Views from the Choir Loft

Catholic Line Art, Black and White • Installment #58

Cynthia Ostrowski · September 30, 2014

T HAS BEEN my pleasure to post these lovely images, and I will continue doing so. But I hope no one thinks these downloads can replace holding the actual Jogues Missal in your hands. The entire book is a work of art, and the typesetting will astound you.

Picture #58 (see below) is the newest installment, and comes from the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.

      * *  58. Nativity of St. John the Baptist • 24 June
      * *  57. Immaculate Conception • 8 December (Second Version)
      * *  56. Our Lady’s Nativity • 8 September, EF
      * *  55. Our Lady’s Assumption (VIGIL) • 14 August, OF
      * *  54. Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday) • Christ’s Resurrection
      * *  53. Celebration of Mass • St. Bernard’s authorship of the Salve Regina
      * *  52. Holy Thursday • Last Supper
      * *  51. Sacred Heart of Jesus • Draw waters from the Savior’s Fountains
      * *  50. Low Sunday • Doubting Thomas
      * *  49. Palm Sunday • Christ riding a donkey
      * *  48. Epiphany • Second Version
      * *  47. Good Friday • Removing Christ from the Cross
      * *  46. Corpus Christi • Two Angels incensing Sanctissimum
      * *  45. Good Friday • Christ being mocked
      * *  44. St. Joseph the Worker • 1 May, EF
      * *  43. St. Joseph • Dying in the arms of Jesus
      * *  42. Pentecost • Our Lady with the Apostles
      * *  41. Purification (Presentation) • 2 February
      * *  40. Most Holy Trinity • Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
      * *  39. Passion Sunday • Our Lord’s Agony in the Garden
      * *  38. St. Joseph • 19 March
      * *  37. Immaculate Conception • 8 December (First Version)
      * *  36. Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary • St. Dominic with Mary
      * *  35. Good Friday • Crucifixion
      * *  34. Holy Saturday • Paschal Mystery
      * *  33. Ss. Peter & Paul • 29 June
      * *  32. Requiem Mass • Monks praying with Catafalque
      * *  31. Holy Thusday • The Lamb which was slain
      * *  30. (Color) Beautiful Vestments • Blessing of the Wheat (1857)
      * *  29. Our Lady • “MARIA” Monogram
      * *  28. Celebration of Mass • Eucharistic Miracle of St. Gregory
      * *  27. St. Joseph Emblem • Patron of the Universal Church
      * *  26. (Color) Sacrifice of the Mass • Holy Trinity and Saints
      * *  25. (Color) Celebration of Mass • St. Gregory the Great sings
      * *  24. (Color) Te Igitur Image • Crucifixion
      * *  23. Precious Blood of Our Lord • 1 July, EF
      * *  22. Easter Sunday • Our Lord’s Resurrection
      * *  21. St. Peter: First Pope • The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
      * *  20. Feast of the Holy Name • Our Lady holding Christ
      * *  19. Corpus Christi • Multiple Angels incense Altar
      * *  18. Catholic Wedding • Nuptial Mass
      * *  17. Holy Family • Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
      * *  16. Circumcision of the Lord • 1 January, EF
      * *  15. All Saints’ Day • Alternate Image
      * *  14. Corpus Christi • Eucharistic Procession
      * *  13. Christmas • Mass at Dawn (Mary)
      * *  12. Christ the King • Our Lord with Saints
      * *  11. Our Lady’s Assumption • Mary with Chorus of Angels
      * *  10. Ascension • Our Lord’s Feet are visible
      * *  09. Annunciation • 25 March
      * *  08. All Souls’ Day • Our Lord the Judge
      * *  07. All Saints’ Day • Saints adoring the Lamb
      * *  06. All Saints’ Day • 1 November
      * *  05. Christmas • Mass during the Daytime
      * *  04. Exaltation of the Holy Cross • 14 September
      * *  03. Christmas • Midnight Mass
      * *  02. Epiphany • First Version
      * *  01. Christmas • Alternate Image

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

About Cynthia Ostrowski

Cynthia Ostrowski holds a bachelor's degree (2005) in Geographic Information Science and a minor in Computer Science from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.—(Read full biography).

Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!

It’s always amusing to see old diocesan newspapers—in huge capital letters—advertising the Cheapest Catholic Paper in the United States. The correspondent who sent this to me added: “I can think of certain composers, published by large companies in our own day, who could truthfully brag about the most tawdry compositions in the world!” I wonder what she could have meant by such a cryptic comment…

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Dom Murray Harmonies

Along with so many others, I have deep respect for Dom Gregory Gregory Murray, who produced this clever harmonization (PDF) of “O SANCTISSIMA.” It’s always amazed me that Dom Gregory—a truly inspired composer—was so confused when it came to GREGORIAN CHANT. Throughout his life, he published contradictory statements, veering back-and-forth like a weather vane. Toward the end of his life, he declared: “I see clearly that the need for reform in liturgical music arose, not in the 18th and 19th centuries, but a thousand years earlier—in the 8th and 9th centuries, or even before that. The abuses began, not with Mozart and Haydn, but with those over-enthusiastic medieval musicians who developed the elaborate and flamboyant Gregorian Chant.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 14 September (Holy Cross)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for 14 September 2025, which is the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Karl Keating • “Canonization Questions”

We were sent an internet statement (screenshot) that’s garnered significant attention, in which KARL KEATING (founder of Catholic Answers) speaks about whether canonizations are infallible. Mr. Keating seems unaware that canonizations are—in the final analysis—a theological opinion. They are not infallible, as explained in this 2014 article by a priest (with a doctorate in theology) who worked for multiple popes. Mr. Keating says: “I’m unaware of such claims arising from any quarter until several recent popes disliked by these Traditionalists were canonized, including John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. Usually Paul VI receives the most opprobrium.” Mr. Keating is incorrect; e.g. Father John Vianney, several centuries ago, taught clearly that canonizations are not infallible. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would be another example, although clearly much more recent than Saint John Vianney.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Vatican II Changed Wedding Propers?

It’s often claimed that the wedding propers were changed after Vatican II. As a matter of fact, that is a false claim. The EDITIO VATICANA propers (Introit: Deus Israel) remained the same after Vatican II. However, a new set of propers (Introit: Ecce Deus) was provided for optional use. The same holds true for the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great on 3 September: the 1943 propers (Introit: Si díligis me) were provided for optional use, but the traditional PROPRIA MISSAE (Introit: Sacerdótes Dei) were retained; they weren’t gotten rid of. The Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) makes this crystal clear, as does the Missal itself. There was an effort made in the post-conciliar years to eliminate so-called “Neo-Gregorian” chants, but (contrary to popular belief) most were retained: cf. the feast of Christ the King, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and so forth.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)

How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).

—Corpus Christi Watershed