Views from the Choir Loft

News Items / 14 February 2013

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 14, 2013

BELOW ARE A FEW NEWS ITEMS:

1. The New Oxford Review recently published an article about Joseph Chihwatenha [pdf], of great interest to those of us who love the Jesuit Martyrs of North America.

2. A remarkable and truly amazing statement [pdf] has been issued by His Excellency, Bishop Alexander K. Sample.

3. Here is an example of why such statements are needed:

4. Here is Bishop Robert Morlino on the Forthcoming Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI:

ITH THE REST of you, I woke this morning to learn of the shocking, but not altogether surprising, news that our beloved Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is resigning his service as the successor of St. Peter, Bishop of Rome. His announcement brings me sadness personally, as he is a hero to me and a great shepherd for the Church. I first met the Holy Father as Cardinal Ratzinger in 1983. But knowing his decision was made after prudent consideration of the needs of the entire Church, and reflecting on his own human limitations, should bring us all a great deal of consolation. Pope Benedict has offered a tremendous act of humility and courage, for the good of the entire Church. He knows that, given the fast-paced world in which we live, his prayer is the best gift he can give each one of us as members of Christ’s Church. I know I speak for all faithful Catholics when I say, he is loved and he will be missed. Join me, and the faithful of the whole world, in prayer for Pope Benedict, during these last weeks of his papacy, and that God will grant him serenity, as he quietly leaves the See of Peter, and the world stage. We pray in thanksgiving for the clear wisdom, deep love, and profound holiness he gently brought to the Office of Pope these past eight years. We pray too that his successor, our next Holy Father, will truly be a chief shepherd of the Church according to the heart of Christ.

5. A quote by Felix Mendelssohn: “Gregorian chant is the best church music that can be written. I cannot understand how Catholics, with such beautiful music at hand, can tolerate at Mass compositions which are not even passably suitable, but outright distracting and operatic.” Mendelssohn, not a Catholic, was one of the greatest composers and a major prodigy. He died in 1847.

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

PDF • “Music List” (Immaculate Concep.)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 8 December 2025, the feast of OUR LADY’S IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. In Latin, the title of this feast is: In Conceptione Immaculata Beatae Mariae Virginis. 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

“Reminder” — Month of December (2025)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Dr. Mahrt explains the ‘Spoken’ Propers

In 1970, the Church promulgated a new version of the Roman Missal. It goes by various names: Ordinary Form, Novus Ordo, MISSALE RECENS, and so on. If you examine the very first page, you’ll notice that Pope Saint Paul VI explains the meaning of the ‘Spoken Propers’ (which are for Masses without singing). A quote by Dr. William P. Mahrt is also included in that file. The SPOKEN PROPERS—used at Masses without music—are sometimes called The Adalbert Propers, because they were created in 1969 by Father Adalbert Franquesa Garrós, one of Hannibal Bugnini’s closest friends (according to Yves Chiron). It would be difficult to phrase things more clearly than the pope: viz. the ADALBERT PROPERS are for recited Masses, the GRADUALE PROPERS are for Masses with singing.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“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

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski