Building Catholic School Identity through Liturgical Music:

A Survey Analysis of Texas Catholic Music Education

The Catholic Church has always maintained the crucial presence of academic, ecclesial development, and liturgical formation in her parochial schools as even the great scholastic patron, St. Thomas Aquinas, championed the union of faith and reason. The catholic educational framework is varied upon a foundation of the core academic subjects, arts, music (specifically choir or schola cantorum), theology and philosophy, school and parish supported sacramental formation such as Holy First Communion, and student-centered mass participation. One cannot think about a parochial school without emphasizing the preparation of mass and sacramental life at even the youngest grade levels such as cantillating the prayer responses, chanting psalmody and singing the parts of the mass, or simply joining together with the choir in hymn singing. Though it is not always underscored, liturgical preparation and sacred music is typically expected and often highlighted in the formation of catholic students. 

In researching the significance and impact of catholic music education and liturgical music, there has been limited perspective of the spiritual role of music that is necessary in the catholic student experience. The research on the exploration of catholic school identity in liturgical music included case studies of parochial schools in major metropolitan Texas dioceses and electronic educator surveys. It is my hope that these findings will further contribute towards advocacy for the spiritual role of catholic music education and choral programs.