What to know before you come: who the conference is for, what registration covers, and how to get to Bend.
Clergy, religious, lay faithful, and all who seek to grow in the Catholic faith. Some who come have studied the liturgy for years; others are only beginning. In the words of Mother Teresa Christe, a past speaker:
Whether a person is well acquainted with the Sacred Liturgy or just beginning to learn—both will find themselves enriched by this exceptional Conference.
Each day is built around the Holy Mass, with time for learning, prayer, and fellowship. Tuesday opens with the keynote address by Bishop Thomas J. Hennen of Baker, followed by lectures and opportunities for discussion. A charcuterie board will be available around lunchtime on Tuesday, with a full lunch provided on Wednesday and Thursday. Regular coffee breaks offer time to refresh and visit with fellow attendees. Twelve lectures and two faculty panels take place through Thursday, which concludes with a banquet dinner.
Friday, August 6, is the Feast of the Transfiguration and brings the conference to its liturgical conclusion with the Holy Rosary, Holy Mass with Bishop Hennen, a Eucharistic procession, and Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
See the full schedule · Meet the speakers · Read about the theme
No. The conference is about Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us the liturgy of the Eucharist, and He is the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith and life.
So the lectures focus primarily on Jesus because the more we know and understand Him—His Glory, His Life, His Scriptures, His history—the more we know Him and the more we can love Him in His gift to us of His Eucharistic liturgy.
We do study sacred art and architecture and sacred music as aspects of the liturgy, but these are not the main points of study.
No, the conference is centered on the Catholic Faith and the Holy Eucharist. Since 2016, each conference has focused on a specific aspect of the Mystery of Christ Jesus and His Eucharist.
This year, we are studying the “Glory of God” in Scripture, theology, philosophy, sacred liturgy, and the Eucharistic life of the Church.
Gregorian chant is the primary sacred music of the conference liturgies. However, we have also celebrated Byzantine Catholic liturgies with Byzantine chant and Dominican Rite liturgies with Dominican chant at past conferences. The Church’s different liturgical rites each reveal and express the glory of God in their own distinct traditions, while proclaiming the same Catholic Faith and the one Eucharistic mystery of Christ.
Over the years, the Sacred Liturgy Conference has celebrated both the Extraordinary Form and the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, as Pope Benedict XVI named them in Summorum Pontificum (2007). The particular form of the Roman Rite celebrated at each conference is determined in consultation with, and according to the direction of, the diocesan bishop, who is the guardian and moderator of the liturgical life of his diocese.
Regardless of which form of the Roman Rite is celebrated, our aim remains the same: to celebrate the Holy Mass with reverence, fidelity, and dignity, according to the mind of the Church. Gregorian chant is an integral part of our liturgies. Some celebrants sing the entire Mass in Latin, some sing the entire Mass in English, and others sing portions of the Mass in either Latin or English. To help everyone take part, we provide custom printed Mass booklets, with Latin–English translations when parts of the Mass are in Latin.
The conference particularly emphasizes the Sung Mass (Missa Cantata). In the sacred liturgy, singing gives an elevated expression to prayer and the proclamation of the Word of God and is especially fitting for the worship of God. The sung prayer itself is part of the worship offered to God, rather than simply music accompanying the liturgy.
At the heart of everything we do is the Holy Eucharist and our desire to worship Jesus Christ with the greatest reverence and devotion we can offer. Whatever form of the Roman Rite is celebrated, our goal is to give God the glory and to celebrate the sacred liturgy in a manner worthy of Christ, who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.
The Gregorian Chant Workshop is a “how-to” workshop on singing the Church’s ancient and sacred music as prayer. This is for all who want to learn and enhance their knowledge and skills of sacred music, including beginners and experienced singers. Beginners will learn to read Square Notes, while those already experienced with Gregorian chant will have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills. Participants will learn to chant as the one voice of the Body of Christ, singing the Ordinary of the Mass for the liturgical celebrations during the Conference.
The workshop takes place Tuesday morning, August 3, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Historic St. Francis of Assisi Church. It is led by Dr. Lynne Bissonnette‑Pitre and Fr. Brad Elliott, OP. The cost is $50 and can be added when you register for the conference.
Through February 2, 2027, registration is $345 for laity and $295 for priests, deacons, religious, and seminarians. After that date it is $395 and $345.
Registration includes all lectures and faculty panels, reserved seating at the liturgies, a charcuterie board on opening day, lunch on Wednesday and Thursday, coffee breaks, and the Thursday banquet dinner. Lodging is booked separately. August is Bend’s busiest month, so please book early.
Yes. Register yourself first, then add anyone coming with you. Up to seven people can register together in one checkout.
Yes. Leave a message at (503) 558-5123 and we will send a form or take your details. We usually return calls within two business days.
Cancellation requests received by June 1, 2027 are refunded less $50 per person; after that date registrations are not refunded. At any time you may instead turn your registration into a tax-deductible gift, or transfer it to someone else at no charge.
