Dr. Jacob Benda, organ professor and Director of Sacred Music, Liturgy, and Sacred Arts at the University of St. Thomas, traveled to Italy to perform a concert at the College of Sant'Anselmo.
The phrase "Alla Vittima Pasquale" (Hail the Paschal Victim) was the concert theme, as it was performed during the Easter season. It featured compositions by Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Bach and others.
Benda performed solo pieces on organ as well as collaborative works with vocalists Addie Ryan '27 and Monica LeVesseur '27, who were studying spring semester at the University of St. Thomas Benardi Campus in Rome.
Their voices resonated and blended beautifully in the vibrant acoustics of the chapel, deeply moving the audience. Both are majoring in Catholic studies, Ryan also pursuing a minor in sacred music in the College of Arts and Sciences and LeVesseur with a double major that includes sacred music.
"The concert was a once in a lifetime experience. It was incredibly special to perform sacred music in Rome, the heart of the church, alongside fellow musicians from St. Thomas," Ryan said.
After Rome, Benda traveled to Assisi to meet with Mark Balma, a fresco artist and former Minnesota resident. They discussed Balma's new commission by Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, Minnesota. Balma will paint two frescos for the parish, one of Mary at the Annunciation and at the foot of the Cross.
A fresco is a painting or mural usually done on walls by applying water-based pigments on fresh plaster or limewater-soaked surfaces.
He had been commissioned previously by St. Thomas, when he painted a 17-by-112-foot ceiling inspired by the seven virtues in Founder's Hall in Minneapolis.
In fall 2026, Balma's work will be featured on the St. Paul campus in at the Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art in the Iversen Center for Faith.
Benda spent the last day of his trip touring the St. Thomas Bernardi Campus, where he was accompanied by several students. The campus is near the Tiber River, in the Prati neighborhood, with a rooftop view of St. Peter's Basilica.
"This was a real treat because I had heard so many testimonies from past students studying there for a semester; it was important for me to get a glimpse into this student experience that has impacted so many during the past 25 years," Benda said.
