JMO- “Justifiable Musical Optimism!”


I just embarrassed myself with the previous post yet again by disdaining the concept (not the reality) of FACEBOOK. (Who needs Zuckerbergian vibes pinging into my curmudgeon radar!) However, now my wife, who eschews not a presence on FB as she is impeturbable to Satan’s entreaties, informs me it is the natal anniversary date for yet a third Jeffrey that’s changed the world. Yes, he who dazzled us with visions of Dom Pothier dancing around our heads in June, he who has penned stunningly gorgeous chants setting the Ordinary, propers, psalms and sequences in accord with the mind of Mother Church AND using great bass lines when composing their accompaniments!, he who unleashed perhaps the most faithful and comprehensive hymnal to the licit and spiritual intent of Sacrosanctum Consillium, whilst subsuming his own personage to uplift the work of others such as Kevin Allen….

Yes, it’s Ostrowski’s B-Day! JMO being born on December 26th presents an almost mystagogical notion to this weirded out author’s mind. But having chanted in his schola two summers ago in Carlo Rossini’s church, I’d be more inclined to say that in just a few generations it will be JMO’s body of work that will be found there to assist worship.


I’m calling for an internet, Liturgy Geekdom Flash Mob to innundate JMO’s mailboxes with salutory greetings on his birthday, a sort of joyful fatwa of love from the indebted many to his vision, energy, iniative and example of how to properly love the Lord Jesus Christ!