Lucien Deiss

• Honorific Prefix — The Reverend • Name — Lucien Deiss • Honorific Suffix — CsSp • Born — 2 September 1921 • Birthplace — Eschbach, France • Died — 9 October 2007 • Place of death — Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France • Occupation — Priest, professor, composer

Deiss entered the Congregation of the Holy Ghost in 1942, and was ordained a priest in 1943, both during World War II. He also studied at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. Passionate about the Bible and liturgy, for a year he was professor of Holy Scripture at the newly established major seminary of Brazzaville, Congo. Returning to France for health reasons in 1948, he spent decades as a professor and a retiree at the seminary of Chevilly-Larue, which later renamed its library in his honor. Deiss composed over 400 pieces of liturgical music, many inspired by Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony with biblical texts. He once described the impetus for his composing career, starting at a small suburban parish in the 1950s: "I realized that the people knew almost nothing of the Bible, so I decided to try using music to help them memorize the more important texts." Beyond France, some of his works were widely translated and sold over 5 million copies. His Biblical Hymns and Psalms (1965) was one of the first major collections of new music for English-language Masses, responding to the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council in which he participated, and earning him an honorary Doctorate in Sacred Music from his congregation's Duquesne University. The National Association of Pastoral Musicians named him "Pastoral Musician of the Year" for United States Catholics in 1992. He received a Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros for the 2005 album Ave Maria that he recorded with his Chevilly seminary choir.