Updated February 3, 2021

Contact Wendy Silhavy, Senior Coordinator for Liturgy and Music, at 312.534.8011 or [email protected] to submit a listing.

Positions available will remain on the list for 90 days. If you would like your position listing to be extended for another 90 days, contact Wendy Silhavy.

Parishes sometimes list music positions on the main archdiocesan employment website, which you can find here.

If you wish to submit a listing to the main archdiocesan employment site, click here.

Director of Music – full time
St. Margaret Mary Parish
1450 Green Trails Drive
Naperville, IL (Diocese of Joliet)

Contact: [email protected]

St. Margaret Mary Parish in Naperville, IL is seeking a Director of Music. We are an inclusive, welcoming and vibrant Roman Catholic Faith community with a history of excellent liturgies. Candidates should be Catholic or have a good understanding of Catholic liturgical practices and demonstrate the ability to use a variety of musical genres. The Director will function as a member of a pastoral team and be responsible for nurturing the prayer life of the community through music at our weekend liturgies, holy days and special liturgies, funerals, and weddings. The Director must demonstrate expertise as an organist and pianist on our Martin Ott organ, and our Yamaha piano. The successful candidate should have experience in choral conducting, and vocal skills.

Qualifications

• Inspires and attracts new talent
• Receives inspiration from being in ministry and from liturgical music
• Is proficient in piano and organ performance
• Reads music and understands multi-part composition
• Has experience in coordinating and directing music/choral groups
• Reflects an openness to various musical styles
• Exhibits flexibility, responsibility, and empathy
• Possesses excellent communication skills
• Works well with volunteers: singers and musicians of varying abilities
• Works well with members of other ministries and commissions
• Understands liturgical music
• Understands Catholic values and teaching

Responsibilities

• Organizes, coordinates, recruits for personnel, and rehearses music with cantors/scholas/choirs for all liturgical celebrations except those covered by the Contemporary Choir.
• Establishes musical opportunities for the youth in the parish
• Works with wedding couples to provide guidance and music for weddings
• Works with the funeral coordinator to provide music for funerals
• Works in collaboration with the Contemporary Choir director
• Creates and develops additional prayerful musical experiences for the parish, such as Taizé and Lessons and Carols, as time and resources permit
• Provides music for special celebrations, such as the Triduum, reconciliation services, and the parish mission
• Reports to the Pastor

Administrative duties

• Interacts with various parish groups and:
  Attends weekly staff meetings
  Attends monthly liturgy planning meetings
  Attends ad-hoc liturgy planning meetings
  Attends monthly Worship Commission meetings
• Oversees the maintenance of parish musical instruments
• Prepares and administers a music budget
• Assists the Religious Education Ministry and other parish groups in providing music and accompanists, as needed, for liturgical and non-liturgical events

Date listed: 2-3-21

Director of Music – full time
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish
Elk Grove Village, IL

The director of music is responsible for enabling parishioners to encounter Jesus Christ through music within the liturgical celebrations and worship experiences of the parish. The director is tasked with ensuring that the liturgical music assists the assembled believers to express the gift of faith that is within them and to bring a spirit of unity through music into the celebration. The director is responsible for development, implementation, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of the parish's music initiatives. The director must demonstrate strong leadership skills necessary to identify, develop, and retain strong teams of volunteer leaders critical to the success of parish ministry.

Essential Job Functions

• Support the annual planning for liturgical seasons, sacramental celebrations, and special liturgies in collaboration with staff members and the parish liturgy committee.
• Coordinate the parish musicians, choirs, and cantors to ensure all liturgies are scheduled, well-planned, and vibrant.
• Provide training and formation for parish musicians, choirs, and cantors.
• Recruit volunteers and strive to involve newcomers and a broad spectrum of parishioners.
• Support the creation of worship aids that are engaging, accessible, and functional to enable all attendees to fully participate in the liturgies and celebrations.
• Maintain equipment and resources for music ministry such as musical instruments, sound equipment, copyrighted material, etc.
• Provide guidance on parish opportunities or concerns regarding music, and help to educate staff, ministers of music, and the congregation in the role of music in vibrant worship.
• Stay informed of current developments in liturgy and in music as well as parish demographics to provide liturgical experiences that are welcoming and inclusive.
• Prepare and coordinate the Liturgy, Prayer and Worship budget in collaboration with the Pastor, Director of Operations and other relevant members of the parish staff.
• Ensure that ministry complies with the guidelines for Protecting God's Children for those who minister with and to children in accordance with the policies of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
• Develop and implement tools for improving the quality and vibrancy of prayer and worship in the parish (e.g., welcoming, word, witness and music as benchmarks).

