The Creative Process
Discover a space where art meets faith, and beauty becomes an open door to wonder. Listen in on a conversation with Carolyn Pirtle, Program Director at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy within the McGrath Institute for Church Life. The Pod Quad features two Holy Cross priests engaging in curiosity-driven conversations at the University of Notre Dame.
Experience the Episode
Discover a space where art meets faith, and beauty becomes an open door to wonder. Listen in on a conversation with Carolyn Pirtle, Program Director at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy within the McGrath Institute for Church Life. The Pod Quad features two Holy Cross priests engaging in curiosity-driven conversations at the University of Notre Dame.
Want more from the Pod Quad crew? Click below.
- For Good: Hall Masses, Hoops, and Holy Cross Tradition with Rev. Pete McCormick, C.S.C.
- Everyday Holiness: Fr. Pete McCormick, C.S.C.
- Think. Pair. Share.: Fr. Nate Wills—Education, Blended
- Everyday Holiness: Fr. Nate Wills, C.S.C.
Meet the Speaker: Carolyn Pirtle '08 MSM, M.A. '16
Carolyn Pirtle is the Program Director at the Notre Dame Center for Liturgy within the McGrath Institute for Church Life. She oversees the planning and facilitation of the Center’s signature events, including the Mathis Liturgical Leadership Program, as well as other McGrath Institute events like the annual International Crèche Exhibit. Additionally, Carolyn assists with liturgical planning and formation for the entire McGrath Institute, and serves as steward of the MICL’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible.
Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, Carolyn holds degrees in piano performance (B.M., Kansas State University, 2003), music theory-composition (M.M., Kansas State University, 2005), vocal/choral sacred music (MSM, Notre Dame, 2008), and theology (M.A., Notre Dame, 2016). Carolyn presents on the theology and practice of liturgical music, the importance of the arts in Catholic life and religious education, and formation in liturgical and devotional prayer, particularly for the domestic church.
An award-winning composer, Carolyn has set the antiphons and psalms for the entire Liturgy of the Hours. She also created the nine one-act musicals performed in yearly cycles at Notre Dame Vision, and most recently, composed the full-length work Behold God’s Love: A Eucharistic Musical, written in honor of the National Eucharistic Revival and premiered in South Bend on July 6, 2024. Several of her liturgical compositions are available through World Library Publications (now part of GIA) and earthsongs.
Carolyn has published articles in Logos: A Journal for Catholic Thought and Culture, AIM: Liturgy Resources Magazine, and GIA Quarterly, is author of Praying the Rosary Together: A Guide for Households and Classrooms (World Library Publications, 2019), and Ten Ways to Pray: A Catholic Guide for Drawing Closer to God (Ave Maria Press, 2021), the first book in the McGrath Institute’s Engaging Catholicism series.
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Through its collections, exhibitions, and programs, the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art serves and welcomes all to engage in wonder, spiritual reflection, inquiry, and research.
Classic but contemporary, the Robert A.M. Stern-designed facility features 23 galleries and numerous site-specific commissions by internationally renowned artists such as Jenny Holzer, Maya Lin, Mimmo Paladino, Jaume Plensa, and Kiki Smith. In addition to presenting the storied permanent collection and dynamic temporary exhibitions, the Museum features the Mary Queen of Families Chapel, a sacred space for contemplation and Masses, offering a unique curatorial opportunity to consider important works from the collection.
The galleries integrate painting, sculpture, decorative arts, works on paper, and textiles. A multi-story Sculpture Court is an integral feature of the building, with natural light that creates a luminous and spacious area for displaying sculpture. The Teaching Gallery, Learning Commons, and Object Study Room celebrate the vital educational mission of the Museum and nestled in the central atrium, the cafe and bookshop provide a complete visitor experience.
For more information about the museum click here.
Violinist Hilary Hahn
During her recent Pod Quad conversation, Carolyn Pirtle highlighted the brilliant violinist Hilary Hahn. To learn more about Hilary’s work and dive into exclusive interviews with her album’s featured composers, click here.
Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
What is art? Many of us think of the arts as entertainment—a luxury of some kind. In Your Brain on Art, authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross show how activities from painting and dancing to expressive writing, architecture, and more are essential to our lives.
View more about the book at this link.