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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

Christmas Gift Idea • Unbelievable Made-By-Hand Wood Carvings!

Cynthia Ostrowski · August 24, 2015

OU’LL DEFINITELY WANT to visit and bookmark Soli Deo Gloria Lasercraft. The site’s creator, John McCarthy, is a retired US Coast Guard officer and combat veteran who is also a master woodworker. John has transformed the artwork I’ve been posting from the JOGUES MISSAL into magnificent etchings. Please browse his available pieces—each of them handmade—or click here to discover a whole bunch more information. Here’s an excerpt:

Creating these quality laser etchings involves a number of diverse processes including: design, computer graphics, laser production, machine and hand surface preparation, coating and finishing. The etchings are made of top-grade, 3/8 inch Baltic Birch plywood to ensure the finished product remains free from cracking, checking, or warping over time. Once the extensive laser design and cutting processes are complete, each etching is hand-finished and detailed using traditional wood-working and finishing techniques. A range of finishes are available including the traditional bright white printers ink, a golden “amber” varnish, and natural wood. All edges are carefully filled and layered to an elegant finish.

378 Wood Carving


The wood carving I received is quite impressive:

380 John McCarthy Wood Carving 383 John McCarthy Wood Carving 384 John McCarthy Wood Carving

John McCarthy’s services include:

—Personalized gifts for all occasions (weddings, anniversaries, ordinations, first-communions, confirmations, and so on)|
—Custom designs, images, materials, and finishes|
—Addition of names, dates, greetings, special verses, or prayers|
—Spanish language versions

While I cannot comment on pieces I’ve not seen, I suspect the artwork which avoids extremely intricate designs will turn out as nice as the one shown above. The following examples look splendid:

374 Zodiac Crucifix Carving 375 Mary Carving 382 John McCarthy Wood Carving


It is my understanding that all his new designs have a lovely edge, like this:

373 edge

John McCarthy can be contacted directly via email.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Religious Clipart Last Updated: November 24, 2020

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About Cynthia Ostrowski

Cynthia Ostrowski holds a bachelor's degree (2005) in Geographic Information Science and a minor in Computer Science from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
    Choirs love to sing the resplendent tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1929, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. Their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1929 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. As always, the Germans added an organ INTRODUCTION. For the record, I posted a different harmonization a few months ago which was downloaded more than 2,000 times.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF • “Lectionary Comparison Chart”
    Various shell corporations (in an effort to make money selling Sacred Scripture) have tinkered with the LECTIONARY texts in a way that’s shameful. It’s no wonder Catholics in the pews know so few Bible passages by heart. Without authorization, these shell corporations pervert the official texts. Consider the Responsorial Psalm for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A). If you download this PDF comparison chart you’ll notice each country randomly omits certain sections. Such tinkering has gone on for 60+ years—and it’s reprehensible.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Monsignor Klaus Gamber Speaks!
    An interesting quotation from the eminent liturgist, Monsignor Klaus Gamber (d. 1989): “According to canon law, a person’s affiliation with a particular liturgical rite is determined by that person’s rite of baptism. Given that the liturgical reforms of Pope Paul VI created a de facto new rite, one could assert that those among the faithful who were baptized according to the traditional Roman rite have the right to continue following that rite; just as priests who were ordained according to the traditional Ordo have the right to exercise the very rite that they were ordained to celebrate.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    “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 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

Random Quote

“Life need not mean something. Life is something. And what is it? It is: —the present moment (the only one I really have); —my body and soul; —the task at hand; Almighty God, (source of everything) asks just one thing: that I put my body and my soul into this one moment, this one task … that I might do it as God desires it to be done.”

— Based on an article by Robert Keim

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  • (Part 2) • Did they simplify this hymn?
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