Views from the Choir Loft

New Monthly Companion for the Extraordinary Form

Fr. David Friel · February 14, 2021

OR MANY years, the monthly Magnificat magazine has served as a popular “hand-missal” for Mass-goers in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. At once high-quality and disposable, this publication has a wide readership and has been instrumental in the spiritual growth of many people. Their work is a blessing to the Church (and has been highlighted on Views from the Choir Loft here and here).

Beginning in August 2021, something similar will be available for the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Entitled Benedictus, this will be an undertaking of Sophia Institute Press, produced in consultation with various English-speaking priests and theologians.

Readers may recall that there was a previous attempt at this type of monthly publication for the Extraordinary Form, entitled Laudamus Te, which seems to have failed due to an insufficient number of subscribers. Hopefully Sophia Institute Press will be able to make a more successful go of it.

The new Benedictus booklet promises to include much more than the daily Mass texts. It will also feature:

Morning and Evening Devotions (excerpts from Lauds & Vespers of the 1960 Breviarium Romanum)

Daily Meditations (writings from saints, scholars, and spiritual masters)

Commentary (short essays on feasts & saints)

Classic Prayers (devotional prayers in Latin & English)

Artwork (a high-quality print and separable holy card in each issue)

Catholic Culture (poetry, prose, music)

A sample issue of Benedictus is available for viewing here.

Surely there will be naysayers who question the value of such a publication when a plethora of single-volume, traditional hand-missals already exists. There is much to be said in favor of quality hand-missals that can be used year after year, but there is also something to be said for this sort of monthly magazine. Benedictus has the potential to serve as an accessible introduction for newcomers to the Extraordinary Form, a source for timely resources designed to support the domestic Church, and even a tool for evangelization.

The cost for Benedictus is just $5/month. Subscriptions are available here.

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

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

PDF Download • Draft Copy (Pamphlet)

A few days ago, I posted a draft copy of this 12-page pamphlet with citations about the laity’s “full, conscious, and active participation.” Its basic point is that choir directors should never feel embarrassed to teach real choral music; Vatican II explicitly ordered them to do precisely that! We’ve received tons of mail regarding that pamphlet, with many excellent suggestions for improvement. Please feel free to chime in!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Entrance Chant” • 23rd (Ordinary Time)

This coming Sunday, 7 September 2025, is the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). You can download the “Entrance Chant,” conveniently located at the feasts website. I also recorded a rehearsal video for it (freely available at the same website). The Communion Chant includes gorgeous verses in FAUXBOURDON. I attempted to create a rehearsal video for it, and it’s been posted at the feasts website, called by some: “church music’s best kept secret.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • 3 September

According to the MISSALE RECENS, the Feast of Saint Gregory the Great occurs on 3 September (the date Gregory became pope). Formerly, his feast was celebrated during Lent, on 12 March (the day Gregory died). In Latin, the feast is: Die 3 Septembris: S. Gregorii Magni, papæ et Ecclesiæ doctoris. you can download the Latin Introit, the Latin Offertory, as well as the Communion with gorgeous fauxbordon in English. Abbat Joseph Pothier—along with Dom André Mocquereau, Bishop Laurent Janssens, Father De Santi, and other Gregorian superstars—sang with a choir of 1,210 voices (from 36 different Roman colleges) under the direction of Monsignor Antonio Rella. That Mass included the “Alma cohors,” a special SEQUENCE for Saint Gregory…much to the dismay of those who believe in strict adherence to rubrics. The Mass on 11 April 1904 was celebrated by Pope Saint Pius X, at the great GREGORIAN CONGRESS held in Rome “to mark the 13th Centenary of the death of Saint Gregory the Great.” Someday, there’s much I’d love to say about this congress. We even have recordings (!) from it (made in 1904 by the Gramophone Company) with choirs conducted by Dom Pothier, Dom Mocquereau, Dom Janssens, Monsignor Rella, Baron Kanzler, and others.

—Jeff Ostrowski

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

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

Giovanni Doni is known for having changed the name of note “Ut,” renaming it “Do.” He convinced his contemporaries to make the change by arguing that 1) “Do” is easier to pronounce than “Ut,” and 2) “Do” is an abbreviation for “Dominus,” the Latin word for the Lord, Who is the tonic and root of the world. There is much academic speculation that Giovanni Doni also wanted to imprint himself into musical canon in perpetuity because “Do” is also ulteriorly an abbreviation for his family name.

— Giovanni Battista Doni died in 1647AD