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Dominican musicians are instruments of God’s love

Katie Scott | Catholic Herald

The brothers play a variety of instruments, including the mandolin, banjo, fiddle and flute, as well as African and Irish drums.

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Members of the Hillbilly Thomists — (from left) Brother Joseph Hagan, Fr. Colm Mannion, Brother Innocent Smith, Brother Peter Gautsch, Brother Timothy Danaher, Brother Justin Bolger and Brother Jonah Teller — practice a mix of bluegrass, folk, Irish and reggae during a recent rehearsal.

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Dominican Brother Justin Bolger strums his guitar and sings during a Jan. 14 rehearsal of the Hillbilly Thomists at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington.

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The Hillbilly Thomists, joined by fellow Dominican brothers and sisters, sing and speak to passers-by at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro stop in Washington last spring.

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The hum of good-natured joking and laughter harmonized with
the sound of instruments being tuned, creating a fitting
prelude to a rehearsal filled with toe-tapping rhythm and
contagious joy.

It was the weekly gathering of the Hillbilly Thomists, a
musical group at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington
that fosters fraternity among its members and shares the
Gospel message in an unconventional way.

Clad in white tunics dangling with rosaries, six Dominican
brothers and one priest sat in a semicircle Jan. 14 to
practice a blend of bluegrass, Irish-American and Scottish
folk, Americana spirituals – and a touch of reggae.

The group plays after ordinations and vow professions at the
Dominican House, which provides intellectual, pastoral and
spiritual formation to Dominican student brothers. Priests,
other religious orders and laypeople study there as well.

The brothers also recently performed following a Holy Hour at
Capuchin College, just up the street from the Dominicans.

Several times a year, though, the brothers gather their
instruments and ride the Metro to the Gallery Place-Chinatown
Metro stop. There, the habit-wearing musicians stand on a
patch of sidewalk and perform, while a few of the brothers
speak to passers-by who are drawn to the music.

Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers, have a
mission to share the truth of the Gospel, and the city
singing is part of that.

“We want to make clear to people that God exists, that God
loves them, that God has a plan for them,” said Brother
Justin Bolger after the rehearsal. “But our age is a bit
resistant to formal exposition – like, ‘Let me tell you
Aquinas’ five ways of how we can prove God’s existence.’ That
doesn’t appeal to a lot of people, especially when you’re
trying to show them who God is. A lot of people don’t think
God exists ? or that He wants to communicate with us.”

Beauty, in this case in the form of melody and lyrics, is a
way to reach people. “It’s an indirect way to open someone’s
heart,” he said. And it’s more effective than going up to
someone and launching into a talk about Jesus.

“Music allows people the space where they can say, ‘OK, I
appreciate what’s happening in front of me; I don’t
understand it, it’s mysterious, but I’m connecting to the
transcendent somehow,'” said Brother Justin.

The group began about four years ago when two brothers
started meeting weekly to play Irish music together at the
Dominican House. The Dominican duo gradually attracted more
members, with each new addition adding musical depth.

“As we’ve gone along it has really developed and blossomed in
repertoire, in style, in the musical instruments involved,”
said Brother Innocent Smith. “It’s really a synthesis of the
talents and backgrounds of the brothers.”

The number of members fluctuates, but the current eight
includes several music majors and one former professional
musician.

The name “Hillbilly Thomists” pays tribute to St. Thomas
Aquinas, a Dominican, and to the Catholic author and Georgia
native Flannery O’Connor, who was a student of Aquinas and
refers to herself in a letter as a “Hillbilly Thomist.”

The connection to St. Thomas and the folk ethos of the term
made the name a good fit, said Brother Innocent.

At last week’s rehearsal, the men began a cappella, adding
instruments as they sang their way through, among other
pieces, “The Jolly Beggarman,” “Ain’t Gonna Study War No
More,” “I’ll Fly Away,” “Sober Men and Plenty” and a Bob
Marley medley.

Many Marley songs have biblical themes or focus on freedom,
“so the lyrics are appropriate for the group,” said Brother
Justin.

The song selection tends toward folk because it’s versatile
and goes back generations with stories of the human heart.
“Folk also has something gritty that sticks with you,” said
Brother Innocent.

Alongside a guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and flute,
Brother Innocent played the concertina, which resembles a
small accordion, and Brother Joseph Hagan kept rhythm on two
kinds of drums – an African djembe and the Irish bodhran.

In addition to evangelization, the Hillbilly Thomists
supports fellowship among its members, said the Irish-born
Father Colm Mannion, who shared his rich accent along with
his fiddling skills. “It’s good for us to spend time together
doing something that we all enjoy.”

Be it on city streets or gathered for a rehearsal between
dinner and evening prayer, the Dominican musicians said the
music is about expressing and sharing joy.

“Music,” said Brother Innocent, “lets your joy overflow.”
 
 

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