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Date Available

4-28-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Fine Arts

Department/School/Program

Musicology

Faculty

Donna Lee Kwon

Faculty

Martina Vasil

Abstract

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is an understudied member of the Traditional Catholic and Latin Mass Communities whose unique approach to Catholic liturgy, culture, and formation offers a sustainable model for the Catholic Church's longevity and renewal. This study is the first of its kind, combining the theoretical positions of affect theory, ecomusicology/musical sustainability, and the musicology of religion to explore and explain the success of this growing classical community. This dissertation examines Church documents, theological literature, and multidisciplinary academic sources as a foundation for the study.             In studying the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, the researcher interviewed canons (priests) of the Institute, along with music directors from various apostolates run by the Institute in the United States. During the course of the study, the researcher found that the Institute’s commitments to charity, beauty, and tradition are fundamental to the longevity and success of their apostolates. These commitments are expressed through high standards of musical, spiritual/theological, and cultural formation for their parishes and priests, thereby ensuring the continued preservation of Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony, and the treasures of Catholic culture.             The Institute’s approach to Catholic life has enabled it to overcome many problems faced by the Catholic Church, including the vocations crisis and declines in Mass attendance and sacramental participation, and to propose practical solutions for the future. The Institute's success enables it to model the Parish Life Cycle, a theoretical model developed by the researcher.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.137

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