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Views from the Choir Loft

Secular vs Sacred Music at Mass

Andrea Leal · January 29, 2020

In Which a Neo-Pagan Converts

I could feel that this Glory was immense, and mysterious, and real. But I could not quite grasp what that meant for me or what I should even do about it.

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Fr. David Friel · August 14, 2016

World Youth Day Krakow: Music Recordings

Seventeen (17) Tracks Now Available on iTunes

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Fr. David Friel · August 7, 2016

A Different Kind of World Youth Day

Sacred Music Helped to Transform Tauron Arena Kraków into a House of Prayer

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Fr. David Friel · December 13, 2015

Lighting Up Façades

Catholic churches ought not to be treated as houses of entertainment, but as houses of prayer.

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Guest Author · December 23, 2014

More On Secular Music At Mass … John Lennon?

It might just be my imagination, but isn’t the John Lennon’s “So this is Christmas” the same as that Alleluia?

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Fr. David Friel · October 12, 2014

The Society for Catholic Liturgy

Two Contributions from CCW Bloggers

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Jeff Ostrowski · September 8, 2014

Have We Lost The Church Music Battle?

The traditional music still triumphs in one important area: parishes run by “no-nonsense” priests.

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Corpus Christi Watershed · August 12, 2014

Aurelio Porfiri Letter In Current “Adoremus Bulletin”

“The problem is not pop music, but pop music in the liturgy.” — Aurelio Porfiri

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Jeff Ostrowski · March 9, 2014

Church music need not sound “Catholic” says drafter of USCCB guidelines

The author calls people who appreciate Gregorian chant “conservative” and those who don’t “liberal.” Are such labels really helpful?

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Jeff Ostrowski · February 13, 2014

Why Can’t We Use Secular Music During Mass?

Listen to these audio files. Is there any difference between “My Little Pony” and Dan Schutte’s 2012 “Glory To God” setting? Is that a cause for concern?

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Fr. David Friel · February 2, 2014

Youth in Favor of Sacred Music

Not a Negligible Niche

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Fr. David Friel · January 10, 2014

Is Chant Just for Old-Heads?

The NY Frassati Fellowship Chant Workshop

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Jeff Ostrowski · November 24, 2013

A Simple Plan To Improve Music At Mass

Are all musical styles acceptable for Mass? Movie directors realize such a notion is bogus.

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 21, 2013

Jimmy Stewart … and Church Music Regulations?

“Whenever school children must be placed in the choir loft at High Mass, the Boys may sing but the Girls must keep silent, unless the whole congregation takes part in the singing.” — Diocese of Pittsburgh Regulations (1931)

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Jeff Ostrowski · October 11, 2013

Addams Family Theme Song … At Mass?

Is it really true that any style of music can be lawfully used at Mass?

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Music List • (15th Sund. Ordinary Time)
    Readers have expressed interest in seeing the ORDER OF MUSIC I created for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), which is 12 July 2026. Please feel free to download it as a PDF file if that appeals to you. The hymns chosen are some of the most ‘traditional’ I have chosen (and were chosen by our pastor). The ENTRANCE CHANT radiates pure bliss, overflowing with joy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Shortest Psalm In The Bible
    The shortest chapter in the whole Bible—as well as the shortest psalm—is PSALM 116 (“Laudáte Dóminum ómnes géntes”), which consists of just two verses. German-speaking Catholics did something really splendid (PDF) with PSALM 116. I was alerted to this many years ago by none other than Monsignor Robert Alexander Skeris. Click here to download—from different Catholic hymn books—ten (10) different harmonizations for this fabulous hymn.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    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

Quick Thoughts

    ‘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
    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

Random Quote

“The hostile attitude of music directors and distinguished composers prevented the reform from introducing renewal and pastoral participation into sacred music.”

— Hannibal Bugnini

Recent Posts

  • Organist and Choirmaster (Birmingham Oratory)
  • ‘Ould’ But Not Good
  • PDF Download • Vocal Warm-Up for Choirs — “Harmonized Minor Scale” Exercise
  • “Website Subscriptions” • (Update: 30 June 2026)
  • Unbelievable (Yet Undeniable) Reality Re: Our Current Lectionary • PDF Included—124 Pages

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