Our guest for episode 5 is Fr. Cassian Folsom, OSB, from the Benedictine Monastery in Norcia, Italy. We’ll be discussing with him how singing Gregorian chant forms the spiritual life of the monks through the daily prayer of the Divine Office and the Mass. We also touch on the role of Gregorian chant in the spiritual life of lay people, and its role in parish music programs. Fr. Cassian is American-born and studied music prior to entering the monastic community of St. Meinrad in Indiana. In 1998, he founded his monastic community in Rome. The community eventually moved to Norcia in 2000. Being steeped in medieval monastic tradition, the monastery is known not only for its 2015 best-selling CD Benedicta: Marian Chant from Norcia, but also for its production of artisan beer. The monastery’s website is: https://en.nursia.org Buy the monks’ CD “Benedicta: Marian Chant from Norcia” here: https://www.amazon.com/BENEDICTA-Marian-Chant-Norcia-Monks/dp/B00V66GNMQ Buy the monks’ beer here: https://birranursia.com

In our fourth episode, we are joined by Professor William Mahrt of Stanford University who gives an introduction to the history, music, liturgical role, and spiritual value of Gregorian chant. Dr Mahrt is the president of the Church Music Association of America (the CMAA), and the editor of Sacred Music, the journal of the CMAA. He’s a respected scholar of Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony who’s published numerous articles, and he also publishes a really helpful and interesting editorial in each issue of Sacred Music. More than all that, though, Professor Mahrt is a man who loves the sacred liturgy and its music, and has spent decades learning how to pray through the Church’s treasury of sacred music. He’s inspired countless people, your hosts of this podcast included, to really learn what the Church teaches about sacred music, and how these teachings lead us into the heart of the sacred liturgy as the communal encounter between man and the Blessed Trinity. Dr. Mahrt’s book can be downloaded for free here: https://media.musicasacra.com/books/musicalshape_mahrt.pdf Or a hardcover copy can be bought here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0984865209/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_LN.LCb7596EDT To subscribe to the journal Sacred Music, click here: https://musicasacra.com/journal/sacred-music/ 

Episode 3 – The Role of Sacred Music in Catholic Education – with Charles Cole We take an inside look at a British choir school, and discuss the role of sacred music in an authentically Catholic education. You’ve already heard just a bit of his work as a listener to this podcast; he’s the director of the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School singing the opening track for our show. Charles Cole began his musical training as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral. He went on to win a major music scholarship to Ampleforth and organ scholarships at Exeter College of Oxford and Westminster Cathedral. He is Assistant Director of Music at Brompton Oratory where he directs the London Oratory Junior Choir which, in addition to its liturgical duties, provides the Children’s Chorus for the Royal Ballet’s productions at Covent Garden. In addition, he is Director of the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School, a choir of boys aged 8-18 which sings the Saturday evening mass at Brompton Oratory, as well as concerts, tour and recordings. He is a regular member of the faculty for the Church Music Association of America’s annual Colloquiums, specializing in Gregorian Chant and Choral Direction. He regularly gives choral workshops for choirs in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem. In recent years he has given organ recitals in St Petersburg, at Notre Dame, Paris (as part of the 850th anniversary year celebrations), at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City and at St Saviour’s Church, Jerusalem. Charles Cole's Website: https://charlescole.com Charles Cole's Twitter: https://twitter.com/schola_cantorum London Oratory Schola Website: https://www.londonoratoryschola.com London Oratory Schola Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/londonoratoryscholacantorum/ London Oratory Schola's CD, Sacred Treasures of England: http://smarturl.it/LondonOratory London Oratory Website: https://www.bromptonoratory.co.uk   

Episode 2 – Beauty and Catholic Culture: a Story of Conversion – with Vida and Josh Hernandez In our second episode, we look at the power of beauty to draw people to Christ and the Catholic faith. We interview two of Dr. Donelson’s dear friends who encountered the radiance and power of Christ in the sacred liturgy, in sacred music, and through an immersion in literature and Catholic culture. Vida and Josh Hernandez were received into the Catholic Church in 2010 after a profound conversion experience and they join us to share their story. We reference an article in Crisis magazine by Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska in the interview. Check out the article here: https://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/ever-ancient-ever-new-the-role-of-beauty-in-the-restoration-of-catholic-culture

In our inaugural episode, we interview His Excellency, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, Archbishop of Portland, Oregon.  We give a brief introduction to the show and ourselves before diving into the interview.  Archbishop Alexander Sample was appointed Bishop of Marquette on December 13, 2005, by Pope Benedict XVI, and then the Archbishop of Portland at the beginning of 2013. The Archbishop has degrees in engineering and canon law. He serves on the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, the Sub-Committee on the Catechism, and is on the Board of Trustees for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and Oregon Catholic Press. His love for the sacred liturgy and sacred music were nurtured by the great Msgr. Richard Schuler of Saint Agnes Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Archbishop has become known for his eloquence and pastoral ability in teaching about sacred music and the liturgy. Since we recorded this episode, the Archbishop has released a pastoral letter on sacred music for the Archdiocese of Portland. You can read it in either English or Spanish by clicking here.  The letter he issued in the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan, as referenced in this show, is available here.  Learn more about the Archbishop and his ministry by clicking here.      Special thanks to Monica Fitzgibbons for her work in securing rights for us to use the music you hear at the beginning of each episode: Byrd's Haec Dies from the album Sacred Treasures of England, sung by the London Oratory Schola Cantorum Boys Choir, directed by Charles Cole.  Special thanks also to Kevin Collins, who is the voice of our intro and outro.