Revisiting the Archbishop's Letter on Sacred Music Ahead of the Oregon Sacred Music Colloquium

To highlight the upcoming Oregon Sacred Music Colloquium at Mount Angel Abbey on January 30–31, key themes from Alexander Sample’s 2019 pastoral letter on sacred music are offered as a timely reminder of the Church’s teaching on Gregorian chant, the use of Latin and English in the Sacred Liturgy, and the renewal of sacred music as prayer.

In January 2019, Archbishop Sample issued a pastoral letter calling the Archdiocese to rediscover the beauty, theological depth, and spiritual power of her musical tradition. Far from being a historical reflection, the letter remains a living invitation that speaks directly to the life of parishes today.

As we prepare for the Oregon Sacred Music Colloquium, the teachings of this pastoral letter help frame both the purpose of the workshop and the broader renewal it seeks to support. The Colloquium is open to all and especially welcomes parish musicians of every background and level of experience.

In his letter, Archbishop Sample draws upon the consistent teaching of the Popes, the Second Vatican Council, and the bishops of the United States to reaffirm that Gregorian chant holds a central place in the Roman liturgy. Chant is not presented as one musical option among many, nor as a practice reserved for specialists. Rather, it belongs to the ordinary prayer of the Church and is meant to be heard, sung, and known by clergy and faithful alike.

The Archbishop also speaks candidly about the gap between the Church’s teaching and parish practice. Gregorian chant is frequently absent from the Sacred Liturgy, despite clear and repeated guidance from the Church. This situation, he explains, calls for renewal rooted not in nostalgia, but in patient catechesis, pastoral leadership, and practical formation.

Since the publication of the pastoral letter in 2019, this renewal has taken increasingly visible form in archdiocesan liturgical life, particularly at the Cathedral. Major celebrations such as the annual Chrism Mass with the priests of the Archdiocese, ordinations, and major feasts now regularly incorporate Latin and Gregorian chant as integral elements of the Sacred Liturgy.

These archdiocesan celebrations reflect the full diversity of our local Church, bringing together the faithful from many cultural backgrounds, including White, Latino, and Asian communities. In these moments, the gathered congregation lifts its voice together in a shared liturgical language as Roman Catholics.

The use of Latin and Gregorian chant transcends ethnic and cultural distinctions precisely because it belongs to the whole Church. It expresses the universal nature of Catholic worship in a tangible and visible way, uniting the faithful across cultures in a single act of prayer.

The pastoral letter further emphasizes the proper use of both Latin and the vernacular in sung prayer. Parishes are encouraged to learn the English plainchant settings of the Ordinary found in the Roman Missal and to give them pride of place. Clergy, in particular, are invited to lead by example by singing with the faithful whenever appropriate within the Mass.

At the same time, the letter asks every parish, to the best of its ability, to establish a basic Gregorian repertoire sung by the people in Latin. Familiar settings such as Mass VIII (De Angelis) and Mass XVIII are identified as accessible starting points, with encouragement to grow beyond this minimum as pastoral circumstances allow.

The Oregon Sacred Music Colloquium exists precisely to help make this vision attainable. Through workshops, chant formation, and shared prayer, participants will be introduced to the Church’s musical language and given practical tools to bring it back to their parishes, not as performance, but as sung prayer at the service of the Sacred Liturgy.

The Cathedral choir’s faithful execution of this vision is frequently noted by visitors, visiting clergy, and local Catholics from a wide range of backgrounds, who regularly praise its reverent and consistent use of sacred music in the Church’s liturgical tradition.

Together, Archbishop Sample’s pastoral letter and the upcoming Colloquium invite a renewed commitment to sacred music as an expression of our Catholic heritage and identity. By learning what the Church asks of us and taking concrete steps to respond, we can more fully unite our voices with the prayer of the Church across centuries and cultures.