Sacred Music Released by St. Joseph's College Seminary (Diocese of Charlotte)

The wonderful St. Joseph's College Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina has released two of their own CDs with chants and motets. The recordings were made at the nearby church of St. Anne, with the seminarians singing along with the Daughters of the Virgin Mother, a local order of nuns. A promo video of the seminary can be seen here. 

The first CD, Salve Pater, was produced in 2022 and was directed by the late great Thomas E. Savoy, at that time the Magister Capellae of the seminary choir. Tom passed away unexpectedly later that year. The second CD, called Maria Mater Nostra, was also directed by Tom, but released in his memory after his death. 

Mr. Savoy was the first full-time choir director on the faculty of the seminary, a man of great stature who understood well the Church's patrimony of sacred music and the need to study it and help preserve and foster it for future generations. The seminary produced a video to honor Tom after he passed - the video can be seen here. 

It is nice to see truly artistic and sacred music making a comeback and being introduced to the next generation of seminarian. We can be very proud of our musical heritage. It was the Roman Church that created a great part of the musical patrimony of human history. Indeed, the Catholic Church has in fact herself created some of the very best of the musical inheritance of the human race, bringing into existence the greatest possible treasury of music which still exists today in the context of divine worship. 

Congratulations and thank you to the entire seminary community for producing these wonderful CDs and allowing access to the tracks free on streaming services. Meanwhile, donations are most welcome and can be made to the St. Joseph's College Seminary music program. For many years into the future these CDs will continue to help inspire many and further the legacy of both St. Joseph' Seminary and the posthumous memory of Mr. Tom Savoy, now reposed in the Lord. I am happy to say his successor at the seminary, maestro Andrew Mahon, another distinguished musician and a good friend to all, is doing great work. 

Listeners can access the albums by searching music streaming platforms such as iTunes, YouTube, and Spotify for “Salve Pater Chants & Motets" and/or "Maria Mater Nostra Music in Honor of Our Lady” or “St. Joseph College Seminary Schola." I encourage readers to help support St. Joseph College Seminary’s music program at www.stjcs.org/donation by selecting “Music Program” in the “My Donation Is For” field. 

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