About me
Robert J. Batastini, FHS, is the retired vice president and senior editor of GIA Publications, Inc., Chicago. Though retired from management, he maintains an active role at GIA. Bob has seventy years of service in pastoral music ministry, having served several parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago and one in the Diocese of Joliet. He served as executive editor and project director for the Worship hymnals (three editions), Gather hymnals (three editions), Catholic Community Hymnal, and as executive editor of RitualSong. Since retirement, he has continued as project director for Lead Me, Guide Me—Second Edition, and served on the editorial committees for Worship—Fourth Edition, and Oramos Cantando.
Bob is past-president of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, served as a member of the Council for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and was a member of the Music Advisory Committee of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy which drafted the Bishops’ document, Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship.
