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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

“I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.”

Jeff Ostrowski · June 23, 2016

411 custom composing desk HIS MORNING, A MEMORY came to me. It was in 2005, saying farewell to my younger brother. Having risen at 4:00am and packed everything I owned into my car, I was about to embark upon a 1,000 mile drive where a job was waiting for me. Until that moment, it had never occurred to me that I was leaving home forever. I quickly ran upstairs and said farewell to my brother (although he was still half asleep). As I was pulling out of the driveway, it hit me powerfully: I’m leaving my home and family forever.

John A. O’Brien wrote about St. Gabriel Lalemant that “he was grateful to his family, most particularly to his mother, for a childhood of rare happiness and love.” I cannot read those words without calling to mind the childhood my parents gave us. Words cannot describe the happiness and love that was mine. There was suffering, too; but that’s a good thing. I don’t regret a moment of it, because suffering is a necessary part of life. Music was a huge part of my life—and that of my brother, Mark. We spent hours enjoying and playing music: Chopin, Palestrina, Schubert, Mozart, Brahms, and 10,000 others. Whenever I hear certain pieces, my mind is no longer in the year 2016—I’m brought back to the 1990s. Here’s an example, played by a Hofmann pupil:

    * *  Mp3 • Pavane for a Dead Princess

I remember my brother Mark playing that piece. Indeed, I’ll never forget it.

Anyway, I drove off in 2005, and had many adventures. I experienced more in those years than I can describe. I lived in a really bad part of Corpus Christi, suffered abuse at the hands of priests, met some fantastic people, underwent unbelievable escapades, and learned some amazing skills. (I also met the love of my life.) I don’t know how I had energy for it all, but I did.

I ALMOST NEVER LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE. I’m always: “forward, forward, forward.” But maybe I should spend more time looking back, because doing so helps me realize God has always been with me. He has guided me and taken care of me—in ways I cannot fully explain at this moment—and I did not deserve this. Psalm 22 comes to my mind over and over again:

Though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.

Many of you know I’ve been struggling with catastrophic health issues for the last three years. For a time, I felt I might die. Now I seem to be on the road to recovery, but there is still great suffering. Bringing to mind what God has done for me—the marvelous things He has done for me, especially through the gift of my parents—has given me strength to go forward.

St. John Vianney was once overheard speaking directly to the Lord. (Vianney was a mystic frequently in the presence of God, angels, and saints.) Vianney had been suffering for a long time—especially with penances & mortifications for the holy souls in Purgatory—and our Lord asked him if he was ready to come to Heaven. St. Vianney replied: “Oh, Lord, surely it is Heaven enough for me to stay here on earth, saying Mass and suffering for the souls in Purgatory.” If I do ever become healed, I would like to do something really nice in honor of the Jesuit Martyrs of North America. Of course only God knows what the future holds, but doing something like that seems like it would be “heaven on earth” to me.

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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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).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Latin Liturgy Association
    We note with pleasure that Mrs. Regina Morris, president of the Latin Liturgy Association, has featured—on page 4 of Volume CXXIX of their official newsletter—the three (3) terrific versions of the Stations of the Cross found in the Brébeuf Hymnal. One of the main authors for the blog of the Church Music Association of America said (6/10/2019) about this pew book: “It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Music List” • 28th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 12 October 2025, which is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). 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 dazzling feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Offertory” for this Sunday
    This coming Sunday, 12 October 2025, is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Its OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF) is gorgeous, and comes from the book of Esther, as did the ENTRANCE CHANT last Sunday. Depending on a variety of factors, various hand-missals (all with Imprimatur) translate this passage differently. For instance, “príncipis” can be rendered: King; Prince; Lion; or Fierce lord. None is “more correct” than another. It depends on which source text is chosen and what each translator wants to emphasize. All these pieces of plainsong are conveniently stored at the blue-ribbon feasts website.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“These French offices represent a new case of the old tendency towards local modification—which the Council of Trent had meant to repress. They are commonly attributed to Gallican ideas and are supposed to be not free from Jansenist venom. Some of these local French uses survived almost to our own time. They were supplanted by the Roman books in the 19th century, chiefly by the exertions of Dom Prosper Guéranger (d. 1875).”

— Dr. Adrian Fortescue (d. 1923)

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