Your Alumni Association - Villanova University

Grace Notes from a 40th JubileeBY IRENE BURGOAs composer and compassionate advocate,Father Tracy ministers through the joy of music.“Overfl owing” is the best wayto describe the crowd at theEucharistic liturgy and festivalcelebration in honor of theRev. T. Shawn Tracy, O.S.A., ’63 A&S onhis 40th anniversary of priestly ministry.Father Tracy has devoted more than 30 ofthose years to Campus Ministry at VillanovaUniversity, and also serves as chaplainof the Villanova University AlumniAssociation and its community servicecommittee. The evening Mass and receptiontook place on November 18, 2006,in the Villanova Room of the ConnellyCenter. After presiding at the Mass,Father Tracy greeted the crowd of morethan 400 well-wishers.At the reception, highlighted by asumptuous dessert buffet, several tablesdisplayed a photo montage depictingFather Tracy’s varied activities as a priest.He has delighted and inspired so manywith his music and has long been an advocatefor people with disabilities. Anothertable featured a display of the albums ofsacred music recorded by Father Tracy andhis group. In the entrance foyer was anexhibit of the history and recordings ofSanctuary, the sacred music ensemble atVillanova that he co-founded.By all accounts, it was quite an evening—anight of unexpected delights andsurprises, songs and stories, a special eveningfor Father Tracy and his friends thatrefl ected his four decades of ministry.then flourishing in New York State’s HudsonValley. Father Tracy started a similar groupat Villanova called He Shall Be Peace(HSBP). The group released three albumsof pastoral music: “He Shall Be Peace,”“The Seed” and “Sanctuary.” HSBP was theprecursor to the group that took the nameof Sanctuary in 1996.Sanctuary performs “ritual music forprayer and contemplation,” according toFather Tracy. The group has releasedthree albums: “Magnifi cat,” “Passion”and “Ancient Light.” A new CD to bereleased in April, “Sacred Earth,” featuresan ecologically sensitive repertoire.“Music is a way of life for me,” saysFather Tracy, who considers it to be one ofthe greatest pleasures and tools for helpingothers. “I brought this pastoral music spiritwhen I came to Villanova in 1975,” hesaid. Father Tracy shares a special bondwith Sanctuary by collaborating on itsmusic and songs. Attesting to the talent ofthis evolving group of musicians, and hisown expertise, is the fact that the first sixalbums were released by national Catholicmusic publishers—leading names likeNorth American Liturgy Resources, PastoralArts of America and Modern Liturgy(World Library). Sanctuary’s albums havebeen distributed worldwide, includingAsia and the Middle East.After the liturgy and buffet, Sanctuarygave a concert of its “old and new” music,including many selections from “SacredEarth.” Guests were riveted by the vibrant,festival music—the ballads, the soul-stirringgospel-like songs and some rousing rock andcountry-style ones designed to wake eventhe most complacent. The band played, thecrowd swayed and some even danced. It wastruly a good time. When the concert ended,guests crowded round to congratulate FatherTracy and the musicians.Prelude to a life in musicAfter his ordination as an Augustinian in1966, Father Tracy was assigned to St. Nicholasof Tolentine Parish in Bronx, N.Y.,where he taught theology and literature anddid parochial ministry work from 1967 to1975. While there, he and his friends formeda folk music group called THE 10:15. Theyreleased three albums: “THE 10:15,” “MakingTracks” and “Songs of the Father.” Hismusic took a new direction in the 1970swhen he was introduced to the HandicappedEncounter Christ (HEC) retreat program,At the celebration in his honor, held on November 18, 2006, the Rev. T. Shawn Tracy, O.S.A.,’63 A&S sang and performed some of the pastoral music he has written.JOHN WELSHWinter 2007 41