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Corpus Christi Watershed

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Views from the Choir Loft

Pre-1955 Holy Week

Jeff Ostrowski · December 14, 2025

PDF • “Standard Gregorian Chants for Schools, Churches, Seminaries, & Convents” (1946) —123 pages

Until a few days ago, I knew nothing of this (extremely rare) book. Now it’s been scanned and uploaded—free to all.

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Andrea Leal · April 2, 2025

“What is the Best Catholic Missal?” • Video Review by Catholic Family News

“I am shocked this isn’t more well known; this is really a spectacular work.” —Catholic Family News

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Jeff Ostrowski · August 30, 2024

Leaked Document! • Comparison Chart—New Responsorial Psalms (“Abbey Psalms & Canticles”)

The NAB tried to use “overly casual” language—and the results are often an abomination.

Jeff Ostrowski · April 11, 2023

“Truly Bizarre!” • Easter Vigil on Easter Sunday?

Rather than allow the traditional times, the Vatican gave permission to allow the Easter Vigil to be celebrated on the morning of Easter Sunday!

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Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2023

“Seventy-Three (73) Changes” • Which Pope Pius XII Made to Holy Week

If we feel compelled to condemn these changes, let’s at least spend time learning what they are!

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Jeff Ostrowski · April 10, 2021

PDF Download • Vespers for Holy Thursday?

“Custom preserves many things in liturgy after their first reason has ceased.” —Father Adrian Fortescue

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Corpus Christi Watershed · March 31, 2021

New Website! • “Restore The 1954 Holy Week”

We are pleased to observe how this site included our liturgical PDF files.

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Jeff Ostrowski · March 16, 2021

Three Radical Liturgical Changes • (Pope Pius XII)

I love Venerable Pius XII very much, but this particular change was unconscionable.

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Jeff Ostrowski · February 28, 2021

(Screenshots) • Proving Holy Saturday Took Place In The Morning

Five reasons keeping Holy Saturday in the morning is a good idea.

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Jeff Ostrowski · July 23, 2020

PDF Download • “Holy Week and Easter with Gregorian Chant” (797 pages)

Supremely rare Belgian book with Gregorian Chant!

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Jeff Ostrowski · April 2, 2018

I Was Wrong to Dread the “Pre-1955” Holy Week

Five (5) differences between the ancient rites of Holy Week (“Pre-1955”) and the Pius XII version.

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Jeff Ostrowski · June 21, 2017

Holy Week Bulletin from 1943

Notice when the ceremonies begin!

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Knox. Has. No. Equal.
    Dr. Finberg (of the University of Leicester) famously said: “No living writer possesses a greater command over the English language than Monsignor Ronald Knox.” A lifetime spent among his works would not exhaust them; always another thing to see, never once a reason to look away. Consider the marvelous way Knox Englished the famous VERBUM SUPERNUM of Saint Thomas Aquinas. The 4th verse (in Latin) means: “By being born, He became man’s companion; at this supper, He became man’s food; in dying, He became man’s ransom; in reigning, He is man’s reward.” Knox brilliantly makes the English fit the Latin meter: The manger, Christ their equal made, | That upper room, their souls’ repast, | The Cross, their ransom dearly paid, | And heav’n, their high reward at last. I believe the meaning of the French word “manger” was not absent from his thoughts when he penned that stanza.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Proportionalist Plainchant • (Documented)
    On this website, we believe: “If we don’t know where we came from, we can’t know where we’re going.” As a result, we often spend hours scanning old books of GREGORIAN CHANT (and organ accompaniments). We don’t claim those items are useful or desirable for today’s circumstances; the goal is understanding where we came from. Here is a fascinating musical score from the 19th century. At that time, it was believed that MENSURALISM (a.k.a. “proportionalism”) was the historically correct way to sing plainsong.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Garnier Alleluias • “Have They Moved?”

    We received an email asking whether the “Garnier Gospel Acclamations website” has…

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    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Predictable Rhymes?” • A Follow Up
    We received considerable correspondence regarding my article, Two Ways to Defile a Hymn. More specifically, what really raised certain people’s hackles was its follow-up article dealing with the keyboard accompaniment for the CHRIST THE KING HYMNAL. But to quote Eliza Doolittle: “Have I said anything I oughtn’t?” Please examine this PDF file and see whether you agree. Were the editors of the BRÉBEUF HYMNAL incorrect to insist upon sophisticated and clever rhymes, rather than mind-numbingly predictable rhymes?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘Ould’ But Not Good
    Dom Samuel Gregory Ould (note the spelling) was a Benedictine monk at FORT AUGUSTUS ABBEY in Scotland. As musician, organist, and composer, Dom Ould was highly regarded. Moreover, he was considered an authority on Gregorian Chant. But not everything found in an old book—or, in this case, an “Ould” book—is necessarily praiseworthy. Consider this page from Dom Ould’s hymnal. Do you see the rhymes? They offend severely by ABR (“Abuse By Reuse”) and are utterly predictable. In my recent article—Two Ways to Defile a Hymn—I addressed this topic.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reader Feedback” • 22 June 2026
    A reader wrote to us from Virginia: “I really appreciate the 23 harmonizations that you posted on CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED for the Daily, Daily, Sing to Mary hymn. I hope to find willing voices in our small Schola Cantorum to try the three-voice version. Carry on, sir! You’re doing the Lord’s work.” While we don’t know this gentleman personally, we note that he earned a Ph.D. (which demonstrates that our blog has something for everybody). 😊
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

At the Council of Trent, the subject was raised whether it was correct to refer to the unconsecrated elements of bread and wine as “immaculata hostia” (spotless victim) and “calix salutaris” (chalice of salvation) in the offertory prayers. Likewise the legitimacy of the making the sign of the cross over the elements after the Eucharistic consecration was discussed.

— ‘Fr. Uwe Michael Lang, Cong. Orat.’

Recent Posts

  • Knox. Has. No. Equal.
  • “Plainsong Propers” • Fascinating 1980s Recordings
  • Proportionalist Plainchant • (Documented)
  • “First Things First” • The Order We’ve Reversed: Seven (7) Points for Consideration
  • Garnier Alleluias • “Have They Moved?”

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