Our Lady and St. John
Catholic Church
Worshiping at St. Francis of Assisi
Sacred Music
At Our Lady and St. John, sacred music is an integral part of our liturgy. Each of our Sunday choral Masses includes hymns, Anglican and Gregorian chant, organ music, and anthems and motets.
​
Many children from Our Lady and St. John are part of the student schola cantorum associated with St. Martin of Tours.
Organist and Choirmaster
Patrick Valentino (b.1982) is a conservatory trained composer and conductor who has been directing Catholic music since 2006. He holds degrees from New England Conservatory, Ithaca College, and Montclair State University. As conductor has served as Music Director of the Bay Colony Brass, Calliope, and the Boston New Music Initiative; Assistant Conductor for the Ithaca College Orchestras, Westfield Symphony and Symphony NOVA. He has conducted the Monmouth, Cornell, Brookline and Rivers Symphonies, Massive Brass, Symphony NOVA, the Mihail Jora and Arlington Philharmonics, and the St. Petersburg Music Society.
Patrick’s music has been performed on three continents by the Nashua Symphony, Monmouth Symphony, Central New Jersey Symphony, Oak Ridge Community Orchestra, the Brevard Music Center, Ariel String Quartet, and the brass ensembles of the Moscow Conservatory, among others. His sacred music has been widely and regularly performed throughout the United States, including Mass settings and recent commissions for Psalm settings from the Liber Psalmorum, part of a monumental plan to set the Bible to music in its entirety. More info at PatrickValentinoMusic.com
Media
Lessons and Carols 2016
On Friday December 23 at 7 p.m. the Ordinariate Community of Our Lady and Saint John and the Choir of St. Martin of Tours presented A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This Christmas service tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus through nine short bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books, and the Gospels, interspersed with carols and hymns sung by the choir and congregation. Carols: Ding Dong! merrily on high - 16th century French - arr. Charles Wood Adam lay ybounden - Boris Ord A great and mighty wonder - Old German tune, harmonized Michael Praetorius A tender shoot - Otto Goldschmidt Angelus ad Virginem - Paul Weber In the bleak midwinter - Harold Darke While shepherds watched their flocks by night Nativity Carol - John Rutter
Tenebrae 2018
This service anticipates the monastic offices for the last three days of Holy Week. Tenebrae means darkness and refers to the gradual extinguishing of candles and lights as the service proceeds, until only one candle remains. Its light, too, is hidden, and a loud noise is made symbolizing the death of Christ, his descent to the dead, and the earthquake at the time of the resurrection. Upon the return of the one candle, everyone leaves in silence.