PRELUDIUM

PRELUDIUM is our parish’s process for forming and equipping ministers of music. Rooted in sacred tradition and supported by easy-to-use online resources, PRELUDIUM includes access to our digital music library, liturgical planning tools, and spiritual formation.

This process is designed to prepare our music ministers to serve the People of God with clarity, unity, and joy. Our ministry, in turn, prepares the hearts of the faithful through music.

Inspired by the classical musical form, and by the beloved setting of Ave Maria by Bach, PRELUDIUM carries a Marian sensibility. Just as Mary prepared the way for Christ through her “yes,” so we want to respond to God’s call through giving our best in song.

Each letter of PRELUDIUM expresses a core value of our ministry:

P — Prepare

We set distractions aside to be attentive to God’s voice. This includes personal prayer and also prayer together as a ministry.

“A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD!

Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” -Isaiah 40:3

R — Respond 

We acknowledge that our prayerful song itself is a response to God’s lead, never something that originates from ourselves.

“Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort.” -Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2725

E — Equip

We obtain the necessary technique, musical equipment, and written music to fulfill our roles.

«Those who perceive in themselves this kind of divine spark which is the artistic vocation—as poet, writer, sculptor, architect, musician, actor and so on—feel at the same time the obligation not to waste this talent but to develop it, in order to put it at the service of their neighbour and of humanity as a whole.» -St. John Paul II

L — Lead

We use our particular gifts to lead the assembly.

“Choirs and ensembles… comprise persons drawn from the community who possess the requisite musical skills and a commitment to the established schedule of rehearsals and liturgies. Thus, they are able to enrich the congregation by adding musical elements beyond the capabilities of the congregation alone.” -Sing to the Lord, Music in Divine Worship (USCCB) #28

U — Unite

We draw close to one other even in the midst of our differences in culture or lifestyle.

“Sacred music brings people closer, even with brothers to whom we sometimes do not feel close. For this reason, the singing group in every parish is a group where there is an atmosphere of availability and mutual help.” -Pope Francis

D — Disciple

As disciples ourselves, we not only follow Christ but we also invite others to do the same.

“The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it.” -CCC 1816

I — Inspire

When music and song is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it moves people’s hearts!

“…By song, our people have called the Spirit into our hearts, homes, churches, and communities. Seeking to enrich our liturgies and lives with the gift of sacred song, we pray:

‘Spirit, Sweet Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me.
Everytime I hear the Spirit
Moving in my heart
I will pray.’” -Sister Thea Bowman

U — Unify

Our example of unity helps unify the assembly in Christ.

“…sacred music and music in general builds bridges, brings people closer, even those far away; it knows no barriers of nationality, ethnicity, skin color, but draws in everyone, in a higher language, and always succeeds in bringing into harmony people and groups, even of very different origins.” -Pope Francis 

M — Mission

Our music ministry doesn’t stop after the liturgy. Through song, our encounter with Christ fills us with joy that overflows into the outward world. It’s contagious! 

«The Church does not engage in proselytism. Instead, she grows by ‘attraction’.” -Pope Benedict XVI