Views from the Choir Loft

Father Friel • Article Archive

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

Fr. David Friel · October 23, 2018

Solemn High Mass with Faure’s Requiem on All Souls’ Day

Missa Solemnis to be offered at St. John Paul II Shrine in Washington, DC

Fr. David Friel · October 21, 2018

Participation Booklet (Spanish) for Extraordinary Form Baptisms

Un recurso para facilitar una participación más profunda

Fr. David Friel · October 6, 2018

Participation Booklet for Extraordinary Form Baptisms

A resource for facilitating deeper participation

Fr. David Friel · September 23, 2018

Saint Thérèse Triduum

An Annual Tradition at the Philadelphia Carmel

Fr. David Friel · September 4, 2018

Masses to Begin at FSSP Parish in Philadelphia

This weekend will mark the beginning of Masses offered at the parish.

Fr. David Friel · August 12, 2018

The New Spanish Missal as Opportunity

Seizing the Moment to Sing a Truly New Song to the Lord

Fr. David Friel · July 15, 2018

Society for Catholic Liturgy Conference 2018

To be held 27–29 September 2018, the conference will focus on the legacy of Msgr. Romano Guardini.

Fr. David Friel · July 7, 2018

Music Conference in Rome (September 2018)

The Pontifical Council for Culture will host “Church and Composers, Words and Sounds.”

Fr. David Friel · June 24, 2018

Novena for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Solemn High Mass at Philadelphia Carmel

Fr. David Friel · June 16, 2018

Sacred Music Camp in Allentown, NJ

New Opportunity for Children Grades 3–12

Fr. David Friel · June 10, 2018

Sacred Music Camp for Children in Philadelphia

The Inaugural “Cantate Domino” Festival

Fr. David Friel · May 27, 2018

The Centrality of the Sign of the Cross

The Roman Rite revolves around this sign of our salvation

Fr. David Friel · May 13, 2018

Fota XI Liturgy Conference

This annual conference will be held July 7–9, 2018 in Cork, Ireland.

Fr. David Friel · May 6, 2018

The Wethersfield Institute Chant Workshop

The focus of this workshop is training in the singing, teaching, and directing of Gregorian chant.

Fr. David Friel · April 22, 2018

Spanish Missal Chants Now Available

A collection of fine resources are available from the Domenico Zipoli Institute

“Music List” • 9 Nov. (Dedic. Lateran)

Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 9 November 2025, which is the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the sensational feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin.

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF Download • Offertory (9 Nov.)

This year, the feast of 9 November replaces the Sunday. The OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (PDF file) for 9 November is exceedingly beautiful. The ‘Laterani’ mansion at Rome was the popes’ residence for a thousand years. The church there still is the cathedral church of Rome—“Mother and Head of all churches of the City and of the World,” says the inscription over the entrance. It is dedicated to Our Holy Savior, but has long been commonly known as “St. John Lateran” owing to its famous baptistery of St. John the Baptist. In this church, the pope’s own ‘cathedra’ (episcopal chair) stands in the apse.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Job Opening • $65,000 per year +

A parish 15 minutes away from me is looking for a choir director and organist. The parish is filled with young families. When I began my career, I would have jumped at such an opportunity! Saint Patrick’s in Grand Haven has a job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year including benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” I lived in Kansas for 15 years, Texas for 10 years, and Los Angeles for 10 years. Michigan is the closest place I know to heaven!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of November (2025)

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). 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. Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Gospel Options for 2 November (“All Souls”)

We’ve been told some bishops are suppressing the TLM because of “unity.” But is unity truly found in the MISSALE RECENS? For instance, on All Souls (2 November), any of these Gospel readings may be chosen, for any reason (or for no reason at all). The same is true of the Propria Missæ and other readings—there are countless options in the ORDINARY FORM. In other words, no matter which OF parish you attend on 2 November, you’ll almost certainly hear different propers and readings, to say nothing of different ‘styles’ of music. Where is the “unity” in all this? Indeed, the Second Vatican Council solemnly declared: “Even in the liturgy, the Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not implicate the faith or the good of the whole community.”

—Corpus Christi Watershed

“Our Father” • Musical Setting?

Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?

—Jeff Ostrowski