Christmas in Harvard Square

Every year, the musical world is flooded with Christmas CDs from musical artists. Artists come into the studio; crank out the same tired carols, maybe a religious hymn or two; and leave having earned a quick buck from easy record sales. Yes, this is just a generalization, but it is rare to hear a sense of awe or amazement at this holy time of year when Christ became man for us. If you are looking for that powerful experience you should get from hearing Christmas music, look no further than Christmas in Harvard Square.

Christmas in Harvard Square is the debut album release of The Boys of St. Paul's Choir School. Some schools say, "We are a school with a choir." St. Paul's proudly states, "We are a choir with a school." The reason for this is the music permeates every facet of the school. It is not just some after school activity, but it is the heartbeat of the school. St. Paul's Choir School was founded in 1963, so this album is being released "as part of their initiative for the New Evangelization and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school." It's remarkable that children this young are participating in the New Evangelization, but it just goes to show you that you're never to young to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

There is a nice variety of Christmas music among these 19 tracks. You have English tracks and Latin tracks; traditional songs and modern songs; songs you recognize, like "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and songs you might have never heard of, like "Jesus Christ The Apple Tree." No matter what type of Christmas music you like, you will find something on this album for you, and all of it is beautifully sung. I would go so far as to say that I was blown away by these young boys' voices. You would never guess from hearing them that they were so young, because they sing well above their age.

I am very pleased to add another CD to my growing collection of Liturgical Seasons CDs. Christmas in Harvard Square is a perfect complement to Advent at Ephesus and Lent at Ephesus. Now, I just need an Easter album, and I'm all set. What about Ordinary Time, you say? Well, since it's the longest season, you need several albums for that, and I have Angels and Saints at Ephesus and Mater Eucharistae. I have also heard that an album on The Rosary is coming out in November! We are truly blessed with all of this Catholic music that is so readily available now, and I look forward to seeing what else lies in store in the future. To see The Making of Christmas in Harvard Square, check out the video below!

Lent at Ephesus (DeMontfort Music)

We're living in a Golden Age of Catholic media right now. Hundreds of Catholic books are being published every year. Companies like Ignatius Press are releasing high quality movies on Mary, Augustine, Peter, etc. Word on Fire. Fr. Barron. Catholicism! Ascension Press is producing quality Bible and faith studies for people young and old. Brother Francis is catechizing our young ones via cartoon. And LAST and certainly NOT LEAST, we have singing nuns belting out BEAUTIFUL music that keeps hitting #1 on the charts AND staying there for weeks, if not months. Today, I am privileged to be a part of the blog tour for the latest CD from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, entitled Lent at Ephesus.

I first learned of this album from Carmel Communications, and ever since I received the news of its upcoming release, I knew I had to own it! Lent at Ephesus is another masterful album from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles. Who are the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles? They are a group of nuns living a religious life in a Benedictine Order. They take their lead from Mary and her hidden life at Ephesus. Church Tradition holds that she went to live with John the Beloved Apostle in Ephesus after Jesus died. Since this group of nuns have a devotion to Mary at this time in her life, all of their albums are labelled "at Ephesus."

When comparing it to the Advent at Ephesus album, one sees that there is substantially more music in this album - 7 songs more to be precise. The songs are sung in an a-capella style, with a nice blend of English and Latin songs. The quality of the voices and audio are heavenly, and the choice of songs is divine. I also really love the sleeve note, as it contains the words to all the songs they sing. This is helpful for following along, learning them yourself, or teaching them to your children. This CD will be replacing Mater Eucharistiae in my car to help me on my Lenten Journey and keep my mind in a holy place even while I'm surrounded by the hustle and bustle of others. With an Advent, Christmas, and now a Lent CD, the only items missing from the sisters' collection are an Easter album and an Ordinary Time one.

If you'd like to see more about the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, you can check out the video below. Clicking here, will allow you to hear samples of the CD and purchase it. EWTN will also run a 30-minute HD special entitled “Lent at Ephesus” featuring some never-before-seen sights and sounds of The Benedictines of Mary for the Lenten season at 6:30 p.m. ET Friday, March 14 and 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, March 18. Be sure to check it out, buy their albums, and transport yourself to heaven!