Baltimore Basilica looks to next 200 years

As the Baltimore Basilica prepares to celebrate its bicentennial May 31, its rector is already planning for the next 200 years.

Father James Boric envisions America’s first cathedral as a center of worship not just for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, but for the wider region and nation – a place where liturgies are celebrated in a way that focuses on holiness and where people of all walks of life are inspired to lead virtuous lives.

“I want the basilica to become the parish to the parishes of Baltimore,” Father Boric said. “I want this to be the place where all the parishes know they can come to pray and experience the beauty of our Catholic tradition.”

Celebrating the church’s rich musical heritage will be a major part of the basilica’s next phase of growth. Over the last few years, the basilica has already reoriented its music program to focus more on solemn chant and polyphony. Sam Rowe, who recently completed a master’s degree in choral conducting at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., was appointed music director last year.

The basilica now features a professional schola cantorum made up of four choristers who provide singing mostly in Latin for the 10:45 a.m. Sunday Mass. The music ministry is also working to develop men’s and women’s singing groups, the rector said.

Rowe said he hopes people who hear the sacred music at the basilica will feel “transformed and edified.”

“That’s something that can be experienced and held by all – even if it’s something totally foreign,” Rowe said. “I don’t think you need a lot of study or sophistication to understand it. Even someone with little or no experience with choral music or Gregorian chant can be struck immediately by its holiness when they hear it.”

Father Boric’s long-term dream is to establish a children’s choir school in two or three years that will teach boys and girls how to sing sacred music, including polyphony, chant and hymns.

Throughout the church, whether Mass is celebrated in the “ordinary” form or the “extraordinary” form (traditional Latin Mass), there is a growing desire for good music at the liturgy, Rowe said.

“But there are so few good musicians to do that music,” he said. “We need to be training more musicians to be in positions where they can provide good music and this (a children’s choir school) has historically been the way to do that.”

The program would begin modestly and expand over time, Rowe said. The children’s choir might initially sing at Mass once a month and then with more frequency, he said.

Father Boric sees the choir school as an opportunity for families from all over the city and beyond to participate. Beyond inculcating musicianship skills, he thinks the study of sacred music could also be a way to help young people focus on what is holy.

“Let’s see how that affects family life and culture in and around the streets of Baltimore,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do to get there.”

Father Boric is actively working on introducing an improved sound system and state-of-the-art livestreaming capabilities so liturgies can be presented to an international audience.

At the same time, he is planning to introduce Sunday evening vespers services with Archbishop William E. Lori this fall and other liturgies down the road that can attract people from throughout the archdiocese in the same way he hopes a soon-to-be-opened perpetual eucharistic adoration chapel will also draw people.

“There are so many exciting things happening at the basilica and music is a part of that,” Rowe said. “There has been a lot of enthusiasm from the people for the direction that we’re going and I think that will continue. We’re really grateful for the support of Archbishop Lori as we continue to move in this direction.”

A livestream of the basilica’s May 31 bicentennial Mass and perpetual eucharistic adoration chapel dedication will be offered at 2 p.m. at archbalt.org.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

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