Forty-second in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison.
The mission of the Office of Worship of the Diocese of Madison is to help people encounter Jesus Christ in a life-changing way through the liturgy, prayer, and sacraments.
“We attempt to promote the full, conscious, and active participation of all Catholics in order that they may fully cooperate with God’s grace,” says the mission statement of the office.
The Office of Worship assists the bishop in his duties as chief liturgist. Together, they implement the vision of the Constitution of Sacred Liturgy, which says, “Christ is always present in his Church, especially in liturgical celebrations.”
The Office of Worship helps Catholics understand the liturgy through workshops, retreats, and other educational opportunities. It sponsors special training for priests, lay people lectors, choir members and directors, and many others to better understand God’s word and apply it.
History of office
The Office of Worship was established by Fr. William Seipp, who served as its first director. He was also chairman of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.
Dr. Patrick Gorman was hired as the first full-time lay director of the Office of Worship effective July 1, 1995. He received a master’s degree in music and liturgy from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate in choral conducting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Prior to moving to Madison, he worked as director of music and liturgy at Christ the King Parish in South Bend, Ind.
In appointing Dr. Gorman to the position, Bishop William H. Bullock said, “Patrick Gorman is a gifted musician and teacher who has already contributed much to the diocese. We are fortunate to have someone of his accomplishments to head this office and assist parishes and the diocese in assuring good liturgies rooted in the teachings and documents of the Church.”
Dr. Gorman wrote articles for the Madison Catholic Herald and also for national publications. He served on the national board of directors for the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and chaired its committee on liturgical art and music.
Madison Diocesan Choir
One of the best-known works of the Office of Worship is the Madison Diocesan Choir, composed of over 60 singers from all over the diocese. Many members are active as cantors, choir members, choir directors, or accompanists in their own parish.
The Diocesan Choir has led music at major diocesan liturgies, such as the Rite of Election, Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities Masses, and Chrism Mass. It has sponsored choral workshops and sung with parish choirs in the diocese.
How the choir began
In 1972, Dr. Roger J. Folstrom, a professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was choir director at St. Bernard Parish in Middleton. He formed a choir representing Madison area parishes for a trip to France the following year.
In 1973, the choir — also called the Festival Choir — gave its first public concert on March 11 at St. Patrick Church in Janesville. It also presented concerts at St. Bernard Church, Madison, and St. Aloysius Church, Sauk City, before leaving for its concert tour of France in May.
When Bishop William P. O’Connor died in July of 1973, the choir sang at his funeral Mass, and that led to the formation of the Madison Diocesan Choir.
One year after starting the choir, Dr. Folstrom joined the University of Maryland faculty. David L. Crosby succeeded Dr. Folstrom as director for two years. He was followed by James Hofsteen, Jorge Gonzalez, and Charles Craig until Dr. Gorman succeeded him in 1992, directing the choir in its annual Festival of Lessons and Carols in December of that year.
Glenn Schuster has been organist and assistant director since 1996.
On April 27, 2012, the choir returned to its roots with a spring concert at St. Bernard Church in Madison and paid tribute to Dr. Folstrom, who died in 2011.
In 2003, Bishop William H. Bullock presented the Madison Diocesan Choir and its director, Dr. Gorman, with the Bishop’s Distinguished Service Award. The award was presented to “those persons who have witnessed to their faith and commitment to the Church in a special and unique way in the Diocese of Madison.”
The award said, “The Madison Diocesan Choir has given years of loyal and loving service to the Diocese in liturgical music and their rendition of Lessons and Carols. Their music demonstrates both quality and commitment.”
Dr. Gorman retires
Due to health concerns, Dr. Gorman retired in September of 2021. Bishop Donald J. Hying said, “His work with the diocesan choir, formation of liturgical ministers, preparation for diocesan Masses and events, and expertise on church building projects are all examples of Dr. Gorman’s leadership and impact on the liturgical and prayer life of our diocese all these years.
“On behalf of our priests, deacons, staff, and laity, I offer profound gratitude to Dr. Gorman for his many years of faithful service to the Lord and the Church.”
