Composed by Frank La Rocca (2020)
“The deepest need of the forgotten, like the rest of us, is not simply shelter but a home — and that ultimate home is the Church.”
Frank La Rocca
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone commissioned “Requiem for the Forgotten” for the repose of the souls of people on the margins: the homeless, the refugees escaping war and political or religious persecution, the martyrs of totalitarianism in all its forms.
Requiem for the Forgotten commemorates the displaced and the homeless, constructing a musical sanctuary for the soul while championing the inherent dignity of every person.. Drawing upon his Ukrainian heritage, La Rocca’s setting of a poem on Ukrainian priest Andrei Ischak (martyred by the Bolsheviks) deeply resonates with those enduring oppression today.
The Requiem for the Forgotten offers us a new vision of the forgotten and homeless, not as we see them in our weakness, but as God sees them: possessed of an immortal soul equally beloved by their Creator and ours.
The “Requiem for the Forgotten” includes a new hymn, “Offertory for Ukraine,” written by poet James Matthew Wilson to honor Catholic martyrs persecuted under Communism.
The album is for purchase through Capella Records or may be streamed on popular streaming services including Spotify and Amazon Music.
Kindly use the form below to contact Frank La Rocca for the purchase and licensing of scores or to request a perusal copy.
