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Fr. Joseph Orthel attended the ‘Midwest Gregorian Chant Workshop’ sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas at the Benedictine College in Atchison, Ks. The objective of three day workshop was to learn to sing sacred music of the Catholic Church at Mass. Andrew Mills, from New York City, a member of ‘Church Music Association of America’; and choir director at St. Agnes across from Grand Central Station in New York City, was the chantmaster and clinician for the Gregorian chant portion of the workshop. The workshop was advertised for people beginning an interest in Gregorian chant, but the experience level of the participants included choir directors with PhD degrees in music. As the group progressed in learning, a chanted Novus Ordo High Mass was offered daily. At the conclusion of the workshop on Saturday, Fr. Orthel was called into service as a priest to say the anticipatory Mass for the group. Fr. Orthel admitted his limited experience in the musical field but provided the group with a very spiritually moving, entirely chanted Mass to bring the workshop to a close. Lucas Tappan, from the St. Lawrence Catholic Center in Lawrence, Ks taught polyphony to the group. Polyphony is another form of sacred music in the Church.
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