Holy Cross Chaplain Releases Debut Album, 'Humbled'

WORCESTER, Mass. – Paul Melley, assistant chaplain and director of liturgical music at the College of the Holy Cross, had his debut album, Humbled, released on July 19 by GIA Music. Based in Chicago, GIA is an international publisher of Catholic and Christian resources for prayer and worship.

On Humbled, singer/songwriter Melley takes a contemporary approach and sound and blends it within the Catholic tradition grounded in solid theology. The recording contains relevant texts, many straight from the Lectionary for Mass.

Humbled is a collection of songs that have been used in worship, including many that Melley has used during liturgies at Holy Cross since arriving in 2003. The CD is named Humbled based on St. Paul’s letter to the Phillipians. The letter contains the earliest known form of Christian hymn, generally referred to as the Hymn to the Philippians. The letter to the Philippians calls for Christian unity and presents one of the most explicit and profound testimonies in the New Testament of Christ’s humanity and divinity.

“I believe that the hymn contains theology that is imperative that we embrace, which is to give of ourselves and let go of those things that may hinder us and empty ourselves in service to those in need in the pattern of Jesus Christ,” Melley said.

Early next year, the music will be put in print for use in worship.

Melley is a singer, saxophonist, and composer. He has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe; collaborated with the top innovators in the field of liturgical music; and is featured on a number of recordings. He sang his own composition at the Vigil Liturgy attended by Pope John Paul II in Toronto for World Youth Day 2002.

At Holy Cross, Melley serves as director of the Chapel Choir as well as the Contemporary Ensemble, and oversees music used in liturgy and worship. He is also the chaplain coordinator for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults group on campus. Melley has been a part time faculty member at Boston College’s Graduate Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry for the last four years.

Melley received a bachelor of arts degree in voice and music education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and is completing a masters of theology with a concentration in liturgy at Boston College.