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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

“I Don’t Care Anymore!” • Lead by Loving Example

Richard J. Clark · August 1, 2025

DON’T CARE anymore. Examining the veracity of this statement, it is both true and untrue. I feel more deeply, but my desire to specify or articulate what I believe one must do at every moment within the sacred liturgy is greatly diminished. Admittedly, such abatement has much to do with age. But this is not to be confused with disregard for liturgical legislation, Roman Catholic theology, or the Magisterium. Nor does this negate preferences, opinions, and understandings (that no one may care about) developed through decades of personal and professional experience, study, and prayer. Such views, hopefully as seen through the eyes of love and compassion, may further evolve and grow throughout life. What I do care about is leading by example to the best of my ability. Often, I fail. But I will specify this: it is incumbent upon me to pray each day that I serve as God intends and not as I prefer. I need this reminder desperately as I frequently forget God is in charge. I am not. Such hubris. My opinions, alleged contributions, and perceived accomplishments are less than a grain of sand in the vastness of God’s design. But love can fill all of God’s creation; that is why we serve God and each other. For some of us, this is through music which is ultimately filled with personal encounter with God and each other.

FRIENDSHIP AND THE beautiful people with whom we are blessed to pray and make music with are supremely important. Perhaps this is why we care deeply about what we do in service to God and each other.

Pope Benedict XVI often spoke of teaching us better how to pray not by edict or decree but through loving example. There are many servant leaders in our Church who offer such example, and among them an endless ocean of musicians serving the liturgy quite frequently in humbling circumstances: inadequate pay, support, and gratitude. Yet they persist for years. Why? I think we may gain tremendous wisdom to ask each and every person who persists despite adversity that question.

ONE SUCH SERVANT LEADER, Jeff Ostrowski has been a dear friend over the years. We first connected over email around 2009. I admired his work and unparalleled enthusiasm. We met at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City at the CMAA Colloquium in 2012. We both got stuck at the airport when a connecting flight to Houston was delayed for three hours. He showed me his drafts of the Saint Edmund Campion Missal on his laptop. We talked for those hours. God made sure I made a friend in Jeff.

He can be controversial, and we don’t always agree on approach or tone. But we are in different situations with disparate responsibilities and pressures. Behind the strong public voice is a man who deeply loves the sacred liturgy, God, his family, and is fiercely committed to service.

TRULY EXCEPTIONAL is that during each part of his career he’s developed new monumental resources that serve the Church differently. This includes contributing to hymnals for the Novus Ordo, (Vatican II Hymnal, The Saint Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal) the Extraordinary Form (Saint Edmund Campion Missal), and both (Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal). He has also created Responsorial Psalms, countless arrangements, editions, accompaniments, and an endless sea of useful liturgical resources. As if that weren’t enough, he is currently working on a very large project for resources in Spanish, and hopefully will come to fruition with needed support. Despite an already towering intellect, he won’t quit studying and learning. His idea of relaxing is spending hours in a university music library. And he does all this while working as a full-time liturgical musician and caring for his family.

Our Cathedral music program would have great difficulty functioning without Corpus Christi Watershed. Most rare is a Sunday without some Ostrowski produced resource that is free. A typical example is a recent Sunday with an Ostrowski edition of the Introit chant, a Responsorial Psalm, and his adaptation of a Fr. Francisco Guerrero Magnificat into an Alleluia choral extension, and an Ostrowski edition of a three-voice motet by Kevin Allen from Allen’s Matri Divinae Gratiae collection.

Here’s a recording of his Psalm 138 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross:

 

DO I STILL CARE?  Yes, but hopefully only about what is truly important. Each other is all we have. Let us support and pray for one other. Please pray for me as I will pray for all of you.

“[T]he goal of worship and the goal of creation as a whole are one and the same—divinization, a world of freedom and love.”
—
Pope Benedict XVI, (The Spirit of the Liturgy, pg. 28)

“Sacred music, being a complementary part of the solemn liturgy, participates in the general scope of the liturgy, which is the glory of God and the sanctification and edification of the faithful. It contributes to the decorum and the splendor of the ecclesiastical ceremonies, and since its principal office is to clothe with suitable melody the liturgical text proposed for the understanding of the faithful, its proper aim is to add greater efficacy to the text, in order that through it the faithful may be the more easily moved to devotion and better disposed for the reception of the fruits of grace belonging to the celebration of the most holy mysteries.”
— Pope Saint Pius X (Tra le sollecitudini, 1903, General Principals, I)

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

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: August 4, 2025

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About Richard J. Clark

Richard J. Clark is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    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
    “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 26 October 2025, which is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the top-notch feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Little Encouragement?
    In the Gospel, our Savior tells about 10 lepers who were healed. Only one went back to give thanks. Precious few express gratitude, yet many have endless energy to complain. For that reason, I deeply appreciate receiving messages like the following, which arrived a few days ago (about the parish where I direct in Michigan): “Last Sunday, a couple I knew from Grand Rapids was at Mass at 10:00 a.m. I got a chance to talk to them after Mass. I wanted to let you know what they said about the choir. They were absolutely floored by our sound!!!!! They both said they could continuously listen to our choir and the beauty of it. They asked me: “Do you always sound like that?” And they were also very surprised at how packed the church was. They said it was nice for them to be in such a full church. I just thought you would be interested to know their thoughts about our choir.”
    —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

Friedman met Egon Wellesz in Altaussee on one of the walks, and Egon started to speak about atonal music—and Ignaz replied: “No, no, no. Melody for me.”

— From the Life of Ignazy Friedman

Recent Posts

  • Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
  • “Music List” • 30th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
  • Little Encouragement?
  • Children’s Repertoire • Mueller’s Recommendations

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