Church music hits right note for student

For pianist and musician Kerry Flanigan, music and prayer have always been inseparable.

"It's the best way I've learned to pray," she said. "I can recite five, six prayers off the top of my head -- but I could sing you over 100 hymns. More and more as I get older, I look into what the words are saying, and find things that speak to me. You take those powerful words and put them over gorgeous melodies -- that's almost overwhelming sometimes."

Ms. Flanigan, 19, is a parishioner at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Colonie. Currently a music education major at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, she spent her summer filling in as music minister for Holy Spirit Church in East Greenbush.

Of note

Involvement in music ministry is nearly genetic in the Flanigan family: Ms. Flanigan's parents, Maureen and Kevin, met in a folk group and have been volunteering in parish music ministries since 1971. They raised their three daughters with the idea that "if you have a talent, you have to share it. The Church relies on people who give their talents."

As a child, Ms. Flanigan used to fall asleep at church choir rehearsal in her father's guitar case. By the time she and her younger sisters, Katie and Margaret, each turned eight, they knew all the choir's music. Ms. Flanigan officially joined the choir after her First Communion, and began to substitute for the music minister and accompany the choir on the piano by age 13.

As a senior at Columbia High School in East Greenbush, she was invited to serve as music director for "Once Upon A Stage," a student-run musical revue. She conducted the pit orchestra, coached singers and did musical arrangements of popular show tunes for various instruments.

Sharing talents

"That showed me what I really loved: working with a group of students," she said. "It was pretty life-changing [to help] them find their passion and feel they've accomplished something, to help people to perfect their talents and share them with people, whether they are an audience or a congregation."

After attending the Albany Diocese's Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) as a high-schooler, Ms. Flanigan returned for two subsequent years as CLI's music director. It was her first experience with picking music for liturgies, and she loved it.

"I knew how special all of the Mass were, and knew exactly how excited the kids feel," she said. "To help make it special and see all of their reactions was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It gave me confidence. They instilled in [me] the idea that I could be a director of music."

She also became involved with the Chrism Mass youth choir at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany and attended the annual "Music and Liturgy at Pyramid Lake" summer workshop at Pyramid Life Center in Paradox.

Super sub

Arriving home last summer, Ms. Flanigan took a job with a children's summer camp and sent a message to local pastors, telling them she was available as a fill-in musician on the weekends.

After Holy Spirit's former music minister left, pastor Rev. Joseph O'Brien invited Ms. Flanigan to fill in for the whole summer while the parish searched for a full-time replacement.

As music minister, she planned and played music for four weekend Masses, arranged for cantors and instrumentalists, tutored singers and played at weddings and funerals. The experience expanded her faith and bolstered her dedication to music ministry as a way of getting involved with a Catholic community.

Getting a boost

"I learned a lot about having to be confident," she remarked. "The whole parish really appreciated their last musician, [so] I was a little nervous to start after someone so good. But they made me feel like it was my home parish. People were so willing to accept me. It was definitely a very positive experience. It's made me a very versatile musician to play in another place with a different congregation."

As per tradition, her family came along for the ride: One week, her father filled in for her as the musician at liturgies, and her sisters have cantored on occasion.

Ms. Flanigan's experience at Holy Spirit will assist her in the future, as she plans to take on a leadership role with Bucknell's Catholic campus ministry music program, where she is also learning to play the organ.

"It's so evident, looking back, that every experience gives you tools that help you be stronger as you go on. Everything adds up in the end," she explained. "I can't imagine not doing music in church."

(The other Flanigans share their musical talents, as well: Katie and Margaret sing with the choir at Our Lady of Mercy and serve as cantors, and the family plays an assortment of instruments, including guitar, drums, clarinet, banjo and piano. Margaret also performed this summer in the Park Playhouse II production of "Aladdin" in Albany's Washington Park.)

(8/10/06) [[In-content Ad]]