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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.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Hymn • “Christ is King” (Father Ivor Daniel) + Rehearsal Videos!

Jeff Ostrowski · June 15, 2021

ISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN famously wrote in 1938: “Once there were lost islands, but most of them have been found; once there were lost causes, but many of them have been retrieved; but there is one lost art that has not been definitely recovered, and without which no civilization can long survive, and that is the art of controversy. The hardest thing to find in the world today is an argument.” I would like nothing more than to ‘argue’ to Catholic bishops the importance of having excellent hymn tunes, elegant hymn texts, exemplary typography, and theological depth for Roman Catholic pew books…but I’m met with apathy. I would absolutely love to participate in a public debate, making the case against the sad deficiencies in most Catholic hymnals. But some priests just want “a flashy cover and charming slogan.”

“Sine Qua Non” In Truth: The Brébeuf harmonizations and hymn tunes have become utterly essential to my work as a choirmaster. I cannot think of a single book available today that comes close to offering what the Brébeuf hymnal offers. What other publication comes close? The hymnal by Theodore Marier was quite nice, but it’s been unavailable for almost half a century. The New Westminster Hymnal was splendid in many ways, but it’s stupendously deficient compared to the Brébeuf—which is only natural when we speak of a book from the 1930s. I’m aware of all hymnals published recently, and I contributed to publications such as: the SAINT MICHAEL HYMNAL, the SAINT EDMUND CAMPION HYMNAL, and others. The Brébeuf hymnal contains three times as many hymns as any competing publication. 1

An Example: My professor often said: “An example is worth a thousand words.” Let’s take an example (#756 from the Brébeuf hymnal) which can be used for tons of different feasts. It’s a hymn to Christ the King by Father Ivor Daniel, and is extremely popular in countries such as Australia. Choristers absolutely love singing this hymn.

—
Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #756.

Brébeuf Versatility: Once you teach your singers this melody, you can use it with many other hymns in the Brébeuf hymnal, such as #818, #841, and #856. Just last Sunday, we used that melody for Brébeuf Hymn #860, “Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken,” which also appears in the New Catholic Hymn Book (published by the London Oratory). Here’s how that came out, although microphones always distort the true choral sound:

*  Live Recording • Hymn #860
—Brébeuf Hymn Number 860.

Church Music Association of America: In 2019, an article appeared on the blog of the Church Music Association of America called “What a Catholic Hymn Should Be.” Here is what the author wrote about The Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal:

The Brébeuf Hymnal’s “copious selection of hundreds of tunes and texts, including favorites, forgotten gems, and new commissions, all beautifully formatted and presented in a surprisingly compact hardcover volume, is not only unparalleled by any other current hymnal, but well exceeds that of any hymnal I have seen from any period. […] It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”

I would like to sincerely thank C. N. Reilly for directing me to that article. To be 100% clear, I had nothing to do with that column—in any way whatsoever. I only learned of it after it had been published.

Biographical Note: The priest who wrote the lyrics to that hymn was Father Ivor Daniel (1883-1967). Could this priest—who was born in England—have possibly been related to the great Father Antoine Daniel, the Jesuit Martyr? Father Ivor J.E. Daniel was a Roman Catholic priest who was a chaplain overseas during World War I—often called “The Great War”—in Edmonton (Canada), and as a missionary in British Columbia. Born in England in 1883, he moved to Edmonton sometime after 1906. Father Daniel was ordained in 1913 and assigned as an assistant priest at Saint Joachim’s Church. With the outbreak of the Great War, he was sent overseas to serve as a chaplain. When he returned, he served at St. Joseph’s Church before accepting missionary duties in British Columbia. Father Daniel also served as a justice of the peace, acted as a juvenile court judge, translated the “Appendix to the Roman Ritual,” and was the author of Traveling for Christ and a series of missionary sketches that appeared in the Catholic Register in 1912. A park is named in his honor (“The Father Ivor Daniel Park”) in Edmonton, Canada:


