National Association of Pastoral Musicians Convention

Next week I will be away in Pittsburgh, PA at the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) Convention.  This annual event brings together musicians from around the world to pray, learn and network with thousands of like minded individuals.  The convention is a week full of events, lectures, exhibitions and liturgies intended to invigorate musicians for the coming year.

From the NPM website, the convention is to:
Gather, sing, pray, and learn with hundreds of others who share your passion
Renew the liturgical and musical life of your parish
Renew your commitment to ministry and service to the singing and praying Church
Renew your skills with members who share your love of music and singing
Renew your spirit with some time away for refreshment and reflection
Reflect on thought-provoking major addresses
Enjoy delightful and inspiring musical events
Discover (or rediscover) music and other resources for the prayer of your community
Share your experiences and the experiences of others in implementing the new Missal

Please keep the musicians traveling to Pittsburgh in your prayers.

A Season for Weddings

Each Summer many couples get married, and that is also the case here at St. Joan of Arc in Powell.  Each year our Deacons, Associate Pastor and our Pastor Fr. Raymond Larussa marry many men and women who make a commitment to be together for the rest of their lives.

A wonderful part of my job as an ecclesiastical musician is sitting down with couples to choose music for their Nuptial Mass or service.  Each couple will often have something different in mind, and will differ slightly from one another.  Yet all of the couples are coming together to celebrate the love of God, their love for one another and to be joined in this wonderful Sacrament.

Pray for the couples to be married at St. Joan's this year, those who have been married at St. Joan's in the past, and all married couples.  May their love for one another grow and their love of God be strengthened all the days of their lives.

Pentecost Mass this Sunday

We look forward to our Outdoor Pentecost Mass this Sunday at 12:30pm. 

We hope to see you there!

This Sunday will be our last Choral Mass of the season and our last Handbell Mass of the season.  I have seen both of these groups grow - both in number and in talent - throughout this year.  Their hard work and dedication shines in their exquisite and edifying music.  May God give them a restful Summer so that they may come back and continue His work in the fall.

Have you ever considered joining the choir?  Ever wanted to ring a handbell?  We'd love to hear from you!

Funeral for Captain Nicholas Rozanski

This morning we celebrated the Funeral Mass of Captain Nicholas Rozanski.  I thank the numerous choir members who took time off of work to come and sing at the Mass, the additional singers who joined us from Holy Spirit (Whitehall) and St. Francis of Assisi (Victorian Village).

More information on Captain Nick can be found here.

Requiem Aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetuae luceat eis. Requiescant in pace.  Amen.
Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord him and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.  Amen.

Holy Week Thanks

Many thanks to the choir, bell choir, cantors, accompanists, instrumentalists, children's choirs, St. Joan of Roc, and others for their assistance in making beautiful music during Holy Week.  So much work goes into this week; and it seems to be over so very quickly.

As we continue to move through the Easter Season we will endeavor to keep the joy of the Risen Lord in our hearts and on our lips.  This will culminate with our exciting outdoor Choral Mass on Pentecost Sunday at 12:30pm.

There will be no Choral Mass this weekend as I am on vacation (why am I updating this while I'm on vacation?).  St. Joan of Roc will lead music during the Divine Mercy devotions and the 5:30pm Holy Mass on Sunday.  I encourage you to go and pray for God's continued mercy to be shown to us in our lives.

Masses this Weekend... Palm Sunday of our Lord's Passion

This Sunday, Palm Sunday of our Lord's Passion, is an exciting time for any active music program!

On Saturday evening we'll be having our principal Solemn Mass with music provided by St. Joan of Roc.

On Sunday morning we're excited for our Choral Mass at 10:45 which will feature some tremendous anthems for the edification of our congregation.

At the 5:30pm Sunday evening Mass our Children's Choirs will raise their voices with a glad Hosanna as they acclaim our Lord Jesus Christ as King.

Come journey with us through this weekend and into Holy Week!  This is an exciting and solemn time of the Church year.

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc we'll be having music provided by cantors at the 5:00pm Vigil, and the 7:30am,  9:30am and 12:30pm Masses.  At 10:45 we'll have our contemporary ensemble St. Joan of Roc leading us in song.  The 5:30pm Mass on Sunday evening will be our Choral Mass.

Also this weekend we'll be having a concert on Sunday Evening (March 25th) at 7:00pm as part of our Christian Concert Series.  As with all concerts in our series, admission is free but a free-will offering will be taken up to support the artists involved as well as our parish music program.

The Book of Jonah

Organist Matthew J. Meloche presents this unique concert which will include the reading of the Book of Jonah in its entirety.  Organ music played under the reading will enhance the themes and interludes with organ improvisations will give the listener time to reflect upon the Word of God.  This is not a traditional organ concert – there will be no repertoire or large-scale organ pieces.  Instead, this is a night to hear the Word of God and music combined together for inspiration during this Lenten season.  

We hope to see you there!

YOUTH MINISTRY IRISH MUSIC NIGHT THIS SUNDAY!

