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Views from the Choir Loft

Improve Your Parish Liturgy … Instantly!

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2015

143 pew missal Ordinary Form XPLORING LOS ANGELES, I notice beautiful roads and neighborhoods. Someone must have said, “Let’s get busy building this town.” Speaking of productivity, whenever I present on Sacred music, someone invariably asks, “What can I do this very instant to improve my parish’s liturgy?”

As a presenter, I used to dread this question. They don’t want solutions requiring decades of work. Nor are they interested in articles like the one Anthony Esolen recently published called “Rescuing Hymnody from Stupidity.” His article is not bad; indeed, it resembles articles 1 published on our blog. But such things ultimately amount to rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, while desperate Catholics want to know how to improve their liturgies immediately.

No longer do I dread such questions. They want an extremely short answer; I’ve got one. They crave an authentic answer; I’ve got one. They want an answer not requiring excessive amounts of money; I’ve got one. They want an instant fix, because their children will soon be adults. I’ve got the solution, and it couldn’t be simpler: obtain the St. Isaac Jogues Pew Lectionary for your congregation. Consider the following rationale.

For years, I prepared xerox copies with the Order of Mass (including Propers) for the people in the pews…and it was a horrendous experience. I used to ask:

HY ISN’T THERE A PEW BOOK containing the lectionary readings in a large, pristine typeface? Why isn’t there a pew book that has the complete Propers for each Sunday but avoids page turns? Why isn’t there a pew book reproducing ancient manuscripts from the 7th and 8th centuries, showing the continuity of the Novus Ordo with Catholic tradition? Why isn’t there a pew book using luscious full-color fonts & artwork to illustrate the Ordo Missae—including pictures of the priest? Why isn’t there a reasonably-priced book for congregations with Latin alongside English, helping parishes become more faithful to Vatican II, which never said to eliminate Latin? Why isn’t there a pew book containing complete Responsorial Psalm refrains (with fully-notated accompaniments for liturgical years ABC freely available online) so the congregation can finally sing dignified, modal, simple, fresh melodies between the first & second reading? Why isn’t there a pew book with exquisite line art, allowing illiterate Catholics to learn about the Faith? Why isn’t there a pew book fully approved by the USA bishops, yet designed for parish life, including Funerals, Benediction, Confirmation, and Weddings?

Surprise! The Jogues Lectionary fulfills each question in a fantastic way. Moreover, its professionalism and subtlety will appreciated by all. I was involved with this book’s production, so some will think I’m biased; that’s fine. Just get yourself a copy and verify what I say (BELOW).

BUT HOW WOULD THIS WORK on a practical level? Let’s explore. For one thing, no matter how your parish attempts the Propers—in English, Latin, or Psalm tone—you must avoid having the congregation just sit there as you sing. Give them a way to follow along! The translation doesn’t have to match perfectly, but it needs to be close. For instance, slightly different translations—some created “in house”—were chosen by Fr. Samuel Weber, 2 Fr. Guy Nicholls, 3 and others; whereas the Jogues uses a translation identical to the Simple English Propers, the Lalemant Propers, and the Gregorian Missal.

142 Lectionary USCCB Pew Missal Amazingly, the Jogues can be used by ANY parish. Some parishes may require years to fully adopt the Mass Propers, but at least your congregation can see them in the meantime. Other parishes might sing some Propers—such as the Communion—but replace others with hymns. Other parishes might choose a Processional Hymn, using a psalm tone for the Entrance Chant while the priest incenses the Altar (which is entirely lawful, by the way). Others might sing the full Latin Propers during their main Mass, but use psalm tones for the 7:00am Mass. Others might alternate between a Gradual and Responsorial Psalm, week by week. NO MATTER WHAT COMBINATION IS CHOSEN, the Jogues will prove itself convenient and perfect for your needs.

The book’s exterior is elegant, and it’s a good size—not too heavy. The quality is extremely high, so having it in your pews will raise expectations. Have you noticed the change in atmosphere when people dress fancy, as opposed to tank tops with jeans? The books will remind everyone that Mass is a serious activity.

Finally, don’t try to explain what an Entrance Chant is to your congregation; show them! They’ll see the Entrance Chant each Sunday, and with time they’ll understand what it is; but watch out! Once they know, they’ll ask why it’s not being sung each week!



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Esolen would doubtless be horrified to learn the reprehensible way the Sequences were bowdlerized.

2   Ignatius Press will soon release Fr. Weber’s massive Gradual with three (3) English versions for each chant.

3   Fr. Guy Nicholls is releasing each Entrance Chant from his Graduale Parvum each week on the Blog of the Newman Institute of Liturgical Music—in Latin and English.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jogues Illuminated Missal Lectionary Gradual, Novus Ordo Lectionary Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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Jeff Ostrowski

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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Can You Spare 33 Seconds?

Here’s an audio excerpt (33 seconds) of a setting for Kyrie VIII which was recorded live last Sunday at our parish in Los Angeles. The setting (“Missa de Angelis”) is by composer Richard Rice, and you can download the free PDF if you click here and scroll to the bottom. I think Richard’s composition is marvelous. I missed a few notes on the organ, but I’ll get them right next time.

—Jeff Ostrowski
5 April 2021 • When Girls Sing

Covid restrictions here in California are still extremely severe—switching “two weeks to flatten the curve” into “two years to flatten the curve.” Since 2020, we’ve had police breaking into our church to check if everyone is wearing a mask…even when only 5-6 people are present! But we were allowed to have a small percentage of our singers back on Easter Sunday, and here is their live recording of the ancient Catholic hymn for Eastertide: Ad Cenam Agni Providi. The girls were so very excited to sing again—you can hear it in their voices!

—Jeff Ostrowski
29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families receiving Low Masses twice a month to several families (and many individuals) receiving Mass every Sunday, two Saturdays a month, and every Holy Day. Our priest has been incorporating more and more High Masses and various ceremonies into our lives, which has made my job as a huge newbie choir master very trying and complicated. CCWatershed has been an invaluable resource in helping me get on my feet and know what to do!!! Thank you more than I can express! May God bless you abundantly and assist you in your work and daily lives!”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The liturgical reform bears absolutely no relation to what is called “desacralization” and in no way intends to lend support to the phenomenon of “secularizing the world.” Accordingly the rites must retain their dignity, spirit of reverence, and sacred character.

— Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (5 September 1970)

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