Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin, Rawn Harbor, Robert McCarty and Religious Sister of Mercy Cynthia Serjak are among the featured presenters at the National Pastoral Musicians (NPM) Western Regional Convention, scheduled Aug. 5-8 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles.

Musicians, liturgists, clergy and parish ministry leaders will gather at the August 5-8 for the convention, whose theme is "One Body, One Spirit In Christ." Other presenters include Tom Kendzia, Mary Frances Reza, Dr. Paul Ford, Christopher Walker, Jerry Galipeau and ValLimar Jansen.

The convention will offer speakers and break out sessions on a wide range of topics, with special emphasis on worship in a multi-cultural church, and the care and renewal of those in parish ministry leadership. Activities during the convention will highlight the diversity of styles and cultures present in today's church and will include concerts, liturgies and special events intended to build bridges between the cultures and focus on unity in Christ.

Msgr. Irwin is a world-renowned author, educator, speaker in the field of theology and liturgy. He holds an S.T.D degree from Ateneo of Anselmo, Rome, and is currently the Dean, School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America.

He has published nearly a dozen books published on liturgy, most recently "Models of the Eucharist" (Paulist Press, 2005), and has collaborated in the authorship of many other books and publications.

Sister Serjak is a pastoral musicians and author of several books including "Prophecies and Puzzles: A Seven-Day Retreat for Those in Music Ministry and Cosmic Dance," in addition to a soon-to-be published guide for daily Mass. She currently works with women who are entering the Sisters of Mercy.

Harbor, one of the preeminent African American Catholic liturgists and musicians in the U.S., serves as an adjunct faculty member and director of liturgy and music at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, and adjunct faculty and director of the gospel choir at the University of San Francisco. He holds a Master's degree in theological studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

McCarty is executive director for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. A well-known author, McCarty has an MA in Religious Education from LaSalle University and a D.Min from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Indiana.

For information on the Los Angeles Convention, call (213) 637-7513 or visit www.npm.org.