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Corpus Christi Watershed

“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

New Website! • “Restore The 1954 Holy Week”

Corpus Christi Watershed · March 31, 2021

The following is a guest article by Miss Lydia Friedmann.

OT TOO LONG AGO, a Facebook page called “Restore the 54” was launched to educate the public about Holy Week prior to the 1955 reforms. The Facebook page is run by Mr. Gregory DiPippo (a Roman tour guide who currently edits the NLM blog after Jeffrey Tucker retired) as well as an Australian gentleman, Mr. Ronan Reilly (who currently teaches at Saint Philomena, an SSPX grade school). I readily admit I spend way too much time on Facebook, and I need to consider reducing. Anyway, they have recently launched an interesting website which provides free PDF files related to the sacred liturgy:

*  New Website • “Restore The ’54” .com

It seems many of our PDF files (several of which I helped to meticulously scan) have been added to their website:

Others besides myself, such as Susan Rodriguez, Kristen Ostrowski, and Sarah Halas, have assisted in scanning our PDF books.

Examples of books which were scanned and uploaded by Corpus Christi Watershed:

ANTIPHONALE MONASTICUM (1934)

The scanned copy they uploaded to their website is a scan we made of a book which formerly belonged to Monsignor Robert A. Skeris.

FATHER LASANCE HAND-MISSAL (1937)

This was one of the very first books Corpus Christi Watershed scanned, and we hope someone will “clean” what we have done.

GRADUALE ROMANUM (1908)

About thirteen years ago, Corpus Christi Watershed provided the first online copy of the 1908 Graduale Romanum by the Vatican Press. In January of 2020 we scanned and uploaded the extremely rare and magnificent Solesmes 1908 edition, which was as scarce as hen’s teeth.

Note: We place unique “identifiers” on certain PDF pages so we can always know which scans belong to us—in order to better know the areas in which we are assisting the Catholic Church.

We are glad they are helping to promote the sacred liturgy. At the same time, perhaps those who created the website could mention that Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity which has no endowment and no major donors. We can only continue to scan books like that if more Catholics pledge $5.00 per month.

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

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Jeffrey Tucker Sacred Music, Pre-1955 Holy Week, Restore the '54 Last Updated: March 31, 2021

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
    Our readers will be interested in this job offering for Music Director at Saint Adalbert’s Basilica, located 40 minutes from where I live. My pastor was recently elevated to this basilica. He is offering $80,000 per year, plus benefits. I’m told Saint Adalbert’s Basilica is utterly gorgeous and contains one of America’s most magnificent pipe organs. It would be fantastic to have a colleague nearby!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    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

Random Quote

“The Chasuble, or upper garment, represents the purple garment which the soldiers put upon Jesus Christ, and the heavy cross that He carried on His blessed shoulders to Mount Calvary.”

— Guide for the Laity (1875)

Recent Posts

  • “How to Conduct 90 Vespers Services Each Year and Live to Tell the Tale.”
  • 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • The Tallis Scholars
  • Music Director Job • $80,000 per year
  • Pope Saint Paul VI to Consilium (14 October 1968)

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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.

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