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.”
“I have noticed that when the present Lectionary occasionally proposes a ‘Shorter Form’ for one of the Gospel readings, the lines edited are something Our Lord said that comfortable people would rather He had not said.” — Fr. George W. Rutler
When a certain bishop stood up at Vatican II and expressed concern that “the entire Mass might be held in the language of the people,” the entire hall burst into uproarious laughter.
“In this country either for want of books or inability to read, the great part of our congregations must be utterly ignorant of the meaning and sense of the publick offices of the Church.” — Archbishop of Baltimore (1787)
“Whenever school children must be placed in the choir loft at High Mass, the Boys may sing but the Girls must keep silent, unless the whole congregation takes part in the singing.” — Diocese of Pittsburgh Regulations (1931)
“Stella Splendens” features unaccompanied sacred vocal music sung by six ladies in high school.
Has anyone else noticed this?
This short video might annoy your friends … yet it just might get us thinking!
“Impelled by the weightiest of reasons, we are fully determined to restore Latin to its position of honor.” — Blessed John XXIII (22 February 1962)
On 17 April 1980, Blessed John Paul II approved and confirmed a document saying, “Females are not permitted to act as altar servers.”
Is it really true that any style of music can be lawfully used at Mass?
I always enjoy seeing “participation aids” from days of old …
A Catholic bishop once said to me: “One of the greatest proofs of the truth of Christianity is the fact that the Church is still here in spite of the incompetence and villainy of her frail priests and all-too-human bishops.”
I took Latin in school, and one day someone asked me, “Did you know that in the Middle Ages the Mass used to be in Latin?” I thought, “I wish that still happened, somewhere on earth.”
It is simply incorrect to say that a “black hole” existed from 600AD until 1965 (when the vernacular was introduced) during which Catholics were not truly adoring God at Mass.
I was disturbed when I read Fr. Godfrey Diekmann’s comments about the Pope.