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   For example, a partial list of foreign hymn texts—for which the Brébeuf hymnal provides at least one English translation—would include: A Solis Ortus Cardine; Ad Cenam Agni Providi; Ad Preces Nostras Deitatis; Ad Regias Agni Dapes; Adeste Fideles; Adesto Pater Domine; Adoro Te Devote Latens Deitas; Æterna Cæli Gloria; Æterne Rex Altissime Redemptor; Agnoscat Omne Sæculum; Alto Ex Olympi Vertice; Amor Jesu Dulcissime; Angularis Fundamentum; Anima Christi Sanctifica Me; Auctor Beate Sæculi; Audi Benigne Conditor; Aurora Cælum Purpurat; Aurora Lucis Rutilat; Ave Maris Stella; Ave Vivens Hostia; Cælestis Urbs Jerusalem; Christe Redemptor (both versions); Clarum Decus Jejunii; Conditor Alme Siderum; Consors Paterni Luminis; Corde Natus Ex Parentis; Creator Alme Siderum; Crudelis Herodes Deum; De Profundis Exclamantes Audi; Deus Judicium Tuum Regi Da; Die Parente Temporum; Discendi Amor Santo; En Clara Vox Redarguit; Ex More Docti Mystico; Gloria Laus Et Honor Tibi Sit; Gloriosi Salvatoris; Gott Vater Sei Gepriesen; Herzliebster Jesu; Hoste Dum Victo Triumphans; Hostis Herodes Impie; Hymnum Canamus Gloriæ; In Dulci Jubilo; In Principio Creavit Deus; Instantis Adventum Dei; Jam Christe Sol Justitiæ; Jam Desinant Suspiria; Jesu Nostra Redemptio; Jesu Redemptor Omnium; Jordanis Oras Prævia; Lasst Uns Erfreuen Herzlich Sehr; Laudes Creaturarum; Lavacra Puri Gurgitis; Lustra Sex Qui Jam Peregit; Lustris Sex Qui Jam Peractis; Lux Alma Jesu Mentium; Maria Durch Ein’ Dornwald Ging; Mater Facta Sed Intacta; Mundus Effusis Redemptus; Non Abluunt Lymphæ Deum; Nunc Sancte Nobis Spiritus; O Amor Quam Ecstaticus; O Bello Dio Signor Del Paradiso; O Esca Viatorum; O Filii Et Filiæ; O Gloriosa Virginum; O Gloriosa Femina; O Heiland Reiss Die Himmel Auf; O Pater Sancte Mitis Atque Pie; O Salutaris Hostia; O Sanctissima O Piissima; O Sol Salutis Intimis; O Sola Magnarum Urbium; O Splendor æterni Patris; Omni Die Dic Mariæ; Pange Lingua Gloriosi (Aquinas); Pange Lingua Gloriosi (Fortunatus); Panis Angelicus Fit Panis Hominum; Pendens In Crucis Cornibus; Per Te Mundus Lætabundus; Placare Christe Servulis; Puer Natus Est Nobis; Quem Terra Pontus Sidera; Qui Procedis Ab Utroque; Quicumque Certum Quæritis; Quicumque Christum Quæritis; Rebus Creatis Nil Egens; Regina Cæli Jubila; Regina Cæli Lætare; Rex Gloriose Martyrum; Rex Sempiterne Cælitum; Salutis Humanæ Sator; Salve Caput Cruentatum; Salve Mundi Domina; Salve Regina Cælitum; Salve Regina Mater Misericordiæ; Sancti Venite Christi Corpus Sumite; Schönster Herr Jesu; Splendor Paternæ Gloriæ; Stabat Mater Dolorosa; Stille Nacht; Summi Largitor Præmii; Summi Parentis Filio; Surrexit Christus Hodie; Tantum Ergo; Te Deum Laudamus; Te Gestientem Gaudiis; Te Sæculorum Principem; Urbs Jerusalem Beata; Urbs Sion Aurea Patria Lactea; Venez Divin Messie; Veni Creator Spiritus; Veni Redemptor Gentium; Veni Sancte Spiritus; Veni Veni Emmanuel; Verbum Supernum Prodiens; Vergine Madre Figlia Del Tuo Figlio; Vexilla Regis Prodeunt; Victimæ Paschali Laudes; Victis Sibi Cognomina; Vita Sanctorum Decus Angelorum; and Vox Clara Ecce Intonat.

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

Filed Under: Articles, Featured Tagged With: Bishop Fulton J Sheen, Dr Theodore Marier, Hymn for Christ the King, Jean de Brebeuf Hymnal, New Westminster Hymnal, William F Buckley Jr Last Updated: November 1, 2021

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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).

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President’s Corner

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 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 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Mass, said in Latin, is the same all over the world. Go where you will, the language is the same; and such unity is in itself a great good, far greater than would be the mere understanding of the words.”

— John Henry Newman (1859)

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