Una Voce Canada is happy to announce that the talks from Cantate Domino (Sacred Music Symposium) will be published in full on UnaVoceCanada.org!
On Saturday, October 25th, 2025 – Una Voce Canada hosted the Right Rev. Alban Riley OSB, and Dr. Peter Kwasniewski for a series of talks on Sacred Music. Held at St. James Parish, Abbotsford, BC, the symposium began with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Missa Cantata) at 10:30 AM. Following Mass, the presenters gave a series of 3 talks interposed with Q&A sessions with the attendees.
Stay tuned over the next for the text and recordings of these talks – to be posted right here on UnaVoceCanada.org. In the meantime, here are brief biographies of the presenters and event photographer.
Right Rev. Alban Riley
Abbot Alban Riley, osb, was elected the fourth abbot of Westminster Abbey on 11 July 2022. The abbot serves as spiritual head and father of the thirty-two men living the Benedictine monastic way of life at Westminster Abbey. He is also chancellor of the Seminary of Christ the King, the abbey’s main apostolate.
Abbot Alban was born in 1956 in the town of Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, the eldest of the three children of Anthony Riley and Maria Walter.
In 1962 the family emigrated to Canada, settling in Kingston, Ontario; here Abbot Alban completed his elementary and secondary education in the Catholic schools, and went on to Queen’s University, graduating with a major in History.
Abbot Alban came to Westminster Abbey as a postulant in 1979, completed his novitiate and made first profession of vows in 1981, taking the name and patronage of St. Alban Roe, English Benedictine martyr of the seventeenth century. He made solemn vows in 1984 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1985.
During his time in monastic life, Abbot Alban has been assigned to vocation work, novice master, and as a professor has taught in both the Major and Minor departments of the Seminary of Christ the King, mainly Liturgy, Church History, Latin and French. He served as Vice-rector of the Major Seminary for a couple of years, and as Subprior of the monastic community since 2006. In addition to the BA he acquired at Queen’s University, his academic studies culminated in his obtaining a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome, Italy. Gifted with languages, Abbot Alban also enjoys Elvish, not to mention he reads Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings almost yearly.
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski
Peter Kwasniewski was Born in Arlington Heights (near Chicago) and raised in New Jersey. He earned a B.A. in liberal arts at Thomas Aquinas College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy from The Catholic University of America.
When “ABD,” Dr. Kwasniewski moved to Austria where he taught for seven and a half years at the International Theological Institute in Austria and in the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Austria Program. In 2006 he moved across the world again to help establish Wyoming Catholic College in the town of Lander, where he taught philosophy, theology, music, and art history and directed the choir and schola until 2018.
Since 2018, Dr. K has been a full-time writer and speaker, contributing to blogs, magazines, and newspapers. He has published over twenty books and his work has been translated into at least twenty languages. To this day, he remains an avid singer of Gregorian chant and polyphony, and a composer of sacred music.
https://www.peterkwasniewski.com/
Fred Pecson – Fiat Lux Catholic Photography
Fred Pecson is the founder of Fiat Lux Catholic Photography, a Vancouver-based photographer specializing in capturing the beauty of Catholic life and the sacred moments of the faith. Serving the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Fred’s work focuses on documenting sacramental celebrations- baptisms, first communions, confirmations, and weddings-with a style that is both timeless and reverent. Through Fiat Lux, he seeks to bring glory to God in everyday Catholic life, creating heartfelt images that preserve the joy and sacredness of each occasion.
https://www.instagram.com/fiat.luxphoto/
