Views from the Choir Loft

Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference 2024

Fr. David Friel · July 20, 2024

OUSTON will be the setting for this year’s Society for Catholic Liturgy (SCL) conference. The event will take place September 26-27, 2024 on the beautiful campus of Saint Mary’s Seminary and will feature numerous interesting elements, including academic paper sessions, solemn liturgies, and plenty of fellowship among participants. The Society is especially pleased to welcome the participation of Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, alongside an impressive international slate of scholars on the liturgy and related fields.

One of the most exciting features of this year’s conference will be a concert by the renowned vocal ensemble Cappella Romana, under the direction of Dr. Alexander Lingas. The group describes its mission as an exploration of “the transcendent beauty of the sacred music of the Christian East and West, especially of Byzantium, cultivating this rich cultural heritage and sharing it worldwide.” Lingas will also serve as one of the keynote speakers for the conference, presenting on the topic of “Late Antique Cathedral Liturgy and the Rite of the Great Church of Hagia Sophia.”

The night before the conference officially begins, a special members-only welcome reception will feature an address by Joseph Pearce, a well-known scholar on Shakespeare, Tolkien, and Chesterton. The focus of his presentation will be “Liturgy and Literature.”

Attendance at the general conference is not limited to members of the SCL. Anyone with an interest in the sacred liturgy is welcome to register for the conference through the SCL website. The full conference schedule, lodging information, and additional details are also available at the website.

OUNDED in 1995, the Society for Catholic Liturgy is a unique organization that brings together faithful Catholic scholars and artists from around the world to study and promote the rich liturgical tradition of the Church. The Society holds an annual conference and publishes Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, which deals with important theoretical and practical questions in the fields of liturgy and sacramental theology. Find out more about becoming a member on the Society’s website.

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

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 • “Music List” (Xmas Midnight Mass)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for Christmas Midnight Mass (“Ad Missam In Nocte”). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is simple, but quite beautiful. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Music List” (4th Sunday of Advent)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 21 December 2025, which is the 4th Sunday of Advent (Year A). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. The ENTRANCE CHANT is the famous “Roráte Coeli” and the fauxbourdon setting of the COMMUNION is exquisite. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are available at the feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • Our Lady of Guadalupe (12 Dec.)

The Responsorial Psalm may be downloaded as a PDF file (organist & vocalist) for 12 December, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When it comes to the formulary for this Mass, it’s astounding how infrequently it’s included in official books. Prior to Vatican II, one had to search through “supplemental material” printed in the back of hand-missals and graduals. But since 1970, the feast is virtually nonexistent. According to the UNIVERSAL KALENDAR, 12 December is the “Feast of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious” (Die 12 decembris: S. Ioannæ Franciscæ de Chantal, religiosæ). Why should that feast overpower Our Lady of Guadalupe? In the United States, OLG is celebrated—and I’d assume in Mexico, Central America, South America, and Canada—but, as I said, the Propria Missae are virtually impossible to locate. I possess only three books which mention this feast.

—Jeff Ostrowski

What does this mean? “Pre-Urbanite”

One of the things informed critics have frequently praised vis-à-vis the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal has to do with its careful treatment of the ancient hymns vs. the “Urbanite” hymns. This topic I had believed to be fairly well understood—but I was wrong. The reason I thought people knew about it is simple; in the EDITIO VATICANA 1908 Graduale Romanum (as well as the 1913 Liber Antiphonarius) both versions are provided, right next to each other. You can see what I mean by examining this PDF file from the Roman Gradual of 1908. Most people still don’t understand that the Urbanite versions were never adopted by any priests or monks who sang the Divine Office each day. Switching would have required a massive amount of effort and money, because all the books would need to be changed.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Santo Santo Santo”

Those searching for a dignified, brief, simple, bright setting of SANCTUS in Spanish (“Santo Santo Santo”) are invited to download this Setting in honor of Saint John Brébeuf (organist & vocalist). I wonder if there would be any interest in me recording a rehearsal video for this piece.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Leo XIV on Sacred Music

On 5 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made this declaration with regard to liturgical music.

—Corpus Christi Watershed