OR SEVERAL MONTHS, I’ve been studying a book called Thirty Years of Liturgical Renewal by Father Frederick R. McManus, one of the founders of ICEL, who celebrated on 24 August 1964 (for the first time in United States history) a complete Mass in the vulgar tongue. To be honest, I only pick up this book when I need to ‘get my blood running’. It’s a truly infuriating tome, in which McManus insists over and over again that every Catholic who lived before Vatican II was a liturgical ignoramus. If I can find time and energy, someday I might give McManus’ book a rigorous treatment. Each page contains at least one sentence so staggeringly smug and uninformed that it causes one’s blood to boil.
Breathtaking Breakthrough? • Readers know well the serious reasons behind the Church’s perennial preference for a lingua sacra at Mass. It will surprise nobody that McManus (who detested Latin) insisted upon the vulgar tongue. But what never ceases to amaze me is how the reformers pretend the vulgar tongue’s introduction was some ‘breakthrough’ or ‘epiphany’ or ‘quantum leap’—as if the great saints never realized they were praying in a lingua sacra. In other words, pushing for the vulgar tongue is one thing. Pretending it’s a brilliant ‘revelation’ the great saints were too dumb to conceive of is something truly reprehensible.
Heartbreaking Dismay • Father McManus must have experienced heartbreak in 1974 when Pope Saint Paul VI mailed a booklet of CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”) to every western bishop. Its title was: “JUBILATE DEO: Easier Gregorian Chants the faithful should learn, bearing in mind Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.” As of 23 February 2026, you can download this booklet free of charge:
* PDF Download • JUBILATE DEO (86 pages)
—Cantus Gregoriani faciliores quos fideles discant oportet.
This booklet surely caused McManus deep sorrow for two reasons: (1) The entire booklet is in Latin, filled with Gregorian Chant; (2) The booklet is explicitly meant for Catholics in the pews. Father McManus declared that Catholics must never (!) read along with the celebrant (as he proclaims prayers at Mass) from a booklet or printed text. Specifically, he insists that doing so:
“can only be an inhibition to
authentic celebration & community
participation.” (Page 139)
His Word Is Law • Father McManus never explains why it’s so terrible to follow—by means of printed materials—liturgical prayers. Nor does he make an exception for hearing-impaired or deaf Catholics. Indeed, one reason I called his book ‘infuriating’ is because his opinions are invariably presented as incontrovertible and unquestionable. Since Father McManus nowhere gives a justification, I can only guess. My guess would be that Catholics following along with the celebrant would thwart priests who wish to modify surreptitiously official Church texts.
Atténde Dómine • Although it isn’t nearly as ancient as other hymns in the plainsong repertoire, “Atténde Dómine” has become one of the most popular hymns for LENT—perhaps because it was included in the famous Liber Usualis of Solesmes. Abbé Ferdinand Portier—who published Le Bréviaire de l’Organiste—composed an accompaniment for it since it’s found in the LIBER CANTUALIS (although he only includes two verses). The Nouveau Manuel Complet De l’Organist (1863) contains extra verses I hadn’t been aware of. Dr. Adrian Fortescue included it in his hymnal; a testament to how popular it must’ve been. Indeed, I was surprised to see that—although it is not authentic CARMEN GREGORIANUM—it was included in the JUBILATE DEO booklet mailed to each bishop. The following musical score has an incredibly accurate version in English, a nice version in Spanish, and the original Latin. Although I don’t claim to have a great singing voice, I recorded a rehearsal video:
* PDF Download • “Atténde Dómine” (Musical Score)
—Plainsong version: English, Spanish, and Latin.
English Plainsong • I wasn’t around when Vatican II happened; I was born in the 1980s. Nobody back then asked my opinion. I have dedicated my life to Latin plainsong, but I realize the Church does allow the vulgar tongue. For that reason, I felt compelled to create that rehearsal video (in English).
Terminology Tricks • A quote attributed to George Orwell (d. 1950) says: “Whoever controls the language controls the mind.” When people like McManus contradict explicit mandates of Vatican II, they never call this disobedience. Instead, they claim to be “going beyond” Vatican II or “developing upon” Vatican II. Father McManus chose his language carefully. Consider page 105, on which McManus describes Catholics who disagree with his interpretations as “disaffected people” who suffer from “a psychological resistance to change” as a result of “a simple nostalgia.” Naturally, McManus never entertains the possibility that his views might be incorrect.
A Lopsided Vote • On page 105 (5th paragraph), McManus makes an interesting statement, claiming that “dissatisfied people” foolishly resist his reforms because of “a desire to preserve the music written for Latin.” Did you notice the way Father McManus selected his words? Did you see how carefully he phrased that? Readers know Vatican II—on 4 December 1963—explicitly mandated that “the treasury of sacred music is to be preserved and fostered with very great care.” No mention of desire. That decree was one of the most lopsided votes of the council, with 2,147 bishops voting in favor and only 4 against. But notice how Father McManus doesn’t say “in obedience to explicit mandates of Vatican II.” Instead, he speaks of a “desire” (his word) to preserve the music written for Latin. I won’t insult the intelligence of our readers by explaining why McManus chose that particular phraseology.
Final Thoughts • If anyone desires to mail us physical copies of various editions of JUBILATE DEO, this would thrill us!
