Wednesday, April 01, 2026     

Sign Up for Our Newsletter!

Sign-Up to receive updated stories
from OC Catholic.

PODCASTS

EPISODE #36
MUSIC FROM THE TOWER: GUEST IS PAUL FRENCH

Episode 36 April 28, 2018 Paul M. French, Organist, Conductor, Church Musician, Composer, Arranger, and Pueri Cantores Board President

Conductor Paul French was in Southern California to conduct two Children’s Choir Festivals for Pueri Cantores. While in town, we were lucky enough to have him as a guest on MUSIC FROM THE TOWER. Hear from Chicagoan Paul French, the Music Director at Chicago’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, where he leads a thriving choral program for both children and adults. Mr. French recently stepped down after twelve seasons as the music director of the William Ferris Chorale, a 24-voice Chicago based professional choir specializing in accessible compositions of the twentieth century, and whose cutting-edge arts programming regularly garnered excellent reviews.

Mr. French has studied composition, chant, conducting and organ at St. John’s University (Collegeville, MN), Northwestern University and the Pontificio Instituto di Musica Sacra in Rome. A composer of more than 200 instrumental and choral works including pieces for adult and children’s choirs, voice, organ, brass and orchestra, he serves on the music advisory staff of the Archdiocese of Chicago and has been a faculty member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians Choir Director Institutes for over 10 years. Additionally, he serves as Director of Choral Recordings for World Library Publications and is Editor of the Pueri Cantores Choral Series of distinguished choral literature for youth choirs. He is presently the president of board of directors for the American Federation of Pueri Cantores, the official Children’s Choir organization for the Catholic Church. The organization has over 60,000 children members world-wide and hundreds of member-choirs in the United States.

 

MUSIC: Psalm 122 I Lift My Eyes   Paul French (Paraclete Press) The Choir of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Chicago

MUSIC: A Prayer of St. Patrick Paul French (Morningstar Music) Morningstar Demo Choir

MUSIC: Ave Verum   Paul French (Morningstar Music) William Ferris Chorale, Chicago

MUSIC: Te Deum   Michael Bedford American Federation Pueri Cantores Choir of 1000 Voices, Paul French, Conductor – Spring 2012 Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago

EPISODE #22
MUSIC FROM THE TOWER: GUEST IS PATRICK FLAHIVE

Episode 22   December 2, 2017     Patrick Flahive, noted Children’s Choir Director, Director of Music, Sacred Heart Church, Covina, Past President of The American Federaltion of Pueri Cantores, and the Conductor and Founder of Pueri Cantores San Gabriel Valley.

 

Hear from one of the country’s finest Children’s Choir Directors and Music Educators about the importance of children singing and learning music. Patrick Flahive is one of the most experienced musicians teaching children in the United States. As an educator and church musician, he knows first-hand that great adult choirs and singing congregations of adults flourish in parishes where there are children’s choirs. Enjoy exploring Patrick’s own musical story which led him to be the National President of the American Federation of Pueri Cantores, the official Roman Catholic international organization for Children’s Choirs. Hear about his 19 years as president and the many festivals and tours which he took with his own choir, Pueri Cantores of San Gabriel Valley. Patrick works with us here at Christ Cathedral and will be directing our Preparatory Choir for the Diocesan Children’s Choir of Orange, he’s the Children’s Chorus Master for the annual Cathedral Opera Production mounted by LA Opera at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, and works with numerous choirs in his parish in Covina.

 

Pueri Cantores San Gabriel Valley: http://puericantoressgv.org

Their Christmas Concert is Sunday, December 17 at Sacred Heart Church in Covina. 7:30 PM

The next One Act Opera at the LA Cathedral, “Jonah and the Whale” will be March 16-17, 2018

 

MUSIC: Welcome Yole (Ceremony of Carols) Benjamin Britten   PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

MUSIS: Deo Gracias (Ceremony of Carols) Benjamin Britten   PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

MUSIC: Deck The Halls English Carol PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

MUSIC: This Little Babe (Ceremony of Carols) Benjamin Britten   PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

MUSIC: Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree Elizabeth Poston PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

MUSIC: Jingles Bells   James Lord Pierpont PCSGV Choir, Patrick Flahive, Conductor

OC STUDENTS SANG FOR POPE FRANCIS ON RECENT TRIP TO ROME

More than 1,000 young people from the U.S. joined thousands more from around the world to attend the 40th International Congress of Pueri Cantores in Rome Dec. 26 through Jan. 2. A highlight of the trip was singing for Pope Francis.

Attending from Orange County were choirs from Serra Catholic in Santa Margarita, St. Cecilia in Santa Ana, and St. Edward the Confessor Dana Point.

According to Marti Longo, Choir Director at Serra Catholic, the trip was a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

“My favorite moment was actually the final mass practice and audience with the Pope, held Dec. 31. Students from all countries were assembled in Salle Nervi (the hall adjacent to St. Peter’s basilica), where they practiced Mass songs and Christmas songs for Pope Francis. My students thoroughly enjoyed meeting students from other countries, and attempting to share stories about where they live.”

Longo says the students connected with those from other countries, even using the Google Translate app to communicate.

“The Serra students learned an Italian Christmas carol in preparation for the trip. The girls sang it for the their new Italian friends who were astounded and quickly joined in. It was proof that music has no borders, and touching to see their enthusiastic and kind behavior.”

The American Federation of Pueri Cantores, student singers in grades 4 through 12, their families, friends, teachers and clergy were part of the choral extravaganza. Choirs from the U.S. sang in several locations in Rome and Vatican City. Venues included the Basilica of St. John Lateran and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Two choirs from the Diocese of Orange sang for Pope Francis on Dec. 28 at the Paul VI Hall. They joined with 28 other choirs from around the world at various venues in Rome.

According to Fr. Thomas Franzman, Chairman of the American Federation and a member of the first American delegation to Rome in 1960, “What sets Pueri Cantores apart is the quality of the music, the great conducting and the beauty of the churches where choirs sing. It is the leading advocate for Catholic youth choirs and their conductors in the United States and encourages the leadership of youth in the Church today and in the future.”

The International Federation of Pueri Cantores, founded in 1944 in France, was officially endorsed by the Holy See in 1965 and currently is part of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

There are about 40,000 youth and children in hundreds of Pueri Cantores choirs composed of boys and girls, ages 9 through 18 around the world. The American Federation of Pueri Cantores was founded in Chicago in 1953, is now headquartered in the Diocese of Orange in California, and is the second largest federation worldwide.

Pueri Cantores Quick Facts

  • International Catholic student choral music association headquartered in the Vatican with federations in 37 countries
  • Founded in 1944, approved by every Pope since Pius XII
  • The American Federation Pueri Cantores was formed in Chicago in 1953
  • Choirs include boys and girls from 4th through 12th grade
  • 40,000 youth choir members worldwide
  • 5,000 youth singing in Rome (more than 1,000 from the U.S.)
  • American Federation of Pueri Cantores is the 2nd largest federation worldwide after Germany
  • Pope Benedict XVI said: “You have an important mission for helping the people of God to pray with dignity, because sacred music is a ministerial office in divine service.”
  • Pueri Cantores: literal meaning is “Child Singers”