I enjoy reading stories about people who serve the Church in humble circumstances. Today’s Pastoral Music Notebook (NPM) featured a link to David McWatters of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his ministry at funerals.
For McWatters, singing for the heavy-hearted is a form of prayer. Director of Holy Spirit’s (RCIA), he leads the singing at many funerals along with a special “Resurrection Choir.”
He takes the role seriously, spending time in prayer and researching the lives of the deceased beforehand. Sometimes he finds it tough to get through the songs, as when he sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic” for a young firefighter who died of cancer.
A refreshing read after being on overload for “proper” repertoire, and a guy who seems to be solidly placed to offer a true ministry of selfless giving. I miss the resurrection choir I inherited at one of my parishes years ago. Of course, we have vanishly few funerals here at the new parish. Six a year is a lot for us.
The blogger gets kudos too, for referring to the “Mass of Christian Burial.”
Catholic Sensibility 