Views from the Choir Loft

My New Assignment—Part 1

Andrew Leung · September 24, 2015

AM VERY SAD—but happy at the same time—to announce that I am leaving my current position at St. Pius X Catholic Church, here in Conyers, Georgia. Recently, I started the seminarian application process with the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio and have been assigned by His Excellency, Bishop Jeffrey Monforton (Steubenville’s Ordinary) to BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH in Wintersville, OH, where I will be doing a pastoral year and continue my discernment “full-time”. If it is God’s will, I will be entering the seminary to study next fall.

I have been serving Mass and involved in church music for over ten years now. I have always loved the Liturgy of the Roman Rite. For the past five years, I’ve been singing for the Extraordinary Form Mass and have witnessed—so many times—priests falling in love with the Liturgy after High Masses. They have always described it as an “incredible,” prayerful, and peaceful experience. Please pray for me as I continue to discern my vocation to the priesthood and hopefully, by the grace of God, I can celebrate the Holy Mass one day. I hope to continue being involved in Sacred Music, even though I won’t be serving as a music director. I will do my best to keep contributing to this blog regularly.

NE THING I am definitely going to miss about Conyers is the Monastery. I have been teaching Gregorian Chant to a group of Cistercian monks who are very passionate in rediscovering their musical tradition. This past year, we have explored basic vocal techniques, Solfège, and authentic interpretation of Gregorian Chant. I was also asked to teach a GREGORIAN CHANT APPRECIATION course to the novices over the summer. I had the last class with the monks yesterday and we had a great chant rehearsal. They definitely learned and grew tremendously this year. Below is a recording of the Terribilis est locus iste (Introit for the Anniversary of the Dedication of a church) from the rehearsal yesterday:

* * Mp3 Audio • TERRIBILIS EST LOCUS by Cistercian Monks

When I first got here, all they knew was simplified chant in English. This is what they have accomplished in a year, despite the quality of my phone recorder.

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).

“Offertory” at Catholic Funerals

I have argued that the OFFERTORY—at least in its ancient form—is more of a responsory than an antiphon. The 1962 Missal specifically calls it “Antiphona ad Offertorium.” From now on, I plan to use this beautiful setting (PDF) at funerals, since it cleverly inserts themes from the absolution of the body. Tons more research needs to be done on the OFFERTORY, which often is a ‘patchwork’ stitching together various beginnings and endings of biblical verses. For instance, if you examine the ancient verses for Dómine, vivífica me (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time) you’ll discover this being done in a most perplexing way. Rebecca Maloy published a very expensive book on the OFFERTORY, but it was a disappointment. Indeed, I can’t think of a single valuable insight contained in her book. What a missed opportunity!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“In Paradisum” • Gregorian Chant

As a RECESSIONAL on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd), we will sing In Paradísum Dedúcant Te Ángeli (PDF). When it comes to Gregorian Chant, this is one of the most popular “songs.” Frankly, all the prayers and chants from the traditional REQUIEM MASS (Missa exsequialis or Missa pro defunctis) are incredibly powerful and never should’ve been scuttled. Click here to hear “In Paradisum” in a recording I made this afternoon. Professor Louis Bouyer spoke of the way Bugnini “scuttled the office of the dead” in this fascinating excerpt from his memoirs. In his book, La riforma litugica (1983), Bugnini bragged—in quite a shameful way—about eliminating the ancient funeral texts, and even admitted those venerable texts were “beloved” (his word) by Catholics.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • All Souls (2 November)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 2 November 2025, which is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (“All Souls”). 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 top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. In my humble opinion, it’s weird to have the feast of All Saints on a Sunday. No wonder the close associate of Pope Saint Paul VI said the revised KALENDAR was “the handiwork of a trio of maniacs.” However, I can’t deny that sometimes the sacred liturgy consists of elements that are seemingly contradictory: e.g. the Mode 7 “De Profúndis” ALLELUIA, or the Mode 8 “Dulce lignum” ALLELUIA on the various ancient feasts of the Holy Cross (3 May, 14 September, and so on).

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski

New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”

My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.

—Jeff Ostrowski