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Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

CCWatershed Feedback

Jeff Ostrowski · September 23, 2024

Priest Demands Musician’s Resignation • (No Reason Given)

“Our priest was delighted with the program, or so it appeared. During Holy Week he asked me to resign (which I did). He gave no reason and would not even discuss the issue.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 6, 2024

“Reader Feedback” • 6 August 2024

Mrs. J.M. writes to us from Manassas, Virginia: “I’m thrilled you are offering this scan by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood in O’Fallon, Missouri! Years ago I wrote to the sisters and one sent me a copy of all the booklets and cds. I have been such an admirer of Msgr Hellriegel’s work!”

Corpus Christi Watershed · June 3, 2024

We’ve Heard From Sister Anne Flanagan, FSP!

Some believe this to be the Church’s most ancient 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 melody.

Jeff Ostrowski · May 25, 2024

25 May 2024 • FEEDBACK

We get tons of messages from readers; perhaps we should do a better job sharing them. In 2010, composer Dan Schutte published “Mass of Christ the Savior,” based upon the theme song from the My Little Pony television cartoon. Earlier today, someone under the moniker “Praying Girl” wrote as follows: “I wonder how many people […]

Corpus Christi Watershed · April 29, 2024

“Reader Feedback” • 29 April 2024

“No musician in our parish (and probably our archdiocese) is paid, despite the many hours we put in.” —Charlotte M.

Jeff Ostrowski · February 6, 2024

“Reader Feedback” • 6 February 2024

The word 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 can mean “not punctual” or “dead.”

Jeff Ostrowski · September 8, 2022

Feedback: “The Lack of Charity in Your Statement Stuns Me!” • Defending the English

“Was Mr. Ostrowski ever forced to see the choir stalls he sang in as a boy demolished by iconoclasts?” — Reader from Atlanta (9/8/2022)

Jeff Ostrowski · May 6, 2021

6 May 2021 • FEEDBACK

A reader from St. Louis, Missouri, wrote to us: “The work you and your team do is quite possibly the most valuable resource I have come across as a younger Sacred music director and organist. The Brébeuf Hymnal is my most used and referenced resource. Although my church has not adopted it yet (I will […]

Jeff Ostrowski · March 29, 2021

29 March 2021 • FEEDBACK

“E.S.” in North Dakota writes: “I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you have put—and continue to put—into your wonderful website. In the past two years, my parish has moved from a little house basement into a brand new church and gone from a few families […]

Jeff Ostrowski · November 19, 2020

18 November 2020 • FEEDBACK

From a priest in the Midwest: “That video by Andrea Leal which explains hymn meters and hymn text exchange is informative and a truly great explanation. Thank you for sending it to me. I hope all is well with you. God bless you as we soon enter into Advent.”

Jeff Ostrowski · November 6, 2020

6 November 2020 • FEEDBACK

The director of music at EWTN wrote to us about the Brébeuf hymnal: “I do believe your hymnal has the best harmonizations available. We have used several of your harmonizations on EWTN. I have recommended to other hymnal editors that they get aligned with Corpus Christi Watershed to improve their harmonizations. Take care.”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 10, 2020

10 August 2020 • FEEDBACK

A reader wrote to us: “I just wanted to send you a message and let you know I REALLY like the compositions on your website. You have a very rich harmonic language in your choral writing. The work you do is so appreciated and important!”

Jeff Ostrowski · August 4, 2020

4 August 2020 • FEEDBACK

A reader wrote to us: “I must confess to taking oodles of inspiration from the work that you do. When I first found your website it was a revelation. I’ve been a monthly donor ever since. I think the work that you do is absolutely VITAL. There are so many things I’d have never been […]

Jeff Ostrowski · August 1, 2020

1 August 2020 • FEEDBACK

K.S. in Rochester, New York, wrote to us: “Your website is outstanding. It is a rich mine for information and liturgical music. Glad I found it. I’m a retired former orchestra conductor and church music director and organist. While I’m no longer an active church music director and organist (after 45 years with a variety […]

Jeff Ostrowski · July 14, 2020

Wonderful emails received recently…

(#1) “Thank you for all the great work you do to provide music and rehearsal videos for all of us to use! It has been invaluable to those music and choir directors who’ve had to build a Gregorian chant schola from scratch! May God continue to bless all you do to promote sacred music for […]

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    “Simplified” Keyboard Accompaniment (PDF)
    I’d much rather hear an organist play a simplified version correctly than listen to wrong notes. I invite you to download this simplified organ accompaniment for hymn #729 in the Father Brébeuf Hymnal. The hymn is “O Jesus Christ, Remember.” I’m toying with the idea of creating a whole bunch of these, to help amateur organists. The last one I uploaded was downloaded more than 1,900 times in a matter of hours—so there seems to be interest in such a project. For the record, this famous text by Oratorian priest, Father Edward Caswall (d. 1878) is often married to AURELIA, as it is in the Brébeuf Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
    Father Adrian Porter, using the cracher dans la soupe example, did a praiseworthy job explaining the difference between ‘dynamic’ and ‘formal’ translation. This is something Monsignor Ronald Knox explained time and again—yet even now certain parties feign ignorance. I suppose there will always be people who pretend the only ‘valid’ translation of Mitigásti omnem iram tuam; avertísti ab ira indignatiónis tuæ… would be “You mitigated all ire of you; you have averted from your indignation’s ire.” Those who would defend such a translation suffer from an unfortunate malady. One of my professors called it “cognate on the brain.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
    Father Cuthbert Lattey (d. 1954) wrote: “In a large number of cases the ancient Christian versions and some other ancient sources seem to have been based upon a better Hebrew text than that adopted by the rabbis for official use and alone suffered to survive. Sometimes, too, the cognate languages suggest a suitable meaning for which there is little or no support in the comparatively small amount of ancient Hebrew that has survived. The evidence of the metre is also at times so clear as of itself to furnish a strong argument; often it is confirmed by some other considerations. […] The Jewish copyists and their directors, however, seem to have lost the tradition of the metre at an early date, and the meticulous care of the rabbis in preserving their own official and traditional text (the ‘massoretic’ text) came too late, when the mischief had already been done.” • Msgr. Knox adds: “It seems the safest principle to follow the Latin—after all, St. Jerome will sometimes have had a better text than the Massoretes—except on the rare occasions when there is no sense to be extracted from the Vulgate at all.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “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

Random Quote

Amid all these old liturgical books, I find that I am happy and at ease; I feel at home.

— Dom André Mocquereau (1884)

Recent Posts

  • “Simplified” Keyboard Accompaniment (PDF)
  • ‘Bogey’ of the Half-Educated: Paraphrase
  • Father Cuthbert Lattey • “The Hebrew MSS”
  • Re: The People’s Mass Book (1974)
  • They did a terrible thing

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