Views from the Choir Loft

Cardinal Burke will be in Steubenville!

Andrew Leung · September 3, 2015

WILL BE heading to Steubenville this Sunday after our 11am High Mass at my parish. Good news for those who live tri-state (Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania) area around Steubenville. Raymond Cardinal Burke will be visiting the Franciscan University of Steubenville on Tuesday, September 8. The main reason of his visitation is to deliver a keynote and participate in a panel discussion on “the Synod on the Family”. The last time the cardinal visited the university was in 2011, he was the celebrant for the Baccalaureate Mass where he received an honorary doctorate degree.

His Eminence will be celebrating a Solemn Pontifical High Mass at the historical St. Peter Church in downtown Steubenville. Priests from the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest will be assisting. The surprising thing is that this Mass, according to the 1962 Missale Romanum, is part of the official event of the university. As an alumni, I am very proud to see my alma mater participating in the Liturgical Movement and embracing the Ancient Form of the Mass. The Mass begins at 10:30 on Tuesday morning and a large crowd is expected. The university choir, the Schola Cantorum Franciscana, will be singing under the direction of Nicholas Will, Assistant Professor of Sacred Music. The choir will be singing all the Gregorian Propers, Messe Solennelle by Vierne and other motets.

Another visiting guest is Dr. Peter Kwasniewski from Wyoming Catholic College. Dr. Kwasniewski will be one of the panelists for the evening panel discussion and he will also be giving a lecture on “The Old Mass and the New Evangelization” on Monday night. The talk will be held in the Gentile Gallery at 8:00pm.

The keynote and panel discussion will be held in the Finnegan Fieldhouse from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Due to the large crowd, the Tuesday events, including the Mass, require confirmation through getting free tickets online. More details including the schedule, ticketing and the list of panelists can be found on the university webpage.

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

About Andrew Leung

Andrew Leung currently serves the music director of Vox Antiqua, conductor of the Cecilian Singers, and music director at Our Lady of China Church.—(Read full biography).

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 21 December 2025, which is the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is the famous “Roráte Coeli” and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Simplified Accompaniment (Advent Hymn)

Many organists are forced to simultaneously serve as both CANTOR and ACCOMPANIST. In spite of what some claim, this can be difficult. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment (PDF) which in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal is hymn #661: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (for ADVENT). I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 2,900 times in a matter of hours—so there appears to be interest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

Those searching for a dignified, brief, simple, bright setting of SANCTUS in Spanish (“Santo Santo Santo”) are invited to download this Setting in honor of Saint John Brébeuf (organist & vocalist). I wonder if there would be any interest in me recording a rehearsal video for this piece.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Translations Approved for Liturgical Use”

According to the newsletter for USSCB’s Committee on Divine Worship dated September 1996, there are three (3) translations of the Bible which can be used in the sacred liturgy in the United States. You can read this information with your own eyes. It seems the USCCB and also Rome fully approved the so-called NRSV (“New Revised Standard Version”) on 13 November 1991 and 6 April 1992 but this permission was then withdrawn in 1994.

—Corpus Christi Watershed