Sacred Music
“Sacred music, being created for the celebration of divine worship, is endowed with a certain holy sincerity of form.”
(Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112)
Check out our Sacred Music Minutes
Sacred Music Ministry at St. John Paul II Scioto
Parish Sunday Choir
The St. John Paul II Scioto Parish Sunday Choir is an open-membership, volunteer choir whose primary function is to sing for weekly Sunday Mass, as well as Holy Days of Obligation and other important feast days. The Sunday Choir alternates between Holy Redeemer and St. Mary’s churches on a quarterly basis (Holy Redeemer Feb-Apr & Aug-Oct; St. Mary’s Nov-Jan & May-Jul).
The Sunday Choir focuses on learning and singing proper chant antiphons for each Mass, traditional hymnody in both unison and SATB, and beautiful chant settings of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, etc.). Additionally, as rehearsal time allows, the Sunday Choir learns choral motets to add further beauty to the liturgy.
The Sunday Choir is open to any parishioners interested in serving the liturgy who can consistently match pitch and carry a tune, follow direction, and commit to regular weekly rehearsal attendance. Rehearsals are 1.5 hours on Thursday evenings at 7pm. Ability to read music is a plus, but not required.
Vox Gaudium Chamber Choir
Vox Gaudium is the parish chamber choir dedicated to learning advanced polyphonic music of the Catholic sacred music patrimony, and especially the great corpus of polyphony from the Renaissance period (e.g. Byrd, Victoria, Palestrina, et. al.). Vox Gaudium rehearses twice monthly on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 6pm, and brings these beautiful polyphonic works to special Masses and occasional Sunday Masses across all four of our parish churches.
Membership in Vox Gaudium requires singing experience and confidence, strong music reading, willingness to study scores and learn parts at home, and ability to commit to regular rehearsal attendance.
Men's Gregorian Chant Schola Cantorum
The Schola Cantorum is a small men's ensemble dedicated to learning and singing traditional Latin Gregorian Chant. Membership is open to any men in the parish who can match pitch, carry a tune, and can commit to twice-monthly rehearsals on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 8:15pm. Reading music is not required, and no prior chant or choir experience is necessary.
Funeral Choir
The St. John Paul II Funeral Choir is a special opt-in volunteer choir comprising members of our various choirs. The Funeral Choir is notified of all parish funerals and serves the parish through adding beauty to funeral liturgies, consoling grieving families, and in so doing, carrying out a beautiful spiritual work of mercy.
Christmas Choristers
The St. John Paul II Christmas Choristers is a seasonal chorus for children and youth ages 6-15. The Christmas Choristers will learn music and singing fundamentals, explore foundational sacred music and liturgical concepts, and develop both individual confidence and group cohesion. They will learn a repertory of Christmas chants and carols and will participate in the parish Lessons & Carols service in Advent, and will sing for one of the parish Christmas Masses. The Christmas Choristers will rehearse twice monthly from September through December. Registration will open in August.
Parish Cantors
Parish Cantors lead congregational singing for weekend and feast day Masses without choir, especially focusing on the Responsorial Psalm and Alleluia. They also learn and lead the Communion Antiphon chant and other music at non-choir Masses.
All parish cantors must attend a monthly rehearsal to review upcoming music and ensure consistent and appropriate musical and liturgical practices.
The Organ
Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 120: “In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to higher things.”
St. John Paul II Scioto Catholic Parish is blessed to have organs in three of our four churches, including two pipe organs. Additionally, we are blessed with multiple accompanists who generously serve the parish!
Holy Redeemer features a beautiful unaltered Felgemaker tracker (mechanical) organ, Opus 964, built in 1908. While it is not a large instrument, it effortlessly fills the beautiful sanctuary to accompany the choir and congregation. Have a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66kpZwdhvt0
The 13-rank pipe organ at St. Mary was built in 1956 by Wicks, Opus 3638. The organ has unfortunately suffered electronic damage to its control systems and is currently not in use. A temporary Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ of 38 stops was installed and will serve the church until funds can be raised to replace the Wicks organ with a more suitable instrument for the excellent acoustic at St. Mary’s. A sample of the existing Wicks when it was still in use can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CiRgQ51fYc
St. Peter in Chains features a three-manual Johannus digital organ.
How to Get Involved
Are you interested in joining one of our parish choirs? Are you an organist interested in serving the parish? We’d love to have you! Please contact our Director of Sacred Music at ptorsell@sciotocatholic.org.
Sacred Music in the Catholic Tradition
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
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CCC 1156:
“The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this preeminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.”
Second Vatican Council – Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963)
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SC 112:
“Sacred music is to be considered the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action, whether it adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites.”
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SC 116:
“The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”
Pope St. Pius X – Tra le Sollecitudini (1903)
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No. 1:
“Sacred music, being an integral part of the solemn liturgy, participates in its general object, which is the glory of God and the sanctification and edification of the faithful.”
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No. 2 (Three qualities of sacred music):
“Sacred music must possess, in the highest degree, the qualities proper to the liturgy, namely: holiness, goodness of form (true art), and universality.”
Pope Pius XII – Musicae Sacrae Disciplina (1955)
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Intro:
“The dignity and lofty purpose of sacred music consists in the fact that it adds greater efficacy to the text, so that through it the faithful may be more deeply moved to devotion and better disposed to receive the fruits of grace belonging to the celebration of the most holy mysteries.”
