August 13, 2010
St. Mary Choir from Evansville sings in Rome
The choir from St. Mary Church, Evansville is shown at the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. In front row, from left, are Steve McCallister, Mark Valenzuela, Dennis Russell, Jack Martin, director Paul Schutz, Betsy Gorman, Sister Darlene Boyd, Mary Anne Mathews, Ashley Halbig, Kathy Greenwell; back row, Jamie Morris, Craig Schutz, John Stephenson, Rich D’Amour, Marge Schellhase, Mary Lynn Isaacs, Maria Morris, Marce Halbig, Tink Martin and Holly D’Amour. Click for a larger version.
By STEVE HALBIG (Message staff)
One of the first things that caught the attention of the St. Mary choir and their families from Evansville when they arrived in Rome on July 30 was a poster near their Hotel Michelangelo.
In big letters and in Italian, it said the St. Mary Choir from Evansville, Indiana was performing at a 9 p.m. formal public concert Saturday, July 31 at the Basilica of St. Ignatius. The poster was a pleasant surprise and uplifting.
Saturday morning the 20-member choir and their 25 non-choir friends and families celebrated Mass with their pastor, Father Stephen Lintzenich, at the Tomb of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica. That same morning the group toured the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and the basilica.
Then came time to get ready for the concert that night. Paul Schutz, the choir’s director, was told by tour group company Peter’s Way Tours to expect a crowd of about 400.
The choir started rehearsing at 7 p.m. At 8:30 the church doors opened to the public, and the people came pouring in. The surprise, Schutz said, was that the crowd was “500 plus.” Afterward, many milled about talking to Schutz and members of the choir. They wanted to know more about the music and the choir from Evansville. Schutz composed two of the 17 songs the choir performed, including “For He is Coming” and “Veni, Sancte Spiritus.” As an encore that evening, the choir did “ The Lord’s Prayer.”
As emotionally rewarding as the concert was, the next evening may have been even better. That’s when the choir sang at the 5:30 p.m. Sunday Mass at the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica. Father Steve concelebrated, his first time ever at the main altar. A group of nuns in white habits started the applause for the choir at the end of Mass. Again, some milled about to talk to Schutz about his music. Schutz said the St. Peter’s experience was “maybe for me my favorite part” of the trip.
Jack Martin, a member of the choir, said the pilgrimage was “a life changing experience for me.” Martin elaborated.
“There are times in your life when you feel that you have been touched in a special way by the hand of God. Our choir pilgrimage to Rome was such an experience. The beauty and maj-esty of Rome’s basilicas were overwhelming to the emotions.
“How often does a person get an opportunity in life to spend time in adoration at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Cathedral of St. John Lateran, and at the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi.
“How often do you have the opportunity to pray at the tombs of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. How often does a choir have the opportunity to sing at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter, the Basilica of St. Ig-natius, and the Basilica of St. Mary Major and hear your voices of praise resonating in those sacred spaces.
“How often do you get the opportunity to do Liturgy of the Hours sitting in Vatican Square and before the Pieta.
“How often do you get the opportunity to attend a Papal Audience and be within a 100 feet of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.
“On more than one occasion I was filled with such joy and peace that it brought tears to my eyes. This all occurred in a weeklong period. WOW, what a life changing experience.”
As Schutz said Sunday before Mass at St. Mary, “It couldn’t have been much better in terms of prayer, music and celebration.”