April 13, 2011

CATHEDRAL DEANERY — The Saturday evening liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains March 12 was particularly joyful as seven children’s choirs from dioceses across Ohio provided music for the Mass.

Lee Gwozdz, conductor and director of music at the Corpus Christi Cathedral, with students Ketan Fernandes, Cameron Bernath, Curtis Roden and Stephen Wolf. (CT photos/Colleen Kelley)

Nearly 100 children in elementary and junior high school spent the day at the cathedral as part of a children’s chorale festival. Children’s choirs from St. Andrew Parish in Milford, Our Lady of the Rosary in Greenhills, St. Anthony Parish in Dayton, and St. John Parish in West Chester joined choirs from the Dioceses of Columbus, Youngstown and Toledo at the festival.

Lee Gwozdz, the music director at Corpus Christi Cathedral in Texas and a specialist in conducting children’s choirs, worked with the children during the day.

Each choir performed a song as a prelude to the Mass and sang together during the liturgy.   

Pueri Cantores (Latin for young or little singers), an international Catholic choral organization that provides opportunities for school aged choirs from all backgrounds to participate in liturgical music, sponsored the event, said Anthony DiCello, music director at the cathedral. Archbishop Dennis M. Schurr celebrated the Mass, and James Rigg, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, served as a lector.

Some of the choirs have expressed interest in participating in another event next year.

“I was very pleased with it. I thought it was very successful,” DiCello said. “We’re hoping this is an annual event.”

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr poses with members of the youth choirs after Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains.

Bethany Dieckhoner sings during the children’s chorale festival at the cathedral.