Music Director (FT) Holy Name Parish, West Roxbury, MA

Holy Name Parish, a Roman Catholic community serving 2,000 households in the West Roxbury and Roslindale neighborhoods of Boston, cares deeply about its music program. For decades, the program has provided spiritual inspiration for those who worship here, as well as an opportunity for evangelization in the larger community.

We seek a gifted individual for this important role. As a musician, the person should exude a genuine love for music they offer in the liturgy. Their work should elevate the parish’s standard of excellence and attract volunteers of every ability to participate.

Although the role demands a high level of musicianship and programmatic leadership, the person must above all be deeply committed to serving those entrusted to their care in a truly pastoral way. Their personal example of faith, even beyond the demands of the job, should call others to grow in their relationship with Jesus and His Church.

The chosen candidate should exhibit familiarity with and respect for many styles of liturgical music. They should incorporate a broad range of music into the parish’s repertoire.

Principal Deliverables

1. The director serves at the following parish liturgies:
2. Three weekend Masses (4pm Saturday Vigil as well as 9am and 11am on Sunday)
3. Holy Days of Obligation and Ash Wednesday Masses (Vigil and two Masses on the day itself) as well as the Easter Triduum
4. Weddings (approximately 10-12 annually)
5. Funerals (approximately 80-110 annually)
6. Sacramental celebrations including First Communion(s), Reconciliation, Confirmation(s), and as directed by the pastor.
7. Masses and liturgies for Holy Name Parish School, including the annual graduation

As part of their ministry, the director chooses suitable hymnody, motets and Mass settings (e.g., Gloria, Sanctus, etc.) that align with liturgical themes, seasons, and pastoral points of emphasis. Musical selections should reflect the fullness of the Catholic tradition and achieve the Second Vatican Council’s vision for “fully conscious, and active participation.”

In addition to encouraging congregational singing, the parish sponsors two volunteer choirs: one for children and another for adults. The director is responsible for recruiting members, planning an annual music list, and teaching both choirs’ repertoires as part of a weekly rehearsal. As part of their teaching capacity, they should encourage participants of all abilities to grow in love of sacred music.

The director ensures that the music team of cantor/choir, organist, accompanist, and other instrumentalists provides strong leadership that fosters a culture of full participation.

On limited occasions (e.g., Christmas, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday), the director may be called upon to include music at the 7am Mass, aforementioned. The director uses budgeted parish resources to engage supplemental musicians according to the needs of the parish. On significant feasts (e.g., Christmas and Holy Week) and important moments in the life of the parish, the director engages external professional musicians (e.g., brass players) in consultation and with the approval of the pastor.

Beyond the parish’s regular music program, the director plays an essential role in advancing Holy Name Church as a center of art and culture. They continually pursue opportunities for community groups, performers, and ensembles to use the church for concerts throughout the year. Each performance should conform with Catholic teaching and enhance the life of the parish. As part of welcoming visiting performers, the director supervises their performances and rehearsals in the church.

Functional Administrative Responsibilities

1. Beyond the deliverables aforementioned, the director:
2. Ensures compliance with all copyright laws around reprinting music and licensing.
3. Designs, proofreads, prints, and distributes weekly worship leaflets for liturgies.
4. Provides clear standards, oversight, and approval to visiting parties planning music within the Church (e.g., performer or person preparing for a wedding or funeral, etc.), including promotional materials they create for activities within the parish.
5. Prepares for the pastor’s approval and administers the parish music program’s annual budget, including fees for musicians.
6. Promotes parish life, concerts, and the music program to the community at-large as a form of evangelization.
7. Coordinates tuning and appropriate service for the three-manual Wicks organ, a baby grand piano, audio system, as well as any parish equipment or infrastructure connected to the music program.
8. Keeps the music library in good working order.
9. Implements diocesan and parish policies concerning music and liturgy.
10. Maintains current rosters of musicians and volunteers engaged in the music program and ensures they have completed safeguarding requirements (i.e., CORI, SORI, and Protecting God’s Children course).
11. Liaises with diocesan leaders where appropriate.

Personal Expectations
Holy Name Parish expects all parish staff to live in accord with the teaching of the Catholic Church and use their position to proclaim Christ in the culture. As part of that mandate, the director of music should commit themselves to:

1. Advancing their own professional development through regular practice as well as meetings, workshops, retreats, and conferences with peers.
2. Practicing and communicating their self-care needs to the pastor; the director should seek out an annual retreat as part of their spiritual life.
3. Attending staff meetings and pursuing opportunities for collaboration within the parish.

A complete list of requirements in the Archdiocese of Boston can be found here.

Holy Name Parish, at the direction of the pastor, may implement any additional safeguarding protocols at any time.

As its finances allow, the parish will support the director in some costs associated with their professional development.

1. Completing their duties with an infectious energy, attention to detail, flexibility, and joy, with special attention to children and their families.
2. Using meetings with engaged couples and families in advance of weddings and funerals as opportunities for service and evangelization.
3. Keeping current the musical guidelines for both wedding and funeral liturgies.
4. Promoting unity within the parish family.

To promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, the director of music should use their role to elevate less-familiar music that is suitable for liturgical settings. Examples may include music from different cultures and by composers with unique backgrounds, as well as contemporary compositions that speak to our present time.

Academic Credentials and Professional Experience
Candidates should use their initial application to illustrate their academic credentials and professional experience. They should have at least a bachelor’s degree in music, and clear preference will be given to those with advanced degrees in music and/or liturgy as well as those with a proven record of success in a Catholic setting.

Recruitment Process, Probationary Period, and Expectation of Commitment
Candidates should express interest by submitting a resume and cover letter to Father George Evans, pastor, at [email protected] on or before June 30, 2024. Upon a thorough review, the pastor and advisory committee will choose candidates to invite to an in-person interview, during which they will also offer a performance.

When the pastor and selected candidate agree to terms commensurate with the individual’s experience and demonstrated success, the new director of music will begin their work in the parish. Their first 8 months will be a probationary period when the person, parish leadership, and community will discern their mutual suitability. At the end of the probation, the candidate may be invited to become a permanent member of the staff.

In undertaking this search, Holy Name Parish strongly prefers candidates willing to make a minimum 3–5–year commitment to serve within the community. This amount of time allows the director’s vision for the music program to take shape in a meaningful way