Job Requirements

• Previous experience participating in parish music ministry.
• Experience leading congregational song, choral conducting, and proficiency in piano and organ.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with clergy, staff, parish leaders and volunteers.
• Practicing Catholic with understanding and support for Catholic Church teaching, mission, and values.
• Knowledgeable and comfortable with Church music literature in all forms and styles for the congregation, choirs, vocalists, and instrumentalists.
• Thorough understanding of the musical, liturgical, and pastoral judgments which must be made in selecting music for liturgy; ability to communicate and prioritize the role of music in liturgical worship.
• Comprehensive vision and understanding of evangelization.
• Ability to form and nurture a community of missionary disciples through encounter, accompaniment, and sending forth.
• Mature discipleship evidenced in ability to comfortably witness to one's own faith journey.
• Developed skills in leadership and management; strong commitment to collaboration and teamwork.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Familiarity with technology used for communicating and presenting.

Preferred Job Skills and Experience

• Master's Degree in Liturgy, Sacred Music, Pastoral Studies, or equivalent.
• Previous experience leading parish music ministry; ability to plan and evaluate liturgical celebrations in fidelity to the official liturgical books and Catholic liturgical theology.
• Openness to ongoing formation / education as needed.

Application Process
To apply, please submit the following application materials to [email protected]:

• Cover letter (PDF)
• Resume/CV (PDF)
• Contact information for three references (PDF)
• Link to 3-5 minute video of the applicant playing a prepared piece of music on piano or organ

About the Employer
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is a new Catholic parish in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, created by the union of the former Queen of the Rosary and St. Julian Eymard Parishes in 2020. Current ministry focuses on uniting the two communities and building a vibrant parish identity to better be at the service of proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples.

Date listed: 1-27-21

Coordinator of Music – part time
St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy
Oak Park, IL 60302
Pastor: Fr. George Omwando
[email protected]
708.386.8077

St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy is located in Oak Park, Illinois. The parish has approximately 500 member households, blending the city and suburbs, drawing from the west side neighborhoods of Chicago, Oak Park, River Forest, and beyond. St. Catherine-St. Lucy is known for its diversity and welcoming parishioners from different backgrounds.

We are looking to hire a Coordinator of Music who would be responsible for facilitating the musical worship life of the parish community by coordinating the activities delineated below:

• Select and prepare sacred music for all church liturgies including Sunday and Holy Day Masses, civil holidays, and special liturgies.
• Arrange for musical coverage for weekend Masses (accompanist and cantor).
• Prepare cantors for Sunday Mass.
• Work on sacramental celebrations in conjunction with school and religious education staff.
• Meet with grieving families and offer guidance with regard to music selections for funerals
• Meet with engaged couples to provide guidance in selection of sacred music for their wedding liturgies
• Prepare worship aids for Weekend Masses, Triduum, Christmas, etc.
• Assist in liturgy planning
• Demonstrate ability to play both piano and organ
• Demonstrate the ability to play instrument and sing at the same time when necessary.

There is also an interest in discussing potential candidate’s knowledge of technology as related to video streaming and YouTube.

For additional information, please contact Fr. George via email above. Please note that this position is open immediately upon qualification and it carries no benefits. Typically, at this time, the position covers 8-10 hours per week. There is no choir involvement during this time of COVID restrictions. Previous experience in participation and leading parish music ministry is mandatory.

Please send a resume and reference(s) from previous assignment(s) to the pastor.

Date listed: 11-30-20