The Saint Raymond Nonnatus Cathedral Choir
[This article originally appeared in The History of St. Raymond, 1917-1992. We present it here in its original.]

The all male choir (men and boys) was founded in the fall of 1957 when Joseph Lyons phoned John Minzing to join a new choir being formed at the request of Rector Monsignor Edwin V. Hoover.

The very first member of the choir was John Minzing, still a member [as of 1992], who had been singing as a soloist at noon Sunday Masses and other engagements accompanied by Joseph Lyons.

Monsignor Edwin Hoover, a gifted and famous musician, contacted Joseph Lyons to serve as Music Director, Organist, and Choir Director. Mr. Lyons, in turn, asked certain singers to not only join the choir but to recruit other male adult singers. The boys in the choir were all students at St. Raymond Grade School - a total of 100 men and boys.

Purpose
The purpose of the Cathedral Choir is to implement the liturgy of the Masses and other religious ceremonies in a way that helps make them more meaningful, beautiful and solemn. Another important purpose of the Choir is to provide exemplary leadership for the other diocesan parishes in liturgical music.

The Choir also performs to entertain audiences from time to time in selective, appropriate settings.

Key Figures
The key figures are many, but first and foremost is Monsignor Edwin V. Hoover, former professor at Quigley Seminary and Director of Music for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

He was also a gifted composer-pianist whose music is sung by choirs all over the world as well as at St. Raymond's.

The other musical genius was the world class oranist Joseph Lyons, who, besides plaing Masses at St. Raymond, was organist at St. John Church and organist on a regular radio show in which her performed on the Grand Barton organ at Joliet's Rialto Theatre.

One of his many pupils was Robert Pirc, who served as Choir Director and Organist at the Cathedral longer than any other person, 25 years total.

Reputation and Honors
The Cathedral Choir has earned an outstanding reputation in its 38 years, both as an all-male choir and more recently -- the past 12 years -- as a mixed choir of adult men and women.

Foremost among its many honors is its performance at the Vatican and personally meeting and being complimented by Pope John Paul II in 1988. While on tour in Italy the choir performed and visited several Cathedrals.

For two consecutive years now -- 1991 and 1992 -- the Choir has sung Handel's "Messiah" with full orchestra and guest soloists at the Rialto Theatre in Joliet and received long standing ovations. The Choir also sang with the National Championship American Band in the Cathedral in 1989.

Additionally, the Cathedral Choir has sung in several other churches, some of them Protestant, and many other institutions over the years. Sections of the Choie have sung at many weddings, funerals and other functions as have several of the soloists, who are Choir members and cantors.

The Choir has sung in every section of the Cathedral, having stated in the Choir Loft, which, at the outset, was also the rehearsal location.

Music Director/Organist
Nicholas Thomas has been Music Director and Organist for the past six years where he is Director of the Cathedral Choir and manages the Cathedral Concert Series. He is also Music Director of the Joliet Diocesan Choarle.

Mary Beth Diab is Associate Organist at the Cathedral and accompanist for the Cathedral since 1984.