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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

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Like all other liturgical functions, like offices and ranks in the Church, indeed like everything else in the world, the religious service that we call the Mass existed long before it had a special technical name.”

— ‘Rev. Adrian Fortescue (THE MASS, page 397)’

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Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.