Meet Father Rivers

In this pilot episode of Meet Father Rivers, host Emily talks to Dr. Cecilia Moore, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Dayton, about how and why she arranged for Emily to meet Fr. Clarence Joseph Rivers, and why Rivers remains an obscure yet important figure in American Catholic history.

In this episode, Emily describes her first contact with Fr. Clarence Rivers, interviews her mom, Gabrielle Strand, about their experience of one of Fr. Rivers' liturgies, and documents the notes she took on her first phone call with Fr. Clarence.

In Episode 3, Emily tells the story of Fr. Rivers' early career and the efforts toward liturgical inculturation that eventually brought him fame. She talks to Dr. Jessie Thomas who was a child at St. Joseph school in Cincinnati when Fr. Rivers was a young priest in the late 1950s. Emily recounts an early incident of liturgical disobedience by Fr. Rivers, effectively protesting the exclusion of Black forms of music in Catholic worship. News and show contact information is shared. For Ep. 3 show notes, click here.

Host Emily Strand recounts Fr. Rivers' death and remembers her reactions. She interviews Deacon Royce Winters, Pastoral Administrator at Church of the Resurrection in Cincinnati, Ohio and Director of the Office of African American Pastoral Ministries for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, a personal friend of Fr. Rivers. They visit Fr. Rivers' gravesite at Gate of Heaven Catholic cemetery in Cincinnati. Lastly Emily reads the letter Fr. Rivers wrote to her, and shares podcast news and contact information. Click here for Episode 4 show notes.

Host Emily Strand turns the podcast in a new direction: to find and speak to others whose lives Fr. Rivers touched and with whom she feels a unique kind of Christian fellowship. She interviews Eric T. Styles, a liturgist, writer and Notre Dame Rector who also befriended and was mentored by Fr. Clarence at the end of his life. Together they recall the deep and lasting effects Rivers had on their young lives and discuss how they will team up to continue pursuing Fr. Rivers' story on Meet Father Rivers. Warning: this episode contains Star Trek references.

In this episode, co-hosts Emily Strand and Eric Styles interview Bishop Fernand Cheri, auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, Louisiana, archivist of Black Sacred Song and long-time personal friend of Fr. Clarence Rivers. Bishops shares his memories of traveling to Africa with Fr. Rivers and the liturgical insights Fr. Rivers helped instill in him. Then Emily and Eric introduce a new team member, Johnathon Kelso, and share an audio recording they made of an excerpt of one of Fr. Rivers' songs in the very space it was first recorded in 1963: the Oratory at Grailville.

Emily and Eric interview pianist, pastoral musician, liturgist, workshop presenter and composer Mr. Ronald (Rawn) Harbor. Rawn met Fr. Rivers in 1973 and became his primary accompanist and eventually a liturgist in his own right under Fr. Clarence's careful mentorship. Rawn discusses his own approaches to composition and even shares a recording of a psalm arrangement that he's particularly proud of: Psalm 63 "My Soul is Thirsting," on this special, most musical episode of Meet Father Rivers to date. Click here for show notes.

In this episode, Eric and Emily continue their interview with liturgist, composer and pastoral musician Rawn Harbor, discussing Fr. Rivers as a composer who defied categorization, and the ongoing genesis of Black Catholic liturgy and liturgical music begun by Fr. Rivers. Click here for Episode 8 Show Notes. These include photos of the beautiful vestments referenced in the show.

In this episode, hosts Emily and Eric interview Dr. Mary McGann, RSCJ, who, in January of 2002, published an article in the journal Worship called "Timely Wisdom, Prophetic Challenge: Rediscovering Clarence R.J. Rivers' Vision of Effective Worship." In it, Mary gives a helpful summary of Fr. Rivers' liturgical vision and the innovative contributions he made in the field of liturgical theology. Mary tells Eric and Emily about how she first encountered Fr. Rivers' music and scholarly work and how she synthesized his deeply sacramental vision for effective worship for the benefit of modern academic liturgical studies. Download the show notes for Episode 9 here.

