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Corpus Christi Watershed

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

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · February 12, 2026

PDF Download • Sanctus VIII Organ Accompaniment (“Mass of the Angels”)

This melody is quite ancient.

Cynthia Ostrowski · February 11, 2026

Gorgeous Image of Monks Singing!

Image from a ‘Book of Hours’ (15th century).

Jeff Ostrowski · February 10, 2026

“Let the Choir Have a Voice” • Jeff Ostrowski’s Essay on Choral Music in the Catholic Mass

“In a world filled with a lot of noise, your sacred song lifts our hearts to heaven…” —Parishioner

Mark Haas · February 9, 2026

Solfege Volleyball: A Children’s Choir Game

“The children loved it instantly. The game required focus, teamwork, and listening.”

Jeff Ostrowski · February 8, 2026

PDF Download • “2-Voice Hymn” (Holy Name)

This arrangement works with a mixed choir (or children singing with men).

Jeff Ostrowski · February 7, 2026

Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”

(6 of 50) “Christ Foretold”

Corpus Christi Watershed · February 5, 2026

“Pipe Organ Interlude During Funerals?” • (Reader Feedback)

Before I say one word, I should probably…

Jeff Ostrowski · February 2, 2026

Alphabetizing Hymn Titles Inside Hymnals • “Does This Make Any Sense?”

“Many breviary hymns are really only fragments of very long compositions.” —Dr. Fortescue

Jeff Ostrowski · February 1, 2026

Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”

(5 of 50) “Good and Evil”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 31, 2026

“Reminder” — Month of Febr. (2026)

Since a new month has arrived, it’s my pleasure to remind you that…

Dr. Myrna Keough · January 31, 2026

Seminary Music Directors Gather in Houston

What happens to the Church if all seminarians are trained to sing the Mass and value our sacred music tradition?

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 27, 2026

(January 2026) • “Children Singing Plainsong”

There’s something light and heavenly about children’s voices.

Dr. Lucas Tappan · January 27, 2026

“Inquiry” • For Music Directors of Cathedrals and Larger Parish Churches

I would very much like to hear from you personally!

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2026

PDF Download • “Pange Lingua” for Three Voices (Father Edgard De Laet)

For very small choirs, this arrangement can be sung with one male and two females.

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2026

Fulton J. Sheen • “24-Hour Catechism”

(4 of 50) “Human Freedom” [a.k.a. “Virgin Birth”]

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Good Friday Flowers
    Good Friday has a series of prayers for various parties: the pope, catechumens, pagans, heretics, schismatics, and so forth. In the old liturgical books, there was no official ‘name’ for these prayers. (This wasn’t unusual as ‘headers’ and ‘titles’ for each section is a rather modern idea.) The Missal simply instructed the priest to go to the Epistle side and begin. In the SHERBORNE MISSAL, each prayer begins with a different—utterly spectacular—flower. This PDF file shows the first few prayers. Has anyone counted the ‘initial’ drop-cap flowers in the SHERBORNE MISSAL? Surely there are more than 1,000.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for this coming Sunday, which is the 3rd Sunday of Lent (8 March 2026). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. This feast has magnificent propers. Its stern INTROIT (“Óculi mei semper ad Dóminum”) is breathtaking, and the COMMUNION (“Qui bíberit aquam”) with its fauxbourdon verses is wonderful. I encourage all the readers to visit the feasts website, where the Propria Missae may be downloaded completely free of charge.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Ubi Caritas” (SATB)
    I remember singing “Ubi Cáritas” by Maurice Duruflé at the conservatory. I was deeply moved by it. However, some feel Duruflé’s version isn’t suitable for small choirs since it’s written for 6 voices and the bass tessitura is quite low. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to discover this “Ubi cáritas” (SATB) for smaller choirs by Énemond Moreau, who studied with OSCAR DEPUYDT (d. 1925), an orphan who became a towering figure of Catholic music. Depuydt’s students include: Flor Peeters (d. 1986); Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel (d. 1953); Arthur Meulemans (d. 1966); Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989); and Gustaaf Nees (d. 1965). Rehearsal videos for each individual voice await you at #19705. When I came across the astonishing English translation for “Ubi Cáritas” by Monsignor Ronald Knox—matching the Latin’s meter—I decided to add those lyrics as an option (for churches which have banned Latin). My wife and I made this recording to give you some idea how it sounds.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
    It isn’t easy to determine what Alice King MacGilton hoped to accomplish with her very popular book—A Study of Latin Hymns (1918)—which continued to be reprinted in new editions for at least 34 years. This PDF file shows her attempt to translate the DIES IRAE “in the fewest words possible.” There’s a place for dynamic equivalency, but this is repugnant. In particular, look what she does to “Quærens me sedísti lassus.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
    For vigil Masses on Saturday (a.k.a. “anticipated” Masses) we use this simpler setting of the “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Monsignor Jules Vyverman (d. 1989), a Belgian priest, organist, composer, and music educator who ultimately succeeded another ‘Jules’ (CANON JULES VAN NUFFEL) as director of the Lemmensinstituut in Belgium. Although I could be wrong, my understanding is that the LEMMENSINSTITUUT eventually merged with “Catholic University of Leuven” (originally founded in 1425). That’s the university Fulton J. Sheen attended.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Grotesque Pairing • “Passion Chorale”
    One of our rarest releases was undoubtably this PDF scan of the complete Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) by Father Joseph Roff, a student of Healey Willan. One of the scarcest titles in existence, this book was provided to us by Mr. Peter Meggison. Back in 2018, we scanned each page and uploaded it to our website, making it freely available to everyone. Readers are probably sick of hearing me say this, but just because we upload something that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wonderful or worthy of imitation. We upload many publications precisely because they are ‘grotesque’, interesting, or revealing. Whereas the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal had an editorial board that was careful and sensitive vis-à-vis pairing texts with tunes, the Pope Pius XII Hymnal (1959) seems to have been rather reckless in this regard. Please take a look at what they did with the PASSION CHORALE and see whether you agree.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Unfortunately there are few organists or singers nowadays whose knowledge of Latin is sufficient to enable them to follow easily the meaning of the liturgical texts.”

— Monsignor Charles E. Spence (18 Dec. 1952)

Recent Posts

  • Good Friday Flowers
  • PDF Download • “Entrance Chant” for Holy Thursday (Plainsong in English)
  • “Dies Irae” • A Monstrous Translation
  • PDF Download • “Holy, Holy, Holy”
  • Music List • (3rd Sunday of Lent)

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