THE SCOPE OF OUR WORK
While there are many wonderful resources and organizations focused on raising the bar of liturgical excellence, the vision and work of Vigil Institute is more holistic. Every person that comes to Mass on Sunday —from the music director to the back-row parishioner — lives an integrated life, where music is not just experienced on Sunday morning but is consumed and prayed with throughout every moment of every day. Our work explores the integrated life of Catholics, and helps to frame how we perceive and engage with music in each of these areas.
Meaning of Music:
An eight episode documentary film series by The Vigil Project and 4PM Media, exploring the gift of music in the life of faith. With post-production completing in Summer 2026, this series interviews musicians, scholars, clergy, engineers, and many more on the role music plays in our lives, and how we ought to reclaim that role. Featuring Bishop Barron, Steffany Gretzinger, Matt Maher, the monks of Solesmes Abbey, and many more.
Books:
The Vigil Project is thrilled to announce the release of three books in 2026: Musica Domestica, a two volume book that cultivates sung prayer in the home (co-written by Andrew Goldstein and David Clayton and published by Word on Fire), and Way of the Star, an Advent devotional journey meditating with The Vigil Project’s meditation album of the same name (co-written by Andrea Thomas and Greg Boudreaux and published by Ave Maria Press).
Vigil Studio:
We help to elevate the work of Catholic composers and songwriters to serve the many diverse needs of the Church in prayer. We collaborate with guest musicians and clients with our world-class creative team and state-of-the-art studio and residence in Covington, Louisiana.
Retreats & Workshops:
Once someone receives a call to serve the Church through music, it becomes increasingly rare that they take a time to rest, restore, and be poured into. As a core offering of The Vigil Institute, our musician retreats and workshops offer a time of prayer, rest, creative renewal, and intellectual formation.
Italy Immersion Institute:
Career-seeking Catholic musicians who are discerning how to deposit their gifts at the service of the Gospel are invited to visit our campus in Modena, Italy, for a six-week Institute that prepares them to serve excellently in the liturgy, devotional settings, and missionary spaces.
Parish & Diocese Consulting:
Among the fastest growing areas of Vigil Institute, we craft a custom experience to advance sacred music and devotional prayer in parishes and dioceses around the world, curated to the unique needs of the local community. This intensive offering is perfect for bishops, priests, and music directors who are looking to make significant progress in advancing beauty, excellence, and correct form in their music ministry offerings.
Online Training:
Can’t make it to our Institute events in-person? We’ve designed online experiences to serve your needs. Visit our CatholicMusician.org platform, a free offering of courses and videos that provide spiritual formation and professional development to Catholic musicians. Those seeking bespoke guidance or mentorship can take advantage of our Catholic Music Coaching platform, where a Vigil Institute coach provides insights and advice via direct video messages.
Campus Ministry Musician Formation:
The Vigil Institute works with college campus ministry programs to train student musicians to serve various moments of the life of faith on campus, from the liturgy to adoration and praise and worship settings. Our annual summer college bootcamp brings together ensembles from various colleges to prepare them — musically and spiritually — for the upcoming school year. We also visit Catholic high schools and grade schools to advise the music curriculum, offer music-driven retreat experiences for students, and more.
LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION:
Our team holds a broad intersection of skill and expertise, yet what we care most about is listening to you and discerning together what the Lord is prompting in your community. Let’s talk about the challenges, hopes, and dreams you see for music in your diocese, parish, school, community, and domestic church, and how Vigil Institute might be able to help or point you to someone else who can!
THE INSTITUTE'S IMPACT
So much talking and writing goes into the Catholic project of offering God beautiful liturgy. But who stops and just prays for the liturgists? Who bends their life around in order to listen to their conflicts and to care for and gently guide them? THIS is a missing link that The Vigil Project provides.
Sr. Mary Ruth O'Brien
Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia
I have been longing for this freedom for years, especially in this intimate, vulnerable gift from God that is my art. Following the retreat I went on with The Vigil Project, I now have a boldness and a fearlessness that I have not experienced previously, and it all came from the truth that I belong here, with The Vigil Project and in the Church.
Ben Batalla
Composer & Music Director
Having The Vigil Project present at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress was a blessing. Their heart for the Church, along with their talent and worship expertise, elevated every session they participated in. Further, joining Vigil on their Way of the Star tour gave me a glimpse into an even more unique ministry. I cannot think of any other apostolate serving the Church quite like them. Their collective gifting is only matched by their selflessness and desire to share the love of Jesus through music, fellowship, and prayer. Their passion for ministry is contagious, and I am forever grateful for the opportunities I've had to serve alongside them. I look forward to seeing The Vigil Project's continued impact on the lives of many for years to come.
Kris Frank
National Eucharistic Congress
Music Ministry Boot Camp was a life-changing experience for me as a Catholic, a musician, and a leader. It gave me the formation and technical tools I needed to ultimately move with confidence into full-time music ministry and serve the Christ the King LSU community well. It is an ongoing blessing to work alongside the same people from The Vigil Project that helped form me for ministry.
Bryce Pellegrin
Louisiana State University