What are the critics, the musicians, and the Catholic public saying about the
Mass of the Americas?
"Perhaps the most significant Catholic composition of our lifetime..."
"A statement of true, vibrant, creative, and positive Catholicism..."
"Archbishop Cordileone had a brilliant insight in developing this
Mass of the Americas..."
"An instance of real liturgical beauty... rooted in both Americas, North and South..."
"The beauty is healing, and it makes the reality of God’s presence obvious..."
Frank La Rocca is composer-in-residence with the
Benedict XVI Institute, the Archdiocesan initiative launched in 2017 to “energize a Catholic culture of the arts” and “open the door of beauty to God.” His new musical setting of the Mass had its world premiere on December 8, 2018, in St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. The
Mass of the Americas honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in her aspects as the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe. His role as a Catholic composer, says La Rocca, is “to serve as an apologist of a distinctively Christian faith—not through direct persuasion, but through the beauty of music.”
Since its premiere this marvel of sacred music has had triumphant performances and a rapturous reception across the nation. It has been broadcast on television and livestreamed, and the video recordings on YouTube have had more than 150,000 views.
For complete information, and links to videos, click here.
On this episode of
Mosaic, first aired on November 4, 2018, about a month before the world premiere, Frank La Rocca discusses what sacred music is and why and how he is writing the
Mass of the Americas. For complete information on the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship,
click here.