Views from the Choir Loft

“Pope Francis Hymn Book” … (Published 2014)

Corpus Christi Watershed · July 10, 2014

Important Update: In 2018, the Brébeuf hymnal was published:

* Brébeuf Hymnal • “What Experts Are Saying”
(Testimonials from authorities on Sacred Music.)

The Brébeuf hymnal is sold by SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS.

The blog of the Church Music Association of America in 2019 said the Brébeuf hymnal is “hands down, the best Catholic hymnal ever to be published. […] Its copious selection of hundreds of tunes and texts, including favorites, forgotten gems, and new commissions, all beautifully formatted and presented in a surprisingly compact hardcover volume, is not only unparalleled by any other current hymnal, but well exceeds that of any hymnal I have seen from any period. […] It is such a fantastic hymnal that it deserves to be in the pews of every Catholic church.”

HE POPE FRANCIS HYMN BOOK consists of every hymn found in the Vatican II Hymnal, plus an additional forty-five (45) new hymns. Also included are nineteen (19) Gregorian Masses and six Creeds.

* * Sample Pages, Hymn Listing, & Preface (PDF)

Pope Francis Hymnal

Purchase the Pope Francis Hymn Book:

PEW EDITION: Softcover (White Pages) — $9.50

PEW EDITION: Softcover (Cream Pages) — $9.50

ORGAN EDITION : Spiral Bound (368 pages) — $28.95

6042 Catholic Book Replace Missalette H

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

Using “Ye” Vs. “You” Correctly

Using “Ye” vs. “You” is rather tricky, because it depends upon which era one is trying to recreate—if that makes any sense. In other words, the rules haven’t always been the same for these two. Nevertheless, Father Philip George Caraman (the legendary Jesuit scholar) gives us a masterclass using Saint Luke’s Gospel. Father Caraman was close friends with Monsignor Ronald Knox, Evelyn Waugh, and Sir Alec Guinness.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Pope Leo XIV Has Announced…”

My pastor asked me to write brief 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 most recent article speaks about the recent announcement by Pope Leo XIV, which does have an impact on church musicians. Scheduled for publication on 2025 08 10th, it’s called: “Pope Leo XIV Has Announced…”

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Chants” • 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

All the chants for 3 August 2025—which is the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)—have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down” menu. The COMMUNION ANTIPHON (from the book of Wisdom) is stunning. That feast website has been called “the best kept secret of Church music.”

—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