We've recently begun a variety of sacred music catechetical efforts at our parish as we return to a faithful, authentic liturgical praxis in continuity with our beautiful tradition and musical patrimony. I gave a full 1.5 hour presentation last month covering the history, philosophy, and Church teaching on sacred music. One of the fruits of that presentation was a spontaneous conversation about how to share this information through various media to reach more parishioners. One important idea was to convert it to a series of short-form instructional videos for social media.

And thus was born, "The Sacred Music Minute." Here's how we've billed it on its new YouTube channel:

The Sacred Music Minute
Your home for bite-sized catechesis on authentic and faithful Roman Catholic liturgical music, brought to you by St. John Paul II Scioto Catholic Parish in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Why does the Church treasure Gregorian chant? What makes music “sacred” instead of just religious? Why Latin, why the organ, why polyphony? In one-minute episodes, we unfold the history, beauty, and teaching of the Church on music at Mass.

Short enough to watch on your coffee break, rich enough to deepen your love for the liturgy.

Because worship deserves our best, one minute at a time.

Catholic parishes and dioceses are most welcome to freely share and use these videos to aid their own sacred music catechesis.

The playlist (in order) is located at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqCHZbhfM-ryns3GJn216d6lKtxvJS_VA&si=pbQno94vlXZPHwu3

We also cross-post (direct upload) as Facebook reels to our parish FB page. We may expand to other platforms as well, since it is performing well thus far.

I have 10 episodes completed at the time of this post, and have 21 additional topics planned (see below). I expect that list will grow, and I'd be open to any ideas you may have for additional subjects.

Several other parishes and music directors have asked if they can use them, so I thought I'd share here with a wholehearted: absolutely! If you find them valuable, share them with your priests, parishioners, choristers, organists, "Susans from Parish Council," social media, et. al. Use them freely. Share them widely. Reach out directly with any questions.

Here's the episode topic list thus far, subject to addition and alteration as I work on them:

Italics = completed and uploaded as of this post
Ep. 1 – Is Church Music Just a Matter of Preference?
Ep. 2 – What Makes Music “Sacred?”
Ep. 3 – Gregorian Chant: the “supreme model”
Ep. 4 – Why Sing in Latin?
Ep. 5 – Didn’t Vatican II Dump Chant and Latin?
Ep. 6 – Palestrina & Friends: Sacred Polyphony
Ep. 7 – Proper Antiphons: The Church’s Built-In Playlist
Ep. 8 – Singing Our Faith: The Gift of Hymnody
Ep. 9 – Softest Whisper to Majestic Thunder: The Pipe Organ
Ep. 10 – Can Every Music Style Fit the Liturgy? Not Quite.
Ep. 11 – Liturgical vs. Devotional Music: Different "Goods"
Ep. 12 - Liturgical Fitness: A Practical Yard Stick
Ep. 13 – Active Participation: Internal or External? Both!
Ep. 14 – History 1: Sacred Music in the Patristric Era
Ep. 15 – History 2: Sacred Music in the High Middle Ages
Ep. 16 – History 3: Sacred Music in the Renaissance
Ep. 17 – History 4: Sacred Music in the Classical Era
Ep. 18 – History 5: Sacred Music in the Romantic Era
Ep. 19 – History 6: Sacred Music in the 20th Century
Ep. 20 – History 7: Sacred Music in the Post-Conciliar Era
Ep. 21 – History 8: Sacred Music in Modern Renewal
Ep. 22 – Righting the Barque: When Prayer Becomes Performance
Ep. 23 – St. Paul VI: “We have not always succeeded”
Ep. 24 – St. John Paul II: Holiness Is the Reference Point
Ep. 25 – Benedict XVI: A Treasure of Inestimable Value
Ep. 26 – Francis: A Thread Connecting History
Ep. 27 – Leo XIV: Austere Solemnity
Ep. 28 – But Think of the Youth!
Ep. 29 – Is It Still Prayer If You Don’t Understand Every Word?
Ep. 30 – But Other Parishes Do It Differently!
Ep. 31 – A Roadmap to Faithful, Practical, and Positive Sacred Music