Emily and Eric detail how Fr. Clarence Rivers received, in 2002, the prestigious Berakah Award, an award given by the North American Academy of Liturgy (NAAL) to honor distinguished contributors to the field of professional liturgy. The hosts interview scholar of liturgy, musician and clinician Dr. Don E. Saliers, theologian-in-residence at Emory's Candler School of Theology, who composed the text of Fr. Rivers' Berakah Award, poetically and beautifully capturing Fr. Rivers' spirit and contributions to the liturgical life. The conversion broadens to include the profoundly ecumenical character of the 20th century liturgical movement and the ways in which Fr. Rivers' influence extends well beyond the Catholic tradition, helping Christians of many traditions re-imagine worship. Access the show notes from episode 10 by clicking this link.

Emily and Eric interview Wilton Cardinal Gregory, the seventh Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the first African American Cardinal—ever!—in the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Gregory shares how he first encountered Fr. Rivers, what Rivers' work meant to him as a young seminarian, priest and Bishop, and how he continues to pray in thanksgiving for Fr. Rivers' work and witness. He explains how he came to possess one of Fr. Rivers' pectoral crosses and what it means to him. Hosts and esteemed guest discuss Fr. Rivers as just one of many African American "hidden figures" in the Catholic Church and how important it is to remember and acknowledge their gifts to the Church. Finally, Eric and Emily process the conversation with some follow-up thoughts and share feedback from two listeners. Episode photo by Peter Ringenberg/©University of Notre Dame. Click here for the Episode 11 Show Notes.

Emily and Eric interview Fr. Tom DiFolco, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati who was mentored by Fr. Rivers, forming a friendship with Fr. Rivers as a fellow priest that greatly enhanced Fr. Tom's own priestly ministry. Fr. Tom has served the Black Catholic parishes of Cincinnati for 25 years, and he opens up about the joys and challenges of his ministry and—most especially—how he has been forever changed by the life and influence of Fr. Clarence Rivers. The conversation includes a discussion of the original Eucharistic prayers composed by Fr. Rivers, and a sizable audio clip of Fr. Clarence praying his "Anaphora of the Lion and Lamb" is included in this episode, with special thanks to Matt Fellerhoff. For show notes, click here.

As a newly-ordained priest, Fr. Rivers served as an English teacher, guidance counselor and drama coach at Purcell High School in Cincinnati in the late 1950s into the 1960s. There, he changed lives. Emily and Eric start their investigation of Fr. Rivers as high school teacher with Purcell teaching colleague, Fr. James Heft, SM. Fr. Jim was fresh out of college at the time of his encounter with Fr. Rivers, but went on to a distinguished career in the academy as an expert in Catholic secondary and higher education. Fr. Heft talks about the way Fr. Rivers set high standards for the English and drama curriculum at Purcell and the seamless way Rivers' teaching expressed his interests in drama and the human experience. Fr. Heft also discusses how Rivers—along with his personal encounters with the Black American writer James Baldwin—helped him understand the commonalities among all of humanity and what he calls the elasticity of Catholicism. Finally, Fr. Heft offers Emily and Eric some welcome encouragement in telling Fr. Rivers' story. For show notes, click here.

Emily and Eric continue their investigation of Fr. Rivers' career teaching high school English and drama at Purcell in Cincinnati. Fr. Rivers started a drama troupe at Purcell, an all-boys Catholic high school, called the Queen's Men. 1962 Purcell High School grad Dan Sack sits down with Emily and Eric to tell them about his first-hand experience of Fr. Rivers as a director, teacher and life-long friend. Surprisingly, he also shares how the troupe was broken apart when many of its members became troopers in the Vietnam War. Personal memories and US history intertwine in this not-to-be-missed episode of Meet Father Rivers. For this episode's show notes, click here.

