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Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

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Views from the Choir Loft

The Founding Of Corpus Christi Watershed

Jeff Ostrowski · July 17, 2013

E LIVE IN AN AGE bereft of truth. If this statement sounds over-the-top, open a newspaper or search Google. Most of what is published from sunup to sundown is sensationalist nonsense. For this reason, I hesitate to relate the following story. All I can do is promise you it’s true.

I first began working for Watershed in 2007 as a part-time employee. As time went on, I was given more and more responsibilities. All my projects were dedicated to the Jesuit Martyrs of North America — St. Isaac Jogues, St. Noël Chabanel, etc. — which was nothing remarkable, since I had been dedicating my work to these martyrs for almost a decade.

Since its founding in 2006, Watershed has undergone many tumultuous changes (which I will not describe here). I’m told by people who have started companies that “rocky beginnings” are not unusual. To make a long story short, it became increasingly obvious to the Board of Directors that our Lord wanted us to focus on the CCW liturgical projects, which were reaching thousands of Catholics and bearing great spiritual fruit. Many wonderful composers from all over the world have volunteered their time to make these successful.

IMAGINE MY SURPRISE to learn, in December of 2010, that our 501(c)3 public charity had actually been founded on 19 October 2006, the feast of the North American Martyrs! Someone had first told me this in 2009, but that person wasn’t always reliable, so I didn’t believe what he said. But in 2010 I saw with my own eyes the date assigned to us by the Texas Secretary of State (reproduced on the left side). I even took out several liturgical calendars to make sure this was not a mistake — I’m hard to convince sometimes! Incidentally, 19 October is also the feast day of St. Philip Howard, who was inspired to accept martyrdom by St. Edmund Campion.

To be absolutely clear, the date of 19 October had been chosen by the State of Texas, not us. When one considers all the websites, scores, and videos that had already been dedicated to the North American Martyrs — Sts. Isaac Jogues, John de Brébeuf, René Goupil, Jean de Lalande, Charles Garnier, Antoine Daniel, Gabriel Lalemant, and Noël Chabanel — for more than two years, it strikes me as a remarkable thing.

Through the intercession of the North American Martyrs, may those involved with Corpus Christi Watershed accomplish God’s Holy Will each and every day of their lives.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

I want to say one thing to you strongly, especially today: virginity for the Kingdom of God is not a “no,” it is a “yes!”

— Pope Francis (10/4/2013)

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