Views from the Choir Loft

Catholic Line Art, Black and White • Installment #59

Cynthia Ostrowski · October 15, 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 its typesetting will astound you.

Picture #59 [see below] is the newest installment, and gives an alternate version to Purification (Presentation) image we’ve already released.

      * *  59. Purification (Presentation) • Alternate Image
      * *  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).

Music List • (5th Sunday of Lent)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 5th Sunday of Lent (22 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. Traditionally, this Sunday was called ‘Passion’ Sunday. Starting in 1956, certain church leaders attempted rename both ‘Passion’ Sunday and ‘Palm’ Sunday—but it didn’t work. For example, Monsignor Frederick McManus tried to get people to call PALM SUNDAY “Second Passion Sunday”—but the faithful rejected that. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Music List • (Holy Thursday, 2026)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for Holy Thursday, which is 2 April 2026. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a more piercingly beautiful INTROIT, and I have come to absolutely love the SATB version of ‘Ubi cáritas’ we are singing (joined by our burgeoning children’s choir). I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“O Escam Viatorum” • (Holy Thursday)

When I was very young, I erroneously believed the four psalms provided by the 1957 Liber Usualis—for Communion on Holy Thursday—were the “correct” music to sing on that first day of the TRIDUUM SACRUM. Those four psalms are: Psalm 22 (Dóminus regit me et nihil mihi déerit); Psalm 71 (Deus judícium tuum regi da); Psalm 103 (Bénedic ánima méa); and Psalm 150 (Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus). It turns out I was way out in left field! While nothing forbids singing those psalms, many other options are equally valid. Our volunteer parish choir will sing this COMMUNION PIECE (joined by our burgeoning children’s choir) on Holy Thursday during Holy Communion. Needless to say, this will happen after the proper antiphon from the GRADUALE ROMANUM has been sung.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)

I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Stumped by “Episcopalian Hymnal” (1910)

Some consider Songs of Syon (1910) the greatest Episcopalian hymnal ever printed. As a Roman Catholic, I have no right to weigh in one way or the other. However, this particular page has me stumped. I just know I’ve heard that tune somewhere! If you can help, please email me. I’m talking about the text which begins: “This is the day the Lord hath made; In unbeclouded light array’d.” The book is by George Ratcliffe Woodward, and its complete title is: Songs of Syon: A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Back in 2016, Corpus Christi Watershed scanned and uploaded this insanely rare book. For years our website was the sole place one could download it as a PDF file.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”

For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.

—Jeff Ostrowski