Views from the Choir Loft

Articles

Jeff Ostrowski · May 22, 2014

Maurice Lavanoux • “Liturgical Arts”

Anyone have copies of this old magazine?

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 21, 2014

SAMPLE PAGES • Jogues Illuminated Missal

These Mass texts are “3L” : Large, Lovely, Legible … silly sounding, but true!

Jeff Ostrowski · May 20, 2014

Pope St. John Paul II Celebrates Mass “Ad Orientem”

John Paul II leads the congregation facing the traditional way during his June 1999 visit to Poland.

Aurelio Porfiri · May 20, 2014

Blog Etiquette & “Liturgy Wars”

I’m amazed to see how being “anonymous” can make people behave in a way they would never behave if they used their true names.

Corpus Christi Watershed · May 19, 2014

Mass In Honor Of Saint Isaac Jogues

Using the New Translation of the Roman Missal.

Guest Author · May 19, 2014

Homily: 5th Sunday of Easter (Year A)

The Church in its missionary efforts has always looked out also for the temporal well being of individuals.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 19, 2014

PDF Download: Extremely Rare Book Of Propers (1962)

A book which Bugnini called the “precursor” to the Simple Gradual is now online!

Guest Author · May 19, 2014

An Overview of the Music Program at Our Lady of the Atonement Church & Academy (Part 1)

On Fridays, Mass is celebrated in Latin according to the Ordinary Form. Each day, one of the school choirs leads the liturgical singing.

Fr. David Friel · May 18, 2014

Collected Works of Joseph Ratzinger

Beginning with Liturgy

Veronica Brandt · May 17, 2014

Gregorian Chant in Star Wars

Dies Irae, Day of Wrath, a 13th century hymn that just won’t die.

Richard J. Clark · May 16, 2014

United in the Eucharist — Conservative, Liberal, or Universal?

These questions are nonsense of course and we are beyond all of this.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2014

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?

Musicians tend to fight with one another over the DUMBEST things.

Dr. Peter Kwasniewski · May 15, 2014

Dogma as the Servant of Mystery

Dogmatic statements liberate the Christian intellect by establishing it in the truth.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 15, 2014

How To Sing The Gregorian Alleluia

The Alleluia can be confusing, especially during Eastertide.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 14, 2014

Truly Marvelous Image of Saint Isaac Jogues

This lovely image is courtesy of D.F. — taken at Georgetown University.

Funeral Music “Template” • For Families

Many have requested the MUSICAL TEMPLATE for funerals we give to families at our parish. The family of the deceased is usually involved in selecting Number 12 on that sheet. This template was difficult to assemble, because the “Ordo Exsequiarum” has never been translated into English, and the assigned chants and hymns are given in different liturgical books (Lectionary, Gradual, Order of Christian Funerals, and so on). Please notify me if you spot errors or broken links. Readers will be particularly interested in some of the plainsong musical settings, which are truly haunting in their beauty.

—Jeff Ostrowski

“To Cover Sin With Smooth Names”

Monsignor Ronald Knox created several English translations of the PSALTER at the request of the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster. Readers know that the third edition of the Saint Edmund Campion Missal uses a magnificent translation of the ROMAN CANON (and complete Ordo Missae) created in 1950 by Monsignor Knox. What’s interesting is that, when psalms are used as part of the Ordo Missae, he doesn’t simply copy and paste from his other translations. Consider the beautiful turn of phrase he adds to Psalm 140 (which the celebrant prays as he incenses crucifix, relics, and altar): “Lord, set a guard on my mouth, a barrier to fence in my lips, lest my heart turn to thoughts of evil, to cover sin with smooth names.” The 3rd edition of the CAMPION MISSAL is sleek; it fits easily in one’s hand. The print quality is beyond gorgeous. One must see it to believe it! You owe it to yourself—at a minimum—to examine these sample pages from the full-color section.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Heretical Hymns

As a public service, perhaps a theologian ought to begin assembling a heretical hymns collection. A liturgical book—for funerals!—published by the Collegeville Press contains this monstrosity by someone named “Delores Dufner.” I can’t tell what the lyrics are trying to convey—can you? I detest ‘hymns’ with lines such the one she came up with: “Let the thirsty come and drink, Share My wine and bread.” Somehow, the publication was granted an IMPRIMATUR by Most Rev’d Jerome Hanus (bishop of Saint Cloud) on 16 August 1989. It’s a nice tune, but paired with a nasty text!

—Jeff Ostrowski

“Reminder” — Month of Febr. (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). 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

PDF Chart • “Plainsong Rhythm”

I will go to my grave without understanding the lack of curiosity so many people have about the rhythmic modifications made by Dom André Mocquereau. For example, how can someone examine this single sheet comparison chart and at a minimum not be curious about the differences? Dom Mocquereau basically creates a LONG-SHORT LONG-SHORT rhythmic pattern—in spite of enormous and overwhelming manuscript evidence to the contrary. That’s why some scholars referred to his method as “Neo-Mensuralist” or “Neo-Mensuralism.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

PDF • “O Come All Ye Faithful” (Simplified)

I admire the harmonization of “Adeste Fideles” by David Willcocks (d. 2015), who served as director of the Royal College of Music (London, England). In 2025, I was challenged to create a simplified arrangement for organists incapable of playing the authentic version at tempo. The result was this simplified keyboard arrangement (PDF download) based on the David Willcocks version of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Feel free to play through it and let me know what you think.

—Jeff Ostrowski