Views from the Choir Loft

Photos • Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference

Jeff Ostrowski · January 31, 2017

HE TRADITIONAL Latin Mass Society of San Francisco has posted beautiful photographs of the concluding Mass for the Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference held a few months ago in Los Angeles. The FSSP.la choir which I direct was honored to provide the music:

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The celebrant was Fr. Federico Masutti, FSSP, assisted by Fr. James Fryar, FSSP (Deacon, homilist), and Fr. Zachary Akers, FSSP (Subdeacon).

Presentations were delivered at this conference by the Executive Director of the USCCB Committee on Divine Worship, the Executive Director of ICEL, and many others.

Here we are warming up for the Mass:

Some snippets from the actual Mass, recorded live:

* * Mp3 “Live” • KYRIE (Guerrero)

* * Mp3 “Live” • GLORIA (Viadana)

* * Mp3 “Live” • ALLELUIA (Guerrero)

* * Mp3 “Live” • HYMN TO THE SACRED TRINITY (Guerrero)

* * Mp3 “Live” • SANCTUS (Guerrero)

* * Mp3 “Live” • AGNUS DEI (Guerrero)

Somebody had a pocket recorder in the Soprano section, which means the Soprano line sometimes comes through too loud. I apologize for the poor quality of the recording, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. These brought back beautiful memories!

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 Los Angeles.—(Read full biography).

11 October 2021 • “Sing All Verses?”

Some claim Catholics deserve condemnation because (unlike Protestants) Catholics often omit verses when singing hymns at Mass. Is that true? The wonderful Sophia Institute Press—as part of a series on authentic sacred music—has provided an answer (PDF) to this question.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Where do Catholics find hymns?

The wonderful Sophia Institute Press has begun a “Q+A” section which tackles common liturgical questions, and here’s a sample: “At a conference I recently attended, the speaker said hymns don’t belong at Mass; was he telling the truth?” And you can read the answer. To access the complete set (which is a work in progress), scroll towards the bottom of this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

28 September 2021 • FEEDBACK

From a reader: “I have read the pages explaining the Blessed Sacrament in the Brébeuf hymnal and plan on continuing to contemplate them. Moreover, the Christ the King Hymn is beautifully sung on the recording you posted (to the Watershed blog), and I wish my church would sing these hymns instead of modern ones from Choral Praise. We receive a wonderful explication of the Eucharist through this hymn. I am always impressed at the simple yet beautiful melodies in the Brebeuf hymnal.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Impelled by the weightiest of reasons, we are fully determined to restore Latin to its position of honor, and to do all We can to promote its study and use. The employment of Latin has recently been contested in many quarters, and many are asking what the mind of the Apostolic See is in this matter. We have therefore decided to issue the timely directives contained in this document, so as to ensure that the ancient and uninterrupted use of Latin be maintained and, where necessary, restored.”

— Pope John XXIII (22 February 1962)