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Form an independent local schola

Independent scholas are free to serve friendly parishes, Catholic lay organizations, and special events; it’s a different approach than a traditional parish choir that stays in one place.  Scholas learn a common baseline of sacred music, balanced with flexibility.  Your music director will choose additional repertoire best suited to your schola’s abilities.

The baseline:

  • “Jubilate Deo” provides Mass chant settings chosen by Church experts to best meet parish needs.
  • “The Propers of the Mass” by Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB
  • “The Hymnal of the Hours” by Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB

The options:  choose the services that best fit your schola’s needs.

  • Find kindred souls in your region through the ChantWorks matching function.
    • Recruit new members.
    • Find supportive priests and religious.
    • Find patrons to help with financial support.
    • Find supportive Catholic lay organizations.
  • Assistance
    • Your schola will choose its own name, while also being part of ChantWorks. We’ll help you design and format your logo to build your local identity. You’ll also get to use the ChantWorks logo.
    • Grants to cover expenses beyond your self-generated budget.
    • Your Regional Development Officer will help with fundraising and finding new opportunities for your schola. Get in touch and brainstorm!
  • Mentoring
    • Supportive priests available to lead spiritual retreats.
    • Local schola directors can request mentoring by regional directors, online and in person.

Help for existing scholas and choirs

Your regional ChantWorks music director and liturgy specialist are there to help…

  • Parish scholas learn more about the art of sacred music.
  • Parish choirs broaden their repertoire to include chant.
  • Interested parishioners learn more about sacred music and liturgy.
  • Opportunities to network with other chant-friendly parishes.

Workshops

  • Regional music directors available to lead online or in-person workshops, seminars, and special events on the art of sacred music.
  • Liturgy specialists available to lead online or workshops and seminars on the theology of Catholic worship.

Voice lessons for priests

Parishioners want to follow their shepherd’s lead. When priests and deacons sing their parts of the Holy Mass, it’s a form of leadership that invites the whole parish to respond, especially when the people sing the Ordinary. Unfortunately, many clerics have lacked the opportunity to learn vocal technique. Singing the Mass seems impossible—it would be too embarrassing even to try, then produce a squawk instead of sacred song.

It doesn’t have to be that way! Singing starts as a physical skill, something we can learn to do, like playing basketball.

The voice needs to be developed and trained.  Once basic skills are in place, singers grow in artistry.  It’s not just that we can sing or not; it’s whether we choose to seize the opportunity to learn and grow.

ChantWorks provides voice lessons for priests, deacons, and religious. We’ll match you with an instructor in your region. You’ll need to commit to the home exercises and practice sessions, but in a few months a whole new world will start to open for you.