We are going to have an Irish music night this Sunday March 11th featuring "The Kells" in the Social Hall. The Kells play traditional Irish music and it will be like a teen coffee house set up only everyone is invited to enjoy the music. We will serve some pizza and soft drinks too. Hope to see you all there!

Check out their Myspace page to hear their music.

http://www.myspace.com/thekellsband/music
Michael A. Barone
SJOAYM

Fish Fry, Concert ON SUNDAY, Sunday Masses

Our Music Department will be hosting the Fish Fry this Friday evening at the Parish.  We hope you will come out and enjoy some good food and fellowship and be served by those who sing/ring to the glory of God at St. Joan of Arc.

This Sunday evening St. Joan of Arc will be hosting the choir from Hamilton College in New York.  Please consider coming out to hear this 70 member choir on Sunday evening (March 11) at 7:30PM.  We are blessed to have them be the first concert in our Christian Concert Series.  We thank our Pastor, Father Raymond Larussa, for his encouragement in our beginning this Christian Concert Series.  All concerts in the series are free to the public, but a collection will be taken to support the artists and the music program at St. Joan of Arc.

On the Third Sunday of Lent (March 10/11), our Choral Mass will be at 10:45AM, we will have cantors at all other Masses, and our handbell choir will enhanse the music at the 5:30PM Sunday Evening Mass.  We hope you come out this and every Sunday to be a part of your parish community and to celebrate Holy Mass.

Get involved with the Music Program at St. Joan of Arc

Children:
Children are invited to join one of our three musical groups for their age level!
Jr. Choristers Children's Choir - for children in grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade.  Rehearsals Mondays 5:45 - 6:15PM
Choristers Children's Choir - for children in grades 3 through 8.  Rehearsals Saturdays from 3:00 - 4:00PM.
The Ringers! Children's Handbells - for children in grades 4 through 8 with an interest in handbells.  Rehearsals Thursdays from 6:00 - 7:00PM.


Teens
Faith Song, High School Band - for youth in grades 8 through 12.  Rehearsals Tuesdays from 7:30 - 8:30PM.

Adults
Adult Choir - Rehearsals on Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:45PM.
Adult Handbells - Rehearsals on Thursdays from 7:00 - 8:00PM
Cantors - rehearsals with Music Director as needed.
Resurrection Choir for Funerals - rehearsals as needed, must be available weekday mornings.

Music During Lent

Today, Ash Wednesday, begins the season of Lent.

Music during Lent has a different flare from the rest of the year.  You may hear more Gregorian chant than typical.  We won't be ending Holy Mass with a Recessional Hymn, but will instead end in silence.  There may be less instrumental music than what is typically heard.  Songs may express our sorrow for our sins and the depth of our God's forgiveness more often than during the rest of the year.

Lent is a time for us to reflect on our lives and seek to bring ourselves closer to God - let the hymns that are sung during Mass lead us closer as we endeavor to live a righteous life.

On March 11th at 7:30PM we'll be holding a concert by the Hamilton College Choir from New York.  Though this will not be a "Lenten" concert, you may be inspired by the songs used at this concert during the Lenten season.  Please consider coming out and supporting your Parish Music Ministry by attending this event - it is free, but a free-will offering will be collected to support St. Joan of Arc Music.

On March 26th at 7:00PM there will be another concert - during which the Book of Jonah will be read in its entirety.  With short instrumental breaks, one will be able to reflect on the Word of God and on the message of this Book of the Bible which can certainly be a part of one's Lenten journey.  Again, the concert is free but a free-will offering will be taken up.

On Fridays throughout Lent we'll be praying the Stations of the Cross on Friday Evenings at 7:30PM.  This wonderful devotion includes singing parts of the Stabat Mater - the traditional Sequence for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  Come and join in song as we reflect on Mary, watching her Son and our Lord crucified.  Each evening will end with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament during which the traditional hymn O Salutaris and the traditional chant Tantum Ergo are sung.  There is no better way to enter into this holy season than by praying the Stations of the Cross and then being able to receive Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament!

We hope to see you at these events - be sure to check out the bulletin for further information on opportunities for spiritual growth during Lent.

The Pipe Organ and Catholic Worship

The official instrument of the Roman Catholic Church is, of course, the pipe organ.  Vatican II’s liturgy document Sacrosanctum Concilium reminds us of the primacy of this instrument by saying “it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man's mind to God and to higher things.”

The organ in our parish is regrettably not a pipe organ, but rather an electric organ that is meant to emulate the sound of a pipe organ.  Pipe organs are expensive instruments that can cost anywhere from $300,000

to $2,000,000 and above for a newly-built instrument.  In 2012, with many parishes closing, lots of old pipe organs are being purchased from closed Parishes, being transported and refurbished and then rebuilt in other churches for far less money.  Sometimes used pipe organs that would cost over a million dollars new can be purchased for under $50,000 (though rebuilding can be costly).  It can be difficult to find a used organ that is available and will match acoustically, stylistically and spatially into an existing Church.

