by Mary Sellars Malloy
Question of the Week, August 2, 2020, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
What Church musician starts his or her new ministry during Holy Week? You guessed it. Me! There I was, on the Tuesday before Palm Sunday, meeting with the cantors and choir and trying to put together a plan for Palm Sunday and the Triduum. Somehow, by the grace of God, we made it—and not only did we make it, we truly celebrated and prayed together!
I remember that ministry site. After the whirlwind Holy Week experience, I worked to settle into my small and dusty office, and by the time I weeded out old files, copies, and junk, I was left with one xerox box full of useful music. But onward I went, through the Easter Season and into Ordinary Time, when choir members offered to host a cheesecake sale to provide funding for new music. We raised $1100!
From there, five college students, all music majors, stepped forward to add their voices, violin, percussion, clarinet, and exquisite piano playing to the mix. The next year, a parishioner who wished to remain anonymous sent word to me to choose and buy new hymnals for the parish and new accompaniment books for all of the instrumentalists.
Five loaves and two fishes? Impossible tasks? I understand! But I’ve seen with my own eyes that, when the work is God’s, when the timing is God’s, God provides all that is needed for the task and more.
What seems impossible to you today? Be that child who places the little you have into the hands of Jesus, and trust that you will have more than enough inspiration, courage, and wisdom to do what he is calling you to do.
Mary Sellars Malloy has over forty years’ experience as a Catholic educator and lay minister. She is a frequent workshop presenter on the topics of prayer, liturgy, spirituality, the Sacraments, and the RCIA. In addition, Mary leads retreats and parish missions throughout the country. Her goal is to encourage Catholics of all ages to appreciate and to live their Catholic faith.
Product Recommendation
Music Programs
Blest Are We |
Be My Disciples |
Sacramental Preparation |
Enliven your program with music using these resources which provide the program song and five unit songs for each level, special music related to chapter themes, instrumental tracks for meditation, and background music. |
Each music program contains:
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These engaging music program, developed in partnership with Oregon Catholic Press, contain a variety of liturgical and catechetical songs for Eucharist and Reconciliation. A mixture of songs in Spanish and English and selected instrumental tracks are provided. |