Report from the Sacred Liturgy Conference in Portland, Oregon

Here is a report from Fr Eric Andersen of the Archdiocese of Portland, Orgeon, on the recent liturgical conference held at the church of St Stephen. Below are some photographs of an OF Pontifical Mass celebrated in connection with the conference by Archbishop Alexander Sample, and a video of the talk which His Excellency delivered on “The Bishop as Guarantor of the Liturgy.”

One hundred people, including priests, seminarians, religious sisters and laity, gathered at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon for a Sacred Liturgy Conference held from October 30th – November 2nd, 2015, organized by Lynne Bissonnette-Pitre MD, PhD and sponsored by Schola Cantus Angelorum (http://cantusangelorum.org). Five sung Masses were celebrated at the high altar in both the Ordinary and the Extraordinary Form, with Gregorian Chant and other sacred music. Participants sang various hours of the Divine Office in choir, with the men seated opposite the ladies and alternating verses between high and low voices. Sung Offices included Solemn First Vespers and Lauds for the Solemnity of All Saints. We wish to thank Fr. Samuel Weber, O.S.B., of the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music, who prepared the Office booklets for the conference. His Excellency, the Most Rev. Alexander K. Sample received a spontaneous standing ovation for his lecture on “The Bishop as Guarantor of the Sacred Liturgy” (see below), and celebrated an exemplary Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Ordinary Form for the Solemnity of All Saints, featuring the combined musical talents of the parish choir and Schola Cantus Angelorum. The conference was considered a great success! (Photography and video by Marc Salvatore, reproduced here with his kind permission.)

Archbishop Sample’s Talk