National Catholic Youth Choir schedules two local performances

The National Catholic Youth Choir (NCYC) of Saint John's Abbey and University is performing two inspirational concerts at Saint Benedict’s Monastery and Saint John’s Abbey in June as part of a five-day tour.

NCYC will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, at Sacred Heart Chapel in St. Joseph.

The choir will then end its five-day tour on Sunday, June 24, with a prelude concert at 10 a.m., followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Saint John’s Abbey and University Church in Collegeville.

The concerts, entitled "Prepare Ye The Way," will be performed by more than 30 auditioned choristers from across the U.S. They arrive to Saint John's each summer for nine days of rigorous daily music rehearsal, classes in music and religion, daily prayer and worship and sports and recreation. The choir is led by Conductor André Heywood.

A free will offering will be received at the concerts.

The choir sings classical masterpieces of sacred music from Gregorian chant to the 20th century.

The choir was founded in 1999 by Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, a monk of Saint John's Abbey. Ruff serves as chaplain to the choir, and he notes that the choir's purpose is expressed in its motto, "Spreading the Catholic faith through great music." 

Other stops on the NCYC tour include:

• A concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 21, at St. Michael’s Church, Duluth, Minnesota. Bishop James Powers of the Diocese of Superior will be a speaker at the concert.
• A 7 p.m. concert Friday, June 22, at the Cathedral of St. Paul (Minnesota).
• A 4 p.m. Mass Saturday, June 23, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The choir will perform a 10-minute prelude to Mass at 3:50 p.m. Following the Mass, the NCYC will perform a short postlude.