Emily Wills plays the violin in the choir loft of St. Stephen Cathedral during “Musical Meditations on the Stations of the Cross,” which took place on Nov. 19, 2021 as part of the Arts at the Cathedral Concert Series and Faith Fest Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Cathedral uses musical memorial to honor those lost to COVID-19
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
In the evening of Nov. 19, 2021, St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro hosted “Musical Meditations on the Stations of the Cross,” as part of the Arts at the Cathedral Concert Series and Faith Fest Owensboro.
The choir of St. Stephen Cathedral sing during “Musical Meditations on the Stations of the Cross,” which took place on Nov. 19, 2021 as part of the Arts at the Cathedral Concert Series and Faith Fest Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
The hour-long event – which was conceptualized and arranged by the cathedral’s director of music, James Wells, with input from the Diocese of Owensboro’s director of music, Mike Bogdan – was dedicated to the memory of all who lost their lives to COVID-19.
“It is a little unusual to do stations in November, but November is the month we remember the dead,” said Wells in his introduction to the evening.
The somber musical selection featured pieces such as “Drop, Drop Slow Tears” by Orlando Gibbons and the traditional hymn “O Sacred Head Surrounded” and was interspersed with excerpts from obituaries of local people who had passed away due to COVID-19 during the course of the pandemic.
The event also featured Wells on the organ and piano, Emily Wills on violin and the choir of St. Stephen Cathedral.
Near the end of the event, the choir processed downstairs from the choir loft, up the aisle of the church and stood in front of the sanctuary to sing “Inscription of Hope” by Z. Randall Stroope, which included the line that “But a voice rises within me saying hold on my child, I’ll give you strength, I’ll give you hope, just stay a little while.”
In concluding the performance with the 15th station – The Resurrection – the choir led the audience in a resounding chorus of the hymn “New Jerusalem” by Rory Cooney.
Originally printed in the December 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
