• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

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.”

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
    • Jeff’s Mom Joins Fundraiser
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Feasts Website
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

Watershed: Established Ten Years Ago Today!

Jeff Ostrowski · October 19, 2016

|“Corpus Christi Watershed is doing very important work for the Church.”
—|Fr. Pierre Paul, Choirmaster at St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican City). |

ATERSHED was established ten years today, the feast of the Jesuit Martyrs of North America (in the Ordinary Form). I was not part of Watershed when it was founded, but since 2002 I had already been dedicating personal projects to the Jesuit Martyrs. For example, the choir I conducted for a 2003 Sacred music CD was called THE SAINT GABRIEL LALEMANT SCHOLA CANTORUM.

In the first section, I will describe a marvelous “coincidence” having to do with these martyrs, but first I wish to publicly thank all those who have contributed to Watershed’s success. Hundreds of people have worked—quietly, humbly, behind the scenes—to assist Watershed. In a special way, I thank our contributors, listed on our blog sidebar. And I thank a generous person who donated financially in our early years.

When I began working for Watershed, I decided to dedicate any project I was responsible for to the martyrs: Garnier, Lalande, Goupil, Jogues, and so forth. Below, a purple picture shows the very first project (CHABANEL PSALMS) launched in 2007. The other photograph, circa 2003, shows part of my library, which would eventually be scanned by Watershed to create the Lalande Library:

750 Lalande 755 Chabanel Logo

One of my favorite memories was helping produce a 60-minute Sacred music documentary in 2009. The location was Loyola University, where my parents first met. Watershed had employees in those days, and when we showed up to film, we were greeted with LARGE NAMES OF THE MARTYRS (see below):

742 CMAA 743 Corpus Christi Watershed C 743 Corpus Christi Watershed B 743 Corpus Christi Watershed A 747 Jesuit Martyrs LOYOLA UNIVERSITY 746 Chabanel

Someday, we’d love to create more videos like that: it was a blast! Watershed will soon release a project—which is nearing completion—having to do with the NOH. We did a project in 2002 with these Belgian accompaniments, and the following picture shows Fr. Meinrad Miller, OSB, helping us. You can also see a much younger Jeff Ostrowski reviewing the NOH with Dr. Mark Holmberg in 2002. (Dr. Holmberg was known for his astonishing proficiency in figured bass.)

749 Fr. Meinrad Miller OSB 748 Dr. Mark Holmberg UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

I could list many more “mysterious” happenings regarding the North American Martyrs. For example, the bishop who helped us during an organizational crisis chose SAINT RENÉ GOUPIL as his religious name and kept it even after he was consecrated a bishop.

744 Renatus Goupil 745 Jesuit Martyrs of North America 752 Saint Noel Chabanel

Years after these martyr projects began, we discovered that the Texas Secretary of State had chosen 19 October to officially recognize our organization.

Does this strike you as a coincidence?

Our blog, VIEWS FROM THE CHOIR LOFT, has garnered thousands of “thank you” letters from all over the world. Much could be said about the blog, but I’d like to highlight just four points today:

(1) POSITIVE :  The defining characteristic of our blog is that it’s positive and constructive. What our readers don’t know is how difficult that is! The temptation to “go negative” and “make a splash” can be overwhelming at times. We didn’t know whether such a blog, exclusively positive, could survive in a blogosphere almost wholly dedicated to calumny, dishonesty, and sensationalist nonsense—but I can announce today that people do appreciate our efforts!

(2) RESPECT FOR THE READER :  We avoid the “cut and paste” mentality of ephemeral blogs, even though this requires tremendous effort on the part of our contributors. We feel that if folks are willing to read what we write, the least we can do is make sure the formatting is excellent and the links function.

(3) PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE :  We created Views from the Choir Loft in part to counteract a common tendency of the Roman Catholic liturgical world. Specifically, we noticed that much of the commentary was by people who had never directed a choir—and such people (often) should not be giving advice. That’s because only those who have stood in front of a choir realize how difficult it is.

