• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

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.”

  • Donate
  • Our Team
    • Our Editorial Policy
    • Who We Are
    • How To Contact Us
    • Sainte Marie Bulletin Articles
    • Jeff’s Mom Joins Fundraiser
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Repository • “Spanish Music”
    • KYRIALE • Saint Antoine Daniel
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Catechism of Gregorian Rhythm
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Feasts Website
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Secrets of the Conscientious Choirmaster
    • “Wedding March” for lazy organists
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • The Eight Gregorian Modes
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
    • Seven (7) Considerations
Views from the Choir Loft

Our Editorial Policy

UST BECAUSE YOU SEE something published on our website, that doesn’t mean all our contributors agree with it. Nor does it de facto mean our editorial team endorses it. In the olden days, music journals often published opposing viewpoints. Here at Corpus Christi Watershed, we sometimes follow that tradition. Needless to say, we would never permit views contrary to the holy Catholic Faith—but when it comes to musical matters, we don’t rule out opposing views. If somebody is bothered by disagreements (e.g. disagreements over plainsong rhythm) it might be best to skip those articles. Our volunteers have produced something like 40,000 Pdf scores, Mp3 files, and rehearsal videos. Therefore, there’s plenty of variety for everyone to enjoy on our blog! Over the years, we’ve received beautiful messages of encouragement. These emails mean more to us than you’ll ever know.

Hate Mail • We’ve also received enormous amounts of hate mail. For instance, several years ago, an email we sent said THANK YOU to readers who’d generously given us donations. In response, someone accused us of “attacking people in nursing homes unable to provide financial support for your efforts.” For years, we received acrimonious messages from a gentleman angry our articles refer to the CLOSING HYMN as a RECESSIONAL. According to this person, there’s no such word. He told us countless times: “One can only process to and from the Altar; one cannot recess from the Altar.” And here’s a message someone sent us in response to an article on plainsong interpretation (!) we published:

If you ever gaslight me in any way ever again, it won’t be good. Back off. Hold yourself accountable for all the atrocities that you have committed against humanity. Other than apologize and making the wrong right you can zip it. **** off.

Anyone on the internet knows hate mail “goes with the territory”—and this is nothing compared to what our Savior suffered for our sins. Nevertheless, by reading these examples, perhaps you can understand better why cherish we the messages of encouragement sent to us.

Submitting a Guest Article:

We welcome guest submissions! (Remember that not every submission will be published.)

Formatting Your Submission • We have good reasons for our requirements. We want your article to look sensational. You’ve probably noticed our blog entries are usually tiny “works of art”—rather than “cut and paste.” If you employ special formatting, your article might have a greater chance of being rejected. Please avoid any special formatting. By “special formatting,” we mean text that has been aligned to the right or center, funky line spacing, footnotes, endnotes, and/or anything else that won’t display correctly on the various web browsers (and iPhones) that read our blog articles. However, if it is absolutely necessary, you may include a paragraph or so in blockquote:   <blockquote></blockquote> Your submission ought to look like this. On our blog, it will actually turn out like this.

Final Reminders • Please send a picture along with your submission. If you don’t have a picture, please indicate what sort of picture you’d like, and we’ll take care of the rest. Using bold letters, underlined text, or colored text is not allowed. If you wish to emphasize a particular idea, careful and skilled writing will suffice. It is allowed to use italics, but you must add them yourself, using the following code:   <em></em> Your blog submission ought to be sent to us in one of the following formats:

(a) .TXT document  (b) .DOC file  (c) .PDF document

Please email your submissions to us: chabanel@ccwatershed.org.

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Job Opening • $65,000 per year +
    A parish 15 minutes away from me is looking for a choir director and organist. The parish is filled with young families. When I began my career, I would have jumped at such an opportunity! Saint Patrick’s in Grand Haven has a job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year including benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” I lived in Kansas for 15 years, Texas for 10 years, and Los Angeles for 10 years. Michigan is the closest place I know to heaven!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of November (2025)
    On a daily basis, I speak to people who don’t realize we publish a free newsletter (although they’ve followed our blog for years). We have no endowment, no major donors, no savings, and refuse to run annoying ads. As a result, our mailing list is crucial to our survival. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Offertory” at Catholic Funerals
    I have argued that the OFFERTORY—at least in its ancient form—is more of a responsory than an antiphon. The 1962 Missal specifically calls it “Antiphona ad Offertorium.” From now on, I plan to use this beautiful setting (PDF) at funerals, since it cleverly inserts themes from the absolution of the body. Tons more research needs to be done on the OFFERTORY, which often is a ‘patchwork’ stitching together various beginnings and endings of biblical verses. For instance, if you examine the ancient verses for Dómine, vivífica me (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time) you’ll discover this being done in a most perplexing way. Rebecca Maloy published a very expensive book on the OFFERTORY, but it was a disappointment. Indeed, I can’t think of a single valuable insight contained in her book. What a missed opportunity!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)
    We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short 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 latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

We cannot exaggerate our indebtedness to Dr. Julian’s “Dictionary of Hymnology,” a monumental work, without which we could not have reached the high standard of accuracy, as to both texts and authorship, which we set before us when entering upon our labours.

— Committee for “New English Hymnal” (1906)

Recent Posts

  • Exclusive Interview • Hannah Houston w/ Mæstro Richard J. Clark
  • Job Opening • $65,000 per year +
  • “Reminder” — Month of November (2025)
  • “Reader Feedback” • 5 November 2025
  • Never Work For A Priest Or Bishop Who Believes Sacred Music Should Be “Entertainment”

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2025 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.