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 Download • Offertory (9 Nov.)

This year, the feast of 9 November replaces the Sunday. The OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF file) for 9 November is exceedingly beautiful. The ‘Laterani’ mansion at Rome was the popes’ residence for a thousand years. The church there still is the cathedral church of Rome—“Mother and Head of all churches of the City and of the World,” says the inscription over the entrance. It is dedicated to Our Holy Savior, but has long been commonly known as “St. John Lateran” owing to its famous baptistery of St. John the Baptist. In this church, the pope’s own ‘cathedra’ (episcopal chair) stands in the apse.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Job Opening • $65,000 per year +

A parish 15 minutes away from me is looking for a choir director and organist. The parish is filled with young families. When I began my career, I would have jumped at such an opportunity! Saint Patrick’s in Grand Haven has a job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year including benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” I lived in Kansas for 15 years, Texas for 10 years, and Los Angeles for 10 years. Michigan is the closest place I know to heaven!

—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

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