Frank La Rocca is Composer-in-Residence at the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Liturgy. Frank, an award-winning classical music composer, has released two #1 hit recordings on the Billboard chart for traditional classical music since joining the Benedict XVI Institute: the Mass of the Americas and the Requiem for the Forgotten/Messe Des Malades: Honoring Our Lady of Lourdes, both with Cappella Records.
He is the composer of three other major Masses for the Benedict XVI Institute, including a Missa Sancti Juniperi Serra, which will be celebrated by Archbishop Cordileone in honor of the 250th founding of San Francisco at Mission Dolores in 2026, and a forthcoming Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI.
His other work for Benedict XVI Institute includes two hymns for the Martyrs of Communism and a new Advent Carol: While All the Earth in Darkness Sleeps (all with Benedict XVI Institute’s poet-in-residence, James Matthew Wilson).
His iconic Mass of the Americas has been hailed as “Perhaps the most significant Catholic composition of our lifetimes.” (Dr. Michael Olbash), and ” a cornerstone of modern liturgical composition.” (Mark Nowakowski) and “The best piece of liturgical music for the Mass since Duruflé.” (Michael Linton).
