Views from the Choir Loft

Father Friel • Article Archive

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

Fr. David Friel · July 4, 2014

Colloquium Update II

Resources for Accompanying Gregorian Chant

Fr. David Friel · July 3, 2014

Colloquium Update I

All the things I love about the Colloquium experience are here in force: an extraordinary faculty, magnificent liturgies, good fellowship, etc.

Fr. David Friel · June 29, 2014

Strong with God’s Strength

Saints Peter & Paul

Fr. David Friel · June 22, 2014

Archbishop Sample’s Letter On Sacred Music (7 of 8)

May the Archbishop’s reflections & exhortations bear fruit in practical renewal!

Fr. David Friel · June 15, 2014

Gregory the Great Academy

An Interview with Matt Williams

Fr. David Friel · June 8, 2014

Pentecost: Babel, Tongues, & Latin

Do churchgoers of my generation—who, largely, have no experience of Latin in the liturgy at all—even recognize the gift that has been lost?

Fr. David Friel · June 1, 2014

Liturgy & Clericalism

Love of liturgy—and, specifically, employment of its traditional forms—is not clericalism.

Fr. David Friel · May 29, 2014

Living for Heaven

The Ascension as Our Model

Fr. David Friel · May 25, 2014

150 Years of Sacred Music

A Philadelphia History

Fr. David Friel · May 18, 2014

Collected Works of Joseph Ratzinger

Beginning with Liturgy

Fr. David Friel · May 11, 2014

Does a Liberal Arts Education Have Any Value?

Without the visual arts, music, theater, architecture, and the like, future generations will have no sense of culture.

Fr. David Friel · May 4, 2014

Parish May Crownings

A strong devotional life in the parish church will naturally support and strengthen its liturgical vitality.

Fr. David Friel · April 27, 2014

The Mercy of God Makes Saints

Unmasking the Media’s Mythical Divide Between Popes

Fr. David Friel · April 20, 2014

Book Review: Killing Jesus

Was It Worth the Read?

Fr. David Friel · April 17, 2014

A Priest’s Litany of Thanksgiving

A Preparation for the Celebration of Holy Thursday

Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published

Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.

—Jeff Ostrowski

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)

With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Pope Pius XII Hymnal?

Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Hybrid” Chant Notation?

Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.

—Corpus Christi Watershed

Antiphons Don’t Match?

A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).

—Corpus Christi Watershed