Views from the Choir Loft

New Sacred Music Magazine — “Altare Dei”

Fr. David Friel · October 27, 2016

UST RELEASED is the first edition of Altare Dei, a new magazine devoted to liturgy and sacred music. This new effort has been conceived by Maestro Aurelio Porfiri, known by our readers as a past contributor to these pages. Porfiri’s experience as a choir master, conductor, organist, and music theorist has prepared him well to serve as editor of this new publication.

There is not an overwhelming number of journals and magazines in the field of liturgy and sacred music. Still, what makes Altare Dei different and worth reading?

1. The magazine will include such varied content as articles, interviews, profiles, editorials, and announcements about major concerts, conferences, etc.

2. Each issue will also include a substantial insert of new music. This first issue includes 6 original pieces from 4 different composers, a total of 12 pages of music. Altare Dei would be worth purchasing for this feature alone.

3. Articles will appear in English, but they will include, by translation, contributions from beyond the Anglophone world.

4. The cost of the magazine is just €6 (roughly $7 USD). There are, moreover, no shipping fees, as the content is available for instant download.

Altare Dei will be distributed strictly in digital format through the website of Choralife music publisher. It is envisioned that Altare Dei will appear as a bi-monthly magazine. The first issue is available now for download.

I am pleased to have an article featured in this first October 2016 edition. Among the other contributors are many familiar names in the fields of sacred liturgy & music:

David Fagerberg (theology professor, University of Notre Dame); Peter Kwasniewski (professor & choirmaster, Wyoming Catholic College); Colin Mawby (composer & former conductor of Westminster Cathedral choir); Serafino Tognetti, CFD (monk & writer); Sr. Rosa Goglia (philosopher); Valentino Miserachs (composer & choirmaster, Santa Maria Maggiore); Mauro Visconti (composer); Rodolfo Papa (art historian & painter)

Download this inaugural edition here, and see the excellent content for yourself!

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

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 21 December 2025, which is the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is the famous “Roráte Coeli” and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplified Accompaniment (Advent Hymn)

Many organists are forced to simultaneously serve as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment (PDF) which in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal is hymn #661: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (for ADVENT). I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 2,900 times in a matter of hours—so there appears to be interest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

Those searching for a dignified, brief, simple, bright setting of SANCTUS in Spanish (“Santo Santo Santo”) are invited to download this Setting in honor of Saint John Brébeuf (organist & vocalist). I wonder if there would be any interest in me recording a rehearsal video for this piece.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed