Director of Sacred Music

Job Description

Christ the King Parish (ctk.cc) and School (ctkweb.org) is seeking a Director of Sacred Music. The Director of Sacred Music provides or supervises music for all liturgical activity, teach music two days/week in the parish school, and direct the boy's and girl's Schola Cantorum and the adult Choir of Christ the King.

Christ the King Parish is a vibrant, multicultural parish of about 1,300 households located in the Portland metro area. Our community is committed to being a Eucharistic parish - one that finds its source and center in Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. We operate our mission according to our Pastoral Vision and Playbook (https://ctk.cc/pastoral-vision-playbook).

The parish is part of the Amazing Parish movement (amazingparish.org), cultivating a culture of unceasing prayer, healthy teamwork and active discipleship within the staff and throughout the parish.

The parish runs a PreK-8 School of about 210 students utilizing the philosophy of Catholic Liberal Education. The school is a premier member of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (catholicliberaleducation.org).

The successful candidate will possess a deep appreciation for, and the ability to communicate, the Church's teaching on sacred music as expressed in Archbishop Alexander Sample's Pastoral Letter "Sing to the LORD a New Song." Our parish is over five years into a transformative project as the choirs, school, and congregation gain familiarity with sacred music. Therefore he/she will work as a member of our team of staff, able to engage people of all ages, drawing the whole parish and school further into an understanding and love of sacred music and the full, conscious, and active participation called for by Pope St. Pius X and the Second Vatican Council.

The preferred candidate will be a practicing and faithful Catholic in full communion with the Church and have at minimum a Bachelor's degree in music, choral conducting, organ or related field. He/she will approach sacred music as an integral part of evangelization.

Full time, salaried position with benefits.

Please send a resume, cover letter and 3 references to pastor@ctk.cc by April 25, 2025 to apply.

Essential Job Functions:
Organize and direct the sacred music program, including adult and children's choirs and cantors.
Direct and play for 2 or 3 weekend Masses.
Schedule and prepare music for all liturgical services in the parish and the school.
Effectively teach and support PreK-8 students in their developmentally appropriate understanding, appreciation of, and ability to perform music.
Coordinate and perform music for funerals and weddings.
Participate fruitfully as an active team member of a well-integrated parish and school staff.
Manage the music budget and maintain instruments belonging to the parish.
Oversee the creation of worship programs for selected liturgical activities.
Perform other position-related tasks as deemed necessary or assigned by the pastor or principal.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge and love of the Church's tradition of sacred music and the relevant documents governing sacred music, particularly Gregorian chant, polyphony, hymnody, and choral music.
Personal maturity and flexibility, ability to relate comfortably with children and adults, an appreciation for the path of discipleship, commitment to assisting the faithful to grow in understanding and appreciation for the Sacred Liturgy and sacred music.
Proficiency in choral conducting, voice instruction and development, with the ability to teach chant and polyphony, proficiency in organ.
Ability to sustain a program of vibrant singing that encourages congregational singing.
Excellent interpersonal skills and zeal for evangelization, and work as part of a team.
Proficiency in use of a variety of office equipment and digital media including Google office applications for the design and presentation of worship booklets.
Completion of annual Archdiocesan safe environment training.

About the Sacred Music Program:
For hymnody and liturgical music, the parish uses the Source & Summit digital platform and print missal/hymnals.
The congregation is familiar with English and Latin chant settings for the Mass Ordinary, including Missa De Angelis and Mass XVII for Advent and Lent.
The school music program has been run almost exclusively as a choir school focusing mostly on sacred music. Thursdays is sung Mass with the school and Schola Cantorum.
Resources for teaching at the school include a small library of high quality music education textbooks including John Feierabend, Progressive Sight Singing, and a classroom with a surplus of wooden Orff instruments.

Sunday Masses (3):
A small choir of skilled amateur and professional singers leads music for the 11:00am Sunday Mass, where our congregation is used to hearing full Mass Propers in Gregorian chant (Latin and English), a chanted Ordinary, and motets or other supplemental music during the offertory and communion. Hymns are sung at the entrance and recessional.
Our Schola Cantorum children's choir of 35 boys and girls sing for the 8:30am Sunday Mass, using seasonal propers of medium or easy difficulty in Latin or English, the same hymns and chanted Ordinary, and easy choral music during communion.
Our 5:30pm Saturday anticipated Mass is led by the Director of Sacred Music or one of our skilled cantors (a cappella), using most of the same music as the 11:00am Sunday Mass.

Special annual liturgical events:
A choral Requiem Mass (ad orientem novus ordo) in memory of the beloved dead from the parish is held each November, usually using the music of Faure's Requiem.
A Rorate candlelight Mass (ad orientem novus ordo) is held in Advent early on a Saturday, usually using a men's choir singing entirely Gregorian chant in Latin.
A Tenebrae service is held on Wednesday evening of Holy Week, including psalm-singing and choral meditations.
School annual liturgical events:
Instead of a Christmas concert, a Lessons & Carols service is held in Advent including hymns for all and selections from all classes.
Instead of a Spring concert, a May crowning Mass is held, and a Mass of the Holy Spirit near Pentecost with special music prepared by the whole school.

Other musical events:
A committee of parishioners help to plan fundraising concerts featuring a variety of performers and music styles, one in the Spring and one in the Fall.

Additional Resources:
Parish budget for program expenses and paid singers
Funeral guidelines
Wedding guidelines
Curriculum outline
Lessons & Carols program from 2019
Source & Summit subscription
Original 5-part video series explaining sacred music to the congregation

About the Employer

Christ the King Parish is a vibrant, multicultural parish of about 1,300 households located in the Portland metro area. Our community is committed to being a Eucharistic parish - one that finds its source and center in Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. We operate our mission according to our Pastoral Vision and Playbook (https://ctk.cc/pastoral-vision-playbook).