By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/5/04)

Five years ago, as the Arlington Diocese prepared to celebrate its 25th anniversary, a new creation was born: the diocesan choir. The group had three rehearsals before ministering at the anniversary Mass at the Patriot Center on the George Mason University campus. There were more than 200 people in the choir that day, representing a majority of diocesan parishes.

The current choir has about 80 singers who still come from all corners of the diocese. The group has two rehearsals before each liturgy, and they sing about five times a year for diocesan events such as the Marriage Jubilee Mass, the Rite of Election (first Sunday of Lent), the diaconate ordination and diocesan pilgrimages to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

"It’s the bishop’s choir," said Rick Gibala, director. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde is the celebrant every time they sing.

"The choir members really take this very seriously," Gibala said, adding that they are dedicated enough to take music home and practice outside of rehearsal.

The choir’s song selection is "eclectic," Gibala said, and uses chant as well as polyphonic music. They are accompanied by the pipe organ and on occasion, the Cathedral of St. Thomas More Hand Bell Choir and Brass Ensemble.

"Being in a choir is a sacrifice," Gibala said. "Not only a sacrifice for the choir member, but also for the family. Families are to be commended for their support of the choir member."

Mark and Dori Sewell have been with the diocesan choir since it began five years ago. As members of St. Elizabeth Parish in Colonial Beach, their sacrifice is a commute of over an hour.

"It’s not the burden people think it is," said Dori. "We don’t deal with traffic every day."

Mark said it was probably harder for people from Stafford to commute to choir rehearsal since they deal with traffic and commuting on a daily basis. The Sewell’s make the trip for events they want to participate in, so it’s easier, said Dori.

"We like to be a part of the diocesan community," Mark said. "Sometimes we feel a little isolated down here."

Being a part of this has also benefited their marriage.

"It’s an event we can do together," she said. They pray and praise together, and they use the time on the road to talk.

A past member of the choir, Steven Schultz, is now in his second year of pre-theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pa., and serving his summer internship at St. Rita Parish in Alexandria. He sang two years for ordination Masses.

Schultz said it is important for the diocese as a whole to make the ordination Masses beautiful.

"It was a really positive experience that reinforced my discernment that God wanted me to enter the seminary," he said. When Schultz entered college, he majored in music education and hoped to become a high school band director. Although God called him elsewhere, he hopes to continue his involvement with music as much as possible.

"It is important that in the liturgy, we give God the most beautiful things we can," Schultz said. "Music is part of the celebration, and it is an offering."

Schultz said that singing at the cathedral was a unique experience because of the position of the choir and the quality of the organ.

The diocesan choir provides an opportunity for parish directors to change roles. Trudy Maher, music director at St. Joseph Parish in Herndon, and her husband Peter, program coordinator of the National Association of Pastoral Music (NPM), like being choir members.

"It’s always invigorating to work with another director, especially one like Rick," Trudy said.

Trudy enjoys going outside her parish to participate in something diocesan-wide. "It’s another way to serve the liturgy and to serve the diocese," she said. "Being involved in the liturgy in any way is a really good faith-building experience."

Trudy believes she was called to work with liturgical music. After teaching music in public schools, she missed the element of music in worship. She considers it a special thing to give back a gift and help others pray.

"It’s a real opportunity for me to practice what we preach at NPM," Peter said. He gladly leaves behind his leadership roles as the parish accompanist and his national role to help pastoral musicians at work.

"The opportunity just to sing in the choir is nice," he said.

The parish choir and diocesan choir don’t compete with each other, but rather complement each other. "I see the parish choir as an extension of the diocesan choir," Trudy said.

According to Gibala, diocesan choir members are encouraged to continue participating in their parish choirs. It doesn’t conflict with parish activities.

"We’ve really become a family," Gibala said. They celebrate with each other during joyful moments of life and comfort each other through the sorrowful.

Sherri Katoen, a member of All Saints Parish in Manassas, has been a choir member for only a year, but she found support in the group after her father died. Gibala remembered her father during one of the choir’s Masses.

"He’s such a powerful director — not just musically, but spiritually," Katoen said, adding that Gibala asks for special intentions of the choir and spends some rehearsal time in prayer.

Gibala said that every time the choir meets, they pray for the diocese, for Bishop Loverde and for the personal intentions of the members.

"I feel very blessed to be able to work with these people," Gibala said. "We’ve become a great choir in the past few years. By 10 years we’ll be really good."