New book by one of our own...

Dr. Glenn Olsen, a member of the Cathedral Parish and a member of the School Board for the Choir School has recently had a new book published by the Catholic University of America Press entitled The Turn to the Transcendence.Dr. Olsen's book is described by the CUA Press as

"an exhaustively researched and persuasive account of how religion has been reshaped in the modern period. Though ancient and medieval western writers used various metaphors to express the idea that humans are aligned to the universe, they also believed that humans are oriented toward something “above” or transcending themselves. In recent centuries, however, the sense that humans, while living in nature and history, are oriented to transcendence has seemingly diminished. For many, God or the gods have all but disappeared from secular life."

For more information on the book the CUA Press information can be found here, and as an alternative you can watch for publication details here.

Dr. Olsen's grandchildren Joseph (7th), Maria (6th) and Michael (2nd) are students at the Choir School. Congratulations to Dr. Olsen!

Kindergarten Does It Again...

In my daily walks through the Kindergarten Class rarely am I not caught by something of interest: nocturnal animals were big last week, and there is of course the inimitable "Haddie was a Hungry Horse" song used during "H" week a few months ago.



This week I noticed that all of the students had donned a new shirt: On the front, it simply stated "Team Madeleine Choir School," implied by the logo beneath the word "Team"



It was the back of the jersey that perplexed me. What possibly could it mean that ALL of the students had the number "18" emblazoned on their backs?



After humble inquiry, Ms. Kmetzsch gently set me straight: "That is the year this class will graduate from the Choir School!"

Ugh...yo siento muy viejo...Kindergarten Rules!

Statement on the departure of Christopher White from the Faculty

Dear Parents,

After careful deliberation, it has been mutually decided that Christopher White will begin a leave from his teaching responsibilities as of Monday 19 April, using the remaining weeks of the term to concentrate on his future pursuits as an educator. On Monday, Andrea Sline (Hall) will assume the post of Sixth Grade Teacher. A meeting is scheduled for Monday evening, April 19th, at 7:00 PM in the Sixth Grade Classroom at which time we will answer any further questions you may have and provide you with an opportunity to meet Ms. Sline.

Changes of this kind prior to the end of the school year are difficult. We ask that Sixth Grade parents be particularly sensitive to your children and inform us of any difficulties with which we may be able to assist. The children hold Mr. White in high esteem, and they will need some time to process this change. As always, the children will look to you as parents, their role models, for appropriate ways in which to handle this transition.

As a Choir School community it is critical that we proceed with the utmost respect for all involved in this transition. Firstly, the Choir School recognizes that Mr. White is a highly capable educator and an excellent colleague, and we wish him only the best as he begins more serious pursuit of other educational opportunities. Secondly, we must recognize how challenging it will be for Ms. Sline to step in for these last seven weeks. In the weeks ahead, our community needs to show Ms. Sline extraordinary support for her work with our young people.

Please remember that it is critically important that you contact Mrs. McGill or me directly if you have any further questions or concerns. Change is always difficult, and it is a test of the quality of our community as to the manner in which we proceed.

I am grateful to you for your support and understanding.

Sincerely,

Gregory Glenn
Pastoral Administrator

Holy Week and Triduum Close with Easter Vespers

Special thanks to all of our choristers, servers, and parents who made so many sacrifices to support the prayer of the Cathedral Church over the last week and during the Paschal Triduum. The children served as musicians for twelve different services in the last seven days. In these most important days of the year, they offered some of the Church's most venerable ancient musical settings and they performed newly composed settings of this year.

The Services covered by the boys and girls this week...

Bishop's Mass for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Monday Mass of Holy Week
Tuesday Mass of Holy Week
Wednesday Mass of Holy Week
Cathedral Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday Lauds
Cathedral Celebration of the Lord's Passion
Choral Meditation: Stabat mater by G. B. da Pergolesi
The Great Paschal Vigil
Cathedral Easter Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM
Bishop's Easter Sunday Mass at Noon
Easter Sunday Vespers and Benediction


All of the music staff are deeply grateful to you for your hard work, and wish a very restful Easter Week ahead.

Holy Saturday - The Harrowing of Hell

From the Paschal Homily proclaimed in every Greek Orthodox Church Easter Morning...

He that was taken by death has annihilated it!
He descended into Hades and took Hades captive!
He embittered it when it tasted his flesh! And anticipating this Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was embittered when it encountered thee in the lower regions".
It was embittered, for it was abolished!
It was embittered, for it was mocked!
It was embittered, for it was purged!
It was embittered, for it was despoiled!
It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!
It took a body and came upon God!
It took earth and encountered heaven!
It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen!
O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!
For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that slept.
To him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.

St. John Chrysostom

Good Friday

The British-American poet T. S. Eliot considered his Four Quartets his masterpiece. Below is an excerpt from East Coker as Eliot attempts his "raid on the inarticulate" aspects of today.


IV
The wounded surgeon plies the steel
That questions the distempered part;
Beneath the bleeding hands we feel
The sharp compassion of the healer's art
Resolving the enigma of the fever chart.

Our only health is the disease
If we obey the dying nurse
Whose constant care is not to please
But to remind of our, and Adam's curse,
And that, to be restored, our sickness must grow worse.

The whole earth is our hospital
Endowed by the ruined millionaire,
Wherein, if we do well, we shall
Die of the absolute paternal care
That will not leave us, but prevents us everywhere.

The chill ascends from feet to knees,
The fever sings in mental wires.
If to be warmed, then I must freeze
And quake in frigid purgatorial fires
Of which the flame is roses, and the smoke is briars.

The dripping blood our only drink,
The bloody flesh our only food:
In spite of which we like to think
That we are sound, substantial flesh and blood—
Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.

Choir School Grad named Sterling Scholar

This morning we received word that Clara Purk (class of 2006) daughter of Gary and Mary Purk, sister to Choir School students Connor (8th) and Michael (4th) was named the Utah Sterling Scholar for the area of speech and drama. Clara also serves as an Altar Server at the Cathedral. Needless to say, the competition for this award is very extreme, and we send our deepest congratulations to her from her parish family and from her alma mater. The Deseret News article can be found here. Clara has been accepted at USC and hopes to enroll in the Film Studies program. Congratulations Clara!