(4) YOUR RESPONSE :  Choirmasters and organists—and lay Catholics, for that matter!—who believe the liturgy should be beautiful and traditional have a very difficult road. They are always being told to forget about “all that old stuff” and embrace the path of least resistance. It can be a lonely world. However, what keeps us going is knowing that many wonderful people exist “out there.” And this is a source of great consolation to us.

If you appreciate our efforts, please consider donating $5.00 per month. We are a 100% volunteer organization; none of us is paid. We cannot continue without our monthly donors.

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

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Founding Corpus Christi Watershed, Founding of Corpus Christi Watershed Last Updated: October 19, 2023

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

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).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    New Bulletin Article • “21 September 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 21 September 2025) discusses some theological items—supported by certain verses in ancient Catholic hymns—and ends by explaining why certain folks become delirious with jealousy when they observe feats by Monsignor Ronald Knox.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!
    It’s always amusing to see old diocesan newspapers—in huge capital letters—advertising the Cheapest Catholic Paper in the United States. The correspondent who sent this to me added: “I can think of certain composers, published by large companies in our own day, who could truthfully brag about the most tawdry compositions in the world!” I wonder what she could have meant by such a cryptic comment…
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • Dom Murray Harmonies
    Along with so many others, I have deep respect for Dom Gregory Gregory Murray, who produced this clever harmonization (PDF) of “O SANCTISSIMA.” It’s always amazed me that Dom Gregory—a truly inspired composer—was so confused when it came to GREGORIAN CHANT. Throughout his life, he published contradictory statements, veering back-and-forth like a weather vane. Toward the end of his life, he declared: “I see clearly that the need for reform in liturgical music arose, not in the 18th and 19th centuries, but a thousand years earlier—in the 8th and 9th centuries, or even before that. The abuses began, not with Mozart and Haydn, but with those over-enthusiastic medieval musicians who developed the elaborate and flamboyant Gregorian Chant.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Karl Keating • “Canonization Questions”
    We were sent an internet statement (screenshot) that’s garnered significant attention, in which KARL KEATING (founder of Catholic Answers) speaks about whether canonizations are infallible. Mr. Keating seems unaware that canonizations are—in the final analysis—a theological opinion. They are not infallible, as explained in this 2014 article by a priest (with a doctorate in theology) who worked for multiple popes. Mr. Keating says: “I’m unaware of such claims arising from any quarter until several recent popes disliked by these Traditionalists were canonized, including John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. Usually Paul VI receives the most opprobrium.” Mr. Keating is incorrect; e.g. Father John Vianney, several centuries ago, taught clearly that canonizations are not infallible. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would be another example, although clearly much more recent than Saint John Vianney.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Vatican II Changed Wedding Propers?
    It’s often claimed that the wedding propers were changed after Vatican II. As a matter of fact, that is a false claim. The EDITIO VATICANA propers (Introit: Deus Israel) remained the same after Vatican II. However, a new set of propers (Introit: Ecce Deus) was provided for optional use. The same holds true for the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great on 3 September: the 1943 propers (Introit: Si díligis me) were provided for optional use, but the traditional PROPRIA MISSAE (Introit: Sacerdótes Dei) were retained; they weren’t gotten rid of. The Ordo Cantus Missae (1970) makes this crystal clear, as does the Missal itself. There was an effort made in the post-conciliar years to eliminate so-called “Neo-Gregorian” chants, but (contrary to popular belief) most were retained: cf. the feast of Christ the King, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, and so forth.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Solemn “Salve Regina” (Chant)
    How many “S” words can you think of using alliteration? How about Schwann Solemn Salve Score? You can download the SOLEMN SALVE REGINA in Gregorian Chant. The notation follows the official rhythm (EDITIO VATICANA). Canon Jules Van Nuffel, choirmaster of the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, composed this accompaniment for it (although some feel it isn’t his best work).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“It is also customary in many lands that a brief but meaningful hymn be sung between the Gospel and the sermon. (I note in passing that this custom also preserves the original and primary function of the medieval congregational hymn, which was to frame the sermon.)”

— Professor László Dobszay (2003)

Recent Posts

  • New Bulletin Article • “21 September 2025”
  • How do you pronounce this word in Latin?
  • Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!
  • Children’s Repertoire: “3 Recommendations”
  • PDF Download • Dom Murray Harmonies

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.