Daniel Laurent Schutte is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music and a contemporary Christian songwriter best known for composing the hymn "Here I Am, Lord" and over 150 popular hymns and Mass settings.
Biography
Schutte grew up in Elm Grove, Wisconsin and graduated from Marquette University High School before entering the Society of Jesus. He was one of the founding members of the St. Louis Jesuits who popularized a contemporary style of church music set to sacred texts sung in English as a result of the liturgical reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council. He released nine collections with the St. Louis Jesuits and a 30-year anniversary collection in 2005. Their second recording, Earthen Vessels sold over one million albums, and as a result, beginning with hymnals such as Glory and Praise, their music became standard repertoire in Catholic parishes across the country. Other members of the St. Louis Jesuits are Bob Dufford, Roc O'Connor, John Foley and Tim Manion. He left the Society of Jesus in 1986. His compositions are primarily written for Catholic liturgical use, but, over time, have found their way into Protestant worship. Some of the more notable include "City of God", "Only This I Want", "Blest Be the Lord", "You Are Near", "Though the Mountains May Fall", "Sing a New Song", "Glory and Praise to Our God", "Here I Am, Lord", "Table of Plenty", "River of Glory", and "These Alone Are Enough", his setting of the Ignatian Suscipe prayer. "The St. Louis Jesuit Mass", co-authored during his collaborative years, was the most-used Mass setting in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. With the implementation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition in 2012, it was decided not to revise it. Schutte's composition of "Mass of God's Promise" continues to have wide use. "Mass of Christ the Savior," released in 2012, quickly became one of the most widely used Mass Settings throughout the English speaking world.
Many notable Christian artists such as Chris Christian, Amy Grant and John Michael Talbot have recorded his compositions. In 2006, he wrote the component of a major catechetical program for teachers on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola and the use of music in prayer. In 2009, Twenty – Third Publications released a new book Walking the Sacred Path – Spiritual Exercisesfor Today. In 2012, he wrote "God With Us - A Prayer Book For Advent and Christmas." In 2014, he wrote, "From Ashes To Glory - A Prayer Book For Lent and Easter." He continues to compose new music, write about spirituality and is an in-demand presenter on liturgy, and the role of music as sung prayer. In addition to his Jesuit formation, Schutte holds two master of arts degrees, one in theology and one in liturgy from The Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. Schutte is also an alumnus of St. Louis University and Seattle University. He did graduate studies in music composition under the direction of Fr. Kevin Waters S.J. at Seattle University. He has received three honorary doctoral degrees for his contribution to the life of the church. Two of the honorary doctorates are in humane letters and the third is in music. Schutte presently is Composer-in-Residence at the University of San Francisco.
Recognition
Grammy Award nominations with the St. Louis Jesuits, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1981.
A 2017 poll conducted by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians found among members that Dan Schutte's hymn Here I Am, Lord placed second among "songs that make a difference". In a circular of 29 July 2008, the Congregation for Divine Worship directed that, "in liturgical celebrations, in songs and prayers the name of God in the form of the tetragrammatonYHWH is neither to be used or pronounced". Schutte himself agreed with the directive. Accordingly, for Catholic liturgical services the refrain of Schutte's "You Are Near", which began as "Yahweh, I know you are near" now begins with "O Lord, I know you are near".
