Views from the Choir Loft

Like Eve in the Garden

Guest Author · July 23, 2014

HEN I RECEIVED my copy of the St. Isaac Jogues Missal in the mail and opened it up, I couldn’t help but think about Eve’s encounter with that enticing fruit that was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. Unlike that ancient story, though, the fruit in my hands was not forbidden but simply forgotten.

Before me was a work that was pleasant simply to hold in my hands, but what I found inside was even more beautiful. For years there has been discussion about a reform of the reform of the Sacred Liturgy, but with the arrival of the Jogues Missal, I suggest that we can begin to make real strides for three reasons.

IRST, it is beautiful. We all know that first impressions matter, but publishers often fail to employ that wisdom in liturgical texts. Such is not the case here. The text size and font make it attractive and easy to read. The full-page artwork and smaller works sprinkled throughout catch the eye and edify the spirit. And the Order of the Mass explains in word and image the glory of the Holy Sacrifice. In short, the missal imitates well the Beauty that lies before us.

ECOND, it permits options. We’ve been optioned to death these last fifty years, but these options are welcome ones. A choice between the Gradual or Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation or Ancient Alleluia, as well as the inclusion of the Mass Propers and Sequences, make this missal usable at any parish, whether they are thinking about the reform for the first time or have been working at it for many years.

INALLY, it is a work of love. The DIY liturgies and disposable missalettes have seen the Sacred Liturgy and written Word abused and devalued, but the Jogues Missal seeks to honor them both. Designed to last for years, it calls to mind the enduring nature of the Sacred Liturgy and the attention to details speaks volumes of the publishers’ desire to glorify the Lord and help others encounter Him in Holy Mass.

Of the many gifts given to the Church by her members in recent years, this one is especially needed today. May we soon see it widely used, all for the greater glory of God!

St. Isaac Jogues, pray for us!

We hope you enjoyed this guest article by Fr. Brent Maher.

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

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed