Views from the Choir Loft

Jogues Illuminated Missal Lectionary Gradual

Jeff Ostrowski · March 17, 2015

Improve Your Parish Liturgy … Instantly!

Have you noticed the change in atmosphere when people dress fancy, as opposed to tank tops with jeans?

Jeff Ostrowski · February 16, 2015

“What Must Be Sung Is The Mass” • Susan Benofy

“For decades there were virtually no musical settings for the Propers in English.” —Susan Benofy

Jeff Ostrowski · January 8, 2015

“The best I have ever seen. Anywhere. In the world. Period.” —Mr. John Sonnen

“The vitality of the Classical Rite is as fresh as ever.”

Jeff Ostrowski · November 4, 2014

Fr. Christopher Smith Weighs In

“Why am I excited? Well, every year we spend about $4,000 on those paperback missalettes…”

Fr. David Friel · October 12, 2014

The Society for Catholic Liturgy

Two Contributions from CCW Bloggers

Jeff Ostrowski · August 2, 2014

How Dare We Complain?

Can you imagine trying to feed your family in the year 1300AD?

Guest Author · July 23, 2014

Like Eve in the Garden

“The fruit in my hands was not forbidden but simply forgotten.” — Fr. Brent Maher

Jeff Ostrowski · June 19, 2014

Sensational Review Of The Jogues Illuminated Missal By Dr. Peter Kwasniewski

Rigorous and Resplendent Review of the Jogues Illuminated Missal.

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 22, 2014

HOME VIDEO • Jogues Illuminated Missal

Jeff discovered that making an impromptu video is harder than he thought!

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 21, 2014

SAMPLE PAGES • Jogues Illuminated Missal

These Mass texts are “3L” : Large, Lovely, Legible … silly sounding, but true!

Music List • “5th Sunday of Easter” (Year A)

Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for the 5th Sunday of Easter Sunday—a.k.a. “Dominica V Paschae”—which is 3 May 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if such a thing interests you. The COMMUNION (“Tanto Témpore Vobíscum Sum”) is rather somber, with awesome fauxbourdon psalm verses. The ENTRANCE CHANT is bright and happy.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Communion for Sunday

The COMMUNION ANTIPHON with fauxbourdon psalm verses for this coming Sunday (3 May 2026) is elegant and poignant. It’s such a shame it only comes every three years. This piece—along with all the musical scores for this coming Sunday, which is the 5th Sunday of Easter (Year A)—can be downloaded free of charge from the flourishing feasts website. By the way, how is it already 2026?

—Jeff Ostrowski

Season’s End Repertoire

Looking at the REPERTOIRE SHEET until the end of the choral season, I see that I’ve fallen behind schedule. (The last three months have been extraordinarily busy.) As you know, I have been providing organ harmonies for all the ENTRANCE CHANTS—as well as rehearsal videos—and you can see I’m behind where I planned to be. Now I must make up lost ground. However, the choir picks up the ENTRANCE CHANT with ease, so I’m sure it will all work out. My ‘unofficial’ harmonizations are being posted each week at the flourishing feasts website.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • “Anima Christi”

I received a request for an organ accompaniment I created way back in 2007 for the “Anima Christi” Gregorian Chant. You can download this PDF file which has the score in plainsong followed by a keyboard accompaniment. Many melodies have been paired with “Anima Christi” over the centuries, but this is—perhaps—the most common one.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “Liturgical Law” (467 Pages)

On Good Friday during the middle ages, the pope privately recited THE ENTIRE PSALTER. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself by reading this passage by Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen (d. 1943). His famous book—called “Liturgical Law: A Handbook Of The Roman Liturgy”—was published by the Benjamin Herder Book Company, which was the American arm (operating out of St. Louis, Missouri) of one of the world’s most significant Catholic publishers. Dom Charles Augustine Bachofen was born in Switzerland but spent his career between the Benedictine monasteries at Conception (Missouri) and Mount Angel (Oregon). His 1931 masterpiece, Liturgical Law can be downloaded as a PDF file … 467 pages!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Gregorian Chant Quiz” • 24 March 2026

How well do you know your Gregorian hymns? Do you recognize the tune inserted into the bass line on this score? For many years, we sang the entire Mass in Gregorian chant—and I mean everything. As a result, it would be difficult to find a Gregorian hymn I don’t recognize instantly. Only decades later did I realize (with sadness) that this skill cannot be ‘monetized’… This particular melody is used for a very famous Gregorian hymn, printed in the LIBER USUALIS. Do you recognize it? Send me an email with the correct words, and I promise to tell everybody I meet about your prowess!

—Jeff Ostrowski