How does the experience of Mass on Sunday at a parish affect the lives of Catholics, and what role does music play in that experience? How does sacred music bridge the gap between people of different languages, ethnicities, and backgrounds? Why does the Church spend money on beautiful things instead of only on material goods for the poor? We tackle these questions and more in this interview with Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, bishop of Oakland, California.

To find out more about the music program at St. Patrick’s Seminary and the Catholic Institute of Sacred Music, please visit http://catholicinstituteofsacredmusic.org/.