Emily and Eric conclude their investigation of Fr. Rivers' career teaching high school English and drama at Purcell in Cincinnati. Former Queen's Man Kenneth Stevens shares his memories of Fr. Rivers as a teacher, director and inspiration for Ken's long and productive career in the arts. Ken describes Rivers' influence on his own career, contributing to his can-do attitude and his ability to look at situations without prejudice to create amazing results. Ken and the hosts talk about Rivers as a powerful mentor, and finally, Ken describes the scholarship he founded at Eastern Michigan University and why he named it after Fr. Clarence Rivers. For Show Notes for Episode 15, click here.

Fr. Joseph A. Brown, SJ is our guest on this episode: a Jesuit priest and professor of Africana studies and scholar of Black Catholicism and liturgy. Fr. Brown is a poet, an artist and was a friend and colleague of Fr. Rivers. He tells how he first heard Fr. Rivers' music and shares his belief that Fr. Rivers' scholarly works are an undiscovered gem of American Catholicism. Hosts and guest discuss how we must share Rivers' ideas and legacy in the digital age. Fr. Joseph teaches us about sankofa: a West African, cyclical concept of the cosmos which emphasizes a return to the past to bring forth present and future. He suggests with some urgency that we "do the sankofa thing" with the teachings of Fr. Rivers, to renew the Church and empower the people of God. For Episode 16 Show Notes, click here.

Eric and Emily interview celebrated Catholic liturgical music composer and liturgy scholar Fr. Jan Michael Joncas, who has penned such classics as "On Eagles' Wings" and "I Have Loved You" about Rivers as a composer. Fr. Mike shares two of his own compositions for liturgy in which one can hear Fr. Rivers' influence clearly (full songs included). The conversation situates Rivers as an American Catholic composer and highlights Fr. Rivers' historical significance, our changing times, and other composers who inspire Fr. Mike today (some of whom might surprise you). Fr. Mike offers a helpful, hopeful list of essential elements for composing mystagogical liturgical music in our modern age, Eric gives music recommendations and Emily fan-girls over Fr. Mike's music (but only a little). It's an episode that will interest musicians, composers, and anyone who loves good music. For Episode 17 show notes, click here.

Catholic composer and musician Ken Canedo discusses the influence of Fr. Rivers on his life and career in liturgy and music. Ken is the co-composer (with Bob Hurd) of the Gospel-styled song "Alleluia! Give the Glory". Ken and the hosts talk about the advice Fr. Rivers gave Ken when he met him as a young composer and what elements of Fr. Rivers' compositions Ken still strives to incorporate today. Ken is also a chronicler of the story of contemporary music in the North American Catholic Church since Vatican II, and he has authored two books on that subject; guest and hosts dig into Fr. Rivers' place in that story. Ken's fascinating, enlightening ideas about Fr. Rivers, his music and his legacy are too much for one episode to hold! Look for part 2 of our interview in Episode 19. For the Episode 18 Show Notes, click here.

Emily and Eric continue their conversation with composer Ken Canedo by asking a tough question about whether Fr. Rivers got co-opted and left behind by the White folk movement in the American Catholic Church. Ken provides a thoughtful response that involves (of all things) Catholic missalettes and lack of accompaniment, and discussion turns to the ways Fr. Rivers may have unintentionally hindered access to his own works. We pose Ken our standard question about Fr. Rivers' obscurity, and Ken's answer is perhaps the most practical we've received: it's because his music has long been unavailable. There's more: enjoy this second part of our interview with composer Ken Canedo. For Episode 19 Show Notes, click here.

Happy Black Catholic History Month! In this brief but important episode, listeners get oriented to this celebratory month and receive a homework assignment for next episode. But don't fear—this is homework you'll want to do! The fine folks at Orbis Books have given us permission to share a chapter Fr. Rivers published in the 1998 scholarly collection, Taking Down Our Harps (ed. by Fr. Cyprian Davis, OSB and Diana L. Hayes) entitled "The Oral African Tradition Versus the Ocular Western Tradition." This short, fascinating chapter will form the focus of discussion in our next episode. You can access that chapter as a free download (click here for link). Special thanks to Orbis Books. We also discuss what you can do to celebrate BCHM (book recs!), we share a passing of note—James E. Moore—and receive a musical gift from composer Christian Cosas. For the show notes for Episode 20, click here.