MUSIC MINISTRY RETREAT

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to a very special event - the first, of what I hope to be, annual Music Ministers retreat to be held at the Marywood Retreat Center in St. Johns, Florida. St. Johns is near Jacksonville, FL. The Retreat is for everyone involved in any way with making music in our churches. Whether you are a choir director, member of a choir, musician, cantor, or member of a liturgy committee, this event is designed just for you.
Conventions are great, but…

the conventions we attend offer us many great opportunities to enhance our ministries. I know because I am a frequent presenter at many of them. But a retreat is something quite different.  Conventions are designed for hundreds, sometimes thousands, to attend. They are by nature packed with “things” going on; so there isn’t much time to catch your breath between presentations. A retreat is designed for much smaller numbers. This affords everyone time for absorbing the presentations, and also allows time for private reflection and prayer.
Our Retreat will begin Monday evening with dinner and a welcome, and will end on Friday morning with a music filled Mass celebrated by Bishop John J. Snyder, retired bishop of St. Augustine Diocese, and a good friend.  Along with me will be a wonderful line up of musicians who will be our presenters:

Dr. Jennifer Pasqual, Director of Music, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City

Valencia Howard, Director of Music, St. Paul Baptist Church, Washington, DC

Jamie Cortez, Composer/Recording Artist/Minister of Music, Mesa, AZ

The cost for the entire week •room, three meals/day, and retreat registration is only
         $334/double occupancy;
         $424/private room;
         $204/comuters
So please come join us at Marywood Retreat Center, right on the St. Johns River.
If you would like, bring your instruments.  I am sure somewhere during this gathering, we will have a jam session or two.

Reserve your place online at Marywood Center or call 888-287-2539. (Visa/MasterCard accepted)

	Jennifer Pascual, appointed Director of Music at the cathedral of St. Patrick, New York City in 2003, is the first woman to hold this position, one of the most prestigious sacred music appointments in the United States. Jennifer has earned a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree in Organ Performance (Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY), a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance (Mannes College of Music, New York, NY), Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano and Organ Performance, magna cum laude and Music Education (Jacksonville University, FL). Jennifer has served on Artistic Staff of the boys Choir of Harlem, Inc. and as organist and choir director for Dioceses in NY, FL, and NJ. Dr. Pascual conducts the New York Archdiocesan Festival Chorale and is Professor and Director of Music of St. Joseph’s Seminary and College in New York. In 2008, Jennifer organized and conducted the music for Pope Benedict XVI’s Masses during his visit to New York. Later that same year, she conducted the Cathedral of St. Patrick Choir for President Bush at the White house for National Prayer Day. Dr. Pascual has been conferred the medal of the Order of St. Gregory the great in recognition of service to the Church
	Valencia Rodgers Howard, native of Newark, New Jersey, began her musical training at the church of Rev. Frank Hardwick, pastor, her grandfather. Valencia began singing solo pieces at age four and directing choirs at age fourteen. Mrs. Howard is a graduate of the Arts High School (chartered to offer training and mentoring to students who possessed exceptional musical and artistic talent), which led to a four-year special talent scholarship in voice at Howard University (Washington, D.C.). Mrs. Howard holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree (Howard University, (Washington, D.C.), Masters of Education Degree (Cambridge College, MA). Valencia has served as choir director for St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church Gospel Choir (Washington, D.C.) and Minister of Music for Rehoboth Baptist Church, (Washington, D.C.). Currently, Mrs. Howard is Minister of music and Worship for the Saint Paul Church, a suburban Baptist congregation in three locations. Mrs. Howard conducts workshops for Gospel Music Workshop of America, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, Virginia Union School of Divinity, and Hymn Society of America. Mrs. Howard has been a soloist at St. Patrick Cathedral and produced concert events at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Howard is a music educator in the Prince George County Maryland Public School System.
	Jaime Cortez was born in New York and raised in El Salvador. Jaime is fluent in both English and Spanish. Mr. Cortez earned a Bachelor in Music Composition Degree (Arizona State University, AZ). His involvement in the Pastoral Music Ministry at St. Bridget Church in Mesa, Arizona reflects his long-term dedication to promoting better Hispanic liturgies and bringing cultures together for worship. Jaime has made presentations at the Los Angeles Hispanic Liturgy Conference, the Southwest Catechetical Leadership Conference and National Pastoral Musicians Conferences as well as local events for the Diocese of Phoenix. In addition to workshops, Jaime gives concerts with both English and Spanish repertoire, alone and with volunteer groups. His main instrument is guitar, although he is proficient in piano and other stringed instruments such as charango, vihuela, and bass guitar. Jaime performed at the Catholic Unity Awards Show in 2007 with his sons, wife and band. His Advent-inspired album, Adviento, was awarded Best Spanish Album of the Year. Other collections include Live It!  Sacramentos, Pray Your Heart, Cantaré Eternamente / For Ever I Will Sing - Vol. 1&2, Que Alegria, Rain Down, Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo/We Are The Body of Christ.