Monsignor Higinio Angles

Jeff Ostrowski · March 9, 2024

The Day My Life Changed Forever

Do we believe sacred music exists?

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

Jeff Ostrowski · March 21, 2023

“Go!” • The Word That Changed My Life Forever

As Americans, we’re “bred from birth” to think of ourselves as little gods who already know everything and require no correction.

Oldest Latin Eucharistic Hymn

The Church’s oldest Latin Eucharistic hymn is featured in the Brébeuf Hymnal. Indeed, the legendary Father Adrian Fortescue made a translation of it—matching the original’s meter—which was elevated by the Brébeuf team. For years, we’ve been working on a Spanish hymnal: “Cantoral del Padre Antonio Daniel.” The progress has been slow but steady, and we encourage anyone fluent in Spanish to consider joining the proofreading team. A few days ago, my wife helped me record a rehearsal video for this Spanish version of the Church’s oldest Latin Eucharistic hymn.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Rare Plainsong Accompaniments

Our contributor, Veronica Brandt, went deep into Australia to take photographs of organ accompaniments for Gregorian Chant. Some consider these peculiar PLAINSONG ACCOMPANIMENTS—with 3-part harmonies by Barcelona Cathedral organist, Father Josep Muset i Ferrer—to be the rarest in the world. Click here to learn more. Thanks Veronica! 😊

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Hidden Chant” • For the Ordinary Form

Not even the magnificent “GregoBase”—which is incredibly comprehensive—realizes music for this antiphon was published by the Vatican in the 1930s.

To access this post, you must purchase Monthly Subscription or Yearly Subscription.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Time and Again We Are Asked…

John Baptist Singenberger (d. 1924) was a central figure of Catholic Church music. In this utterly fascinating excerpt (Single-Page PDF), Singenberger writes: Time and again we are asked: “Is the Gregorian chant to be accompanied by the organ?” As a young student in Saint Gall, Singenberger befriended SEBASTIAN GEBHARD MESSMER, the future Archbishop of Milwaukee (Wisconsin). The two graduated together in 1861. The school they attended (Saint George’s Seminary) was a “seminary”—but in the older European sense. In other words, it provided a classical education without necessarily leading to ordination. Singenberger remained a layman his whole life, but Messmer was eventually made archbishop—by Pope Saint Pius X—of the very archdiocese in Wisconsin where Singenberger would spend his American career, giving him a powerful ecclesiastical ally.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of June (2026)

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). Since we were founded in 2006, not one of our board members has ever accepted any remuneration whatsoever—not a penny. 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. It couldn’t be easier to subscribe! Just scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Thee” + “Thou” + “Thine”

Few musicians realize that various English translations of Sacred Scripture were granted formal approval by the USCCB and the Vatican for liturgical use in the United States of America. But don’t take my word for it! Here are four documents proving this, which you can examine with your own eyes. Some believe the words “Thine” and “Thou” and “Thee” were forbidden after Vatican II—but that’s incorrect. For example, they’re found in the English translation of the ‘Our Father’ at Mass. Moreover, the Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) mentioned in those four documents employs “Thine” and “Thou” and “Thee.” It was published with a FOREWORD by Westminster’s Roman Catholic Archbishop (John Cardinal Heenan).

—Jeff Ostrowski

Monsignor Higinio Angles

The Day My Life Changed Forever

“Go!” • The Word That Changed My Life Forever

Footer

CONTACT • Corpus Christi Watershed