MADISON — The Diocese of Madison has hired a new director of music. John Sittard brings years of experience and a great love for music and liturgy to the diocese. In addition to this role, he has also been hired as the director of sacred music at St. Bernard Parish in Madison.
“This position combines many things that I love,” he said. “I love serving on the parish level. St. Bernard is a very beautiful church. Being in the city, there is a wonderfully diverse congregation. I also love diocesan liturgies. That is something that I’ve missed. I was at two cathedrals previously in my time in ministry, and I’ve missed, for instance, the Chrism Mass and ordinations. So, this position kind of combines all the things that I love to do.”
He said his role with the diocese will involve organizing music for liturgies where the bishop is present and also being a resource for clergy and music ministers throughout the diocese. He said, especially with the diocese embarking on Into the Deep, he expects his role in the diocese to be “even more important.”
Elaborating on how he thinks Into the Deep will affect his position, he said that “with restructuring, there will probably be different opportunities that will be created because our resources will be better aligned, so I think there will be more opportunities for staffing.”
He said he hopes to support parishes in offering good music programs to complement the liturgy.
“Whether it is done with a professional musician or with volunteer musicians, beautiful sacred music is attainable in any parish whether it is a large parish or a small parish,” he said. “Liturgy is the source and summit of our faith and music is a major part of that.”
He said early in his life, he “was a musician looking for something to do professionally in music.” Working in music ministry allowed him that avenue, but eventually, things flipped.
“I have to be in ministry and music is just the way that I do it,” he said. “Music is something that is a wonderfully uniting thing in our faith. I want to do what I can to further the mission.”