The National Association of Pastoral Musicians was the creation of Rev. Virgil Funk of the Diocese of Richmond, VA. He recognized a need for an organization for church musicians, so in 1976 he gathered a minimal group of like-minded individual and with his own money created NAPM, (later to drop the “A”). However, this new organization was struggling to “get off the ground” and in 1977 was ready to declare financial failure and declare bankruptcy.

“It was at this time that Father Tom Banick [Msgr. Banick] called from the Office of Liturgy in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He introduced himself and said that he had been following the progress of the Association, which he thought was doing great work. Then he asked. “Have you ever thought of holding a convention? Some sort of gathering to bring the Musicians together?” … “Well Tom said, “let’s do it in Scranton. We have a large diocesan staff and a large Catholic population, and we’re close to Philadelphia and New York.” (Fostering the Art of Musical Liturgy; 25 Years of Service, pg 18)

Over the next several days and week Father Banick called to say that the IHM Sisters at Marywood College, under the direction of Sister Benedicta Berendes, were ready to go and that volunteers were lined up. So began the planning for the First Annual NPM National Convention, “Musical Liturgy is Normative”, to be held in Scranton, April 1978. The hopes were that they would get about 800 people to attend. In the end, there were over 1100 people in attendance.

However, it wasn’t until 1986 that Scranton created its own chapter of the National Organization. Joan Turel, the newly appointed Director for Liturgy, invited some people she knew or had recently met at one of the National Conventions to come together and discuss the possibility of creating a chapter for the musicians of the Diocese of Scranton. Thus began the Scranton Chapter of NPM.


Our first slate of officers were Paul Ziegler, St. Boniface, Williamsport, as director; Pete Smith, now Deacon Smith, program planning and Kathy Kanavy, secretary. Over our first 25 years as a chapter, Mark Ignatovich and Rob Yenkowski have capably followed Paul Ziegler as chapter directors with Joan Turel succeeding Pete Smith as program director.

In 1987, shortly after the Chapter’s formation, Virgil Funk asked our chapter to sponsor the first Children’s convention at Marywood, “Blessed Are Those … Who Gather the Children”. The usual core of volunteers rose to the occasion to “pull off” another successful convention.


In 1991 we were named Chapter of the Year.

We have traveled in all directions of the diocese as many parishes were generous enough to host our meetings. We have been as far north as Holy Name of Mary, Montrose; as far south as Hazleton – several times; as far west as St. Boniface, Williamsport and as far east as St. Luke, Stroudsburg. AND it was fun and interesting to see the many parishes in our diocese.

Our meetings almost always followed the same pattern: a supper provided by our host parish (we have eaten as simply as soup and sandwiches to  full course turkey dinners), a presentation on a variety of topics and Night Prayer to end the evening.

Our topics have been varied and presented by many capable people from our “local experts” to national presenters such as Fr. Virgil Funk himself, Dr. Mike McMahon who succeeded Fr. Funk as President of NPM, Mr. Rick Gabala, director of music at the Cathedral of Arlington, VA, Gabe Huck from LTP to name a few.

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