The conference was hosted by Richard Proulx of the Cathedral of the Holy Name in Chicago. CRCCM had grown to thirty-six individual members from twenty-seven American dioceses; twenty-six members came to Chicago.

The Chicago meeting determined and clarified the purposes of the organization and articulated them in a statement of purpose, drafted by Richard Proulx, Leo Nestor, and Haig Mardirosian, as amended and adopted by the members present in Chicago. Concerns outlined in the statement include: professional dialogue and development, resource exchange and policy deliberation, as especially applied to the cathedral setting as model for the church at large. The statement articulates readiness and willingness to consult with other liturgical and musical organizations in pursuit of beauty and excellence in worship and the spiritual and cultural enrichment of the community.

Other major agenda items included commitment to mutual information and resource sharing, budget survey, repertoire, and copyright considerations. Extended policy discussion concerned the matter of recognition by and consultation with established church bodies, and the topic of improving seminary training in the liturgical arts.

Joseph Cardinal Bernadin met informally with conference members and thanked them for their ministry to the Church. The Chamber Singers of Holy Name Cathedral sang a concert in the gothic splendor of Quigley Seminary Chapel, after which the conference banquet was held at a nearby high-rise penthouse.