Triumph of Hope at NPM

By way of background, the NAPM adminsters what is by far the most well-attended Catholic music symposium in North America (the world?) but its annual program does not emphasize the two music styles mentioned by name in the 2nd Vatican Council and the General Instruction. So the following announcement in my in-box is quite interesting:

As part of the 2005 National Association of Pastoral Musicians convention in Milwaukee, the first meeting of the Chant Section took place. It was chaired by Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, a chant scholar and practitioner from St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. Individuals interested in being part of the Chant Ad Hoc Committee met before the convention to discuss the purpose, goals and projects of the group. During the convention, other interested individuals gathered for the first ever Section meeting.

Those who met were united in their desire for a positive and constructive attitude in fostering Latin and vernacular chant in the reformed liturgy. It was agreed that the basis for the Section’s work would be the official postconciliar directives as found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the Lectionary for Mass: Introduction. The Section will attempt to reach out to all those interested in chant, whatever their views about liturgy or their approach to controversial questions of chant interpretation. The primary focus of the section will be Latin chant and also vernacular chant inspired by or based (however loosely) upon Latin chant.

Several possible future goals were discussed. These include meeting annually at the national convention and one of the regional conventions; promoting the Section’s presence on internet (including the NPM webpage); and promoting at least some chant at NPM convention liturgies. It is hoped that the membership will grow and stabilize so that we will soon become a Standing Committee of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians.

All those interested in this new chant section are invited to contact the chair:

Fr. Anthony Ruff, O.S.B.
St. John’s Abbey and University
Collegeville, MN 56321
320-363-3233 / awruff@csbsju.edu

Please include both your email and postal addresses so you can be included in all future mailings.