The music ministry of St. Vincent de Paul welcomes you!
The music ministry of St. Vincent de Paul welcomes you!
Music at St. Vincent's is offered for the "glory of God and the sanctification of the faithful" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).
We do not label our musical tradition as "traditional" or "contemporary"... rather, we prepare and perform sacred music.
We preserve the Church's great treasury of sacred music because it is a "tradition... greater even that that of any other art" (ibid).
Sacred music includes Gregorian chant, hymns, and choral & organ literature from all periods in music history. It also includes the finest of music written after Vatican II as well as true contemporary selections in many styles... the Church's tradition of music is ever-ancient, ever-new!
Sacred music is:
Holy. If the liturgy is truly to be the “source and summit” of our lives as Catholics (Sacrosanctum Conciliium), we must take care to celebrate it with great care. The way we pray and what we sing at Mass reflects our beliefs. Rather than trying to conform the Mass to the current trends of our society, we hold it as “sacred” - literally, “set apart” from the outside world. While worldly music styles motivate the flesh, the entire sensory experience of the liturgy raises our thoughts and hearts to the Lord and the spiritual realities of our faith.
Beautiful. We do not attend Mass to be entertained, but instead to enter into the most sacred of mysteries. All present at Mass participate in their own defined roles, which can involve not only active singing, speaking, and changing postures, but also reflective listening and meditation upon sacred texts, spoken or sung. Music and lyrics must be of the highest quality: pleasing to the ear, professionally sound, and in total conformity to Catholic doctrine.. The Lord deserves the best we can offer!
Universal. Sacred music transcends culture. Its form, style and genre should be easily recognizable as "sacred music" anywhere in the world. In our parish, Anglo and Hispanic cultures are frequently united by singing the Mass Ordinary in Latin.