This effort, however, is well worth it.  Saving historic instruments that were built with the sweat, tears and sacrifices of those who have gone before us is a worthy cause.  Also, making our worship of God fully authentic is a tremendously worthy cause.  If one walks through our church, they will find no fake flowers or plants.  Our worship is enhanced by real, living plants.  Fake plants can be beautiful and last far longer, but are inauthentic.  Real flowers need maintenance and care, will cost more (they will need to be replaced), but are worth it because they bring authenticity.  A fake flower or plant is just intended to imitate the truth found in legitimate plants and flowers.  Likewise, an electric organ is just intended to imitate the beauty and truth found in pipe organs.  They're cheaper and require less maintenance, but they're really just like plastic flowers:  possibly beautiful, but not real.

If you'd like to discuss the possibility of seeing a pipe organ in St. Joan of Arc in the future, feel free to contact me.  We have the space - we just need enthusiasm, fund-raising and people willing to help.

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today I was given a key, a tour of the building, and a role as leader of the music program at St. Joan of Arc. It has been a great pleasuring serving this church and I will continue to give my best in running this wonderful program.  Since arriving, I am very proud of our efforts in establishing a Children's Handbell Choir, expanding the Parish Choir, Teen Band, Cantor Program and Children's Choirs, establishing a Christian Concert Series, having a weekly page in the parish bulletin to keep folks engaged in and informed about our music program, and hopefully leading members of our music program closer to Christ and His Church.  I would like to thank our Pastor, Father Raymond Larussa, for his help with our program, as well as my colleagues Paula Vasey and Val Galaktionov who are so very talented and valued here at St. Joan of Arc.


In the next several months, great musical events will happen at St. Joan of Arc.

Tom Booth (a liturgical musician and composer) will present our Parish Mission.
Pergolesi's Stabat Mater will be performed in concert on March 11th.
We will read the Book of Jonah at an organ concert on March 25th.
Holy Week, with its unique liturgies and music, will take place during the first week of April.

Are you looking to meet new friends in the parish?
Do you love music and want to share your gifts with the world?
Join us!  Ring a bell, sing with a choir, raise your voice as a cantor or play an instrument!
No matter what your talent - we'll find a place for you.

God bless,
Matthew J. Meloche

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc

This Sunday at St. Joan of Arc in Powell, Ohio, we will be having a variety of musical groups leading music at our various Masses.

At the 5:00PM Vigil Mass we will debut our new Children's Handbell Team, The Ringers!  The team is made up of children in grades 4 - 8 who have been working hard to learn this new skill.  Formed just before Christmas, this is the first time The Ringers! will play at Holy Mass.  Keep them in your prayers as they continue to develop their musical talents and seek to lead our congregation to prayer through instrumental music.

The 7:30 Mass will be lead by a cantor.

The 9:00 Mass will be our Choral Mass at which our choir will continue to introduce the congregation to the Mass in Honor of St. Benedict, which is the official Mass Ordinary of the Diocese of Columbus.  See the Music Ministry News in this Sunday's bulletin for more information about this Ordinary.

The 10:45 and 12:30 Masses will be lead by cantors.

At 5:30PM we will be lead in song by Faith Song, St. Joan of Arc's high school band.  This group, made up of youth in grades 8 - 12, specialize in contemporary Catholic music.  They are in need of new members and typically rehearse on Tuesdays - if you're in eighth grade or high school and would like to join - come talk to the music director (or another member of Faith Song) after Holy Mass.

We hope you join us for Mass this Sunday at St. Joan of Arc Parish!

Music Update

Today was the start of a new event being offered monthly by St. Joan of Arc Parish in Powell, Ohio.  On the fourth Wednesday of each month a priest from St. Joan of Arc will celebrate Holy Mass at the Inn at Olentangy Trail Senior Assisted Residence and our music program will be involved with providing music for the Mass.  Today, Father Jeffrey Tigyer and I, along with two parishioners, went and prayed the Mass along with several residents.

In the future, it is our hope that we can form a small choir to bring with us to sing at these Masses.  If you know anyone who is available during the day and might be interested in praying with these seniors and leading them in song, please contact me for further information.

Catholics are called to be Pro Life and to respect all life.  I can think of no better way to show our seniors that we respect and care for them than offering Holy Mass for those who cannot make the trip to St. Joan of Arc.  In addition, music can lift our hearts and minds to God and edify us – so the gift of music being offered at these Masses is essential.  I thank our Pastor, Father Raymond Larussa, for starting this ministry that will bring the Word of God and the Body of Christ to our friends at the Inn at Olentangy Trail.  Keep their residents, and all senior citizens, in your prayers.

God bless,
Matthew J. Meloche

Welcome to the St. Joan of Arc Staff Blog!

The staff of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Parish in Powell, Ohio have begun writing a blog that will be updated daily in this our 25th Anniversary year!  We thank our Pastor, Father Raymond Larussa, for encouraging us to continue to find new ways to reach our parishioners.

Approximate update schedule will be:
Mondays - David Hartline, Stewardship
Tuesdays - Eloise Carlet, RCIA
Wednesdays - Matthew J. Meloche, Music Program
Thursdays - Michael Barone, Youth Ministry
Fridays - Romy Riebe, GIFT
Saturday - Guest posters (clergy, parishioners, other staff)

We hope you visit often!