HE FAMOUS AUTHOR of Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, took note of the immense work Dom Gregory Murray and Monsignor Ronald Knox put into creating the NEW WESTMINSTER HYMNAL. It was not appreciated in the way it should have been, and in 1959 Waugh lamented this injustice: “Catholic parishes are slow to change their habits. They still sing what the oldest members learned at school. A full generation must pass before the innovations, so patiently debated, are allowed to fulfill their work of enrichment.” Indeed, Robert Speaight wrote an entire book about Monsignor Knox (Ronald Knox the Writer, 1966) in which he made the reprehensible claim that Knox “neglected” hymn-writing after his conversion. Nothing could be further from the truth! Knox contributed about 60 utterly breathtaking hymns to the NEW WESTMINSTER HYMNAL. Many of his texts were selected by the Brébeuf editorial team.
Secrets Revealed • Recently, I came across some of the creation materials for the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal. Looking over these amazing and comprehensive charts, I remembered that quote from Evelyn Waugh (see above). For example, consider the following, which lays out every known translation of the VESPERS HYMN for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe:
* PDF Download • COMPARISON CHART
—Displaying every known English translation of “Te Sæculórum Príncipem.”
Christ the King • Something truly exceptional about the Brébeuf Hymnal is the abundant supply of really great hymns to Christ the King. You can peruse some by searching for those keywords [click here] in the HYMN PORTAL.
If you want to see how wonderfully this hymn works in the sacred liturgy, click on the FAUXBOURDON for the Communion Antiphon on the Feast of Christ the King listed at the feasts website.
And here’s a ‘Christ the King’ stained glass window I consider quite beautiful:
Renewal of Challenge • In many recent articles, I’ve been recommending the Brébeuf Hymnal, which I feel is indispensable for any serious Catholic choirmaster. (I certainly couldn’t run my choral program without it.) I don’t use the “P-word” word lightly, but I’m comfortable calling the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL peerless. Indeed, one of the main authors for the Church Music Association of America weblog declared (6/10/2022) that the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL “has no parallel and not even any close competitor.” For years, I’ve been searching for a qualified partner willing to debate this assertion over zoom. Today—18 November 2025—I respectfully renew my challenge. Our website garners millions of hits, but so far nobody has accepted my challenge.
