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Views from the Choir Loft

A Dream Come True: 1965 Missal Online!

Jeff Ostrowski · November 15, 2013

HE CHANGES MADE to the Roman Rite didn’t happen overnight. They were phased in from approximately 1965 to 1972. However, some craziness started pretty early, as you can see by looking at this fully approved “congregational” musical setting of the Our Father published in 1966.

The first major changes came when Inter Oecumenici appeared in 1964. As a result, the 1965 Missale Romanum was published, a radical departure from the 1962 version. Only a few priestly prayers during Offertory and Canon were required to be said in Latin, and even those restrictions would be lifted a couple years later. You can download all 1,780 pages of the 1965 Missal in PDF form:

PDF Download: The 1965 Missal (1,785 pages)

This book belongs to Marie Johnson; it was scanned by Corpus Christi Watershed.

THE 1965 MISSAL includes 100% of the Latin (printed in tiny type) right next to the English, because Inter Oecumenici stated in no uncertain terms:

“Missals to be used in the liturgy, however, shall contain besides the vernacular version the Latin text as well.”

If this principle had been kept, many egregious errors (which still persist 40 years later) could have been avoided. The next big change came on 4 May 1967, when Tres Abhinc Annos allowed the Roman Canon to be prayed in the vernacular. Many priests tore out the (Latin) pages in their 1965 Missals and replaced them with inserts like this one. Notice the Imprimatur dated 1 October 1967. They certainly didn’t waste any time, did they? Why such a big rush to modify a venerable Rite that had existed for 1500 years? The sentence in Tres Abhinc Annos doesn’t match what I’ve been told by many people alive in 1967:

“The rich yield [of the liturgical reforms] is becoming quite clear from the many reports of bishops, which attest to an increased, more aware, and intense participation of the faithful everywhere in the liturgy, especially in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.”

The “rush job” led to many ugly, ephemeral books. In my opinion, the 1965 Missal is difficult to understand in places since it lacks red text, unlike this 1966 Sacramentary (108MB). Numerous errors were also printed, like the following (from the 1965 Missal):

In 1969, Pope Paul VI would promulgate the Novus Ordo Missae, but several more years would elapse before the “complete” Novus Ordo Rite came into existence. The haphazard way in which the various parts (3-year Lectionary, Graduale Simplex, Ordo Cantus Missae, etc.) were introduced can be seen by Bugnini’s explanation.

In 1969, many priests ripped out the Roman Canon and replaced it with inserts like this, containing four (4) new Eucharistic Prayers. Those who look carefully will notice something very odd, which I cannot fully explain:

That’s right … it’s dated December of 1968. My understanding is that Paul VI would not promulgate the new Eucharistic Prayers until 3 April 1969, but perhaps a reader can correct me.

TO QUOTE VANESSA WILLIAMS, I have “saved the best for last.” The most interesting document I’ve found is this 1970 Ordo Missae (89MB). Turn to Appendix I, and you’ll discover many fascinating injunctions. I will not detail them here, but I will provide the following example (based on Liturgicae Instaurationes, §7):

It would be fascinating to learn if books similar to the above were produced in French, Italian, Spanish, German, etc.

 

UPDATE:   Please note that the “Missale Romanum” is dated 1966. However, it’s an identical, exact reprint of the 1965 edition. Also, people have been asking about the “dream come true.” The “dream” was to have the 1965 Missal online.

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

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: 1965 Missal, Annibale Bugnini Reform Last Updated: July 19, 2021

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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

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

By far, the event that caused the biggest increase in requests for indults from the morning Mass requirement was the Second World War. The unusual requirements of providing Mass during wartime led to some unique legislation accommodating the time of Mass. Already in 1940, Pope Pius XII issued a motu proprio addressing the situation of holding Mass in countries where a “Black-out” had been ordered.

— Father Shawn P. Tunink

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