Arts + Culture

New York Catholic Choir Performs for Pope Leo XIV in Rome

The Church of St. Paul the Apostle's composer-in-residence wrote the original piece, "Love More"

The choir of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan performs for Pope Leo XIV during his general audience in St. Peter's Square on September 24, 2025.
The choir of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan performs for Pope Leo XIV during his general audience in St. Peter's Square on September 24, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle.

An American Catholic choir from the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Manhattan performed an original piece in English for Pope Leo XIV at the Pope's General Audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, September 24.

The original piece, entitled "Love More," was created by St. Paul's composer-in-residence, J. Oconer Navarro, under the direction of Joey Chancey, the church's director of music. "Love More" was written expressly for the choir's Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy and includes words from Pope Leo's first speech and inaugural homily. The song is dedicated to the children of the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

Father Eric Andrews is the pastor of St. Paul the Apostle and is serving as Jubilee Pilgrimage chaplain for the choir.

A broadcast of the performance captured by Vatican News can be found here.

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