Franciscan University adds Sacred Music Major. The tide continues to turn.

[ProCommunioneFacior]

New Sacred Music Major at Franciscan University


Musica Sacra reports that Franciscan University is creating a new Sacred Music Major.

Franciscan University of Steubenville is pleased to announce the creation of a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music to begin in the fall of 2007. The degree may be pursued in either the program in voice or the program in organ. Pianists may audition for the program in organ on the piano. Courses will include private instruction on the major instrument, music theory, music history, conducting and a year-long course in Gregorian Chant. In addition, students will participate in the Schola Cantorum Franciscana, which concentrates on polyphony and chant and sings for occasional services on and off campus.

Interested students may apply for admission to the university at:

Franciscan University of Steubenville
Admissions
1235 University Blvd.
Steubenville, OH 43953

Students interested in auditioning may contact Prof. Paul Weber at the above address or by telephone at 740.284.5884.

This is excellent news as Franciscan Univ. (known more for their "contemporary charismatic focus" although as a former student I know that there is a large traditional group there) joins the choir so to speak of Ave Maria Univ. and Catholic Univ. of America in offering a Sacred Music program.

 

[Rising_Suns]

Nice. That is music to my ears.

 

[colleen]

That's awesome!

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Yeah, it is excellent! My former NO parish has a music minister who has historically been opposed to our traditional sacred music. He lost his prior job because the new priest of the previous parish wanted to go more traditional with music and the music minister was opposed to it, so the pastor told him to find another job.

Well, for my wedding we wanted traditional Sacred Music and we asked the music minister to sing some of the old latin hymns (he already knows them he did not have to learn them) and he refused. So we had the choir from the TLM sing at our wedding instead and we had to go around the music minister to get the approval from the pastor as the music minister originally told us he would not allow the traditional choir to sing at "his" parish. Well the pastor allowed it and it was a most beautiful Mass.

Well a couple of months ago the music minister went to the pastor, reportedly, and asked him if the parish would pay for him to attend Gregorian Chant workshops, as he said that if he wants to keep his job that he needs to adapt to what the Church is (and has been) asking.

The pastor enthusiastically agreed and supposedly he's been learning Gregorian Chant and will be shortly be slowly bringing back Sacred Music to the Mass at my former parish.

Good things are happening and we are slowly but surely getting back to what the Church asks of us.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Well, I'm glad they're bringing the Sacred Chant back! I wish we'd sing more Traditional hymns at my parish, but most of the time It's Marty Haugen's hymns and some other guy's hymns from the 70s. I prefer the older hymns, like O Sacred Head, and the like, unfortunately I've yet to hear them at all.

 

[Rising_Suns]

As an aside, my local parish has been offering classes on the history of Gregorian Chant. Tonight was the last class, and we mostly studied the various modes, and a few variations of Gregorian Chant such as Ambrosian Chant.

I am very glad that sacred music seems to be making a come back now.

-Davide

 

[JasonV]

Interesting topic. I was talking to an old Roman Catholic friend of mine today. He said he was an altar boy back in the 40's, and stopped going to Church after Vatican II. I mentioned that there seems to be a growing movement to return to the Tridentine Latin Mass, and he basically said that he'll return to the Church when it returns to Christ (ie High Mass service).

Perhaps this is exactly what is needed for Catholicism today?

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

I have no doubt in my mind that the Church returning to her traditions is what is needed today.