Views from the Choir Loft

Pre-1955 Holy Week

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

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!

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!

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.

Jeff Ostrowski · June 21, 2017

Holy Week Bulletin from 1943

Notice when the ceremonies begin!

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

All of the chants for 27 July 2025, which is the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), have been added to the feasts website, as usual under a convenient “drop down.” The COMMUNION ANTIPHON—both text and melody—are particularly beautiful and exceedingly ancient.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff’s Mother Joins Our Fundraiser

To assist our fundraiser, Mrs. Kathleen Ostrowski has drawn several beautiful sketches which she offers to all our readers free of charge. If you have a moment, I invite you download them at this link.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Errors in Latin: “17th Sund. Ordinary”

The COMMUNION for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) contains several typos in the Jogues Illuminated Missal with regard to the Latin text. That particular COMMUNION ANTIPHON is extremely ancient, and the English Adaptation is utterly gorgeous. For the record, it’s normal for books to contain typos; even books by Father Fortescue and Monsignor Knox have errors. Books by Solesmes Abbey—surely among the finest ever produced—contain many printing errors. Click here to see a few examples of typos.

—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