The formation of professional liturgical musicians is of major importance to the life of the Church. The Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians (CRCCM) strongly urges the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops through its Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy to consider this issue thoughtfully in any future documents regarding liturgical music. CRCCM supports current efforts to set professional standards for Catholic liturgical musicians. These will help raise the standard of professional lay ecclesial leadership in the church among those charged with directing our Catholic musical and liturgical life.

Strongly aware that the priest as leader of the liturgical assembly must be a person of faith, well disposed and trained to lead the people of God in public prayer, the Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians expresses its support, concern and willingness to assist in the seminary formation process. Because the sung liturgy is normative and is vital to the active and engaged participation of the people, the Conference believes that in the formation process the seminarian must receive both academic training and personal experience in the entire spectrum of worship in order to be able to serve the needs of diverse worshipping communities which may later be entrusted to the priest's care.

The Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians expresses concern regarding the crisis of acoustical environments being created in churches both new and renovated. The acoustical environment of the worship space is critical to the ability of the assembly and ministers to exercise their proper role in both spoken and sung prayer. Members of the assembly must be able to hear themselves as a cohesive whole rather than as isolated and detached individuals.

The members of CRCCM wish to draw attention to the importance of pipe organ preservation and restoration. Our nation has experienced numerous situations in which valuable historic instruments have been removed from their churches in favor of more "up to date" replacements. Likewise, many instruments have been altered to the point at which the intentions of the original organ builder are beyond recognition.

Concerts in Churches:
Reflections on the 1987 Letter to Bishops from
the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship

The Conference of Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicians, a collegial gathering of musicians serving Cathedral Churches in North America, met in Erie, Pennsylvania January 4-7, 1988, and undertook serious discussion of the Letter on Concerts in Churches issued by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship. The following statement reflects the collective thinking of this Conference, especially our concern for the promotion and nurture of the highest standards of liturgy and music. Our deepest hope is that these considered reflections will weigh upon the application of principles raised by the Vatican letter and be of assistance to our Bishops.
Ministry of the Arts