Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Story of Redemption” for Children (1952) • With Audio Recordings!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 26, 2015

AINT ANTOINE DANIEL, one of the brave Jesuit Martyrs of North America, taught the young Huron children Catholic truths by means of simple rhymes. I hope you’ll download the fabulous book by Fr. John A. O’Brien about these martyrs, but if you’re short on time, read the excerpts about St. Antoine Daniel. In 1952, something similar was created by Sister Joanne and Father Abair:

* Complete PDF • “Story of Redemption” (1952)

PART 01 : Video • Mp3 • Our Lady

PART 02 : Video • Mp3 • Paradise

PART 03 : Video • Mp3 • Sin

PART 04 : Video • Mp3 • Expulsion

PART 05 : Video • Mp3 • Annunciation

PART 06 : Video • Mp3 • To Bethlehem

PART 07 : Video • Mp3 • Savior’s Birth

PART 08 : Video • Mp3 • Shepherds

PART 09 : Video • Mp3 • Wise Men

PART 10 : Video • Mp3 • Lost Sheep

PART 11 : Video • Mp3 • Pharisee & Publican

PART 12 : Video • Mp3 • Passion

PART 13 : Video • Mp3 • Crucifixion

PART 14 : Video • Mp3 • Resurrection

PART 15 : Video • Mp3 • Pentecost

PART 16 : Video • Mp3 • Assumption

PART 17 : Video • Mp3 • Christ The King

I KNOW HOW MUCH the “elites” love telling us everything was horrible before Vatican II, but I keep discovering evidence that contradicts their assurances. The 1950s seems to have been a wonderful time for Catholics. The collection above probably doesn’t contain the greatest poems in the world—although they are certainly more inspired than 95% of our modern “hymns.” On the other hand, they teach children wonderful melodies like the “Vexilla Regis,” which serves as the basis for several astounding KYRIE settings (by Palestrina) sung each Sunday by FSSP.la.

If any readers use these resources, please let me know!

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

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 Michigan. —(Read full biography).

Music List • (5th Sund. Ordinary Time)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for this coming Sunday, 8 February 2026, which is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. You will probably notice it isn’t as ‘complete’ or ‘spiffy’ as usual, owing to some difficulties which took place this week.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Communion” (5th Sunday in Ordin.)

The COMMUNION ANTIPHON for this coming Sunday, 8 February 2026—which is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)—is truly delightful. You can download the musical score completely free of charge. This text will be familiar to altar boys, because it’s PSALM 42. The Feder Missal makes the following claim about that psalm: “A hymn of a temple musician from Jerusalem: he is an exile in a heathen land, and he longs for the holy city and his ministry in the Temple there. The Church makes his words her own.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Funeral Music “Template” • For Families

Many have requested the MUSICAL TEMPLATE for funerals we give to families at our parish. The family of the deceased is usually involved in selecting Number 12 on that sheet. This template was difficult to assemble, because the “Ordo Exsequiarum” has never been translated into English, and the assigned chants and hymns are given in different liturgical books (Lectionary, Gradual, Order of Christian Funerals, and so on). Please notify me if you spot errors or broken links. Readers will be particularly interested in some of the plainsong musical settings, which are truly haunting in their beauty.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of Febr. (2026)

On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. It couldn’t be easier to subscribe! Just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Chart • “Plainsong Rhythm”

I will go to my grave without understanding the lack of curiosity so many people have about the rhythmic modifications made by Dom André Mocquereau. For example, how can someone examine this single sheet comparison chart and at a minimum not be curious about the differences? Dom Mocquereau basically creates a LONG-SHORT LONG-SHORT rhythmic pattern—in spite of enormous and overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary. That’s why some scholars referred to his method as “Neo-Mensuralist” or “Neo-Mensuralism.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Many declare that Vatican Council II brought about a true springtime in the Church. Nevertheless, a growing number of Church leaders see this “springtime” as a rejection, a renunciation of her centuries-old heritage, or even as a radical questioning of her past and Tradition. Political Europe is rebuked for abandoning or denying its Christian roots; but the first to have abandoned her Christian roots and past is indisputably the post-conciliar Catholic Church.

— ‘Pope Francis’ Chief Liturgist (31 March 2017)’