Views from the Choir Loft

Saint Vitus Roman Catholic Church • Los Angeles, CA

Corpus Christi Watershed · June 30, 2018

HE ARCHBISHOP of Los Angeles, Most Rev. José H. Gomez, has established a personal parish dedicated exclusively to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, also known as the “Traditional Latin Mass” or the “Tridentine Rite.”

REV. JAMES FRYAR, of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, has been named Pastor, and FATHER REV. MASUTTI serves as Curate. Right across the street is a beautiful park where the parish families can play.

SAINT VITUS CATHOLIC CHURCH
Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
607 4th Street
San Fernando 91340

Sunday 7:30am (Low Mass)
Sunday 9:00am (High Mass)
Sunday 11:00am (High Mass)
Sunday 4:00pm (Vespers)
Sunday 5:00pm (with Spanish and English Sermon)
Daily Mass schedule forthcoming.

Mass Schedule was updated 31 January 2019.

A quote from a member of Saint Vitus Parish:

“How long did we wait? And now, at last, I can drive my wife and children to a regular Sunday Mass—week after week—and live the parish life with my friends who also feel the Latin Mass is our future. Thank you Archbishop and Fraternity!” (Mr. José Moreno)

Archbishop José H. Gomez officially opened the Parish on 25 June 2018:

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Mrs. Yvonne Asencio, a parishioner at Saint Vitus, made all the vestments by hand for this once-in-a-lifetime ceremony:

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The parish celebrated Pontifical Vespers with Most Rev’d Bishop Brennan on 26 June:

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Much construction took place before the 25 June ceremony:

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Although the church is not finished, you can see the tremendous progress made so far!

Here is a copy of the last bulletin ever printed at the church in West Hollywood where the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter formerly offered Mass:

* * PDF Download • Final Bulletin at the FSSP’s former home

Beginning 25 June 2018, the FSSP has officially moved to Saint Vitus.

Julia Garcia contributed to this article.

BELOW IS A WEB ARCHIVE (unofficial) for FSSP.la parish bulletins published by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Los Angeles.

N.B. Bookmark this precise link because it will never change.

* * PDF Download • 04 August 2019

* * PDF Download • 28 July 2019

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* * PDF Download • 17 July 2016

* * PDF Download • 10 July 2016

* * PDF Download • 12 June 2016

* * PDF Download • 29 May 2016

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* * PDF Download • 15 May 2016

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* * PDF Download • 13 March 2016

* * PDF Download • 6 March 2016

* * PDF Download • 28 February 2016

* * PDF Download • 14 February 2016

* * PDF Download • 29 Nov 2015

Learn more about this brand new parish by visiting FSSP.la.

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

PDF Download • “Eb Organ Postlude”

Gustav Adolf Merkel (d. 1885) was a German organist, teacher, and composer. Although a Lutheran himself, he held the appointment at the (Roman Catholic) Cathedral of Dresden from 1864 until his death. You can download his Organ Postlude in E-Flat, which I like very much. He has an interesting way of marking the pedal notes. What do you think?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Music List • (Palm Sunday, 2026)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Palm Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica in palmis de Passione Domini”—which is 29 March 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The OFFERTORY (Impropérium exspectávit cor meum) is quite moving. Even though the COMMUNION ANTIPHON is relatively simple, the Fauxbourdon makes it sound outstanding.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Easter • Would You Sing This Hymn?

He who examines Laudes Dei: a hymnal for Catholic congregations (St. Louis, 1894) will discover this pairing of a hymn for Easter. For the record, this isn’t the only Catholic hymn book to marry that text and melody; e.g. Saint Mark’s Hymnal for Use in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States (Peoria, 1910) does the same thing. Sometimes an unexpected pairing—chosen with sensitivity—can be superb, forcing singers to experience the text in a ‘fresh’ and wonderful way. On the other hand, we sometimes encounter something I’ve called “PERNICIOUS HYMN PAIRINGS.” If you find the subject in intriguing, feel free to peruse an article I published in May of 2023. As always, my email inbox is open if you have a bone to pick with my take.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)

I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”

For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.

—Jeff Ostrowski

To end an impropriety, noticed particularly at orchestral Vespers, when two or three Psalms are sung with full orchestra, and then the other Psalms and the Hymn are rapidly hurried through with organ accompaniment only […] we order that at Mass all portions of the text, including “Agnus Dei,” be sung with orchestral accompaniment. […] Moreover, the musicians are not allowed to put the instruments away and leave their places before the conclusion of the sacred function.

— Cardinal Patrizi (18 November 1856)