Sacred music, a cornerstone of the Church’s liturgical tradition, is being revitalized through initiatives like Floriani, a men’s choral ensemble dedicated to preserving and sharing this invaluable heritage. Performing at Masses and concerts across the U.S., Floriani has become a beacon of faith and beauty through its music.
A Highlight at the National Eucharistic Congress
Floriani recently performed at the National Eucharistic Congress held from July 17–21, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Reflecting on the experience, Founder & Director Giorgio Navarini shared:
“We sang for the Thursday night adoration, and I don’t think we understood the gravity of that prior to coming to the Eucharistic Congress. The response we got was tremendous. We were told this was the highlight of the entire Congress. I think a lot of people said that because they’d never heard the beauty of sacred music before.”
Origins and Mission
Navarini recounted how Floriani began:
“We started practicing Gregorian music and different polyphonic works. Eventually, we sang for parishes throughout the L.A. Archdiocese, and soon I realized this could be a mission.”
This mission aligns with the Church’s teaching that sacred music is “a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 112). Sacred music is not merely an addition to the liturgy but an integral part of worship, as Navarini emphasized:
“Music is not just something you can ‘slap on’ to the liturgy. It’s really something integral to the liturgy itself. In the early Church, everything in the liturgy had to be sung. Music is an essential part of the worship of God.”
A Global Revival of Tradition
Across the globe, efforts to revive and sustain sacred music continue to flourish. One leading institution is the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, often referred to as the Vatican’s university for Church music. Under the direction of Dominican priest Fr. Robert Mehlhart, the institute offers 21 degrees across seven disciplines, including composition, choir conducting, organ, and chant.
Fr. Mehlhart explained the comprehensive nature of the training:
“They just have to have an experience with the great works of our tradition. If you’re an organist, it doesn’t matter—you have to have sung Ave Verum by Mozart, Locus Iste by Bruckner, and Sicut Cervus by Palestrina. You can’t be a Church musician without knowing these pieces.”
Graduates of the institute often take this training back to their home countries, founding choirs, music institutions, and conservatories to continue the Church’s mission of evangelization through beauty.
Music as a Tool for Evangelization
Sacred music holds the power to draw people closer to God, even those who may be far from the Church. Fr. Mehlhart noted:
“When it comes to apologetics, what have we in store for our mission? It’s the saints, holiness, and beauty—the arts. Music testifies to the Church’s beauty and truthfulness in this world because it glorifies our Creator and Savior.”
For those who sing or listen, sacred music serves as a form of prayer, elevating the heart and mind to God.
“You sing the sacred texts of the Bible in the liturgy, in community. This allows you to penetrate the texts intellectually while experiencing them emotionally. It elevates you into that embrace of glory,” Fr. Mehlhart emphasized.
Anchoring Faith in a Changing World
In today’s world, where contemporary music often takes center stage, the return to Gregorian chant and ancient melodies is more relevant than ever. Floriani’s work, as well as other similar initiatives, roots young Catholics in something enduring and transcendent. Navarini explained:
“The culture is so much in flux. Young people want something stable, something firm that doesn’t shift with the trends of the world. Sacred music and liturgy deliver that. This is an unchanging, beautiful thing that roots us in our identity as Catholics.”
Adapted by Jacob Stein