The registration form has a place for each person’s needs: gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut allergy, vegetarian, wheelchair access, or anything else you wish to describe. We pass dietary needs on to The Oxford Hotel, which caters the conference meals.
In downtown Bend, Oregon. Lectures, meals, and the banquet are at The Oxford Hotel (Minnesota Ballroom), 10 NW Minnesota Avenue. All liturgies are at Historic St. Francis of Assisi Church, 599 NW Lava Road, a short walk away.
Redmond (RDM) is the closest, about 25 minutes from downtown Bend. Portland (PDX) often has more flights and lower fares; from there Bend is about a 3½-hour drive over the Cascades. Summer flights into Redmond fill early, so book as soon as your plans are set.
Three Bend hotels offer conference rates:
August is Bend’s busiest month, so please book early. Travel & Lodging has the booking links and other places to stay.
Not if you stay downtown: the lectures, meals, and liturgies are a short walk apart, and The Newberry Hotel, our other downtown conference-rate hotel, is a few blocks away. Rental cars, taxis, and rideshare are available at the Redmond airport, and The Oxford Hotel offers its guests a complimentary local shuttle. Riverhouse Lodge is a 5–10 minute drive from downtown, so you will want a car there.
Yes. Sharing the talks is part of our mission. Each year, a distinguished faculty of clergy, religious, scholars, theologians, and musicians gathers to share the fruit of their study and prayer with the Catholic faithful. Through the recordings, that teaching lives on beyond the conference. The 2027 talks will join our video and audio libraries.
If you’re unable to attend in person, the recordings offer a valuable way to benefit from the conference’s teaching and help preserve it for future generations. Yet attending in person offers what no recording can: the Holy Mass, celebrated by the bishops and priests who join us, with sacred music sung by the Schola; Eucharistic and Marian processions and Benediction; faculty panels where you can ask questions; and meals and fellowship with the speakers and fellow attendees. For many, the conference has become a yearly tradition.
The conference is led by its executive director, Dr. Lynne Bissonnette‑Pitre, and a yearly planning committee. It is sponsored by Schola Cantus Angelorum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ongoing formation in the mysteries of the Catholic faith. It depends on the generosity of its supporters; you can support the conference here.
Email sacredliturgyconference@gmail.com, leave a message at (503) 558-5123, or send us a note. We usually reply within two business days.
Please submit a current letter of suitability to Alexandria Martin at the Diocese of Baker: alexandria@dioceseofbaker.com. To help avoid any confusion, please ensure that the letter or accompanying email clearly states that you will be attending the Sacred Liturgy Conference from August 3–6, 2027, in Bend, Oregon.
Yes. Visiting priests are welcome to concelebrate the conference Masses. Priests who wish to concelebrate must submit a current letter of suitability to Alexandria Martin at the Diocese of Baker, as outlined above.
Yes. Visiting priests who are willing to hear confessions during the scheduled times are encouraged to let the organizers know when registering or by contacting us before the conference. Their assistance will help ensure that this sacramental ministry is available to attendees throughout the conference. Priests who wish to hear confessions must submit a current letter of suitability to Alexandria Martin at the Diocese of Baker, as outlined above.
Priests should bring an alb and cincture, along with an amice if they normally use one. Chasubles and stoles will be provided.
“I would urge every Catholic to attend this conference and drink deeply, or taste for the first time, the glorious, rich, and ever new heritage of the Church for which Our Lord gave His life.”
“The depth and quality of the presenters and the presentations far surpassed my expectations. All of you will know in heaven what great good this effort has done for the Salvation of Souls.”
“This year, I grew deeper in love with God. At the Sacred Liturgy Conference, I experience what I was made for.... Heaven.”
“I loved the spiritual dimension of the conference: the Masses, the prayers, the talks, and getting to know the other attendees. It felt like a retreat.”
“I learned so much about the teachings of the Church. It changed the way I experience Mass and my personal role in the sacred liturgy.”
“The speakers were superb and the liturgies impeccable. This conference was truly a gift to myself and all who attended.”
“The Q&A class at the end was inspiring, motivating and intimate. I felt like we were gathered around the family table discussing how to move forward.”
“The conference increased my understanding and gratitude for the richness and beauty of our faith. God Bless you for putting on this conference.”
Learn to sing the sacred chant rooted in the ancient tradition of the Church, a tradition that reaches back to the Apostles and has been handed down through countless generations of saints.
A “how-to” workshop on singing the Church’s ancient and sacred music as prayer. This is for all who want to learn and enhance their knowledge and skills of sacred music, including beginners and experienced singers. Beginners will learn to read the square notes, and those already experienced with Gregorian chant will deepen their understanding.
Together we will learn the foundations of the chant: reading the notation, praying the Latin texts, and finding the natural flow of the melody. Participants will learn to chant as the one voice of the Body of Christ, singing the Ordinary of the Mass for the liturgical celebrations during the conference.
Singers of every level are welcome.
Optional add-on · $50. Select the workshop when you register.