For more than 40 years, the Madison Diocesan Choir has shared the beauty of sacred music throughout the Diocese of Madison and beyond. The choir has toured internationally, singing in some of the most treasured churches in the world — including Cologne Cathedral, Freiburg Münster, and Vienna’s Karlskirche during a 2007 tour of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In 2001, the choir traveled to Italy and had the honor of singing for Pope John Paul II. Other international tours have taken the choir to Spain, France, Ireland, the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Iceland, as well as across the western United States.

In recognition of its long-standing ministry and service, Bishop William H. Bullock awarded the choir the Bishop’s Distinguished Service Award — the Diocese of Madison’s highest honor — on December 22, 2002.

The Schmelzer Organ was commissioned to be built by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company in 1949 (Opus 1204). Following a delay due to the lack of materials and workers during the Korean War, the organ was installed at First Congregational Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1953.

From 1905 to 1965 the E. M. Skinner Company and its successor firm, the Aeolian Skinner Organ Company were considered the “gold standard” in church organs. They were generally commissioned by larger city churches because of the cost. They were designed to accompany a congregation as they sing praise to God.

When Holy Name was originally built, accommodations were made for a pipe organ. Two large chambers on either side of the choir loft and a conduit in the cement allowed for the wiring of an organ console. When the building opened in 1964, an electronic organ (built by the Rodgers Company) existed in the chapel. That organ remained here for 54 years, long past the life expectancy of an electronic organ. It was time for a replacement. (The current organ in our chapel should be around for centuries!)

After prayer, study, and discussion, Bishop Robert Morlino expressed his desire for a pipe organ, as called for in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, promulgated during the Second Vatican Council (see no. 120). It was determined that we would first seek to recycle an organ being removed from another church.

Bruce Case of Case Organ Builders (Madison, Wisconsin) assisted in identifying possible organs available throughout the Midwest. The diocese finally settled on the organ from Kenosha’s First Congregational Church.

In January of 2017, a team of workers under the supervision of Mr. Case carefully removed the organ and packed the 1,173 pipes and countless other parts into large wooden crates. Mr. Case oversaw the complicated task of restoring and refinishing every individual piece of the organ, finding original Aeolian Skinner parts to replace broken or worn pieces, and enhancing the sound of the organ for our chapel.

Each pipe had to be stripped, cleaned, repaired and replaced. The original console had to be stripped, rebuilt and stained. While the working parts of the organ are mostly original, Mr. Case was able to incorporate modern technology into the console, allowing for more flexibility. After 5,427 hours of work, the organ was completely installed. 

The restored organ bears the name of Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer. Thanks to a generous gift from his estate, the diocese has been able to restore and install this organ in the Holy Name Chapel. We hope that it will allow us to promote sacred organ music through celebrations of the Sacred Liturgy, concerts and recitals, and education–particularly organ lessons.
Schmelzer Organ Stop List