Welcome to our website.

Thank you for visiting the Chicago Pilgrimage Choir's website.

Here is some basic information about how things work. While working in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Dr. Lynn Trapp, my wife Wendy Barton Silhavy, and I formed and directed the Archdiocesan Pilgrimage Choir. Together, we've led nearly a dozen European choir pilgrimages. Having relocated in Chicago to take a position at GIA Publications, I decided to launch a similar effort for Chicagoland singers. Membership is open to anyone who has a pleasant voice, a commitment to regular rehearsal attendance, and the funds to travel. We've never held auditions and things always seem to work out. We've traveled with as few as 40 and as many as 192. Family members, friends and guests are welcome to travel with us. We'll have about 8-10 rehearsals in late 2013 and early 2014, almost certainly in the near west suburban area. Once we have a better sense of membership and numbers, repertoire will be determined. We don't try to pretend we're a polished professional choir, nor are we an undisciplined group of amateurs. We'd like to think of ourselves as a very good church choir. Past repertoire has included music by Palestrina, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Faure; American composers like Alice Parker and Richard Proulx; and standard liturgical repertoire including, spirituals, contemporary music, music from Taize and plenty of hymns. While we prepare enough music to present mini-concerts, we delight in singing in a liturgical setting. We also choose repertoire in conjunction with the places we visit; we've sung the Prayer of Saint Francis while in Assisi, the hymntune SLANE while standing on Slane Hill in Ireland, and Nada te turbe while at the grave of Teresa of Avilla. We've sung pieces in the places where they were premiered hundreds of years ago. We take care to have a balanced trip that incorporates music making, prayer, and enjoying the art and culture of the places we visit.

Keep returning to this site for more info. As things gear up, posts will be more frequent. We're limiting ourselves to 82 participnts on this trip. Obviously, priority needs to be given to singers, so singers, sign up quickly. In the past we've also welcome singers and guests from across the country to  join us; while "full" choir membership is not possible - we need to honor those who rehearse weekly - there will be plenty of opportunities to sing (in parts) in dialogue or in conjunction with the choir.

In time you can learn more about the directors, past trips, check on registration numbers, and learn more about the choir.

As questions arise (Will we see the Pope?) answers will be posted.

Thanks for considering participation. We'd love for you to join us.