Views from the Choir Loft

Catholic Bulletin Art • Installment #70

Cynthia Ostrowski · October 19, 2015

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

Today’s image (#70 BELOW) is particularly appropriate for the feast of Christ the King, which occurs on different Sundays—depending on whether you attend Mass in the Ordinary Form or the Extraordinary Form.

The image is extremely high resolution, so it will take a minute for your computer to fully download.

      * *  70. Christ the King • Extremely large resolution
      * *  69. St. Alphonsus de Ligouri • Founder of the Redemptorists
      * *  68. Epiphany • Third Version
      * *  67. Our Lady’s Nativity • 8 September (version C)
      * *  66. Our Lady’s Nativity • 8 September (version B)
      * *  65. Easter Sunday • Our Lord’s Resurrection (not used)
      * *  64. The Angel Raphael • With Tobias
      * *  63. Christmas • Fifth Version
      * *  62. Holy Thursday • Last Supper (Second Version)
      * *  61. Immaculate Conception • 8 December (Third Version)
      * *  60. Presentation of Mary • 21 November … Not to be confused with 2 Feb
      * *  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 (version A)
      * *  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 (First Version)
      * *  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 Thursday • 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 • Fourth Version
      * *  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 • Third Version
      * *  04. Exaltation of the Holy Cross • 14 September
      * *  03. Christmas • Second Version
      * *  02. Epiphany • First Version
      * *  01. Christmas • First Version

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).

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed