For the third summer in a row, the Sacred Music Institute (SMI) at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM) is offering a three-day conference for priests and church musicians in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and in Catholic dioceses throughout the tri-state area and beyond.
This summer’s conference, in the spirit of the ongoing Eucharistic Revival in the United States, will focus on the centrality of the Eucharist in the liturgical prayer of the Church and in the life of the baptized. Through theological lectures and daily liturgies, attendees are invited to contemplate the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, as well as the transformative effect that the Eucharist has on each soul, and on the entire Body of Christ. Special attention will be given to an Eastern Catholic theology of the Eucharist through the Wednesday keynote lecture, and the celebration of Vespers in the Byzantine Rite.
Choir rehearsals will prepare attendees for a splendid choral Mass featuring a number of Eucharistic motets, and breakout sessions will help attendees gain practical knowledge and hone their skills as church music directors, organists, conductors, cantors and singers. Priests and pastors also have much to gain from these conference activities, as there is always a strong emphasis on the chanting of the Mass, as well as a number of opportunities – both in conference sessions and in conversations with other conference attendees – to discuss ideas about how to implement a good music program in each parish.
Finally, the conference this year will offer a special feature: the opportunity to experience firsthand the installation and voicing of MTSM’s new organ, Pasi Opus 29! Please click here to view a full schedule, and here to register (go to the bottom of the page). Click here for a list of breakout sessions.
