Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Fr. David Friel · February 3, 2013

Divine Intimacy

To Be Fully Known

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · January 31, 2013

Conservatism and Traditionalism

There is a problem that continues to slow down the pace of genuine reform and renewal in the Church, and that is the predominance of conservatism.

St. Edmund Campion Missal and Hymnal · January 31, 2013

First Look! • Campion Missal and Hymnal for the Laity

This article first appeared on 13 Jan 2013.

Andrew R. Motyka · January 30, 2013

I am not worthy

In which I forget parts of the Mass Ordinary and try to get through it anyway.

Cynthia Ostrowski · January 29, 2013

Catholic Line Art, Black and White • Installment #04

I will be releasing hundreds of these B/W religious line art drawings for free and instant download. These beautiful Catholic “woodcuts” were done with magnificent skill.

Fr. David Friel · January 27, 2013

Confessing Our Sins

How Do You Say…

Jeff Ostrowski · January 26, 2013

Tribute To Monsignor Francis P. Schmitt

“There is only one way—to be a man of prayer and a man of faith: to be a man in love with and imbued with Christ’s life.”

Richard J. Clark · January 25, 2013

Full and Active Preparation – ora et labora

For the sacred musician, full and active participation not only includes mindfulness during mass . . .

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · January 24, 2013

Musical Harmony Softens Hard Hearts

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, pray for us!

Cynthia Ostrowski · January 23, 2013

Catholic Line Art, Black and White • Installment #03

I will be releasing hundreds of these B/W religious line art drawings for free and instant download.

Richard J. Clark · January 23, 2013

A Simple SSA Offering

A beautiful model of the evangelization we must do in our churches and faith communities

Corpus Christi Watershed · January 21, 2013

Homiletic & Pastoral Review: Article by Fr. Friel

As I prayed these prayers from the new missal for the first time on January 3, 2012, I was struck nearly dumb . . .

Jeff Ostrowski · January 20, 2013

Babies, Toddlers, And The Sacred Liturgy

I can only imagine what would happen if I brought home a friend home without preparation or planning.

Fr. David Friel · January 20, 2013

The Mass

Miracle or Magic?

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · January 17, 2013

In every age, the challenge is the same

A Bible passage that has always struck me very forcefully . . .

Luis Martínez Must Go!

Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]

—Jeff Ostrowski

Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!

A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)

I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.

—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