Get to Know the Men behind the Music
In the early 1970s, some handwritten, mimeographed songs by a group of young Jesuits spread from a chapel in St. Louis to churches around the world. "Here I Am, Lord," "Be Not Afraid," and many others have become some of the most beloved songs for worship ever written. Now for the first time, The St. Louis Jesuits: Thirty Years tells the fascinating story behind the five men who became the St. Louis Jesuits and the music of hope that is their legacy.
Features Dozens of Full-Color Photographs
Packed with dozens of color and black-and-white photographs, letters, interviews, and other memorabilia on high-quality, glossy paper, this beautifully designed coffee table book is an intimate portrait of the group. It's also an intriguing overview of the post-conciliar Church in the U.S. "We've all prayed with their music, and so we know the gift it offers," writes Rev. Virgil Funk in the introduction. "With this book, we catch a glimpse of the composers and their song texts, both then and now."
Published on the Heels of Their 2006 Reunion
Recently the group — Tim Manion, Dan Schutte and Jesuit Fathers Bob Dufford, John Foley and Roc O'Connor — came together again for the first time in 20 years to produce a reunion collection. The St. Louis Jesuits: Thirty Years documents the magic of their past and present collaboration -- and the changing face of the Church that has supported them through three decades. An excellent gift for pastoral musicians, the book will be of interest to all who have been touched by their music.
The book also features:
- Manuscripts of their first, hand-written compositions
- Nostalgic black-and-white photographs from their early days together
- Full-color photographs from their recent reunion and their work on Morning Light
- Reflections on and photographs from the recording sessions for all their albums
- Tributes and praise from well-known liturgical composers who were inspired by their music, including Bobby Fisher, Tom Kendzia and Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan
- A touching tribute to the late Ray Bruno, president and founder of North American Liturgy Resources (NALR), their first publisher
- Extensive interviews with all five members of the group, with questions ranging from "How did you become interested in music?" to "What's the state of liturgical music today?"
- Letters of praise from then-Archbishop of San Francisco William Levada, now prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, and Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, superior general of the Society of Jesus