A few months back I posted about the 49th Annual Southwest Liturgical Conference Study Week. We have finalized our program so please visit www.swlcslc.org for more information and registration. Our theme is the implementation of the Roman Missal. There is something for everyone. Early registration ends December 10.
Our plenary speakers are:
Fr. Paul Turner
Fr. Michael Joncas
Dr. David Fagerberg
Dr. Jane Regan
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez
Fr. Jorge Presmanes, OP
Bishop Gerald Kicanas.
We’ll see you in Salt Lake City Februray 2-5, 2011.
8 responses to “Southwest Liturgical Conference: Update”
Kevin Faulkner
For the major Catholic music publishers, their presenters at this gathering are just more of the same. It is time for a new generation of Catholic composers to come forward.
While I generally agree with your statement about the need for a new cadre of composers of liturgical music (it’s always the time for such, but why do they have to be Catholics?), I miss the connection you seem to be making concerning Fr. Rupp, Pedro Rubalcava, Jerry Galipeau, David Haas, and myself as published composers. I’ve witnessed all these men giving workshops, and they are fine presenters, every one of them. I believe we were all asked to give these presentations, the topics of which were given to us by the study week planners, because we are all pastoral musicians with a solid liturgical background, and not because we are published composers.
I appreciate the thoughtful comments of Fr. Ron. Pastoral musicians are giving solid liturgical workships because they are able to synthesize the material and present it in ways that allow the average pastoral – liturgical minister to take it home to the parish…which are the absolutely most important places of reception.
It may sound self-serving to say so, since I am on the program, but I agree with Fr. Ron.. we are asked not because we are composers, meaning, we are going to promote our music…
My presentations, as I know is the case with Pedro, Jerry, Anthony, Dan Schutte, and Ron – is to address the issue of music and the new missal, and to help teach and help form and empower the folks who come to these sessions.. we are not doing self-promotion of our particular compositions. That has always been my stance for years as a presenter at conferences and workshops.
So I appreciate Fr. Ron clarifying what we are doing at the upcoming SLC, and what we normatively do in our work.
By the way – yes, I too agree that we are always in need of new and creative composers to offer their craft and art to the praying church. And we have them in some of the younger, newer, and emerging composers like Tony Alonso, Lori True, Paul Tate, Janet Whitaker, Carol Browning, Barbara Bridge, Sally Ann Morris, Ricky Manalo – who are definetly taking the baton from some of us old timers whose hair has become grey… (and in my case, become less and less).
By the way – back to the original post..
I am very excited about the conference.. I plan to be attending as many sessions as I can.. I expect we all will be learning and growing from some of the wonderful talent that will be there.
I looked at the site for it. Just a curious question: Is there any mainstream liturgy conference someone knows about that’s *not* putting the new translation front and center?
…..just a comment for Kevin F…….do you not think that
these men and women that you so quickly dismiss as
“more of the same” are constantly updating their
material through their own personal reading,
scholarship and experience?
I KNOW they have .
I have been attending classes, workshops and presentations by these men and women for 30+ years and I have not been bored or
disappointed. They are constantly renewing
themselves in the Spirit.
I welcome the newer generation, but I treasure what these people have given and continue to give!
I think that this next year, we will see conferences (even in places that seldom host) about the new translations, the new Missal, the history of the Mass – those subjects that all revolve around this transition.
It might be a bit overwhelming, but at the same time, maybe it’s a good thing? We didn’t have any of this when the vernacular was first promulgated. And we went through a terrible time…
As to the publishers, composers, and those hosting those conferences. I want to thank each and every one of you for your participation and assistance in helping to catechize all of us. In San Antonio, we have already hosted GIA and WLP and will soon host David Kauffman/Bill Gokelman (they were the “outstanding” new setting awarded at this past summer’s NPM convention in Detroit, and in 2011 will host Fr. Anthony as well as OCP. Each has a different push, a different reflection, a different area to connect with an incredible diverse Catholic population. We have been averaging 200-250 at each meeting; liturgical ministers hungry to learn and hungry to participate in the process.
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