On Friday, April 25, members of the Michigan Area were privileged to attend the “Palestrina 500” choral festival celebrating the quincentennial birthday of Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-94).

Hosted by Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the year-long festival comprises 12 monthly events, each including a choral meditation and solemn Mass. At the April 25 event, Palestrina’s music was performed by the Tallis Scholars, a professional British early music vocal ensemble specializing in singing a cappella sacred music. A goal of the event is to have Palestrina’s music not only heard, but prayed in the context for which the music was written.

The Michigan Area was invited to process at Mass. Stanley Sedore, Member in Formation, is an usher at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish and arranged for the invitation to be extended to the Michigan Area.

Famed as the leading musician of Rome during the 16th century, Palestrina was known as the “Pope’s Musician.” Among other roles, he directed the Julian Chapel Choir of St. Peter’s Basilica. He composed over 100 Mass settings, more than 300 motets, and numerous hymns, madrigals, canticles for the Divine Office, and antiphons.

Representing the Michigan Area were Carolyn Andree, DM; Orlando Benedict, KM; Associates Angela and John Bursch; Patrick Fabian, KM: Thomas Larabell, KM, and his wife Yvonne Larabell; Stanley Sedore; Michigan Area Chair Andy Smith, KM; Barbara Wilson, DM, and Robert Wilson, KM.

At the reception following Mass, Andy Smith met with Sr. Jacinta Miryam of the Sisters Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is on the staff of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. The order (https://www.sacredheartsisters.org/​​), founded in Krakow, Poland, has ministries throughout the world, including an orphanage in Bolivia where Andy Smith’s son Victor is volunteering.

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