Saint John’s Boys’ Choir Hosted by Conception Abbey, Fr. Parry

[Webmaster’s Note: In July of 1987, Br. Paul Richards took the St. John’s Boys’ Choir to Conception Abbey in Missouri where the members performed and stayed overnight. The director of the Conception Abbey Boy Choir at the time was Fr. Bede Parry. The approval of Conception Abbey as a destination is an odd one, considering that many of the monks at St. John’s were familiar with Fr. Parry’s misconduct involving a St. John’s student in 1981, when he was known as Br. Bede Parry.]

Boys’ Choir concludes another successful season

The Saint John’s Boys’ Choir, usually silent during the summer months, has had a busy June and July. The choir performed during the Abbey retreat in early June and then left for an eleven- day tour of the midwest. Highlights of that trip included concerts and over- night stays at Conception Abbey (Missouri), Saint Louis Priory, and Mount Michael Abbey (Elkhorn, Nebraska). The Boys’ Choir sang the national anthem at a Kansas City Royals game and received a standing ovation from some 40,000 people.

Upon returning from the tour, the Choir geared up for their involvement in the Saint Cloud area Wings, Wheels, and Water Festival. The boys preceded the Minnesota Orchestra at the opening ceremonies in a half-hour concert and rode in a float in the festival parade. The theme of the float was “We Love to Go A Wandering.”

In other Choir news, Br. Paul Richards, founder of two boys’ choirs, has returned to Collegeville following studies in Iowa City and has once again taken on the directorship of the Choir. (For the past two years the Choir was ably directed by James Cacciatore.) Among Brother Paul’s first duties was hosting the first alumni reunion picnic at Pine View Park in Saint Cloud on 12 July. Some fifty choir members and families were in attendance.

The Abbey will have a new representative on the Boys’ Choir Executive Committee beginning in the fall. Br. Stephen Lilly will replace Br. Robin Pierzina on the Board for the next three years.

Abbey Quarterly
July, 1987