Each summer, prominent Catholics gather in Napa, California for The Napa Institute, a conference bringing together Catholic business leaders, thinkers and theologians. Joining the Napa Institute this July will be a small group from the Jubilate Deo Choir. This will be the first stop in a California tour by the Choir, as they wend their way back to their home base of San Diego.
The Choir consists of 60 young Catholics, aged 8 to 18. The Choir is able to offer a polyphonic mass setting and full Gregorian propers, Vespers or Compline, plus worship aids for the congregation. They will sing as a full choir, or in smaller groups for more intimate events.
The Jubilate Deo Choir is the premier choir of Canticle, Inc., an organization founded in 2018 at the request of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, to teach Gregorian Chant and polyphony to young people. Canticle’s mission is “helping people unlock the beauty of timeless music in a way that brings joy and peace”.
Canticle Director Mary Ann Carr Wilson says: “Through the use of patterns found in Gregorian chant, and the integration of our bodily strength, we have an opportunity to amplify and extend our prayers to God through this meditative singing. This fosters recollection and opens the senses more fully. In 2019, Pope Francis himself [promoted] the presence of the Schola Cantorum in every parish community.”
While Canticle undertakes artistic and liturgical preparation to priests, seminarians, choir directors and other adults, it also focuses on teaching this glorious tradition of the Church to young people through its Chant Camps. These camps are week-long courses in which students are guided in preparing Gregorian chants and all the sacred music needed for a Sung Mass, Adoration service, or Holy Hour. The courses have both technical musical instruction and integrated exercises in catechesis.
Twelve members of the full Jubilate Deo choir will participate in the tour and all are alumni of Chant Camp.
In addition to the Napa Institute, the Jubilate Deo tour includes stops at St. Dominic’s in Benecia, Star of the Sea in San Francisco, St. Ann’s Chapel in Palo Alto, and St. Andrew’s in Pasadena.
Story by Gibbons Cooney
Beautiful! Young people and all of us long for truth, goodness and beauty.
As one who serves a chanted Liturgy, there is something inherently prayerful and reverent when we pray in chant.
These wonderful children are the future of the Church. God Bless Them.
Just wonderful to see this and the young girls wearing their Mantillas as a show of modesty just like Our Lady wore her head covering.
Why are chanting girls required to wear head coverings?
Thanks for the question. Chanting girls aren’t required to wear head coverings. Many choose to do so, yet it is not a requirement.
I really like what you are doing with these choirs. I was wondering how you learned Gregorian chant?
Well, Anonymous– all music majors study the history of music in-depth– including an in-depth study of Gregorisn Chant, where Western music began. They also usually learn to read Gregorian Chant musical notation– and vocal-choral majors learn to sing Gregorian Chant. In seminaries, monasteries and convents, before Vatican II, classes in Latin and Gregorian Chant were held. Seminarians typically also took some classes taught entirely in Latin. Gregorian Chant was once used daily in the Mass and Divine Office, and religious devotions. Just picture a beautiful Saint, like St. Therese of Lisieux, singing the Divine Office in Latin Gregorian Chant, for a total of about six hours, daily! Routine work, for a contemplative nun!
Nobody is wearing head coverings in the video.
Ladies and girls of the traditional masses only wear a head covering before the Blessed Sacrament. Unlike Muslim head coverings for women, they are usually taken off outside the sanctuary, unless a hat or scarf is needed to protect the woman or girl from the sun or cold weather. One can go to websites that sell mantillas, such as Veils by Lily, and read the traditional reasons for wearing them. At this time, whether or not a woman wears such a head covering is up to her. I consider it a beautiful tradition.
A beautiful children’s choir. Mary Ann Carr Wilson is excellent. They sing for the Latin Tridentine Mass. At the Tridentine Mass, ladies and girls dress in modest, lovely dresses, and wear mantillas or hats– just as we used to do, before the Council, and before the New Mass of 1969. A lovely, ancient Catholic ladies’ tradition! Very prayerful, with great love and respect for Our Lord. Our Blessed Mother is the Catholic Role Model for women.
Mary Ann Carr Wilson used to be the outstanding Director of Music at St. Anne’s Church, an FSSP all-Tridentine Latin Mass church, in San Diego.
Does the choir travel outside of California
Just came back from San Diego a few weeks ago and visited St. Anne’s parish, is so wonderful it was going to close years ago but the F.S.S.P. were willing to take it over and they did thank God, the neighborhood mostly poor Latino put their money and souls into renovating it and now is perfect for the TLM. By the way prior to the Council all women and girls wore Mantillas over their head as a sign of modesty which of course is not done in the Novus Ordo sadly enough.
This – see the attached – is so good. Touching even. Thank you, Miss Wilson, Fr Gismondi, et al.
Isn’t this absolutely wonderful? Mary Ann Carr Wilson is a fine, devout Catholic lady, and an outstanding Catholic choral director– exactly what all Catholic parishes need.
Lovely story. Thanks for publishing.
Thanks for your question.
Yes, the choir is able to travel outside of CA. Please feel free to contact me through canticleprograms@gmail.com.
What a beautiful, uplifting story. Thank you, Mary Ann.
Beautiful! Beautiful young people, beautiful chant, excellent teachers. Lovely all the way around. Thank you, everyone, for passing down our timeless heritage. I am still learning too. Every day!
Thank you Mary Ann for what you for the Church and young Catholics.