolence or lack of liturgical sensibility.” In other words, affection for the ancient Catholic liturgical tradition—according to Antonelli—means you’re either lazy or stupid.

Yet, consider the following message Bishop François Charrière sent to the Vatican in 1957:

We acknowledge that […] more or less substantial changes are being requested from Rome. But those who are pleased with today’s situation, those who live the Liturgy as given by the Roman Church, are not complaining, and do not say anything. Don’t we also have to consider the majority who are content? Isn’t their number as great, maybe greater, than the number of those who complain? We are being told of a desire, which then tends to become widespread, for a substantial modification of the Liturgy. What is really universal is the desire to see the faithful always participating in the Mass to a greater extent and to see the priests always living from their liturgical prayer. But as for how this better participation of the faithful and priests can be achieved, we do not believe that those who speak the more loudly, those who somehow impatiently keep asking for endless changes, do represent the majority.
En un mot, sur ce point comme les autres, nous nous rendons bien compte que, de divers côtés, on demande à Rome des changements plus ou moins substantiels. Mais ceux qui sont contents de la situation actuelle, ceux qui vivent vraiment la liturgie, telle que l’Eglise romaine nous l’a donnée, ne reclamant pas, ne disent rien. Ne faut-il pas tenir compte aussi, et largement, de ceux qui sont contents? Leur nombre n’est il pas aussi considérable, plus considérable peut-être que celui de ceux qui réclamant? On nous parle de désir qui tend à devenir universel en vue d’une modification massive de la liturgie. Ce qui est universel, c’est bien le désir de voir les fidèles participer d’une manière toujours plus active à la Messe, de voir les prêtres vivre toujours mieux leur prière liturgique. Mais quant à la manière de réaliser cette participation plus active des prêtres et des fidèles, nous ne croyons pas que ceux qui parlent le plus fort et le plus haut, ceux qui s’empressent avec quelque impatience parfois de solliciter sans cesse des changements, représentent réellement la major pars.
[Emphases in the original.]

If only more had been willing to heed the wisdom of Bishop Charrière!

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Annibale Bugnini Reform, Archbishop Hannibal Bugnini, Memoria Sulla Riforma Liturgica, Memoria Sulla Riforma Liturgica ANTONELLI Last Updated: July 6, 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

    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

What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.

— Pope Benedict XVI, Letter accompanying “Summorum Pontificum” (7/7/07)

Recent Posts

  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)

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