Dear Parish Family:
I would like to thank everyone who helped to make our pipe organ project come to fruition! Your prayers and generosity have led us to this moment of being able to enjoy this great instrument!
Our Catholic Church at the Second Vatican Council said that “the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for 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 (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 120).
Pope Benedict XVI said that “[t]he organ has always been considered, and rightly so, the king of musical instruments, because it takes up all the sounds of creation – as was just said - and gives resonance to the fullness of human sentiments, from joy to sadness, from praise to lamentation. By transcending the merely human sphere, as all music of quality does, it evokes the divine.”
The Church, in fact, sees certain articles for the liturgy like vestments, liturgical books, bell towers, and pipe organs as extremely important to our liturgical celebrations. So, it is fitting that, during this National Eucharistic Revival which spans three years, we would solemnly bless and dedicate this instrument to God for the Mass and other liturgies. The Church herself creates special blessings for this occasion. You may remember the blessing and dedication of our bell tower in front of church after receiving and restoring the three bells from Holy Trinity Parish church.
At the 4:30pm Mass this weekend, I will be performing the Rite of Blessings for Pipe Organs following my homily. If you missed it, you will be able to check it out in my blog.
Next Saturday, October 15, at 7:00pm, Hector Salcedo will be playing the first organ concert on our organ. Feel free to invite anyone you know who appreciates classical music and the fine arts. It should be a spectacular performance!
In a special way, I also want to thank the Peragallo Pipe Organ Company for working with us on this project. Peragallo was founded in 1918 by John Peragallo, Sr., and remains a multi-generational family business. They are well-known for having overseen the refurbishment and care of the famous Kilgen Organs at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. They have completed and continue to maintain organs across the United States from the northeast to the southwest.
St. Malachy in Brownsburg is blessed to house one of their creations, and we are delighted to continue our relationship with them. They have been really good to us.
So, let us continue to reach God through music! May our worship with minds and voices raised to God always glorify his holy Name!
In Jesus, through Mary and St. Joseph,
Father Danda
