EXCLUSIVE | Sheen beatification conductor reflects on drawing hearts to Christ through sacred music

Sacred music can draw others closer to Christ, the Catholic conductor who directed much of the music at Blessed Fulton Sheen’s beatification Mass told Zeale News, explaining how Sheen’s example reflects his own approach to music.

Joshua Russell, headmaster of Chesterton Academy of the Sacred Heart in Peoria, Illinois, and senior academic dean for the Chesterton Schools Network, spoke with Zeale News in an Oct. 2 interview. 

Russell said Peoria Bishop Louis Tylka wanted local musicians who had served the Diocese of Peoria to take part in the beatification. His work with the school’s choir and diocesan musicians led to an invitation to oversee the music selection and direction.

The students performed as a school choir and joined the grand choir, which Russell conducted alongside the orchestra through much of the Mass. He said the collaboration allowed them to offer their gifts and learn from experienced musicians.

“It was a great gift for the students to be a part of that but also for them to get to be alongside of all of those adult, professional musicians that were singers and instrumentalists from across the diocese,” he said. “And I know that there was a great giving from the students, but they also received so much by getting to be alongside those people who have brought so much of their professional experience and life experience to the music as well.”

Russell said the opportunity to conduct at the Sept. 24 beatification carried a purpose of helping the faithful encounter the Lord through sacred music.

“It was such a great honor and privilege to get to do it,” Russell said, explaining that he wanted the music to serve the liturgy and draw those gathered into a deeper connection with God.

Russell said his years as a concert pianist, conductor, and teacher led him to share the beauty of music with students and teach them how to serve the Church through it. That understanding guided the message he shared with them as they took part in the beatification.

“Ultimately, it’s not about us, and it’s not even about the music but that the music is most highly ordered towards the praise and worship of God,” Russell said. “And like I said, to bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Russell noted that the archbishop’s example holds particular meaning for those working in the performing arts.

“He saw himself as a priest who was pointing everybody to Christ,” Russell said. “I think it’s important to see that [witness] when you’re in the performing arts world. To see [Sheen], who is a great giant media figure, and know that it was never just about him. It was always about pointing us to our Lord.”

After studying G.K. Chesterton's writings, Russell began reading Sheen’s work more extensively. He described Treasure in Clay, Life of Christ, and The World’s First Love as particularly powerful influences.

Russell encouraged his students to see the beatification as a lesson with significance beyond their musical education.

“We want them to take the lessons and the skills they develop at Chesterton and take those out into the world to transform the society, to enable it to be more closely conformed to the kingdom of heaven,” Russell said. 

Russell said the thousands gathered for the beatification reflected the Church’s universality and reminded him of the spiritual connection with the saints shared in the Mass.

“I’m a convert to the Catholic faith,” Russell said. “The concept of the communion of saints has always been something that touched me really profoundly. That supernatural connection we have to all the saints across time and space is awe-inspiring to me.”

Russell said the gathering gave that sense of communion a visible expression in the streets of St. Louis and within the stadium.

“There we are in a city named for a saint,” Russell said. “And to me, it was as if the event was like a glimpse of heaven, priests, religious, Catholics, Christians, all people taking over the downtown streets and turning this enormous secular stadium into a kind of cathedral of sorts.”

Russell expressed gratitude to Bishop Tylka “for his vision and leadership” and to the musicians who prepared for the celebration.

“There were so many great musicians, professionals from around the diocese,” he said, “so many people that contributed to this event to make it beautiful.”