Views from the Choir Loft

Does CCW Matter? Some Messages…

Jeff Ostrowski · January 10, 2018

We only exist because people from all over the world donate $5.00 per month.

Some messages we have received:

Keep on doing what you do; despite criticism.

Thanks for all the work you do for our Lord; and for His Church! It matters so much.

Keep the traditions as St Paul had admonished Holy Mother Church; no matter the battle we face. May Mother Mary protect you and may God bless you.

May God Bless your efforts to restore our Liturgical Patrimony; particularly Sacred Music; to its rightful place. The practice videos for the Propers of the TLM are what are most helpful to me; and any additional efforts in adding more Feast days is greatly appreciated!

God bless you for all you do. Wish we could do more to help.

I rely on CCW for all my Latin Mass info; God Bless you. Ours is the only parish in the Diocese that offers a weekly TLM.

Admire your work over the years.

Previous pastor at St. Jude; Martin TN; now at Ascension; Memphis TN. Music director at my new church is delighted to discover there is a more beautiful alternative to the dreadful OCP “Respond and Acclaim.”

I love your work. Please use this small donation however you can to make the Church better.

Thank you for all you do for the Church! Happy Advent.

I have wanted to do this for a long time; but just today noticed you use Cornerstone and not PayPal. So thank you for that better alternative for Catholics.

Though I spent almost all of my four decades as organist in Protestant churches; I appreciate so much your dedication to dignified music for the Catholic Church. I enjoyed “reading through” at the computer the Flor Peeters chant accompaniments. I played many of his hymn and chant settings; and once attended a recital he gave in NYC.

Many many thanks for all your hard work.

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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” • Christ the King Sunday

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 23 November 2025, which is the 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. In the 1970 Missal, this Sunday is known as: Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Universorum Regis (“Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe”). As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the magnificent feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Simplified” Keyboard Accompaniment (PDF)

I’d much rather hear an organist play a simplified version correctly than listen to wrong notes. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment for hymn #729 in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal. The hymn is “O Jesus Christ, Remember.” I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 1,900 times in a matter of hours—so there seems to be interest in such a project. For the record, this famous text is often married to AURELIA, as it is in the Brébeuf Hymnal. The lyrics come from the pen of Father Edward Caswall (d. 1878), an Oratorian priest.

—Jeff Ostrowski

‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase

Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

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. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski