CCBI Announces Liturgical Music Course for Clergy and Laity in Goa

Goa, August 7, 2025: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) will conduct an intensive course titled “The Soul of the Liturgy: Music in the Service of the Sacred”, focused on liturgical music for priests, religious men and women, and laypersons. The course will be held at Shanti Sadan, Benaulim, Goa, from 11–16 December 2025, with arrival scheduled for Thursday, 11 December, and departure on Tuesday, 16 December, after lunch.

Organised by the CCBI Commission for Liturgy under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Rudolph Raj Pinto OCD, Executive Secretary of the Commission, the programme will explore the theological and pastoral dimensions of music in the liturgy. Topics include the foundations of liturgy, its nature, constitution and spirituality, as well as the Ars Celebrandi (art of celebration), and its significance and application. Participants will reflect on the sacred function of liturgical music, its distinctiveness, and its journey from historical origins to modern practice. The course will also offer guidance from the Magisterium on the role of music in the liturgy through the lens of liturgical–musical legislature, and provide an analysis of General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) norms with practical insights for singing various parts of the Mass.

The programme will delve into how liturgical music enhances active participation and the principle of progressive solemnity. It will further explore vocal expressions in the liturgy, the tripple judgements for musical effectivity, and the process of theologising through music. Other sessions will help participants learn how to understand and evaluate liturgical ensembles and offer guidelines to composers engaged in liturgical composition. 

Pilgrimage visits will also be included in the schedule, covering significant sites such as the Bom Jesus Basilica, Sé Cathedral in Old Goa, Fr. Agnel Tomb in Pilar, St. Joseph Vaz Sanctuary in Sancoale, and St. John Baptist Church in Benaulim.

The course fee is Rs. 6,000 for a shared room (2 in one room) and Rs. 12,000 for a single room. The fee includes food, AC room accommodation, and the pilgrimage. Only 30 seats are available, and interested participants are encouraged to book in advance, as registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The resource persons for the programme are Rev. Dr. Rudolph Raj Pinto OCD and Rev. Dr. Romeo Monteiro, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.

For registration and further details, contact:

Fr. Duming Gonsalves, Administrator

Shanti Sadan, Benaulim, Goa – 403 716, India

Phone: 9309110391, 8762716282

Email: office@shantisadan.in

By Catholic Connect Reporter