Bishop Hying appointed Fr. Greg Ihm as director of the Office of Worship in addition to his continuing service as the diocesan vocations director. Father Ihm holds a degree in liturgy from Rome.
Amy Yanzer, who has served as associate director of the Office of Worship, is continuing in that role with expanded responsibilities.
Dr. Gorman died on September 28, 2021. For more about him, see the accompanying article.
It is expected that the Diocesan Choir will resume activities in 2022 with a new director.
Source: Archives of the Catholic Herald newspaper and website of the Office of Worship (https://madison diocese.org/worship).
Mary C. Uhler served on the staff of the Catholic Herald-Diocese of Madison for almost 47 years, the last 34 years as editor. She retired in July of 2020.
In Memory of Dr. Patrick Gorman: The day our voices fell silent
Excerpted from an article by Dick Jones, Diocesan Choir member
Dr. Patrick Gorman became director of the Madison Diocesan Choir nearly 30 years ago, and shortly after that, he and his wife Denise viewed the choir as their extended family. The feeling was mutual.
As word spread that he was near death, then his passing, it was as if an immediate family member died. It was all so sudden, leaving us devastated, at a loss for words, our voices silenced.
What made members, roughly 60 or so, all volunteers from around the diocese, attend rehearsal every Tuesday night? And sing at many events, from September through June?
The answer in part was Pat’s great personality. We all loved to sing, and who better to sing for than Pat Gorman? He had an incredible gift for music and freely shared it as director.
Pat being director of the Office of Worship also served the choir well. Rehearsals were often like going to church, a retreat, or liturgical workshop. Often Pat would pause rehearsal to explain the significance of a piece, provide liturgical context, tell the backstory. The same was true of liturgical events, such as the Rite of Election and Chrism Mass.
As St. Augustine said, those who sing pray twice, and with the catechesis Pat provided, we were able to sing with greater understanding and conviction.
What we loved about Pat most was his extraordinary gift of music, the pieces he chose, the programs he put together. He worked closely with Glenn Schuster, associate director and accompanist, with much success.
We traveled the world. In 2001, we went to Italy and sang for the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, in St. Peter’s Square. In 2004, we were off to Ireland, where we followed in the footsteps of Handel to St. Michan’s Church in Dublin. There we saw the organ where Handel was said to have composed his Messiah.
In 2007, Pat led us on a tour of Germany. The first stop was the Cologne Cathedral of Saint Peter, an ancestral pilgrimage for many of us. The tour also took us to Dachau, the Nazi concentration camp near Munich. The experience was unforgettable, highly emotional, as we sang “The Prayer of St. Francis” at the Holocaust site where more than 41,000 Jews, Romanians Poles, and others perished. Pat’s father, William, a World War II medic, took part in the liberation of the camps.
The choir’s musical ministry also included bus tours in the states. Yet Pat enjoyed just as much, if not more, parish visits throughout the diocese.
In this its 75th year, the diocese celebrates its anniversary with the Evangelization Initiative, Go Make Disciples. Pat was nothing if not an evangelist. He worked with parish choir directors and musicians. In 2018, the Diocesan Choir launched its Youth Pastoral Musician Scholarship Award to get more young students involved in parish music ministries. Pat had hopes of a similar initiative to increase the number of organists and other musicians as accompanists for parishes.
Pat took pride, as all choir members did, in our Lessons & Carols performances, a tradition the choir began more than 30 years ago. For him, the event, more liturgical service than concert, provided a respite during the busy holiday season, an opportunity to pause and reflect on the meaning of Christmas.
In 2017, there was much excitement about a newly restored classic pipe organ in the Holy Name Heights chapel, an Aeolian-Skinner organ. Its restoration and installation were made possible due to a gift from the estate of the late Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer.
With the pandemic, however, our voices for the most part have fallen silent. And now we’ve lost our director Pat Gorman.
We are grateful to God for the gift of Pat Gorman and the years he served as our director. And we must take comfort, and courage, in the belief that the Diocesan Choir will one day sing again. We also pray that when our time comes, if we try to live as Pat did, we can sing for him again in the chorus of angels.
Well done, Pat, good and faithful servant. Rest in peace eternal.