Views from the Choir Loft

“For Immediate Release” • Re: Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference in Los Angeles

Corpus Christi Watershed · September 22, 2016

HE MOST REVEREND Archbishop José H. Gomez, Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth (ICEL’s Executive Director), Father Andrew Menke (USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship, Associate Director), and Bishop Elias Zaidan (Maronite Catholic bishop) are just a few of the speakers you’ll hear at the Liturgical Conference coming to Los Angeles from 29 September through 1 October, 2016.

But a change has been made.

The website of Dr. Anthony Lilles (St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo) informs us that Thursday and Friday will still be at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, but Saturday has been moved to USC Caruso Catholic Center (844 West 32nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007).

Saturday includes the PLENARY SESSION with Fr. Andrew Menke of the USCCB, who will review the current status of various liturgical projects taken up by the US Bishops.

108 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

107 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

106 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

105 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

104 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

103 • USC (“Our Savior Church”)

Saturday morning at 8:00am, a Solemn High Mass will be offered with Sacred polyphony & Gregorian chant. The priests and choir are from the new Los Angeles Apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.

109 USC Caruso Catholic Center

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

“What Martin Luther Said…”

My pastor asked me to write little columns for the bulletin each week. The article for 20 July 2025 has been posted, and it’s called: “What Luther Said…” Martin Luther (an ex-priest and apostate) was an infamous heretic whose ignorance of JESUS CHRIST was only exceeded by his filthy and disgusting vulgarity.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Music List” • 15th in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Some have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I prepared for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (13 July 2025). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and propers for this Sunday are also provided at the the feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

This coming Sunday—13 July 2025—is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). All the chants have been conveniently assembled and posted at the feasts website. The OFFERTORY, Ad Te Levávi, is particularly beautiful.

—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

“Our Christian people regard with great joy everything that contributes to the splendor of the ceremonies. Jesus—who was poor in His private life—received ointment on His feet. See Thomas Aquinas (Prima Secundae, q. 102, art. 5, ad 10) and the holy Curé of Ars. The Church has always loved beautiful churches, and so forth. We must preserve our sacred patrimony and make sure sacred objects do not become secular possessions.”

— Abbot & Council Father denouncing “noble simplicity” during Vatican II