It’s not hard to find Rick Gibala on Sunday mornings: Just look up at the choir loft in the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, where he can usually be seen playing the organ and directing the choir.
As director of music for the Cathedral of St. Thomas More and the diocese, Gibala, 75, has been responsible for music at thousands of Masses — from weddings and funerals to ordinations and other special liturgies.
“I don’t consider what I’m doing on Sunday mornings ‘playing music’ — I’m leading prayer,” he said. “Sacred music is different from a concert — you never know who is in the church and if they just lost a loved one, or if they’re struggling … You’re touching souls.”
After 32 years in the diocese, Gibala will retire Aug. 23; his contributions will be honored Aug. 14 at a farewell Mass and reception. The new diocesan and cathedral director of music, Father Vincent Ferrer Bagan, of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, begins in mid-August.
“Along with all in the diocese, I commend and thank Rick for his faithful, dedicated and generous service throughout the years,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. “He used his expertise and gifts to praise God and to enhance the celebration of Mass and liturgies at the cathedral and throughout the diocese with beautiful music. He has been a tremendous blessing.”
The music at the farewell Mass will include some beautiful hymns, but one is extra special — it was written for Gibala’s retirement by his first student intern, J.J. Mitchell, now a church music director in Houston, Texas, pursuing a doctorate in sacred music. The tune is called Gibala. “What an amazing gift,” Gibala said.
He learned to play the organ in Pittsburgh at the parish where he grew up. His first teacher, Miss Martha, played at every Mass — and taught him to play “so she could have a day off,” he said.
When she quit one Valentine’s Day, “I became the church organist at age 15,” he said, adding that if he ever writes a memoir, “the title will be ‘Miss Martha Quit.’ ” The assistant pastor was the choir director, and when he got transferred, “I became choir director too,” Gibala said. He worked his way through college, playing at Masses in the morning, taking classes in the afternoon.
After 16 years at the parish, he became the first layperson to serve as music coordinator for the Diocese of Pittsburgh (1978-’86), where he founded the diocesan choir and a local chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. He is a charter member of the NPM council and has directed its Arlington chapter. One of his greatest honors, he said, was being named NPM’s Pastoral Musician of the Year in 1999. In September 2000, he received an honorary doctorate from the Leonine Institute.
He’s tried to schedule vacations over the years, but funerals or other emergencies always called him back. He takes the unpredictability in stride, perhaps because there aren’t many places he’d rather be than sitting at the organ or directing a choir. “It’s not a job, it’s very much a vocation,” he said.
In retirement, he’ll have time to fill in for colleagues so they can take vacations; he also looks forward to doing more cooking and may even write a book — perhaps that memoir he talks about. He’s already written a cookbook for church musicians, “With Harp, Lyre, and Spatula,” published by NPM.
What makes him happiest is playing music “when the congregation is really singing,” he said. “That’s the ultimate high for me — the singing transforms to prayer.”
When cathedral friends wish him well in retirement, he reminds them he’s not really leaving. “This is my parish community,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to be able to work with such wonderful people. I feel like I’ve had one of the best jobs in the world.
“My heart will always be here,” he added.
The only difference is he won’t be up in the choir loft — he’ll be singing in the pews.
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A Mass and reception in honor of Rick Gibala’s retirement will be Aug. 14 at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
